Harvard College Democrats Statement on Rescinding Endorsement of Ricardo Arroyo for DA of Suffolk County

In light of recent news, the Harvard College Democrats have voted to rescind our endorsement of Ricardo Arroyo’s campaign for Suffolk County DA. We will be making no further endorsements in the race and call for the need to continue and build upon the reforms and policies of former DA Rachel Rollins. For further inquiries, please contact president@harvarddems.org.

Harvard College Democrats Statement on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization Statement

We are outraged. We are heartbroken. And now we must take action. In the wake of the Supreme Court’s devastating opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization Statement, striking down the constitutional right to abortion, we encourage everyone to take action and make your voices heard now with protest and advocacy and in November with the ballot. We need to urgently support abortion funds and resources where people are now most vulnerable to criminal prosecution and unsafe and inaccessible abortion services. As Justices Sotomayor, Kagan, and Breyer’s dissent stated clearly, this ruling will get women and people killed and incarcerated across the country. 

Let’s also be clear: this is the direct result of the Trump administration’s packing of the court. This is a political ruling. This is a political decision from the extreme right to attack our bodies. The legacy of the Trump administration exists as an ugly stain on this nation’s judiciary—and that stain can only be lifted through expanding the court, reforming judicial powers to restore the integrity of the Court and electing fiercely pro-choice officials this election cycle and beyond. 

Abortion is, was, and always will be a right that the state must protect. Bodily autonomy is fundamental to ALL of our dignity and safety as people. In that vein, we call on Democratic state governments to do all that is necessary to secure safe and legal abortion both for their residents and those out of state. Congress must bypass the Senate filibuster and codify a national right to abortion, as well as address the abused, politicized, and undemocratic power of judicial review, and expand the seats of the Supreme Court to take undue power away from this radical, right wing majority. The Biden Administration must act with all legal and financial tools to protect the right and access to abortion and to support states that are doing so. This moment of desperation calls for bold and creative solutions. When unelected officials abuse their power to take crucial rights away from the people, elected officials should wield the full extent of their power to protect the people and preserve those rights.

Sincerely,

The Harvard College Democrats Board

Harvard College Democrats Statement on Withdrawal from 2022 annual Visitas Debate

We, the Board of the Harvard College Democrats, have decided to withdraw from the annual Visitas debate between our organization and the Harvard GOP this year. We made this decision due to a series of comments and public communications on the Harvard GOP’s Twitter account. The debate is a great opportunity for prospective students to have the chance to see students respectfully engage in political discourse, and it saddens us to not be participating. However, we found that the public communication and messages of the Harvard GOP crossed a line. We could not dignify this sort of behavior as our peer organization at the debate, particularly concerning tweets directly mocking and ridiculing other students on the basis of their identity, from the thread regarding a Crimson column to comments regarding other peers and their campus programming. This is not an acceptable way to treat members of our community, especially under the banner of our respective student organizations as we carry a certain responsibility both in and beyond this campus. The bottom line is that this behavior could not have gone without a response, nor could the debate have moved forward as if the public comments had never been made.

In good news, since having made this decision, our organization has been in touch with the Harvard GOP and the Harvard Political Union. Leaders from the Harvard GOP and our organization met to discuss our decision and the matter. This meeting was productive and respectful, and we are happy to see some of the tweets of concern already being deleted. We are hopeful for healthier and more respectful discourse within our campus and appreciative that the Harvard GOP has been receptive of ours and other concerns. In this vein, we support the Harvard Political Union moving forward with a Visitas debate event for prospective students to attend. We will also be hosting an event where we look forward to welcoming prospective students to our wonderful campus.

Sincerely,

The Harvard College Democrats Board

Harvard College Democrats Statement on Events of 2/14/2022

Yesterday morning, posters with racial slurs were found outside the door of UC President Michael Cheng. This is appalling and unacceptable. We the Harvard College Democrats stand in support of Michael and anyone who was targeted. We condemn this act of hate and cowardice. This kind of hatred, petty and destructive tactics, and outright racism have no place in campus politics or politics of any kind. An affront to one person is an affront to the entire Harvard community, and the administration must respond accordingly to hold those responsible accountable. Under no circumstance are these actions tolerable nor excusable. Anti-Asian racism and attacks, particularly those centered around China and targeted at people of East Asian heritage, continue to pervade our country and communities at an alarming rate, evident with the recent murder of Christina Yuna Lee in New York City. We must all be proactive in standing up and speaking out against this vile behavior and these beliefs.

