Las Adelitas Arizona Board of Directors

Chair Laura Dent ljdent@gmail.com Vice-Chair Deyanira Nevarez deyanira.nevarez@gmail.com Secretary Karla Avalos Treasurer Nora Evans-Reitz Membership Eva Dong Outreach Jessica Pacheco Board Member Wendy Cevallos

Summer 2011 Newsletter

LAS ADELITAS ARIZONA SUMMER 2011

Las Adelitas Arizona Newsletter - Special Edition 2011

Dear Adelitas & Friends, Las Adelitas Arizona has been working hard over the last several years to expand our membership and grow our organization in several ways. In 2010 we established a Political Action Committee and this week we submitted final IRS paperwork to become a 501c4. Last year we hosted events featuring Latina leaders including Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, the first Mexican-American woman elected to Congress, and Dolores Huerta, UFW leader and civil rights activist. We have continued organizing annual panels at area high schools that bring local Latina leaders into the classroom to discuss their experiences and dedication to public service. While Las Adelitas Arizona has been working to grow our organization, we want to be sure we are doing all we can to continue engaging our membership, past & present,

Las Adelitas Arizona PAC Fundraiser with Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA - 34) & Congressman Raul Grijalva (AZ - 7) and reaching out to individuals in our community who are supportive of our mission. For this reason, the Board of Directors has chosen to send out this special edition of our newsletter, which sums up the trajectory of Las Adelitas AZ over the past several years and highlights the work we are doing now to continue to grow. Our goal is to regularly share this information with members as well as individuals that have shown support for Las Adelitas Arizona and our objectives. We hope to engage longtime members as well as bring new voices and Adelitas into the fold! Please enjoy and check out our website at www.lasadelitasarizona.org to learn more! Saludos, Las Adelitas Arizona Board

Inside this issue: July 23rd Quar2 terly Membership Meeting 2011 City Council 2 Endorsements Dolores Huerta Celebration Las Adelitas AZ PAC Statements & Positions LAA High School Panels Las Adelitas AZ on Facebook! 2

Las Adelitas Arizona is a 501c4!

Las Adelitas Arizona is proud to announce that after nearly 10 years of successful operations and growth as a club, the organization has filed with the IRS to obtain 501c4 status! The 501c4 designation allows Las Adelitas Arizona to issue endorsements and do expanded work with an emphasis on social welfare and education. Thank you to all the founding members of Las Adelitas AZ and board member Wendy Cevallos for all their work to get us to where we are today!

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Summer 2011 Newsletter

Quarterly Membership Meeting - Saturday, July 23rd

Las Adelitas Arizona will host its quarterly membership meeting on Saturday, July 23rd 2011 at the Quincy Douglas Community Literacy Center, 949 E. 35th St. We will be going over regular business and voting on endorsements for the 2011 Tucson City Council races. The Candidate Review Committee has been working to meet with and interview candidates, inquiring about the local issues that matter to Latinas and their families in our community. The CRC will present their recommendations at the meeting this Saturday. Please remember you must be a member in good standing to vote for endorsements. You can renew your membership online at www.lasadelitasarizona.org or at the meeting. Lunch will be provided, see you all there!

Las Adelitas Arizona Quarterly Membership Meeting

Candidate Review Committee Recommendations

The Candidate Review Committee, or CRC, is an ad hoc committee of Las Adelitas Arizona members that comes together in anticipation of local election cycles. In 2010, the CRC interviewed candidates and made endorsements in legislative districts 25 - 30. This year, Las Adelitas AZ vice-chair and PAC chairwoman Deya Nevarez is chairing the CRC endorsement process for Tucson City Council elections. This year the CRC met with city staffers from Finance, Parks & Recreation, and Transportation to better understand services provided to our community in the context of the budget challenges facing local government. The CRC identified multiple priority issues, including urban public transit, Parks & Recreation programming, support for expanded voter enfranchisement, and advocacy on legislative issues important to our community. The CRC had candidates go through a process that includes having them sign pledge forms, fill out questionnaires, and interview with a panel of Adelitas. The committee will make their recommendations to the general membership at the Saturday, July 23rd quarterly meeting. The CRC has done great work on behalf of Las Adelitas AZ! Please join us to hear their recommendations. If you intend to vote on endorsements, please keep in mind you must be an active member to do so!

City of Tucson general elections will be held November 8th, 2011. This year both the primary and general elections will be all vote by mail.

Dolores Huerta Birthday Celebration - Live Webcast a Success!

