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Congress is back today. Tomorrow, Trump will address a joint session of Congress for the first time since being elected president. And Emma Stone has been elected as new chair of the DNC. Whoops! Sorry. Someone gave The Beat the wrong envelope. Let's get to the actual winners from the weekend. Here's your Monday morning read...
And the Winners Are…
Former Secretary of Labor Tom Pérez makes history as the first Latino to lead the Democratic National Committee. Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN) will serve as Deputy Chair, Jason Rae of WI will serve as Secretary, and Karen Carter Peterson of Louisiana will serve as Vice Chair of Civic Engagement and Voter Participation. Michael Blake of NY, María Elena Durazo of CA, and Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY) will serve as DNC Vice Chairs at-Large. Henry Muñoz III will serve as National Finance Chair.
Behind the Scenes
One vote. That’s how close former Labor Secretary Tom Pérez was to defeating Congressman Keith Ellison on the initial ballot and becoming the next chairman of the DNC in the first contested race in more than a decade. The Hill breaks down the dramatic victory down to the brow- sweating last minute. Click here to read.
Meng to Focus on Immigrant Communities
Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY), currently the DNC’s only Asian American officer, says she will focus on underserved communities. "Whether it's the Chinese or Vietnamese newspapers, or whether it's in-language radio outlets, the DNC was not touching those," Meng said. "These are groups of constituents and voters that we should be reaching. I believe the RNC puts efforts and resources into many of these outlets, so our party should be doing at least what the RNC is doing." More here.
First Muslim to Win Oscar
Now on to those other winners. Mahershala Ali took home the first Oscar of the night, securing the Best Supporting Actor trophy for his role as Juan in Barry Jenkins' "Moonlight." Ali is the first Muslim actor in history to win an Academy Award. More here.
Oscar Winner Slams EO
Asghar Farhadi’s The Salesman scooped up the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar. Accepting the Oscar for Farhadi was Iranian American engineer Anousheh Ansari who read a statement from the director. “I am sorry I’m not with you tonight. My absence is out of respect for the people of my country and those of the other six countries who have been disrespected by the inhumane law that bans entry of immigrants to the U.S.” More here.
The Wall Surfaces at Oscars
Gaél García Bernal, a Mexican actor who has been critical of Trump, got political while presenting two awards, saying “As a Latin American, as a migrant worker, as a human being, I’m against any form of wall that wants to separate us.” To read about all the other political moments at last night's Oscars, click here.
The Dem Response
Now back to the Beltway. Astrid Silva, a DREAMer and immigration activist from Nevada, will deliver a response in Spanish following Trump’s address to Congress. She will be representing Democrats, the Latino community, and the hopes and dreams of 11 million undocumented people targeted by Trump’s blueprint for massive deportation. Silva is one of the founders of DREAM Big Vegas, an organization that aims to educate the community about issues facing DREAMers and their families. More here.
Jayapal Bringing Muslim Activist as Guest to Trump's Address to Congress
Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) is bringing Aneelah Afzali, executive director of the American Muslim Empowerment Network (AMEN), as her guest at Trump's address to a joint session of Congress tomorrow. "A Muslim American woman of color, Aneelah has devoted her life to fighting for justice and equality. The president's policies marginalize entire communities and target people like Aneelah for their race and religious beliefs," said the congresswoman. More here.
AZ Dems Bring Children of Deported Mother
Congressmen Raúl Grijalva and Rubén Gallego, both AZ Dems, announced Friday that their guests in the House gallery during Trump’s speech will be the children of Guadalupe García de Rayos, an undocumented immigrant who was deported to Mexico earlier this month. More here.
Obama Watch
This weekend, former President Barack Obama made America feel like a heartbroken woman seeing her newly married ex post honeymoon photos on Instagram. After grabbing dinner at an Italian restaurant in NYC and getting coffee to a standing ovation, he and Malia took in the Broadway revival of the 1968 classic, "The Price." The Obamas and former presidential adviser Valerie Jarrett went backstage just before intermission and posed for photos with the cast. Meanwhile, FLOTUS 44 was spotted with Jarrett on Saturday night at Ledisi's sold out Kennedy Center show with the National Symphony Orchestra Pops.