Sincerely,

The Harvard College Democrats

Harvard College Democrats Statement on Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to hear SFFA and anti-civil rights activist Edward Blum’s challenge of Harvard’s race-conscious admissions, we stand firmly in defense of race-conscious admissions and affirmative action, which the Court has long upheld. Affirmative action not only enriches educational environments, but is a moral imperative in addressing the structural and historical factors that shape each college applicant. Pretending race does not impact a student’s life and educational experience only entrenches existing inequalities and is the opposite of fair and just.

Edward Blum and SFFA have spent decades finding different ways to abolish affirmative action through the courts. Their new effort to weaponize accusations of anti-Asian discrimination in the admissions process is simply another attempt in their reactionary campaign against affirmative action. We stand against them. We stand with a Coalition For A Diverse Harvard and other organizations speaking up. We stand with Harvard. We stand with schools and students across the country. We stand in defense of diversity. We stand in defense of affirmative action.

Sincerely,

Harvard College Democrats Executive Board

Harvard College Democrats Statement on the events of January 6, 2021

The Harvard College Democrats releases this message in addition to the bipartisan statement on election certification, also published today.

Democracy is about every single American’s right to self-government. Today, on January 6, 2021, the U.S. Capitol was stormed in defiance of our democracy. This insurrection was encouraged—knowingly and repeatedly—by President Trump and his allies. President Trump must be impeached by the House of Representatives, convicted by the Senate, and disqualified from holding public office. 

This course of action should not be taken lightly. But the President of the United States has instigated and encouraged an insurrection that culminated with the occupation of the U.S. Capitol. Since he began his campaign for president, Donald Trump has spread violence-inducing misinformation and conspiracy theories, overreaching his authority to secure his position in power—no matter the cost to the American people and our democracy.

As insurrectionists invaded the Capitol, President Trump amplified their claims of election fraud and told them “We love you. You’re very special,” in his feigned calls for peace. He refused to denounce these acts of domestic terrorism. He delayed the deployment of the National Guard to Washington, DC. President Trump has long been an enemy of democracy, and on January 6, 2021, he fully abandoned his oath of office.

It is now time for Republican elected officials to respond to President Trump’s subversion, and uphold their oaths to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. Failure to do so will solidify a dangerous precedent and do irreparable damage to American democracy. Today’s events do not represent the America we can and must be.

Sincerely, 

Harvard College Democrats Executive Board

Joint Statement from the Harvard College Democrats Harvard Republican Club, and Harvard Undergraduates for Bipartisan Solutions

Today, after the violent and un-American attacks on U.S. democracy, the Harvard College Democrats, Harvard Republican Club, and Harvard Undergraduates for Bipartisan Solutions call on President Trump and other leaders to forcefully denounce those inciting violence and interfering with democracy at the Capitol, and we insist that results of the election be certified as quickly and safely as possible.

Dissent is fundamental to democracy. But threatening the safety of members of Congress, journalists, staffers, Capitol employees, and all other bystanders is not dissent. The acts committed at the Capitol today constitute domestic terrorism. 

Representatives of the American people cannot be silent about the continuous attempts to discredit our electoral process. The words and actions of elected officials must reflect reality. After dozens of court cases and recounts, Congress must uphold its Constitutional duty to certify the results of the 2020 election.

We call on President Trump, Vice President Pence, Congress, and all of its members to condemn today’s events, certify the votes of the Electoral College, and work to eliminate all acts that undermine our democratic institutions.

Signed,

Harvard College Democrats Executive Board

Harvard Republican Club

Harvard Undergraduates for Bipartisan Solutions

Harvard College Democrats: Juneteenth Letter

Dear Harvard Dems,

Today we celebrate Juneteenth. On June 19th, 1865 — two months after Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to the Union — Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas to announce that the Civil War had ended and that enslaved Black people were free. This announcement came more than two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1st, 1863, and put the Proclamation into effect. We celebrate Juneteenth instead of the day the Emancipation Proclamation was put into effect as a reminder that we are not free until we are all free.

