CADEM Statewide Officers Announcement: Anti-Racism and Party Finance Appointments

Our Party strives to be an organization where every voice is heard and every person is seen. 

We strive to be an organization that is funded in line with the values enshrined in our Platform. 

Today, we are proud to announce the members of two new entities for our Party – CADEM’s Anti-Racism Working Group and CADEM’s Joint Sub-Committee on Party Finance. 

CADEM’s Anti-Racism Working Group

Since 2019, we have taken the steps to change the culture of our party. We have established and improved a robust Code of Conduct. We have implemented our JEDI Series to build a more inclusive space that uplifts justice, equity and diversity for all of us. But, we must do more.

CADEM’s Anti-Racism Working Group will develop a strategic plan for our Party to become a truly anti-racist organization – breaking down the barriers that prevent full and fair access to our Party for every Californian. The Working Group will be comprised of the Statewide Officers and other diverse grassroots leaders from across the State. Each Member brings their own lived experience, an understanding of our Party’s values and systems, and an awareness of the needs of historically marginalized communities who call the Golden State home.

Please see the members of CADEM’s Anti-Racism Working Group here. 

Members of CADEM’s Joint Sub-Committee on Party Finance

Recently, the Statewide Officers announced the formation of a Joint Sub-Committee on Party Finance to implement a strategic, comprehensive & timely approach to answering an important question in our Party – how we fund the work of our Party in line with the values of our Party.

The Joint Sub-Committee will complete its work within 120 days & submit its recommendations to the Statewide Officers & the Executive Board for a formal vote at a Special Meeting in February 2022.  

The Joint Sub-Committee will: 

1. Review CADEM’s current prohibited contributions list, CADEM’s current Platform, and any testimony or amendments submitted in the current platform drafting process; 
2. Assess the Party’s current financial position, programmatic priorities, and progress in the diversification of contributions – specifically small dollar donor contributions;  
3. Take testimony from CADEM Delegates, California Democrats, & interested stakeholders; 
4. Recommend amendments to CADEM’s current prohibited contributions list; and
5. Provide a plan for backfilling the historic contributions from those categories on CADEM’s prohibited contributions list.

Finally, the Party will not solicit or accept the contributions of any “fossil fuel company” or “law enforcement organization” prior to a formal vote of the Executive Board in February 2022.   

Please see the members of CADEM’s Joint Sub-Committee on Party Finance here. 

We have made great progress on both of these important issues. But there is always more work to do. We are grateful to these leaders who have raised their hands to help answer these important questions and are confident their collective recommendations will move our Party forward. 

Democratically Yours, 

Rusty, Betty, David, April, and Melahat

CADEM Statewide Officers