PAST MEETINGS
The Fight for Gun Reform
Rhonda Hart and Kathy Brennan
March 2024
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Hear from two activists who are directly and deeply involved in the debate over stricter gun laws.
The Fight for Women's Health Care
Poppy Northcutt and Kylie McNaught
February 2024
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Poppy is an attorney specializing in women's rights and a dedicated activist for reproductive rights. Kylie is the Director of Public Affairs (TX) at Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast and an advocate for women's healthcare.
Trauma, Anguish and Texas' Abortion Law
Elizabeth Weller
January 2024
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Texas’ strict abortion bans endanger women’s health and lives. Hear from Elizabeth Weller who was denied an abortion, even after doctors determined the fetus was not viable and her life was in grave danger.
Hate Groups: The Growing Malignancy Among Us
John Cobarruvias
November 2023
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Hate groups in the US have grown significantly over the last few years. Over 72 anti-government groups were tracked in Texas n 2022. Find out more about the hate groups and extremists' organizations operating in the greater Houston area.
The State of CCISD: The Facts About the Bond Election
Karen Engle, CCISD Superintendent of Schools
October 2023
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Visit with Karen Engle and find out more about CCISD and the upcoming Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election (VATRE) and the Bond Election on the November ballot. Registered voters residing within Clear Creek Independent School District attendance zone will be asked to consider three propositions that would generate additional funding to support educational programs, staff salaries, facility repairs and equipment replacements, and technology.
Free and Fair Elections
Teneshia Hudspeth, Harris County Clerk
September 2023
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Teneshia Hudspeth is the County Clerk and Chief Election Officer of Harris County, the third-largest county in the nation and the largest county in the State of Texas. Harris County has a population of more than 4.9 million. Teneshia is also the first African American woman to serve in this role.
Inside City Hall
Sallie Alcorn, Houston City Council Member
August 2023
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Do you know who represents you on Houston City Council? How do you get help with a problem? Hear from Sallie Alcorn as she answers your questions and shares her experiences as a City Council Member.
Sallie Alcorn was elected to Houston City Council in December 2019. As an at-large representative, she focuses primarily on citywide issues – budget, transportation, infrastructure, and public safety.
Defending Harris County
Christian Menefee, Harris County Attorney
June 2023
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As the Harris County Attorney, Christian Menefee is the chief civil lawyer for Texas' largest county. Christian leads an office of 250 attorneys and staff members who represent the county in all civil matters including lawsuits. He is the first African American and the youngest person elected as the Harris County Attorney.
LGBTQ+ Rights Under Atack in Texas
Maria Gonzales and Queen Angelina
May 2023
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Maria is a scholar, author, political activist and a LGBTQ advocate. Queen Angelina is a multi-talented performer and an advocate for equal rights and greater drag representation in Houston.
Fighting For the Future of Harris County
Mike Doyle
April 2023
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Meet Mike Doyle, the new Chair of the Harris County Democratic Party, and hear his plans to increase Democratic voter turnout in Harris County, leading to changes in state-wide races.
Gun Violence and Gun Control Legislation
Rhonda Hart
March 2023
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Rhonda Hart, a gun reform advocate, talks about gun violence prevention and discusses her efforts to push for gun control legislation. She is currently working on gathering support for SB 435 which would let violent crime victims' families and survivors view evidence of the crime.
Inside Harris County Commissioners Court
Commissioner Adrian Garcia
February 2023
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Commissioner Adrian Garcia will share with us his experiences as a commissioner, what he plans to accomplish during his second term and the challenges he sees facing Commissioners Court and Harris County.
Serving more than 1.3 million people as County Commissioner, Garcia helps to ensure that Commissioners Court passes a balanced countywide budget of more than $5 billion, while ensuring that Harris County operations are funded to serve a quickly growing county.
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Update on Regional Economic Development
Brian Freedman
January 2023
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Hear from Brian Freedman, President of BAHEP, as he identifies the top legislative issues for the region.
BAHEP has evolved into a member-driven organization that provides the leadership to stimulate regional economic development and employment. Additionally, BAHEP and its strategic partners work on behalf of local, regional, state and national issues which affect economic development and quality of life in Bay Area Houston.
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Censorship in Texas
Ty Burns
November 2022
Hear from Ty Burns as he discusses the history of censorship in Texas and how school districts are responding to demands by parents to restrict or ban what they consider inappropriate material.
A former director of Library Media Services at Clear Creek ISD, Ty is owner of TyRB Library & Literature Services, a company that consults with school libraries and districts to set up and redesign school library programs, curriculum connections and library spaces.
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Recap of the Midterm Election
Sherrie Matula, BAAD Women board member and co-founder of Sisters United Alliance, will talk about the election results in Harris County and throughout the state.
