The Progressive Movement: Social Sector Issues 101

Young People For

Overview

The progressive movement has long addressed issues that speak to a diverse set of cultural constituencies, interests and socio-economic classes. It has not, however, always been the case that work around specific issues has benefited the broader progressive movement on the whole. This course will address a few of those core cultural and civil rights issues that have put progressive activists at odds with each other at times and close allies at others.

This course will address these key questions:

• What are progressives doing to organize around the issues of women’s rights, disability rights, economic justice, environmental justice, and LGBTQQI rights locally and nationally?
• Who are your allies if you’re already involved in organizing around a particular issue?
• If you want to get involved–what can you do for these issues that you care about?
• How do the issues you care about intersect with the values and vision of other movements?

Course Platform

The Progressive Academy Online is a web-based learning discussion that uses the Moodle platform for curriculum posts and online discussion forums. Participants must have regular access to a computer.

Although participants will not have to “show up” for a lecture, the course instructor will ask for regular and timely responses to discussion questions based on readings and assignments, and that participants engage with the weekly guest speaker by posting questions weekly that guest speakers will respond to. All information and readings related to the course will be available online free of charge.

Time Commitment

The course will require at least 2-4 hours per week, depending on the length of the readings and the amount of discussion throughout the week. As with any educational opportunity, the more time participants can devote to the course, the more reward they will get out of it.

We recognize that some weeks are busier for participants than others. For this reason, we require that each participant commit to posting to the discussion board at least twice per week, but strongly encourage them to post more. The course will be driven by online discussion, and participants should expect to engage in the Progressive Academy Online website at least three days a week.

How to Enroll

To sign up for the course, e-mail cross@pfaw.org.

Stonewall Democrats Congratulate New YDA Leadership

Stonewall Democrats Press Release

Today, the National Stonewall Democrats (NSD) congratulated a newly-elected leadership of the Young Democrats of America (YDA) , including two openly-gay Stonewall Democrats who will now lead the organization as President and Executive Vice-President through 2009.

“Young voters are the new base of the Democratic Party, and we are proud that the Young Democrats of America support equality for LGBT families and have placed their faith in the leadership of two great Democratic leaders who happen to be gay,” said Jo Wyrick, NSD Executive Director. “The future of our party now has an opportunity to demonstrate to all Democrats how fully engaging our community is politically viable and smart.”

On Sunday, David Hardt (Texas) was elected as President of the Young Democrats of America with 93% of the delegate votes during the organization’s national convention in Dallas. Also elected on Sunday was Chris Anderson (Tennessee) as the organization’s Executive Vice President. The election of Hardt and Anderson mark the first time that the Young Democrats of America will be led by an openly-gay leadership team.

The Young Democrats of America GLBT Caucus also elected its new leadership on Saturday, including the election of NSD Board Member Kyle Bailey (Georgia) as Caucus Vice-Chair. Bailey also serves as President of the Atlanta Stonewall Democrats. The other elected GLBT Caucus officers include Rachel Kau-Tayler (California) as Caucus Chair, Rob Hudson (Florida) as Caucus Secretary and Byron LaMasters (Texas) as Caucus Treasurer.

The Young Democrats of America have undertaken a dramatic outreach to LGBT Democrats over the past several years. Congruently, the National Stonewall Democrats have also increased their outreach to LGBT Young and College Democrats. NSD has established youth scholarships for national trainings, including the “Keith Smith Fund” designed to honor the outreach work of former NSD Board Member Keith Smith of Oklahoma. Over the past two years, young leaders within the Stonewall Democrats have also established Stonewall Young Democrats chapters across the country, which serve to organize LGBT Youth within the Democratic Party.

As the official youth arm of the Democratic Party, YDA mobilizes young people under the age of 36 to participate in the electoral process, influence the ideals of the Democratic Party and develops the skills of the youth generation to serve as leaders at the local and national level. YDA has 43 chartered states and US territories with over 1,500 local chapters. In 2003, members of the National Stonewall Democrats authored and passed language adopted by YDA which declared the organization’s support for civil marriage for same-sex couples.

