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In an hour-long televised gun summit with lawmakers at the White House on Wednesday, Donald Trump backed some bipartisan proposals that Dems are pushing, including expanded background checks and raising the age limit to 21 to buy certain rifles. But before gun control enthusiasts declare victory, let’s see how he feels tomorrow. Or an hour from now. Also, Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) said this morning that he would unveil a gun and school safety plan today. We’ll stay tuned. WH Communications Director Hope Hicks is the latest to depart the White House amid a scandal after confessing she told “white lies” as part of her job. Trump’s inner circle is shrinking, and he’s taking it out on “Mr. Magoo.” That’s reportedly how the president refers to AG Jeff Sessions. Citing unnamed sources, WaPo said Trump has complained that he’s hired the best lawyers all his life but now is now stuck with Sessions, who he does not believe is loyal enough. POTUS45 may want to focus on bigger things. Russia President Vladimir Putin says he has developed a new array of nuclear weapons that are invincible. Meanwhile, U.S. Cyber Command head Adm. Mike Rogers said Tuesday that he has not received specific orders from Trump to disrupt Russian cyberattacks. Congressman Bennie Thompson (D-MS) accused Trump of “abdicating his oath of office” by refusing to act on election security. In other news, some members of Congress are all about that paper boy. A list of the 50 wealthiest members is out, and there is only one person of color on it: Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA). He made the roster because his wife, Ritu, has benefited from the wealth her father made as a distributor of auto transmission replacement parts. In irrelevant news, Omarosa appeared on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert last night (insert yawn and eye roll here). And for those who’ve been waiting for a flight from Wakanda to Atlanta, one -- piloted by Donald Glover -- takes off at 10P tonight. We’re kicking off Thursday with this...
- CHC faults Trump for lack of DACA legislation.
- CBC members press Israel on African immigrants.
- Oversight Committee probes HUD Secretary Dr. Ben Carson’s spending.
- Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA) intros bill requiring sexual harassment training for federal contractors.
- Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA) wants greater access to opioid treatment through telemedicine.
- Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Kamala Harris intro legislation for a Capitol statue honoring trailblazer Shirley Chisholm.
- Former President Barack Obama announces Scholars Program.
- Stephen Curry auctions sneakers to benefit My Brother’s Keeper Alliance.
- Meet the new head of NJ Governor Murphy’s DC office.
- Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Eric Holder are both looking for candidates like YOU!
- The Newsweek Media Group has a new Deputy World Editor.
- CNBC names a new National Security Correspondent.
- Unity: Journalists for Diversity will soon be no more.
- Native American tribes want equity in legal weed business.
- SCOTUS Justice Sonia Sotomayor brings up bill sponsored by Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) during oral arguments.
- Civil rights icon Congressman John Lewis (D-GA) will be this year’s Harvard commencement speaker.
- There’s a new Editor at Indian Country Today.
- Women’s March organizer and several other activists arrested on Capitol Hill while pushing for a “clean” DACA bill to help Black undocumented immigrants.
- The Congressional Hispanic Staff Association has new leadership. Read about them below.
- PBS launches a conservative talk show.
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|  | The Daily Show's Roy Wood Jr. on Tuesday in the sketch CP Time with Roy Wood Jr. | |  | Actors and activists Lin-Manuel Miranda and Yara Shahidi, from Black-ish and its spinoff Grown-ish, on Tuesday. | |
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Luján Grisham Blames Trump for Sabotaging DACA Fix
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Michelle Luján Grisham (D-NM) and the rest of the CHC’s leadership team -- Congressmen Joaquín Castro (D-TX), Caucus First Vice Chair; Rubén Gallego (D-AZ), Caucus Second Vice Chair; Pete Aguilar (D-CA), Caucus Whip; and Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Caucus Freshman Representative -- sent a scathing letter to Donald Trump holding him responsible for the failure to pass a legislative fix for “Dreamers.” “You have called on Congress to act to address this issue. However, you have thwarted every bipartisan, narrow agreement that seeks to provide relief to Dreamers and instead have attempted to force a deeply unpopular, anti-immigrant agenda through Congress,” the members wrote. “We cannot expect Congress to make any headway on protecting Dreamers until the White House and Republicans, who control every branch of government, choose to work with Democrats on a bipartisan DACA fix.” The letter also lists the numerous bipartisan efforts that Trump has rejected, and calls for a narrow, targeted solution. See the letter here.