Election Integrity and Voting Rights
Nadia Hakim
October 2022
Meet Nadia Hakim and learn how the election process will work for the 2022 midterm elections and what the Harris County Elections Administrator's office is doing to safeguard our rights and ensure a free and fair election.
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Nadia Hakim serves as the Deputy Director of Communication with the elections office. Her six-person team provides Harris County election staff, voters and stakeholders with the information and resources they need (in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Chinese) so that they can confidently participate in democracy.
How Safe Are Our Public Schools?
Brian Palazzi and Dava West
September 2022
The threat of mass violence is happening all too often in public schools across the country, and gun violence is the leading cause of children's deaths in Texas. Hear from Brian Palazzi, Director of Safe and Secure Schools, and Dava West, Director of Counseling & Student Services, as they discuss Clear Creek Independent School District's policies and practices to ensure safe learning and working environments and the services available for students needing emotional support and assistance.
The Other MAGA...Mothers Against Greg Abbott
Nancy Thompson, MAGA Founder
August 2022
Meet Nancy Thompson, founder of Mothers Against Greg Abbott (MAGA). MAGA is sweeping the country, generating national headlines and grabbing media attention by highlighting Abbott’s many policy failures in an effort to elect a new governor in November.
Founded by Thompson in August 2021, MAGA is a political action committee (PAC) made up of a diverse group of Texans working together to advocate on a variety of issues such as reproductive healthcare rights, gun safety and school shootings, LGBTQ+ rights, voting rights, vaccine mandates, censorship and more.
Meet Rochelle Garza
Democratic Candidate for Texas Attorney General
June 2022
Rochelle Garza is a former ACLU lawyer who lives in Brownsville. She is best known for successfully suing the Trump administration in 2017 for denying a detained, pregnant 17-year-old the right to choose. And in 2018, she testified against Brett Kavanaugh’s U.S. Supreme Court nomination because he had ruled against the teen’s access to abortion as an appellate court judge.
If she wins in November, Rochelle will be the first Latina Texas attorney general and the first Democrat in the office since 1999.
Should Marijuana Be Legalized?
Shawn Hauser and Elita Caldwell
May 2022
Although marijuana is illegal at the federal level in the United States, 18 states plus Washington, DC and Guam have legalized cannabis for adult use. Texas is one of only 19 states that still imposes jail time for simple possession of marijuana.
Marijuana laws are rapidly changing across all 50 states. Should Texas legalize marijuana?
Fighting For Transgender Rights
Challenges Facing Transgender Individuals
April 2022
Efforts to politicize LGBTQ+ rights have significantly added to the challenges for those seeking to affirm their gender identity. Hear from those working with and providing support to transgender individuals and the community.
A Close Look at the Problems with the Primaries
How to Restore Confidence?
March 2022
Election workers/judges will discuss their experience at the polls to provide a better understanding of the problems that occurred with the voting machines during the primaries and how to resolve them.
2022 Democratic Primary Endorsements
Endorsements From Area Clubs
February 2022
Area 5 Democrats, Bay Area Democratic Movement (BADM) and Bay Area New Democrats (BAND) discuss their candidate screening questionnaires, the scoring process and club endorsements.
Winning with Data Analysis and Persuasive Messaging
Rachel Bitecofer, The Election Whisperer
November 2021
Political scientist, election analyst and author, Rachel Bitecofer rose to national prominence for predicting the size of the 2018 “Blue Wave” earlier and more accurately than other forecasters. She also predicted Democrats would recapture the presidency more than a year out from the election. Hear what Rachel has to say about the midterm elections and how we can effectively counter the GOP’s attack. We look forward to seeing you virtually.
From the Bench: A Primer on Harris County District Courts
Judges Dollinger, Collier, Warren, Tanner and Moore
October 2021
As our judicial system is increasingly in the news, it's essential to have an understanding of the courts and how they work. Our October meeting features a panel of judges as they discuss the roles and responsibilities of the four different Harris County district courts: Civil, Criminal, Family and Juvenile. Judge Scot Dollinger will facilitate the discussion.
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Confronting the Conservative Agenda
State Sen. Carol Alvarado and State Rep. Mary Ann Perez
September 2021
Get the scoop on Texas politics from two of the Democrats leading the charge – State Senator Carol Alvarado and State Representative Mary Ann Perez – as they discuss crucial issues and current legislation at the September BAAD Women meeting.
Straight Talk About Our Public Schools
Audrey Young
August 2021
Audrey Young, a Republican, serves as the District 8 State Board of Education member representing parts of the Greater Houston and Southeast Texas area. Audrey is the Director of Student Support Services for Nacogdoches ISD. She served on the Board of Trustees for Apple Springs ISD in Trinity County for 6 years. As a Master Trustee, she is on the Executive Board of Leadership for the Texas Association of School Boards Alumni Association (LTASBAA).