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National Stonewall Democrats is the only national organization of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Democrats, with more than 90 local chapters across the nation. NSD is committed to working through the Democratic Party to advance the rights of all people regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Congresswoman Nancy Boyda (D-KS) on Student Loan Rates

When I graduated from college in 1977, the average cost for a year’s tuition, room, and board at a public, four-year school was $1,936. That was a major expense: almost 15% of the average American household’s income, enough to make many families think twice before sending their children to college.

Since then, the price tag has grown much, much higher. It is now a dizzying $13,000, almost 28% of the average household’s annual earnings. Instead of graduating with hope for their future, today’s college students graduate with loan payments as far as the eye can see.

Earlier this month, Congress acted to rein in the runaway cost of higher education. With my enthusiastic support, the House of Representatives passed the College Cost Reduction Act, which will help millions of American students afford a college degree.

The bill expands eligibility for Pell Grants, dramatically reduces the interest rates on federal student loans, and helps public servants such as firefighters and first responders pay off their college loans. Best of all, it won’t cost American taxpayers a single new penny. By eliminating excessive subsidies to the student loan industry, the legislation pays for itself.

Here in Kansas, we have always believed that everyone who works hard should have the chance to succeed. We believe that college should open doors, not close them. Education should create opportunities, not debt.

The College Cost Reduction Act brings that vision one step closer to reality.

With warm regards,

Nancy Boyda
Member of Congress

Michigan Young Democrats Taking a Stand Against Tuition Increases

Fresh from a national convention in Dallas, Michigan Young Dems are
ready to rumble. MYD National Convention Delegate David Bullock
quoted in today’s Detroit Free Press protesting tuition increases.

Wayne State tuition up 12.8% plus fee
July 25, 2007

BY KRISTEN JORDAN SHAMUS

FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

Students at Wayne State University will pay 12.8% more for tuition
this fall and also will have to ante up a $13-per-credit contingency
fee that will raise tuition $1,227 a year to $8,039 for the average
in-state freshman taking 15 credits a semester.

The university’s Board of Governors approved the increase in a 6-2
vote this afternoon, and when the contingency fee is added to the
tuition increase, it means students will pay 18.1% more than last
year’s rate of $6,812

School leaders noted, however, that the contingency fee would apply
only to the fall term if the state Legislature follows through on
promises to return $20 million in delayed appropriations by mid-
October. If lawmakers don’t repay that money, the contingency fee
would remain in place for the full academic year.

“It’s not easy … and we are placed in a rather difficult, if not
impossible situation,” said board member Paul Massaron.

Officials acknowledged that the state budget crisis is trickling
down to the public universities, and that year after year of state
aid cuts is taking its toll.

“It is unconscionable what the state is doing to higher education
and to us in particular,” said board Chairman Eugene Driker,
referring to the fact that Wayne gets a bigger share of its general
fund budget — 45% — from state appropriations than some other
universities in the state, including the University of Michigan,
where just 25% of the general fund comes from state aid or at
Michigan State University, at 38%.

Governor Jackie Washington said it’s up to students and university
leaders to make it clear to the Legislature that cuts to public
universities will not be tolerated.

“We are going to have to put the pressure where it belongs, and that
is on the lawmakers in Lansing,” she said. “We hear a lot about how
important higher education is to the state, but when it comes to
funding, we hear a different story.”

Students like Cindy Sabo, 38, who is doing graduate studies in the
nursing school, said it doesn’t change the fact that she will have
to pay more.

She took out $20,000 in student loans for the coming year, and said
she’ll likely graduate next summer about $30,000 in debt.

“They’re a business, and they have to run it,” said Sabo, who lives
in Newport and works part-time at Children’s Hospital. “I don’t want
to pay it, but what alternative is there?”

David Bullock, 29, of Detroit is a Wayne State student, alumnus and
adjunct professor in philosophy. He protested with the Michigan
Young Democrats outside the board meeting today, saying education
leaders need to do more to fight for better state funding.

“I think the state should look at cutting spending on marketing for
the lottery; we’re building prisons rather than spending on
education,” he said. “Education is the key to success. I don’t think
there’s been a discussion of priorities.”

But Robert Kohrman, assistant vice president in the Office of the
University Budget, said Wayne State has to do something to protect
itself from the possibility of even further cuts. The school lost
$3.2 million in the 2006-07 budget year, and $20 million in deferred
payments may never come back to the Detroit campus.

“I think all universities have built in some type of contingency
plan because of the uncertainty in the state picture,” Kohrman said.