Bowser Appoints Cendana to AAPI Commission
APALA’s Gregory Cendana was appointed by DC Mayor Muriel Bowser to the Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs (“CAPIA”). “I'm honored to serve on Muriel Bowser's Commission on Asian & Pacific Islander Community Development. You have my commitment to represent the District, our people and those most marginalized to the best of my ability,” said Cendana in a FB post. More here.
Freedom Papers?
Is this the new norm? Passengers on a Delta flight from San Francisco to New York were told to show their identity documents to uniformed agents of the Customs and Border Protection agency upon arrival at John F. Kennedy International Airport on Wednesday evening. More here.
Muhammad Ali Jr. Detained
It appears no one is immune. Muhammad Ali, Jr., son of the late legendary boxer, was detained for hours by immigration officials at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. Ali and his mother, Khalilah Camacho-Ali, were pulled aside while going through Customs because of their Arabic-sounding names. When Ali Jr. responded that yes, he is a Muslim, the officers kept questioning him about his religion and where he was born. He is a native of Philadelphia and holds a U.S. passport. More here.
Oscar Nominee Denied Entry to U.S.
Khaled Khatib, a Syrian cinematographer who worked on the Oscar-winning documentary “White Helmets,” could not join his colleagues to accept the award in person. He has been barred from entering the U.S. Despite being granted a U.S. visa, the Department of Homeland Security blocked Khatib from traveling to LA at the last minute, saying he now needed a new passport waiver. More here.
DHS Contradicts WH
Yet, an intelligence report by the Department of Homeland Security contradicts the White House's assertion that immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries pose a particular risk of being terrorists and should be blocked from entering the U.S. The report is the latest volley in a struggle between intelligence officials and the Trump administration that has rippled across several agencies. More here.
New Hires of Color in the Trump Admin
The Trump administration named Ninio Fetalvo as Assistant Press Secretary and Joyce Meyer as Deputy Assistant to the President in the Office of Legislative Affairs. The National Federation of Filipino American Associations applaud these hires. “We need people representing the Filipino American community and our concerns in all levels of government. It is an imperative that we consistently maintain visibility at the White House,” said Chair Brenda Flores. More here.
Climbing the Hill
Jorge Rueda was promoted to Senior Counsel on the Senate Veterans Committee. Joseph Puente joins the office of Congressman Gene Green (D-TX) as Communications Director. Carlos Paz joined the Congressional Hispanic Caucus as their new Communications Director. Elizabeth Dudley is the new Legislative Assistant handling Foreign Affairs, Defense, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs in the office of Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN). Know of more diverse job hires on The Hill? Email us at info@TheBeatDC.com.
Reporters Banned
On Friday, the WH took an unprecedented step and banned news organizations from a press briefing, escalating this administration’s war against the media. Reporters from POLITICO, The Washington Post, The New York Times, BuzzFeed, CNN, BBC and the L.A. Times were banned from a briefing with Press Secretary Sean Spicer. AP and Time boycotted the briefing in solidarity. The hand picking included right-wing news outlets, but no journalists of color. More here.
NYT Says Trump Best Thing for Subscriptions
But members of the media may get the last laugh. NYT Executive Editor Dean Baquet said in an interview with CNN’s Reliable Sources, “Trump is the best thing to happen to the Times’ subscription strategy. Every time he tweets it drives subscriptions wildly.” Baquet said Trump has revitalized reporters who may have been pessimistic about the future of the industry. More here.
Tara’s View
Conservative commentator Tara Setmayer will appear as a guest panelist on The View on Tuesday. She will join Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin, and other co-hosts on the Emmy-winning daytime talk show. More here.
Michelle Galván Joins Univisión’s ‘Primer Impacto’
After almost two months since Bárbara Bermudo was axed from "Primer Impacto," Univisión has finally named Michelle Galván as her replacement,” Latin Times reported Friday. “Galván will be joining Pamela Silva Conde on Monday, March 13th. More here.
Latino Victory
The Latino Victory Fund will meet tomorrow to begin recruiting candidates at the federal, state and local levels who can push back against the president’s policies, including in cities and municipalities where they are having an immediate impact. “As the president is outlining his plans to break up families, roll back civil rights protections and gut the environment, we are going to be finalizing our strategy to defeat him,” said LVF President Cristóbal Alex. More here.
