canyon democrats
General Meeting: Victor Valladares
NOVEMBER COMMUNITY OUTREACH
This month our community partner is Toys for Tots.
Please bring one or more NEW and UNWRAPPED gifts or Gift Cards from Walmart or Target ($25) to our meeting.
Requested items are gifts for “forgotten ages”:
– Toddlers from 6 months – 3 years
– Teenagers – ear pods, games, sports equipment, skateboards, craft or jewelry kits
Our Community Outreach Liaison, Ann Owens, is also collecting new bicycles. If you would like to donate a bike, please contact her at outreach@canyondems.org to arrange a time to drop it at her house in Lake Forest.
Thanks for your support of our community!
General Meeting: You Can Make an Impact
Jeff Pearlman
Jeff Pearlman is the New York Times best-selling author of 10 books, and a former Sports Illustrated senior writer and ESPN.com columnist.
He started The Truth OC website because he is fed up by the lack of local political coverage. The Truth OC seems to be having an impact. Jeff believes that all politics are local, and all of us can actually make an impact.
General Meeting: Book Bans
Anne Stone
Anne has been a member of the League of Women Voters, Orange Coast chapter for many years and is a member of the Speakers Bureau.
The League of Women Voters Orange Coast chapter has been around for 57 years and includes 17 cities from Seal Beach to San Clemente and inland to Lake Forest, Mission Viejo & Rancho Santa Margarita.
General Meeting: Cost of Free Speech
Chris Kluwe
Chris Kluwe grew up in Southern California where he attended Los Alamitos public high school, then accepted a full athletic scholarship to UCLA for college. He is the author of several published books, the lead designer of a tabletop card game, played in a rock band, and set almost all of the Minnesota Vikings’ punting records during his eight year career in the NFL. He also once wrestled a bear for a pot of gold, and lies in his bios occasionally. You can find him on BlueSky @ChrisWarcraft
JUNE COMMUNITY OUTREACH
This month we are supporting WISEPlace, the only Orange County-based nonprofit leading the effort to end homelessness for unaccompanied individuals.
WISEPlace is requesting full sizes of the following items:
- shampoo
- conditioner
- deodorant
- body lotion
- body wash
Thanks for your support of our community!
General Meeting: Social Media, Misinformation and You
Sam C. Spitale
Samuel C. Spitale is the author of How to Win the War on Truth: An Illustrated Guide to How Mistruths Are Sold, Why They Stick and How to Reclaim Reality(Quirk Books). He’s a media studies expert and communications instructor at Loyola Marymount who’s trained students at the State Departments International Digital Education and Arts Program and has been a featured speaker the Clinton Presidential Center’s Civic Education Institute and Student Presidential Leaders Series.
MAY COMMUNITY OUTREACH
This month we are supporting the Ronald McDonald House Family Room at Mission Hospital where parents of hospitalized children can eat, shower and nap while maintaining the comfort of being down the hall from their child.
They are seeking the following items:
Square boxes of kleenex
Full Size Shampoo, Conditioner & Body Wash
Snack sizes of: Bel Vita bars, Nature Valley Oat & Honey Bars,
Cheese & Crackers, snack size chips
General Meeting: PPOSBC’s Strength in a Changing Landscape
California is at the forefront of protecting reproductive rights, and the Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties (PPOSBC) is deeply committed to setting a powerful example of resilience and innovation in this ongoing fight. While reproductive freedoms continue to face significant challenges across the country, our approach remains grounded in determination and forward-thinking solutions.
In her talk, Krista Hollinger will reflect on the PPOSBC’s ongoing efforts and accomplishments in providing reproductive health care. She will address the complexities of the current landscape, including the challenges we face, and discuss the concrete actions the we are taking to drive meaningful change and empower our communities.
Krista will emphasize the importance of de-stigmatizing reproductive health care, share the ways the PPOSBC continues to break barriers, and outline how our proactive strategies inspire new models of support. She will also highlight how your continued advocacy, donations, and involvement are integral to the success of this mission—ensuring that reproductive rights remain safeguarded for everyone in our community.
By focusing on what has been accomplished and the work that lies ahead, Krista will provide an insightful look at how our collective efforts are making a difference today and shaping a more equitable future for all.