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CBC Members Press Israel Over African Migrants
Some Congressional Black Caucus members are urging Israel’s government to end a plan that forces some 40,000 African migrants in the country to choose between deportation or jail. Under the Israeli plan, migrants face a choice between jail and deportation later, or deportation now with cash incentives and free airfare. Until now, most of the migrants who have declined deportation have been free to live and work in Israel, albeit while facing some discriminatory policies. The CBC is urging Israel to adopt the position proposed by advocates for the migrants and to funnel them through existing international refugee processing systems to other countries. “As a close friend of the United States and a vital regional ally, Israel is a beacon of democracy and good governance in the Middle East,” reads the yet-to-be-sent letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “Given such a discouraging state of affairs, we seek to mitigate a potential humanitarian crisis." Haaretz reported that 15 of 49 CBC members have signed the letter, including Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Congressmen Alcee Hastings (D-FL) and Elijah Cummings (D-MD). More here.
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Nanette Diaz Barragán Wants Government Contractors to Have Harassment Training
Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA) on Tuesday introduced a bill that would make harassment training mandatory for contractors working with the federal government. The Federal Contractor Anti-Harassment Training Act would require contractors to complete annual anti-harassment and anti-discrimination training. “Unlike Members of Congress and congressional staff, who are required to complete harassment training, federal contractors are not currently required to do so,” said Barragán. “We must extend this common-sense sexual harassment training to federal contractors to ensure that individuals who work closely with the federal government, and receive tax-payer money, are held to the same standard.” The training would have to be completed within 90 days of a contract award and repeated every other year after that. More here.
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|  | CNN contributor Ana Navarro on Monday with her cousin MJ Wright, whose son Jerry was killed in the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando, FL. | |  | CA congressional candidate Ammar Campa-Najjar on Sunday with supporters at the CA Democratic Party convention in San Diego. | |
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Doris Matsui Intros Draft Legislation to Increase Access to Opioid Treatment Through Telemedicine
Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA) unveiled the Improving Access to Remote Behavioral Health Treatment on Wednesday. The bipartisan draft legislation with Congressman Gregg Harper (R-MS) looks to increase access to medication-assisted addiction treatment in underserved areas through the use of telemedicine. Access to treatment continues to be a major hurdle in many communities fighting the opioid crisis,” said Matsui. “This legislation encourages the use of technology to overcome barriers to behavioral healthcare access ... We must also provide significant funding towards prevention and continue our support for Medicaid, which is playing a critical role in combating substance use disorder across the country.” Matsui’s bipartisan discussion draft was considered Wednesday as part of the House Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee hearing on “Combating the Opioid Crisis: Helping Communities.” See a draft of the legislation here.
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Kamala Harris and Cory Booker Intro Bill to Honor Shirley Chisholm
Senators Kamala Harris (D-CA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and 12 of their colleagues introduced a bill directing Congress to commission a statue of former Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm to be displayed in the Capitol. Chisholm was the first Black woman elected to the House of Representatives and was a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus. She was also the first Black woman to seek a major party’s nomination for President. “Shirley Chisholm created a path for me and the 40 Black women members of Congress who have served after her,” said Harris. “While there is still work to be done for equal representation, we must also stand back and celebrate our triumphs along the way.” Booker weighed in, saying, “It’s only fitting that the fearless leader who demanded a seat at the table be honored with a statue at the Capitol. This bill is a testament to the debt and gratitude leaders in America owe to Shirley for paving the way and helping make our government more representative and reflective of the people it serves.” This bill is part of a bicameral effort, with a companion bill introduced last month in the House of Representatives by 56 Democratic co-sponsors. Currently, there are four statues and busts in the United State Capitol representing African Americans, including Rosa Parks, Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Sojourner Truth. See the bill here.