Dolores Huerta is a civil rights icon, activist, and labor leader that co-founded the United Farm Workers alongside Cesar Chavez in 1962. She is vicepresident emeritus of the United Farm Workers of America and leads the Dolores Huerta Foundation, an organization committed to encouraging grassroots organizing efforts among communities to attain social justice. In August of last year, Las Adelitas AZ joined forces with the YWCA Tucson to celebrate Dolores 80th birthday through a live webcast from the Greek Theater in Los Angeles. The money gathered at the fundraiser went to the Dolores Huerta foundation. Special guests at this event included Carlos Santana, Zack de la Rocha, Lila Downs, and Peter Escovedo. We are proud to say that the Tucson showing was the most successful of the remote webcasts and boasted the largest audience. Thanks to all those who were able to join us and make the event a great success!

Las Adelitas Arizona Board Members Laura Dent & Eva Dong with Dolores Huerta

Las Adelitas Arizona Political Action Committee

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Las Adelitas Arizona PAC was established in 2010 in order to more effectively participate in local and state elections that directly affect our community. Las Adelitas Arizona PAC is registered at the state and local level, and can contribute to individuals running in state and down ballot races. In our first year, Las Adelitas Arizona PAC contributed a total of $1,736 to candidates running in legislative districts 25 through 30. Below is an overview of Las Adelitas AZ PAC fundraisers hosted thus far.

Lucille Roybal-Allard Fundraiser at Los Portales

In June of 2010, Las Adelitas Arizona hosted our first PAC Fundraiser with special guests Lucille Roybal-Allard of Californias 34th District, and Congressman Raul Grijalva of Arizonas 7th District. Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard was the first Mexican-American woman elected to Congress in 1992, and serves on the House Appropriations Committee, one of the most powerful and distinguished committees of the House of representatives. She represents much of Downtown Los Angeles, East L.A., and nine Southeast cities of LA County. Roybal-Allard spoke to overcoming adversity and dedicating herself to a life of service. Special thanks to Congressman Raul Grijalva and UFCW Local 99 for their support !

Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard

PAC Fundraiser - Mujeres Unidas in 2010 at The Shanty

In October of 2010, Las Adelitas Arizona PAC hosted Mujeres Unidas in 2010 as a candidate mixer and fundraiser for the PAC. Adelitas had an opportunity to meet with and get to know the 2010 endorsed candidates and hear from then State representative Kyrsten Sinema about activating women leaders and working to encourage those leaders to run for office. Special thanks to Kyrsten for making the trip to come speak with our members and friends and to Bill Nugent of the Shanty for his support of this great event! iSi Se Puede!

PAC Mission: Las Adelitas Arizona Political Action Committee is committed to supporting progressive Arizona candidates who promote issues that benefit Latinas and their families.

Las Adelitas Arizona PAC Fundraiser with State Senator Kyrsten Sinema

Arizona Redistricting & What it Means to the Latino Community

On May 26, 2011, Las Adelitas Arizona PAC hosted an educational fundraiser on state redistricting and what it means to the Latino Community Ken Clark, co-chair of the Arizona Competitive Districts Coalition, joined us at the YWCA in Tucson to discuss the implications of redistricting changes on communities of interest and minority communities. There was a great dialogue between members and the speaker, and guests had the opportunity to ask questions about what the end result of redistricting might mean for the Latino community. Thank you to elected officials Tucson City Council Members Regina Romero & Shirley Scott, as well as Sahuarita Town Council Member Rosanna Gabaldon, and Sunnyside school board member Eva Dong. We had great discussion and saw many new faces, and raised PAC money for the 2011 City election cycle!
Ken Clark discusses the impact of competitive districts on Voting Rights Act protected districts

Las Adelitas Arizona - Statements & Positions

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Las Adelitas Arizona works to take a position and educate membership and the general public on issues that impact working families and the Latino community. Over the past 18 months the membership has voted to take positions on issues of importance to the organization, and share those positions with the general public. Below are some examples of these positions, to see full press release listings please visit www.lasadelitasarizona.org and login!

YES on PROPOSITION 100 - 2010

Las Adelitas Arizona took a position in support of Proposition 100 , the statewide sales tax increase to support education funding last year, The organization made clear that the support for this sales tax increase was reluctant, as this is a regressive tax that lays a heavier burden at the feet of working families than others. With that said, education has been and continues to be severely underfunded, and LAA considered the situation too dire to not advocate for and take a position in support of Proposition 100.

A Call to Action: Against Arizonas SB 1070 - 2010

Las Adelitas Arizona immediately took a position against SB 1070 and rallied around organizations challenging the constitutionality of this law. The organization called the legislation hateful and unconstitutional, and released a press release calling for its repeal in both Spanish & English,

LAA on SB1070: As outraged individuals and organizations across the country come together to decry the passage of SB 1070, Las Adelitas Arizona joins the fight and calls for the laws repeal.