CAMBA Hosts Immigration Law Training
Calling all lawyers. The Capitol Area Muslim Bar Association (CAMBA) is hosting the Capitol Area Immigrants' Rights Coalition (CAIR) for an Immigration Law 101 session on Wednesday at 6P, to bring attorneys up to speed on rapidly changing immigration law. CAMBA’s training will be led by Saba Ahmed and Azadeh Erfani, staff attorneys at the Capital Area Immigrants' Rights Coalition. The event is co-sponsored by the Iranian American Bar Association (IABA) & the South Asian Bar Association of DC (SABA-DC). Click here to register.
Gillum Eyes FL Gubernatorial Run
Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, 37, says he is “seriously considering” running for Florida governor in 2018. At 23, Gillum became the youngest person to serve on the Tallahassee City Commission. If elected, Gillum would become one of the youngest governors in the state’s history. He faces a potentially crowded field of contenders for the job, including former Congresswoman Gwen Graham, Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine, Uber lawyer John Morgan and conservationist and alligator wrestler Ron Bergeron. More here.
Olivia Pope-ing in Silicon Valley
Jotaka Eaddy went from political and social activism, took those exact same skills, and is now using them to help build a business that creates change. Currently, she serves as the head of Government Affairs at LendUp. She soon realized that tech people are not just a bunch of guys in white shirts, but -- like policy people -- they are also dreamers and people who hustle to be transformative. Listen to her interview here.
Becerra Fundraiser
Ogilvy’s Dean Aguillén and Moses Mercado are hosting a fundraiser for former Congressman and CA Attorney General Xavier Becerra tonight. Sorry -- it's invite only.
Hidden Figures
On Friday, March 3rd at 9:30A, Space Advocates hosts NASA’s Chief Historian Dr. Bill Barry for a conversation on the Hollywood blockbuster “Hidden Figures.” Dr. Barry will discuss the incredible and inspiring story behind the movie, NASA’s involvement in the film itself, fact versus fiction in the Hollywood portrayal, as well as a few “modern figures” who would make the mathematicians represented in the motion picture proud. RSVP to SpaceAdvocates@mail.house.gov. CHSA Hosts CoS Panel
On Monday, March 20th, CHSA will celebrate Women's History Month by hosting a panel discussion with leading Latina Chiefs of Staff. Bianca Ortiz Wertheim, CoS for Senator Tom Udall (D-NM), and Angela Ramírez, CoS for Congressman Ben Ray Luján (D-NM). Stay tuned to The Beat for more details on this event.
HBCU Launches News Network
FAMU's journalism school will soon be home to a new 24-hour news network. The Black Television News Channel network will be based in Tallahassee, FL and will air in more than a dozen cities. The channel plans to be on the air in February 2018. Go Rattlers! More here.
All Latino Town Least Diverse City in America
The city of Hialeah in Miami-Dade County is ranked the fourth-least diverse city out of 501 cities in the U.S. This comes as a surprise to those familiar with the city because of its vast Latino population, but it's precisely for this reason the city is considered one of the most homogeneous. More here.
Trump v. Mexico
Trump's focus on Mexico as an economic and security threat to the United States has had tangible consequences on the country's economy and political system. His effect on Mexico’s economy has been decidedly negative. Mexican legislator Armando Ríos Piter represents southern Guerrero state. He rebuffed the idea of negotiating with the Trump administration on NAFTA. He predicted Trump would be the last stand of divisive politics in a demographically united continent. More from The Hill Latino here.
Declaration of Independence
A group of attorneys and activists have rewritten the country's sacred Declaration of Independence -- with Trump in the role of King George III. Among those who have signed on are actress Tonya Pinkins, lawyer Ron Kuby, and business executive Michael Skolnik. More here.
Viral Bigotry Turns Fatal
Authorities in Olathe, Kansas filed first-degree murder charges against a man accused of opening fire in a bar there, killing one Indian man and injuring two other people. According to witness accounts, the gunman reportedly told two of the people who were shot -- both Indian men who work for the technology firm Garmin -- to “get out of my country” before opening fire and had also used racial slurs during the Wednesday evening shooting. So far, no tweets repudiating this type of violence from the president. More here.
