The CasaBlanca Project is the first national program to recruit Latino Democratic organizers and volunteers throughout the entire country to reach out to disengaged members of the Latino community to support their preferred Democratic presidential campaign
These volunteers and organizers, using their own cultural background, will bridge the gap that in the past has prevented political parties from engaging a community that has traditionally been underrepresented in elective office and presidential campaigns.
The CasaBlanca Project has attempted to recruit Latino volunteers and organizers for the 2008 Democratic presidential primary cycle through two avenues: (1) serving as a resource point where Latinos can get objective data/information for each of the candidates and (2) attracting and capturing volunteers and organizers and guiding them to meaningful roles and assignments within their preferred campaigns.
These individuals have taken over and set up their own independent state organizations to recruit additional Latino organizers for their candidate - in anticipated coordination with the candidate's professional staff in that state.
Our ultimate goal has been for the CasaBlanca Project to become a "home" for and to provide guidance to thousands of volunteers and organizers involved in the 2008 presidential primary cycle so that we can guarantee that the Latino vote results in a Democratic Presidential victory in the general election.
More specifically, the CasaBlanca Project will result in the following:
1. Volunteer loss reduction (transition from primaries to general campaign)
2. Maximize volunteer recruitment
3. Provide high quality training materials for first time volunteers
4. Increase recruitment for Democratic Party non-candidate volunteer initiatives
5. Provide a placement service to the eventual coordinated campaign
Once the Democratic Party's Nominee for President is chosen, all of the volunteers and organizers will become part of the CasaBlanca Project, which will, in turn, assist the nominee in the general election. This will allow for continuity and guarantee that we do not lose their support or energy for the general election.
Join The CasaBlanca Project today!
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
The Hispanic Vote Critical in This Election and for Decades to Come
According to Adam Nagourney and Jennifer Steinhauer's article in today's Politics section on the New York Times, "In Obama’s Pursuit of Latinos, Race Plays Role", in 2004 Hispanics accounted for 16 percent of the vote in the California primary; 11 percent in New York, 17 percent in Arizona and 9 percent in Florida. As such, it clear that the Hispanic vote will be critical to any Democrat seeking to be elected in this election and for decades to come. Become a part of the future of politics in American and volunteer to participate for the candidate of your choice in letter writing campaigns or phone banking events.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Latinos in Iowa and the Future of the Primary Process
The traditional primary process for our party was deeply questioned in the past two years, as Democratic National Committee (DNC) members worked for several months in the DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee (RBC) to try to address a series of concerns about how to truly have the best primary process possible for a 21st Century national political party.
In the end, the primary process remained mostly intact, with Iowa and New Hampshire going first (on January 3rd and 8th, respectively), leaving Michigan, Nevada, South Carolina and Florida in second place and then 22 other states on February 5th. Some had prognosticated that if, in fact, the RBC's preferred sequence of IA, NV, NH, SC had prevailed, that this may have signaled the beginning of the end for Iowa and New Hampshire's primacy.
The tenacious actions which both Iowa and New Hampshire have undertaken in the last quarter of 2007 to ensure that they remained first, and the fact that a minority candidate was successful in a state that is 96% white (Iowa) are arguments that favor those who defend the status quo. Would Latinos be better served in 2012 or 2016, if states with larger numbers of Latinos went earlier, or first, in the process? Do the advantages of retail politics, by allowing a small state to be first, really result in that much more personal contact with the candidates? Does it truly give a fair chance to underfunded candidates?
As the party with the most diverse field of candidates in any presidential election cycle ever, we have a lot to be proud of. But we also have weighty questions to consider going forward into the next four, or perhaps eight, years. And the changing face of the Democratic electorate, and membership of the DNC roster, will result in different approaches to these perennial concerns.
In the end, the primary process remained mostly intact, with Iowa and New Hampshire going first (on January 3rd and 8th, respectively), leaving Michigan, Nevada, South Carolina and Florida in second place and then 22 other states on February 5th. Some had prognosticated that if, in fact, the RBC's preferred sequence of IA, NV, NH, SC had prevailed, that this may have signaled the beginning of the end for Iowa and New Hampshire's primacy.
The tenacious actions which both Iowa and New Hampshire have undertaken in the last quarter of 2007 to ensure that they remained first, and the fact that a minority candidate was successful in a state that is 96% white (Iowa) are arguments that favor those who defend the status quo. Would Latinos be better served in 2012 or 2016, if states with larger numbers of Latinos went earlier, or first, in the process? Do the advantages of retail politics, by allowing a small state to be first, really result in that much more personal contact with the candidates? Does it truly give a fair chance to underfunded candidates?
As the party with the most diverse field of candidates in any presidential election cycle ever, we have a lot to be proud of. But we also have weighty questions to consider going forward into the next four, or perhaps eight, years. And the changing face of the Democratic electorate, and membership of the DNC roster, will result in different approaches to these perennial concerns.
DNC Hispanic Caucus Confers Official Project Status
The CasaBlanca Project is proud to announce that as of December 1, 2007, the Democratic National Committee' Hispanic Caucus has conferred official status to our project, designating us as "an official project of the Democratic National Committee."
The DNC's Hispanic Caucus, led by Ramona Martinez, newly elected Caucus Chair, and Eliseo Roques, newly elected Vice Chair, unanimously approved a resolution supporting our efforts and conferring upon the Project, official DNC Hispanic Caucus status.
Although the Project has already been working with high level campaign officials with all of the Democratic presidential campaigns, the official status is welcome because it dispels any remaining doubt as to the importance, urgency and relevancy of the place Latinos must have in all stages of the Presidential election process.
And while prominent Latino lobbyists, former officials and current ones are endorsing candidates and putting forth plans on reaching Latino voters in the general election, the CasaBlanca Projecte staff has worked tirelessly to ensure that Latino organizers are encouraged to participate in a meaningful way in the earliest stages of the process: primary candidate organizing. The several months that are occupied by the primary cycle are typically the period of time where individual citizens are most energized and willing to contribute time and efforts. It is one of the most logical periods of time to recruit Latinos to become long-time Democratic party supporters.
Jerome Wiley Segovia
Executive Board
The CasaBlanca Project
German A. Gomez
Executive Board
The CasaBlanca Project
The DNC's Hispanic Caucus, led by Ramona Martinez, newly elected Caucus Chair, and Eliseo Roques, newly elected Vice Chair, unanimously approved a resolution supporting our efforts and conferring upon the Project, official DNC Hispanic Caucus status.
Although the Project has already been working with high level campaign officials with all of the Democratic presidential campaigns, the official status is welcome because it dispels any remaining doubt as to the importance, urgency and relevancy of the place Latinos must have in all stages of the Presidential election process.
And while prominent Latino lobbyists, former officials and current ones are endorsing candidates and putting forth plans on reaching Latino voters in the general election, the CasaBlanca Projecte staff has worked tirelessly to ensure that Latino organizers are encouraged to participate in a meaningful way in the earliest stages of the process: primary candidate organizing. The several months that are occupied by the primary cycle are typically the period of time where individual citizens are most energized and willing to contribute time and efforts. It is one of the most logical periods of time to recruit Latinos to become long-time Democratic party supporters.
Jerome Wiley Segovia
Executive Board
The CasaBlanca Project
German A. Gomez
Executive Board
The CasaBlanca Project
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