NO on Prop 107 - 2010

Proposition 107 was referred by the state legislature to the voters in 2010 and eliminated equal opportunity initiatives in public sector employment and public education, including community colleges and Universities.

NO on Prop 113 - 2010

Proposition 113 was an anti-union, anti-worker initiative that eliminated the opportunity for workers to form a union through the card-check process. Las Adelitas Arizona supports the fundamental right of workers to organize and form unions free from intimidation and coercion. Employers are already in a position of control, and this amendment provided them with additional leverage that could directly impact a workers decision to support a union

Las Adelitas Arizona Opposes Efforts to Undermine the 14th Amendment

Las Adelitas Arizona joins a diverse coalition of organizations and individuals who adamantly opposes the efforts of some Arizona legislators to undermine the United States constitution by challenging the 14th amendment. Las Adelitas Arizona stands in support of the 14 amendment, the U.S. constitution, and the principles our nation was founded upon. We condemn the efforts of lawmakers to make political statements by challenging these ideals and encourage our fellow Arizonans to do the same.
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-LAA Press Release, 2/11/11

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Summer 2011 Newsletter

Las Adelitas Arizona Unanimously Passes Resolution to Support Ethnic Studies in TUSD
At the May 2011 quarterly membership meeting of Las Adelitas Arizona, members voted unanimously to support ethnic studies in our own Tucson Unified School District and condemn HB 2281. Las Adelitas Arizona, a group of strong independent women, mothers, grandmothers, sisters, and daughters will simply not stand for this unjust assault on the education of our youth. The TUSD Mexican-American Studies program is one that engages students and creates conscious citizens, as well as increases youth performance on standardized tests and improves graduation rates Las Adelitas Arizona is proud to stand with the courageous educators that are opposing HB2281 and we encourage all Arizonans who believe in public education to join us.

Las Adelitas Arizona High School Panels

Las Adelitas Arizona has traditionally hosted annual High School Panels with students at schools in both Tucson Unified School District and Sunnyside Unified School District., These panels are put together by the organization and bring together local Latina community leaders and elected officials to speak to students about their public service. This past year, Las Adelitas Arizona hosted one panel at Sunnyside High School featuring TUSD School Board Member Adelita Grijalva, Pima County Public Defender Isabel Garcia, and Sunnyside School Board Member Eva Dong. Thank you ladies for making the time to participate in this annual tradition! If you are a member that would SHS Blue Devils like to help plan this years high school panels, please contact us at LasAdelitasArizona@gmail.com!

Las Adelitas Arizona is on Facebook!

Las Adelitas Arizona is transitioning to a new page on Facebook! We are moving from a group page to a non-profit page, which allows us more flexibility when creating events, sending out updates, and posting photos. We will be phasing out the old page soon, so if you havent had a chance to do so please Like our page by searching Las Adelitas Arizona and selecting the Non-Profit page! We will be working to keep it updated with organization notices, resolutions, press releases, and pictures, so stay tuned!

Las Adelitas Arizona 2010 Executive Board

LAS ADELITAS ARIZONA

www.LasAdelitasArizona.org

Our Mission: To recruit, educate, and mobilize Latinas to participate in the political process and support progressive issues. PAC Mission: Las Adelitas Arizona Political Action Committee is committed to supporting progressive Arizona candidates who promote issues that benefit Latinas and their families.

Las Adelitas Arizona P.O. Box 27716 Tucson, AZ 85726

Phone: 520-808-9237
LasAdelitasArizona@gmail.com

www.LasAdelitasArizona.org

2011 Active Members

Thank you to all our these individuals for your support of Las Adelitas Arizona! Welcome new members! We are only as strong as our membership !
Karla Avalos Linda Barter Deanna Bates Vera Beuttner Wendy Cevallos Nancy Cordova Andrea Dalessandro Laura Dent Valerie Diaz Eva Dong Georgette Escobar Nora Evans-Reitz Pat Fleming Marilyn Freed Rosanna Gabaldon Ramona Grijalva Mari Helen High Laura Hogan Linda Leatherman Stefanie Mach Martha Martin Renee Nelson Deyanira Nevarez Judith Ordaz Jessica Pacheco Angelica Patino-Rockov Laura Penny Katya Peterson Andrea Romero Regina Romero Mohur Sidhwa Alexandria Soto Alma Sychuk Sherri Teachnor Priscilla Teran Diana Uribe Linda Victoria Madeleine Wachter June Webb-Vignery Alma Yubeta