Here are the items Orangewood is requesting for hygiene kits:
– full size deodorant
– body wash
– razors
– toothbrushes
– toothpaste
– tampons
General Meeting: Local Water Supply
JANUARY COMMUNITY OUTREACH
January is National Blood Donor Month
Each January, we come together to raise awareness and to thank blood donors across the nation for selflessly saving lives.
Thank you for for being a part of our team!
To make an appointment, please:
Call: (949) 452-3158
Email: Christie at CDraper@memorialcare.org
Schedule online: https://www.memorialcareblooddonor.org/
Same day/walk-in: Please call ahead at (949) 452-3158
General Meeting: Review of 2024 Election
Henry Weinstein
Henry Weinstein is an attorney who pursued a career in journalism after law school. He worked for the LA Times for 30 years covering numerous important stories. He is the recipient of the prestigious Columbia University’s John Chancellor Award for Excellence in Journalism, an award given to a journalist “whose reporting over time shows courage, integrity, curiosity and intelligence, and epitomizes the role of journalism in a free society.”
Mr. Weinstein is a founding faculty member of UC Irvine’s School of Law where he taught a number of courses such as Media Law and Law and Popular Culture. He retired in 2022 but occasionally continues to teach as an Emeritus Professor.
NOVEMBER COMMUNITY OUTREACH
This month we are supporting Families Forward Adopt-a-Child for the Holidays program.
Families Forward is a local organization whose mission is to prevent and end family homelessness by providing access to housing and resources that create lasting stability.
If you would like to participate, please email Ann Owens at annowens@cox.net
General Meeting: Fighting School Board Extremism
OCTOBER COMMUNITY OUTREACH
This month we are supporting South County Outreach. South County Outreach’s mission is to prevent hunger and homelessness by helping people help themselves.
They are seeking the following items:
pasta (spaghetti, elbow, rotini)
pasta sauces (tomato, alfredo, pesto)
sides (mashed potatoes, stuffing, rice-a-roni
grocery store gift cards
Please bring donations to our meeting. We will have someone in front of The Murray Center to collect your donations.
General Meeting: Ballot Review Party Louise
Dr. Louise Adler
Our own club chair is a long-time Democratic Leader in Orange County. She has an incredible knowledge of local politics and is also a co-founder of Women in Leadership.
Michael Sall
Michael is the DPOC Director of Democratic Clubs and an attorney at Sall Spencer Callas & Krueger in Laguna Beach, California, with a practice in legal ethics and business litigation. He is also a member of the Aliso Niguel Democratic Club and their former Chair.
SEPTEMBER COMMUNITY OUTREACH
This month we are supporting the Friendship Shelter in Laguna Beach. Friendship Shelter operates a full spectrum of services to end homelessness, including outreach, shelter, housing navigation, financial assistance, and permanent housing with supportive services.
They are seeking the following items listed by most needed to least:
(Only the underwear must be new)
Wallets
Android phone chargers
Headphones
Underwear (men, women – assorted sizes)
Towels/washcloths
Blankets
Please bring donations to our meeting. We will have someone in front of The Murray Center to collect your donations.
General Meeting: Live from the DNC Convention
Reporting Live from the Democratic National Convention
Deborah Cunningham-Skurnik
Deborah will be joined by fellow Canyon Dem DNC Delegates:
Linda May, Retired NGO/GO Manager & co-founder of the Lavender Dems Club
Perry Meade
and Florice Hoffman, former CA Dem Party Regional Director
Deborah Cunningham-Skurnik
California Delegate, CADEM Regional Director, Region 21 & Canyon Democrats Club Member
Deborah will be reporting live from the convention along with Linda May, Perry Meade & Florice Hoffman. Deborah is a long-time leading Democrat in Orange County, she will provide insight and boots on the ground reporting directly to our club.
AUGUST COMMUNITY OUTREACH
This month we are supporting the Ronald McDonald House. They provide the comforts of home to the families of children in the hospital.
We are collecting :
Protein bars
Single Serving containers of cereal, oatmeal, nuts & chips
Paper products: single-use silverware, paper plates, napkins, paper towels
Gallon size Ziploc freezer bags
Gifts cards: Smart ‘N Final, Costco
Please bring donations to our meeting. We will have someone in front of The Murray Center to collect your donations.
