The Democratic Club serves Democrats of the Santa Maria Valley including Santa Maria, Orcutt and surrounding areas. The Democratic Club of Santa Maria Valley (DCSMV) is chartered by the Santa Barbara County Democratic Central Committee (SBCDCC).
 
The Democratic Club of Santa Maria Valley is an official association of local Democrats who discuss, debate and work to promote Democratic ideals, candidates, legislation and issues for the common good.

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Throughout our nation local Democratic organizations continue to host premier events, often dinners with outstanding guest speakers. Our County DCC is no exception. This year’s event, now known as the Roosevelt-Hamer Dinner, will be held in Santa Barbara on June 27. Vibiana Saavedra gives some background on the “Hamer” part of this important event, since most of you are familiar with the accomplishments of President Franklin Roosevelt.

Fannie Lou Hamer, 1917-1977, spent most of her life as a Mississippi sharecropper. She worked the cotton fields and like most African Americans of the South, endured much hardship. She dropped out of school as age 12 but continued her education through Bible study. In 1962, the Student Nonviolence Coordinating Committee (SNCC), came to town and Hamer was encouraged to register to vote. Her registration came at a high price which included police beatings, death threats, and the loss of her job. These challenges did not stop Hamer and she went on to found the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP). Now this is where her story made a profound impact on the Democratic Party. In 1964 Fannie and a delegation from the MFDP, stormed the Democratic convention and demanded to be seated as representatives from Mississippi. Keep in mind that the existing delegation was and had been all white. Although President Johnson refused to seat the delegates, the Democratic Party did agree that in the future no delegation would be seated from any state where citizens were illegally denied the right to vote. In a much broader sense Hamer brought a conscience to the Party, which became the Party to champion civil rights and voter rights.

We honor activist Fannie Lou Hamer, who went on to contribute much more in setting things right in America. It is her dedication to equality and her sense of social justice that she shares the title of our DCC dinner. Hamer is also well known for the inscription on her headstone: “I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired.”

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Democratic Leadership Training
Sunday, June 28, 2009, 8:00am-7:00pm
Location: Grover Beach Community Center (corner of South 12th Street and Trouville Avenue) 1230 Trouville Ave., Grover Beach, CA 93433
This full day of intense training consists of a variety of political workshops intended for club/party leaders and activists who want to advance their leadership roles in the Democratic Party or are just getting started in politics!

Tentative Schedule        Please note the details on the Links page of this website.
The California Democratic Party Structure
How to Run a Meeting: Robert's Rules
Fundraising Fundamentals and Guidelines Increasing and Keeping Your Membership
Club Finances: How to Stay Out of Jail
Recruiting Candidates for Local Office
Technology and Clubs
The Progressive Challenge
Fundraising Ideas & Projects

Be a true leader – sponsor our training for $50 or more!
Cost: Free (Requested donation of $10.00 to help cover food and materials)
Lunch and refreshments will be provided.
 
NOTE: Please DO NOT RSVP unless you can stay the entire day!!
Our speakers have committed their time for this workshop and travel from around the state.
We know this is a long day of intense training, but to ensure future training, we would like you to respect our speaker’s time investment!
Thank you for your cooperation!

Seating is limited, all attendees must register by June 25, 2009!
Register here: http://www.cdc-ca.org/Training/

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Sharon Siegel, District Director for Congresswoman Lois Capps, spoke to local Democrats at our meeting on June 18.  Many Democrats came to listen and ask questions.  Issues and concerns were discussed.

Our club meeting is Thursday, June 18. We meet at IHOP, located at 202 S. Nicholson Ave., Santa Maria. Travel east on Main St. Just after the 101 overpass is the intersection of Main St. and Nicholson Ave. Turn right and IHOP is on the left. The social hour begins at 5:30 pm, dinner is at 6:00 pm, and the program begins promptly at 7:00 pm. Reservations are required for dinner. Call HQ at 805-349-2708. Dinner cancellationscan be made right up to 5:00 pm, the day of the meeting. No reservations are required for the meeting.

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