Caucus Reports
Women's, Youth

Greens join D.C. pro-choice march
Caucus spearheads party presence within coalition

By Morgen D'Arc
National Women's Caucus

The National Women's Caucus (NWC) of the Green Party of the United States co-sponsored the March for Women's Lives in Washington, D.C., on April 25 and was featured with the lead quote in the Green Party of the United States's news release, linked on the website's front page and posted on www.commondreams.org.

Kayly Newcomer of Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Shanklin and Julia Willebrand of New York, Susan Dridi of Virginia and Annie Goeke of Maryland were among members who participated.

"It was an experience I will not soon forget," Newcomer said. "The power of standing in the middle of over one million people of all races, ages and persuasions who all agreed on a woman's right to control her own life was overwhelming. It was the jolt I needed to get back to work standing up for my beliefs."

"There were a few dark clouds," Newcomer continued. "Our banners were booed by a few Democrats; Nader was bashed a little too much for my taste and Kerry was given a bit too many accolades for a non-partisan event."

Dridi added, "I am working for the day when the women's movement will once again tire of being taken for granted by the major parties. The Green Party has a lot more to offer women than the parties that pay lip service to our causes while ignoring our real needs."

Goeke, who marched with her daughter and handed out position sheets, was pleased that there were also so many men marching and noted the Green presence as they carried the banner.

"There is no turning back for women," Goeke said. "Not only did the generation that marched in the 70s and 80s stand united, but we are now the grandmothers, mothers and daughters together flexing our power. Time has come to get government out of deciding for women and their bodies."
The NWC will be at the Presidential Nominating Convention in Milwaukee. Its annual meeting is Thursday, June 24, from noon to 1:30 PM with a workshop Sunday in conjunction with the Diversity Committee and a presence with tabling throughout the convention.

Green women who would like to join can sign up at http://lists.gp-us.org/mailman/listinfo/womens-caucus/
e-mail womengreens@yahoo.com for information.

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Youth Caucus builds membership base

By Eric Prindle
Youth Caucus

The Youth Caucus organizing committee for the Green Party of the United States is in the process of building a membership base in order to seek accreditation as a formal caucus under party bylaws.

The committee has drafted bylaws for the caucus and will put that draft forward for ratification once membership reaches the minimum of 100. The caucus has already met the other requirement of having members from at least 15 states.

Any member of a state Green Party under the age of 30 is eligible for membership. The caucus is also accepting as members people who affirm their commitment to the Green Party but cannot join their state parties due to age restrictions.

Once the caucus adopts bylaws and elects officers, it will start developing its mission and issue agenda. As a recognized caucus, it will be able to influence Green Party policy to address issues of particular importance to young people and ensure that youth concerns are articulated in the internal politics of the party. In particular, it will be qualified to elect a member to the national party's Coordinating Committee and appoint people to standing committees.

Anyone interested in joining the caucus can do so by e-mailing their name, full street address, phone number and birthdate to prindle@greens.org.

There is a listserv to discuss caucus business at http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/youth-caucus. There is also an open discussion listserv for caucus members at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gpusyouthcaucus/. 

Regardless of listserv subscription status, everyone who has submitted membership information-and only those people-will be entitled to vote on the ratification of bylaws and election of officers.

Youth Caucus member Young Han of Clinton, N.Y. has made headlines recently with an attempt to secure voting rights for students. Han, 21, a former Green Party candidate for Washington state representative and sophomore at Hamilton College, was recently told by local election officials that he could not register to vote as a dormitory resident.

Han was then refused the right to register a second time after a professor attempted to intervene.

He is considering legal action, and his situation has been covered by Rolling Stone magazine as the lead anecdote in an article about student voting rights.