Brazile Reflects on DNC 2016
Although outgoing DNC chair Donna Brazile previously apologized to Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) for some DNC staffers' private misgivings, she also defended the system that allowed Hillary Clinton to secure the Democratic nomination, in an interview on Friday with Business Insider. "What's wrong with a system that allows people to vote their conscience? What's wrong with a system that allows elected officials, party activists and others to participate? There's nothing wrong with a system like that." Read the entire interview here.
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| Qualifieds
The office of Congressman Sander Levin (D-MI) is accepting applications for a Senior Policy Legislative Assistant to primarily cover healthcare, with additional responsibilities including on the budget and the full range of human resources and income security issues. Send résumés, writing samples and references to RepSanderLevin@mail.house.gov.
The office of Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) seeks a Legislative Correspondent. Email jobs.pramila@gmail.com with résumé, cover letter and two writing samples.
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Videos of the Day
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| The passing of the gavel. Donna Brazile passes the gavel to newly elected Chair Tom Pérez.
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| Tom Pérez, el nuevo líder del Comité Nacional Demócrata, dice que tenemos que trabajar juntos.
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| Newly elected DNC Chairman Tom Pérez and Deputy Chairman Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN) answer questions from reporters following the Democratic National Committee election.
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| Hillary Clinton urges resistance and persistance in a taped message to Democrats.
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| Crowd erupts in cheers as a tanned and rested former POTUS gets into a motorcade in NYC.
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| Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum says he is seriously considering a run for governor of Florida.
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| Actress Laverne Cox says do not reduce transgender people to body parts.
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| Khaled Khatib, a Syrian cinematographer who worked on the Oscar-winning documentary “White Helmets,” could not join his colleagues to accept the award in person. See the trailer for the film here.
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| An activist spotted Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) at a Miami hospital and proceeded to question the Republican senator about why he is not appearing at townhalls set up by his constituents.
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| Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg says she has a lot in common with Notorious B.I.G.
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| Roll Call interviews Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-MD) on Obama's legacy.
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| In Trump's weekly address, he discusses Black History Month and his recent tour of the NMAAHC.
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Pics of the Day
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| Off-air feed shows Moonlight stars reacting to realizing the Oscars screwed up Best Picture & that they'd won.
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| The former POTUS enjoyed a night out with daughter Malia. The two dined at Emilio’s Ballato, a popular Italian restaurant in Little Italy and happily posed for photos.
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| Obama laughs it up with Danny DeVito, Mark Ruffalo, and Jessica Hecht backstage at The Roundabout Theatre Company's production of Arthur Miller's The Price at The American Airlines Theatre in NYC on Friday.
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| DNC Chair Tom Pérez and Deputy Chair Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN) pose with their families after the election.
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| Rion Ramírez (l), Chair of the DNC Native American Council, and newly elected Vice Chair Michael Blake at the DNC winter meeting in Atlanta on Friday.
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| Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY) after being elected DNC Vice Chair at-Large.
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| Minyon Moore (l) with Rev. Bernice King at the DNC winter meeting in Atlanta on Saturday.
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| DREAMer Astrid Silva said on Saturday that as an undocumented immigrant tapped to give the Spanish-language response to Donald Trump’s address to Congress, she has a “big responsibility.”
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| The National Federation of Filipino American Associations Chair Brenda Flores with Executive Director Jason Tengco at the Chamber Training Institute in San Jose, CA last week.
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| Obama alumni unite in Silver Spring, MD. Former Executive Director of the White House Initiative on HBCUs Dr. Ivory Toldson (l) with former Secretary of Education John King.
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| Michelle Obama was spotted with Valerie Jarrett on Saturday night at Ledisi's sold out Kennedy Center show with the National Symphony Orchestra Pops.
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| A mural with the words "Wake Up America...Deport Trump" appeared at the Hyattsville Busboys and Poets on Feb. 22nd. The mural was done by an artists collective dubbed DC 2 Standing Rock. Photo by Krissi Humbard.
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March 8th, 6P: A reception honoring "Top Latinos in Foreign Policy Under 40," at The Raben Group, 1341 G St. NW, Suite 500.
Friday, March 24th, 12P: The Congressional Staff Association Fair takes place in the Rayburn Foyer. The event is open to all current Senate and House staff.
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