General Meeting: State of Abortion Rights
The state of abortion rights
Emily Escobar
Emily Escobar
Public Affairs Advocacy Manager, Planned Parenthood of Orange & San Bernadino Counties
In her current role, Emily oversees the day-to-day operations of the Community Action Fund’s advocacy work. Emily is a Guatemalan immigrant woman who is passionate about advancing reproductive healthcare for communities who need it most.
JULY COMMUNITY OUTREACH
We are collecting school supplies for FAMILIES FORWARD
We will be collecting:
– new backpacks
– colored pencils
– college ruled paper
– colored markers
– pens & pencils
– scientific calculators
– pencil pouches
– notebooks
Please bring donations to our meeting. We will have someone in front of The Murray Center to collect your donations.
General Meeting: Electoral College
DEMOCRATIZING DEMOCRACY: THE NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE MOVEMENT
Nadine Steinberg, Ph.D.
Dr. Nadine Koch Steinberg will describe the National Popular Vote bill that would grant the presidency to the candidate who receives the most popular votes nationwide. This bill is an attempt to bypass the Electoral College which has elected presidents who have lost the popular vote but ascended to the presidency, such as George Bush and Donald Trump. The National Popular Vote initiative aims to correct the weaknesses of the Electoral College and allow for the direct election of U.S. presidents. Dr. Steinberg will discuss the Constitutional arguments for and against the NPV bill and will give a very brief refresher on the Electoral College.
.
Nadine Steinberg, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus at California State University, Los Angeles
Dr. Steinberg has taught undergraduate and graduate level courses in American politics for 30 years. Her teaching and research interests are in the areas of campaigns and elections, politics and the media, political behavior, and public opinion.
JUNE COMMUNITY OUTREACH
This month we are supporting Second Impressions, a boutique style resale store to raise money for bread ovens in Haiti and the Homeless Ministry of South Orange County.
We will be collecting:
– jewelry
– clean women’s & men’s clothing
– small household items & decor
Please bring donations to our meeting. We will have someone in front of The Murray Center to collect your donations.
General Meeting: Orange is the New Purple
ORANGE IS THE NEW PURPLE
Jon Gould
Starting as a bright red jurisdiction several decades ago, Orange County has transitioned to become one of only three truly “purple” counties among the nation’s 25 most populous areas. Further, with four competitive congressional districts within its borders, Orange County may help shape control of the U.S. House.
UC Irvine has recently launched its UCI OC Poll, surveying county residents on their political preferences, attitudes, and concerns. The latest results help explain what is driving various races and how things look just a few months out from November.
The director of the poll, Jon Gould, Dean of UCI’s School of Social Ecology, will join us to discuss the poll’s findings and offer his own analysis and predictions. For anyone who wonders or worries about November’s coming elections, the event should be illuminating.
Jon Gould
Dean of the School of Social Ecology, University of California, Irvine
Jon Gould is a distinguished scholar in policy and government reform who has held key positions in the U.S. Department of Justice and the National Science Foundation.
Gould leads the nation’s first school of social ecology, established in 1970 in response to high demand for more socially relevant research. For more than 50 years, the school has been an internationally recognized pioneer in developing interdisciplinary approaches to social problems.
Gould’s expertise covers a variety of subjects. He is the author of five books and more than 100 articles and reports on such diverse subjects as political advertising, human rights, hate speech, sexual harassment and indigent defense.
Gould has filled a range of government leadership roles, including senior policy adviser in the U.S. Department of Justice and director of the Law & Social Sciences Program at the National Science Foundation. In 2015, U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts appointed him as reporter for a committee of the federal courts evaluating the operation of the Criminal Justice Act. Gould is a fellow of the American Bar Foundation, a former U.S. Supreme Court Fellow and a former trustee of the Law & Society Association.
MAY COMMUNITY OUTREACH
This month we are supporting Orangewood Foundation, one of the leading providers of services to youth in Orange County. They help almost 2,000 youth annually prepare for independent adulthood.
They are in need of:
canned goods (soups, beans, chili, vegetables, tuna, chicken)
pasta, rice, cereal, mac-n-cheese, instant oatmeal
peanut or almond butter, jelly, jam
nut or trail mixes, protein bars, jerky
Please bring donations to our meeting. We will have someone in front of The Murray Center to collect your donations.