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Oversight Probes Ben Carson’s Spending
House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-SC) said on Wednesday that the committee is probing whether HUD Secretary Dr. Ben Carson used "excessive spending" on the redecoration of his office. The inquiry follows reports that Senior HUD staffer Helen Foster claimed she was replaced in her role because she refused to find a way around a $5,000 limit for redecorating Carson’s office. Foster alleges the Secretary’s wife, Candy Carson, was pushing for elaborate modifications to the drab decor of the department's offices. Department officials reportedly also spent $31,000 on a new dining set for Carson’s office in late 2017. Gowdy requested that Carson turn over all documents and communications pertaining to Foster’s allegations. "In addition, please arrange to brief the Committee on this matter after producing the requested documents and information," Gowdy said in his four-page directive to Carson. He set a deadline of March 14th for the documents to be handed over to the committee. More here.
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Elizabeth for MA is planning to organize training sessions for promising college students, recent graduates, and others interested in gaining practical skills in digital communication, organizing, and grassroots political action. This will develop the next generation of progressive campaign volunteers and staffers and give them immediate campaign experience. Elizabeth for MA is looking for a Training Director to develop and coordinate this training program.
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NDRC is the first-ever strategic hub for redistricting focused on winning targeted elections and ballot initiatives, advancing legal action, and building the infrastructure to achieve a fairer redistricting process.
Job Openings: | |
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Barack Obama Announces Scholars Program
Former President Barack Obama on Wednesday announced that the Obama Foundation and the University of Chicago are kicking off the Obama Foundation Scholars Program, a new program at the Harris School of Public Policy to support the next generation of leaders making an impact on issues in their communities and around the world. “Our goal is to support everybody who wants to make the world a better place,” Obama said. “This partnership will give young people from around the world who are already making a difference in their communities the opportunity to take their work to the next level.” Students in the program will receive a full scholarship to pursue a Master’s degree with an emphasis on international development and policy. They will also participate in a range of leadership activities outside of the classroom led by the Obama Foundation. Some of these activities will include experiences throughout the South Side and the rest of Chicago. The program will also build relationships that reach across issues and borders, and build a global network that is committed to working together on solutions to address the world’s most pressing challenges. The program aims to attract individuals from a wide range of backgrounds, including community leaders, entrepreneurs, and people in public service. It will begin in the fall of 2018, and applications for the inaugural class of scholars are due on April 10th. More here.
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Steph Curry Auction to Benefit Obama’s MBK Alliance
Golden State Warriors Guard Stephen Curry is auctioning a one-of-a-kind pair of Curry 4 sneakers to support the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance and its community partners. The hand-painted shoes, which Curry wore in last night’s game against the Wizards, will later be signed by the athlete. The shoes feature MBK’s logo, as well as a quote from Barack Obama's last MBK National Summit speech as POTUS: "Because ensuring that our young people can go as far as their dreams and hard work will take them is the single most important task that we have as a nation. It is the single most important thing we can do for our country's future." Making the announcement on Instagram, Curry wrote that "The inspiration for the shoe I'll be playing in today is every boy and young men of color in this country that need to know they matter - to their communities, their country, to me.” More here.
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The demographics of the country are changing and political news coverage must change too. The Beat DC reaches tens of thousands of influencers across the country, highlighting the diversity that drives policy in the nation's capital and beyond. Now join us ... and catch this Beat!