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Harris County Issues and Initiatives
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo
July 2021
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo is the first woman and the first Latina to be elected County Judge and only the second to be elected to the Commissioners Court. As the county's chief executive and presiding officer of Commissioners Court, she oversees a budget of over $4 billion that funds key services including justice administration, flood control, public health and housing. Judge Hidalgo will talk about the issues impacting the county, the innovative policies she has developed, the vision for Harris County and her experiences as County Judge.
Strategy for Turning Texas Blue: A Report for the Texas Democratic Party
Terri Burke
June 2021
An organizational and fundraising consultant, Terri Burke will share insights gained from her in-depth study and analysis for the Texas Democratic Party of best practices and what is needed to win Texas in 2022. Terri is the former Executive Director of the ACLU of Texas, a position she held for 12 years.
Assault on Individual Rights and Social Justice
Courtney Cambers and Ash Hall
May 2021
We have two great speakers to help us understand the impact of several harmful bills introduced this legislative session that pose serious threats to individual rights. Courtney Chambers with Whole Woman’s Health Alliance will discuss the women’s reproductive healthcare and abortion bills and Ash Hall will talk about the unprecedented attack on transgender people and bills targeting transgender youth.
Principled and Proven Leadership
Joe Jaworski
April 2021
It's time for a change. Too many of our public officials think they are above the law. We need someone who can restore integrity to public service in Texas. Someone who will use our legal system to fight for fairness and justice. And that’s Joe Jaworski, candidate for Texas Attorney General.
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Sexual and Domestic Violence
Leigh Ann Fry
March 2021
Sexual and domestic violence is growing at a tremendous rate. Did you know 1 in 3 women in the United States will experience some form of domestic violence and 1 in 6 women will be sexually assaulted in her lifetime? Hear from the President and CEO of Bay Area Turning Point as she discusses this national crisis, the impact of the pandemic and the steps that need to be taken including legislative action, funding and community support.
National Organization for Women
Bear Atwood
January 2021
Now is the time for action. Now is the time to set our priorities for the new year. The National Organization for Women has identified what it sees as the crucial issues impacting women across the country. Join us as Bear Atwood, Vice President of NOW, shares NOW’s agenda for the year.
Electoral College
Paul Finkelman
November 2020
Should the President be elected by popular vote? Is the Electoral College outdated? It is a system unique to the United States but is it an undemocratic way of electing a president? Dr. Paul Finkelman addressed the issue and put it in perspective at the meeting.
Black Lives Matter - Houston
Ashton P. Woods, Deanna Adams, Brandon Mack
October 2020
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Black Lives Matter has been growing and increasing in strength over the past few years leading to a national conversation on race. What is BLM and why is it happening? Is it a political or a social movement? Organizers with BLM-Houston will discuss what it means to be a Black person in America and the impact of the movement on the Black community and the country.
Conspiracy Theories
Mark Bankston
September 2020
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From Sandy Hook to Pizzagate and QAnon, social media is awash with conspiracy theories, misinformation and outright lies. What’s the impact and what can be done about it? Mark Bankston, Houston attorney who took on Alex Jones and InfoWars, answered these questions and more.
Women's Activism
Elizabeth Gregory, Poppy Northcutt, Kandice Webber
August 2020
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Throughout history women have suffered discrimination. And women activists have risen to the challenge, fighting for equal rights. On this centennial anniversary of the 19th Amendment, we looked at women’s ongoing fight for equality.
Free and Fair Elections
Amanda Gnaedinger, Barbara Radnofsky. Christian Menefee
July 2020
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Our elections are in jeopardy. With the president continuously questioning the integrity and legitimacy of our elections, the impact of the coronavirus on voter suppression and our own lawmakers who are threatening our most basic civil right, we are on the edge of a voting crisis.
The Path Forward
Rep. Sylvia Garcia
June 2020
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Rep. Sylvia Garcia from US House District 29 discussed these challenging times and how we can stay strong. She was one of seven impeachment managers tasked with making the case to the American people and the Senate for the removal of Donald Trump as President of the United States.
Future of Vote by Mail
Glen Maxey
May 2020
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With the impact of COVID-19, Russian hacking, and the elimination of many polling places, our elections are at risk. Join us for a special program featuring Glen Maxey, Legislative Affairs Director of the Texas Democratic Party. Glen discussed the latest court decision on vote by mail in Texas and what we can do to promote mail voting for everyone in every election. He also provided an inside scoop on what’s happening at the Texas Democratic Convention.
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