Juneteenth commemorates freedom and African American history in the United States. It celebrates the ongoing fight for true freedom and liberty for our Black family, friends, and neighbors. It is widely celebrated through festivities such as honorary trips to Galveston, barbecues, parades, festivals, musical performances, and more. The fight for Juneteenth to be recognized as a national holiday is still happening today — 46 states and the District of Columbia all officially recognize the day, but the federal government has not yet declared Juneteenth a holiday.

The Harvard College Democrats recognize and celebrate this day through the fight for social progress and racial justice. We will continue to reflect upon ways that we can better allies and how we can better uplift Black voices in our community and beyond. This fight is long from over, and we urge you to seek out ways to do your part and more.

In a similar vein to our Action Week for Racial Justice, which you can still access at bit.ly/RacialJusticeAction, we have co-sponsored an initiative for 100 days of action for racial justice. A coalition of students and student organizations have put together a guide that will take 5 minutes to complete every day for the next 100 days. It is an easy and effective way to stay involved in the campaign for racial justice. We encourage you to sign up at tinyurl.com/100actions to receive an anti-racist action every day in your inbox. Today’s email will be sent during the evening to give you some time to sign up, and there will be a recap tomorrow.

Juneteenth is an important day for celebration, remembrance, and action. These past few weeks, we’ve seen thousands upon thousands of Americans rally around the fight for racial justice — both Black Americans speaking to their experience and allies striving to listen, learn, and lift up others. In the coming weeks, months, and years, we must maintain our commitment to anti-racism through reflection, self-education, and action.

In solidarity,

The Harvard College Democrats Executive Board

Harvard College Democrats: Statement Regarding George Floyd & Our Solidarity with the Black Community

Dear Harvard Dems, 

George Floyd moved to Minneapolis a few years ago hoping to find a new job and start a new life. A peace activist and community leader, he was known to those around him as a “gentle giant” with a “quiet personality but a beautiful spirit.” Our hearts are heavy today as we struggle with his murder by Minneapolis Police officers. We must not accept the normalization of violence, surveillance, and prejudice toward our black family, friends, and neighbors — both through civilian acts as we saw in the murder of Ahmuad Arbery and the racist threats toward Christian Cooper, and through police brutality as seen in the murder of George Floyd and Trayvon Martin, Philando Castile, Oscar Grant, Eric Garner, and many more members of the black community. These acts of violence and harassment have been long-occurring in our country, and we are now able to see these injustices come to light. 

The Harvard College Democrats stand firmly in solidarity with our family, friends, and neighbors in the black community, and we are committed to speaking up and taking action against these gross systemic measures of violence and injustice. 

We hope that you will join us in taking action: 

1. Call on County Attorney Michael Freeman to hold Floyd’s murderers accountable by arresting them and charging them with murder by signing the petition at justiceforbigfloyd.com

2. Contact the Minneapolis Police Department and the District Attorney’s Office to demand that these officers be held accountable

   1. Minneapolis Police Department: police@minneapolismn.gov

   2. Minneapolis District Attorney’s Office: citizeninfo@hennepin.us, (612) 348-5550

3. Share this story, your actions, and how to get involved, with those around you

4. If you are able, consider donating to the following funds/organizations

   1. George Floyd Memorial Fund: this will cover Floyd’s funeral and burial expenses, as well as other family needs

   2. Reclaim the Block: based in Minneapolis, this organization advocates for divestment from the MPD and funding other parts of the city’s budget that promote the health and safety of the community

   3. Minnesota Freedom Fund: this organization pays criminal bails and immigration bonds on behalf of those who cannot afford it

5. Support yourselves and your neighbors — racism is traumatic — through mental health resources

   1. A list of resources that focus on the black community and are led by black professionals can be found at Black Girls Smile

We must stand with the black community. Writer and activist James Baldwin once said, “From my point of view, no label, no slogan, no party, no skin color, and indeed no religion is more important than the human being.” We must fight for all of our fellow human beings in any and all capacities. Liberty and justice for all must be more than a platitude — it must be a practice.