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NJ Gov Names Head of DC Office
Kirtan Mehta is leaving the American Bankers Association after two years to lead New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy's DC office. Before joining the ABA in 2016, Mehta served as a Legislative Director and Chief Counsel for Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV). Before that, he served as principal banking and housing Advisor to Senator Manchin during his tenure on the Senate Banking Committee. Prior to his time on Capitol Hill, Mehta worked as an Associate at Zuckerman Spaeder LLP, where he specialized in white-collar defense and commercial litigation. He also worked as an Associate at Winston & Strawn LLP in Chicago, practicing in antitrust, class action and patent litigation. The Illinois native completed law school at Harvard after graduating from Northwestern University. Congrats, Kirtan! More about him here.
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Miami Superintendent to Lead NYC Schools
Alberto M. Carvalho, who rose from undocumented immigrant and day laborer to superintendent of the Miami-Dade County Public Schools, has been named the next Chancellor of Public NYC schools. Carvalho will oversee the nation’s largest system made up of 1.1 million children. Many of the students face similar challenges to those he has overcome. NYT reports that over 70% of NYC students come from families that are on some form of public assistance, and one in every ten students was homeless at some point in the 2016-17 school year. Carvalho ran the nation’s fourth-largest district for nearly a decade and promoted expanding the number of charter, magnet, and other choice schools and programs, and pushed the use of technology in the classroom. The 53-year-old grew up poor in Lisbon, Portugal, and was the first in his family to graduate from high school. At the age of 17, he flew to NY on a visa that he then overstayed. In NY, he washed dishes and worked as a busboy in restaurants before making his way to Florida, where he worked in construction and other jobs. In a restaurant where he worked as a waiter, he met then-Republican Congressman E. Clay Shaw who helped him gain a student visa. The Barry University graduate spent his entire career in the Miami-Dade school system, starting as a teacher before becoming an Assistant Principal, a lobbyist for the district, and an Associate Superintendent. He has been an outspoken critic of Trump’s immigration policies and defender of undocumented immigrants. NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio’s wife, Chirlane McCray, was very involved in his hiring. More here.
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|  | Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA) pointing out on Tuesday that the average SNAP recipient doesn't receive enough to feed a family. | |  | Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY) on Tuesday meeting with volunteers of ONE, an advocacy group fighting poverty and preventable diseases, particularly in Africa. | |
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PBS Launches Conservative Talk Show Hosted by Amy Holmes
PBS is launching a conservative talk show which will be hosted by conservative commentator Amy Holmes, formerly of Glenn Beck’s TheBlaze TV. Titles In Principle will debut on Friday, April 13th. PBS will make a call about its future after an initial eight-week run. The series producer is Grace Cutler, who recently was the Managing Editor of News for Sinclair-owned Circa.com. Holmes’ co-host will be Michael Gerson, a WaPo columnist and former Chief Speechwriter for President George W. Bush. The hosts plan to interview two guests each show, hoping for an in-depth discussion on issues and their formative political experiences. No guests have been announced yet, but Gerson said he’d like to discuss issues including race, gun control, and whether conservatism is the right message for the working class. News of the conservative show comes as the Trump administration mulls killing its funding for PBS. More here.
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Mark Trahant Named Editor of Indian Country Today
Native American journalist Mark Trahant has been named as Editor of Indian Country Today, which has been under the ownership of the National Congress of American Indians since February 1st. Trahant is currently a Professor of Journalism at the University of North Dakota. He is a member of Idaho’s Shoshone-Bannock Tribe and a former president of the Native American Journalists Association. He previously served as Editor of the editorial page for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, where he chaired the daily editorial board, directed a staff of writers, editors, and a cartoonist. He was also the Chairman and CEO at the Robert C. Maynard Institute for Journalism Education. He has also worked at The Seattle Times, the Arizona Republic, The Salt Lake Tribune, Moscow-Pullman Daily News, the Navajo Times, Navajo Nation Today, and the Sho-Ban News. Trahant was a reporter on the PBS series, Frontline with The Silence, a story about sexual abuse by clergy in Alaska. “Indian Country needs a national digital platform for this generation that builds on the good work done by so many who created and published Indian Country Today in its previous lives. I look forward to recruiting and working with talented journalists who will create an innovative news organization,” Trahant said. More here.
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Newsweek Media Group Names Deputy World Editor
Robert Valencia has been promoted to Deputy World Editor at Newsweek Media Group -- just six months after joining the company as a Writer and Night Editor for Newsweek magazine. In his new role, he will assist in the supervision of five reporters who cover international breaking news and in-depth reporting. Before joining Newsweek in September 2017, Valencia was a staff writer for Mic and a contributing writer for Global Voices Online. The Florida International University graduate earned two Master's: an MPA from CUNY and an MA from Iona College. He’s also a former National Urban Fellow, and his past experience includes roles as Web Strategist for the nonprofit social justice communication lab, The Opportunity Agenda, and Research Fellow for the Council on Hemispheric Affairs, where he authored analytical pieces dealing with U.S.-Latin America political and diplomatic issues. He’s fluent in English, French, and Spanish. He’s also a frequent media commentator for The International Business Times, HuffPost Live, Fusion, Voice of America, NY1, Russia Today, Al Jazeera, Caracol Televisión, RCN Televisión, MundoFOX, Univisión, and NTN24, among others. More here.
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CNBC.com Names National Security Correspondent
Amanda Macías has joined CNBC.com as National Security Correspondent, based in DC. The University of Missouri grad was most recently at CBS Radio, where she was a Web Editor. Prior to that, she was a Correspondent and Senior Editor at Business Insider, covering the Pentagon. She also covered NATO and EU political institutions for Reuters in Brussels. Amanda was raised for this role -- she grew up in an Army family and speaks English, French, German, and Spanish. More about her here.
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UNITY Disbands
UNITY: Journalists for Diversity -- an alliance of the Asian American Journalists Association, the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association, and the Native American Journalists Association -- announced yesterday that it had decided to begin the process of dissolving as an organization. Its target date of folding is March 30th. UNITY served as the umbrella organization under which the groups held a joint convention. The four founding UNITY organizations were the National Association of Black Journalists, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, the Asian American Journalists Association, and the Native American Journalists Association. NABJ left UNITY in 2011, and NAHJ withdrew in 2013. “We do not take this decision lightly and the original mission of UNITY weighed heavily on all of us in making this decision,” said Neal Justin, UNITY President and Media Critic for the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “We are not severing ties, but looking forward with stronger bonds than ever before, and an absolute commitment to diversity in our industry, and that includes building stronger relationships with NAHJ and NABJ with each of our respective groups.” More here.
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|  | Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) in the early '90s with then-Senator Ted Kennedy and then-writer and activist James H. Cleaver. | |  | Univisión anchor Jorge Ramos in the 1980s as a young reporter -- long before he became a silver fox.
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Native American Tribes Want Equity in Legal Marijuana Business
As California’s legal marijuana laws go into effect, Native American tribes are seeking equity in legal cannabis. More than 100 federally recognized Indian tribes call the state home and some of them want into the lucrative marijuana market. Under state regulations, all cannabis products sold in the state must be produced by licensed growers and manufacturers. The new rules require license holders to submit to strict regulations and pay steep taxes. Only the state can issue those licenses. For tribes to participate in the state-run market, they have to give up their rights to act as governments. They would also be forced to include a waiver of “sovereign immunity” in applications for licenses. Tribal lawyer Mark Levitan says that this is an affront to Native American sovereignty. Hence, tribes were floating the idea of setting up rival farms and sales shops on reservations. In an effort to avoid that scenario, tribes are now seeking to create compacts between the state and Native American tribal governments. These agreements would allow tribes access to the legal market for their goods. Also, the state would affirm that tribes would retain “exclusive authority” for the regulation of cannabis operations on their lands. More here.
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Justice Sonia Sotomayor Raises Hakeem Jeffries Bill in Court
Earlier this month Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) joined a bipartisan group of legislators and introduced the Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data (CLOUD) Act. They say the CLOUD Act would better balance the interests of cloud users while incentivizing bilateral agreements for law enforcement to fight crime. It would create an alternative treaty format where countries reciprocally agree to circumvent the legal assistance treaty process. In other cases, there would be a presumption that companies would share data when required by a warrant, but would provide a statutory right to challenge a potential international issue. Justice Sonia Sotomayor frequently brought up the CLOUD Act during oral arguments Tuesday in the case U.S. v. Microsoft, which deals with whether an email service provider, Microsoft, is required to turn over email data stored on a server located abroad when it is served with a warrant from the U.S. government. She said the bill offers protections. “Why shouldn’t we leave status quo as it is and let Congress pass a bill in this new age?” Sotomayor asked. She later questioned, after asking where the bill was in the legislative process, “Why shouldn’t we wait for that bill?” Axios reports that a potential complication with the bill is the pending retirement of Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), who has been the leading lawmaker on detangling the cross-border data issue and is a co-sponsor of the bill. More here.
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Puerto Rico Death Toll Post-Hurricanes Confirmed to Be Higher Than Reported
The LA Times on Wednesday published data from the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics which confirmed earlier analyses from Latino USA and the Center for Investigative Journalism (CPI) that deaths on the island after Hurricanes Irma and Maria were higher than originally reported by the government. On February 9th, we told you that CPI had sued the head of the island’s Demographic Registry for not providing accurate, statistical updates about deaths that occurred after Hurricane Maria. The LAT wrote that the “total number of deaths above average in September, October and November was 1,230, according to Alexis Santos, a demographer at Pennsylvania State University who obtained the data.” The government of Puerto Rico recently announced that the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University will conduct a recount of the Hurricane Maria death toll. The official death count, according to Governor Ricardo Rosselló’s administration, is at 64. More here.
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|  | Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) last week meeting with volunteers and clients at the Waikiki Health Center in Honolulu. | |  |
Congressman Tony Cárdenas (D-CA) on Tuesday meeting with members of the advocacy group ONE, which fights poverty and preventable diseases, particularly in Africa.
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John Lewis Named Speaker at Harvard’s Commencement
Civil rights icon Congressman John Lewis (D-GA) will be the principal speaker at Harvard’s 367th commencement this year. Harvard President Drew Faust said, “For more than 50 years, John Lewis has dedicated himself to the ideals of equality and decency, standing up for what is right, even when it meant putting himself in harm’s way. His public service legacy is unparalleled, and he is an inspiration to me and to countless other people across the United States and around the world." The Congressman has received numerous awards, including the Lincoln Medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Harvard awarded him an honorary degree in 2012. The University’s commencement will take place on May 24th. More here.
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Women’s March Organizer Arrested on Capitol Hill
Women’s March organizer Tamika D. Mallory and six other activists were arrested on Capitol Hill on Tuesday in front of the office of House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) during a "Day of Action" as they fought for a clean Dream Act to be passed for Black immigrants. Minister Kirsten John Foy of the National Action Network led the protesters in prayer outside of Ryan’s office when they weren’t allowed inside to stage their planned sit-in. The protesters were detained quickly by Capitol Police and escorted from the building. "Black undocumented immigrants have been at the unfortunate intersection of the Trump Administration’s anti-black, Islamophobic and xenophobic agenda," Mallory wrote in an op-ed for Blavity. "The issues surrounding immigration do not only live within the Latinx, Muslim and Asian communities. We need to stop working in silos and change the narrative to be more inclusive, concentrating on ALL communities in need of our attention." There are nearly 3.7 million Black immigrants in the United States, and about 575,000 are undocumented. More here.
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United Negro College Fund CEO Dr. Michael Lomax with Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA) on Tuesday during the HBCU fly-in. | |  | Congressman André Carson (D-IN), Congresswoman Nanette Díaz-Barragán (D-CA), and House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) last week in Indianapolis as part of the "Make it in America Listening Tour." | |
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CHSA Announces New Leadership
The Congressional Hispanic Staff Association (CHSA) yesterday announced the results of their 2018 elections. Serving as President of CHSA will be Victoria Rivas, a Legislative Assistant for Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA). She started her career on the Hill working for former Congressman Xavier Becerra. The UC Berkeley grad is currently the Secretary for CHSA and is also a member of the LGBT and Women’s Staff Associations. Christine Godinez, a Policy Associate for the Minority on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, will serve as CHSA’s next Vice President. The University of Richmond grad previously interned with Congressman Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) and the Department of State before joining the Committee. Tomás Delgado will serve as CHSA’s next Treasurer. The UC Berkeley grad currently works for Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) as a Legislative Correspondent. Before arriving on Capitol Hill, Tomás worked as a Legislative Consultant for AARP. CHSA’s newest Secretary is Phillip Bennett. The Knox College grad is a Staff Assistant for Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA). Previously, Philip worked for the City of LA in various capacities. Edgar Rodríguez will be CHSA’s Communications Director. The Holy Cross grad has worked his way up in the office of Congresswoman Norma Torres (D-CA); he was an intern before officially joining the staff as a Staff Assistant, and is now a Legislative Correspondent. Taking over as CHSA’s Programming Director is Valeria Sandoval, a Legislative Aide for Congressman Lou Correa (D-CA). The UC Berkeley grad started on Capitol Hill in January 2017 as a Staff Assistant/Legislative Correspondent. Prior to working on Capitol Hill, the OC native worked in the immigration advocacy field -- primarily assisting people with DACA applications and other immigration-related issues. Congrats to all!
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| FOMO
Today, 4:30P: The Lobbyists and Friends Happy Hour, Stanton & Greene, 319 Pennsylvania Avenue, S.E.
Today, 6P: The Multicultural Media Correspondents Association launch reception, and the unveiling of AKUAREL the first-ever multicultural media stakeholder directory. Soul Hollywood, Los Angeles. Click here to RSVP.
Today, 6P: The NYU Brademas Center and the Brennan Center host a discussion, “Policing, Profiling, and Human Rights in the Age of Big Data," on the use of big data in social welfare, policing, and criminal justice, and its impact on marginalized communities. NYU Washington, DC, Abramson Family Auditorium, 1307 L Street, N.W. Click here to join the waitlist for free tickets and click here to watch a livestream of the event.
Today, 6P: Gerónimo Gutiérrez, Mexican Ambassador to the U.S., Tim Dixon, Co-Founder of More in Common, and Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum, will talk about the "cultural, economic and security anxieties" driving the immigration debate at an event hosted by the National Immigration Forum. Greenberg Traurig D.C. Office, 2101 L Street N.W., Suite 1000.
Saturday, March 3rd, 6P: The Howard University Charter Day Dinner Dance, Washington Hilton, 1919 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. Click here to purchase tickets. Monday, March 5th, 5:30P: A reception and fundraiser for Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA). Kith/Kin Restaurant, The Intercontinental Hotel, 801 Wharf Street, S.W. RSVP to Brandon Neal, 202.714.3832 or Pylorus.Contact@gmail.com
Tuesday, March 6th, 12P: A lunch and reception honoring CA Attorney General Xavier Becerra. The City Club, South Flower Avenue, 51st. Floor, Los Angeles. RSVP to Elizabeth Tauro, 310.795.3977 or etauro@capstratca.com, or click here to RSVP online.
Tuesday, March 6th, 5:45P: Raúl Alvillar, Alex Wagner, Adrienne Cooper, Dawn Huckelbridge, Jesse Boateng, and Square One Politics co-host a conversation about the future of progressive politics. Special guests include IL congressional candidate Lauren Underwood and Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA). 270 Strategies, 722 12th Street NW, Floor 3. Click here to RSVP. Tuesday, March 6th, 6:30P: Sherrilyn Ifill, President of the NAACP LDF, and Anthony Thompson, Director of the Center on Race, Inequality and the Law at NYU, discuss the book they co-authored with former Attorney General Loretta Lynch and death penalty lawyer Bryan Stenson, A Perilous Path: Talking Race, Inequality, and the Law. National Press Club, 529 14th Street, N.W. 13th Floor. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
Tuesday, March 6th, 7: The Brown Institute for Media Innovation at Stanford University welcomes NYT Executive Editor Dean Baque as their third Media Innovator Series Speaker for 2017-2018. Free. Click here for more information and to register.
Thursday, March 8th, 6P: The Too Young to Wed Inaugural Gala on International Women’s Day, celebrating empowered former Boko Haram child brides Ya Kaka and Hauwa, as they share their journey from survivors to advocates. Journalist Ann Curry is among the hosts. Bathhouse Studios, 538 East 11th Street, NYC. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
Friday, March 9th - Saturday, March 10th: The Progressive Caucus Center hosts the 2018 Strategy Summit. Baltimore, MD. Click here to register.
Tuesday, March 13th, 7P: The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials presents Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) with the 2018 Edward R. Roybal Award for Outstanding Public Service during the organization’s annual Edward R. Roybal Legacy Gala in DC. JW Marriott, 1331 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
Tuesday, March 13th, 7:30P: National Geographic conversation, “Environmental Justice | What's Next?” Talia Buford, Robert Bullard, Jon Waterhouse, Mustafa Ali, and Adrianna Quintero on how the environmental justice movement must adapt in the face of a changing planet. National Geographic, Gilbert H. Grosvenor Auditorium, 1600 M Street, N.W. Click here for more.
Wednesday, March 14th, 9A: The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute sponsors the CHCI Energy Summit: A World in Transition. Newseum, 5 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Click here for more information.
Wednesday, March 14th - Sunday, March 18th: The National Coalition on Black Civic Participation 7th Annual Black Women’s Roundtable Women of Power National Summit: Time for A Power Shift!!! Crystal City Marriott, 1999 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
Friday, March 16th, 6P: The Greater Washington Urban League celebrates its 80th anniversary at the 46th annual Whitney M. Young, Jr. Gala. Congressman John Lewis (D-GA) will receive the COURAGE UNDER FIRE Impact Leadership Award. Congressman Lewis will also be interviewed by retired AMEX CEO Ken Chenault in a live, one-on-one discussion. Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
Thursday, March 22nd - Sunday, March 25th: The National Hispanic Medical Association 22nd Annual Conference, "Conquistando el Futuro: Clinicians Leading Latino Health Care.” Gaylord National, 201 Waterfront Street, National Harbor, MD. Click here for more information and to register. Congressional staffers or federal government workers: email pmontenegro@nhmamd.org for a discount code.
Thursday, March 29th, 8P: Jazz, hip hop, and soul combine in August Greene, the newly formed supergroup featuring emcee Common, pianist and composer Robert Glasper, and percussionist and producer Karriem Riggins. Kennedy Center. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
Thursday, April 12th - Sunday, April 15th: The inaugural Black Millennial Political Convention. The gathering aims to increase engagement of Black Millennials in the political sphere and shed a light on policy issues impacting the Black community. Hyatt Regency Hotel.
Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
Wednesday, April 18th, 6P: The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) 2018 Gala and Awards. Mayflower Hotel, 1127 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. To purchase tickets, contact Heaven Ocampo, hocampo@maldef.org or 213.629.2512 ext. 143.
Wednesday, April 18th - Saturday, April 21st: The National Action Network hosts its annual conference, this year commemorating the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Sheraton Times Square, NYC. Click here for more information.
Thursday, April 19th: The University of North Dakota sponsors a conference on the Dakota Access Pipeline and the Standing Rock protests. Click here for more information.
Wednesday, April 25th - Friday, April 27th: The African American Mayor Association 2018 Annual Conference. DoubleTree Hotel, 300 Army Navy Drive, Arlington, VA. Click here to purchase tickets.
Saturday, July 7th - Tuesday, July 10th: The 2018 UnidosUS annual conference, DC. Click here for more information and to register.
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