In solidarity,

Harvard College Democrats Executive Board

Statement Regarding Sexual Assault Allegations Against Joe Biden

May 5th, 2020

For inquiries, please contact: Menat Bahnasy, president@harvarddems.org

Content Warning: Sexual Assault

The Harvard College Democrats stand firmly in solidarity with survivors of sexual violence, including sexual assault and sexual harassment. We call upon Joe Biden, former Vice President and presumptive Democratic nominee for President of the United States of America, to continue cooperating and engaging fully with investigations into the allegations of sexual assault made by his former Senate aid Tara Reade. We call on leaders across the country to ensure that Ms. Reade is guaranteed an uninhibited opportunity to share her story. Not only must Vice President Biden and Democratic leaders continue to address these allegations seriously, but the Democratic Party must also continue to show its dedication to supporting survivors of sexual assault. 

Last spring around this time, Vice President Biden addressed concerns that his actions have made others uncomfortable in the past. He pledged to do better in the future. As a self-proclaimed ally for survivors, including his work through his It’s On Us campaign and sponsorship of the Violence Against Women Act, he must continue to hold himself to the same standard to which he holds others. 

The Harvard College Democrats are committed to supporting and advocating for survivors. We work closely with Our Harvard Can Do Better, an organization on our campus dedicated to dismantling sexual assault and rape culture at Harvard and across the globe. We have organized numerous phone-banking and letter-writing campaigns to fight for the rights of survivors. We understand that cases of sexual assault are not simple, and that most of the time, it is nearly impossible to undeniably prove the occurrence of sexual assault. Holding allegations to this standard of proof is unfair to survivors, and leaders must recognize this throughout discussions of sexual assault. As an organization, we fight for those who are marginalized, and survivors of sexual assault are no exception.

We recognize the stake and risk that is ahead of us in November, and we will be working to elect a Democrat as President. With that said, our political aspirations do not and should not impede our moral obligation to hold our leaders morally accountable. As aforementioned, Vice President Biden has advocated for survivors of sexual assault throughout his career. In the same vein, we call on him to continue to hold himself to the same standard of thorough and independent investigation, and to continue to engage with the American public about these allegations and further discussions surrounding sexual assault.

As Democrats, we pride ourselves on advocating for equity and justice—this includes advocating for survivors of sexual assault and holding ourselves accountable.

We have also signed onto the College Democrats of Massachusetts’ statement regarding this matter, which has brought together College Democrats chapters from across the state to call for Joe Biden to be held accountable.

In solidarity,

Harvard College Democrats

You can also view this statement here.

Thinking of You — Covid-19 Updates

Dear Harvard Dems,

You are all on our minds during our community’s transition off campus. We understand how difficult this week has been for all of us, particularly our FGLI (first-generation, low-income) and international peers, and our friends who call Harvard home — we want you to know that we are here for all of you every step of the way.  As we all prepare to begin living and learning in new ways, we want to support you in any way that we can. Things are confusing and scary right now, but we remain hopeful that in the near future they will get better. For now, please know that all of us on Board are thinking of you and your loved ones, and are ready to chat with you about anything and everything. 

Over the course of the next few weeks, we will send along opportunities to remain politically engaged. As always, we are excited to see you all engage in any way that you can, and we are more than happy to help you find what works for you.

We are here for you, and we are thinking of you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to any of us at any time with any concerns or suggestions; our contact information can be found here. Be safe, be healthy, and be hopeful. 

Warmly,
Dems Board

About last night: a letter from Hank & Isabel

Dear Dems,

Four years ago, Republican Matt Bevin won the 2015 Kentucky gubernatorial race despite lagging in the polls for months. As one Democratic strategist wrote, "The bottom fell out in rural Kentucky. It was a harbinger of what came in 2016." Bevin would go on to limit reproductive freedom, threaten the pensions of thousands of educators, and try to reverse Medicaid expansion. Last night, we beat him. And in 2020, we will beat Trump.

Last night's victory in Kentucky could transform politics in the state. Governor-elect Andy Beshear has promised to restore the voting rights of 140,000 Kentuckians. And last night came with other important victories as well. For the first time in a generation, Democrats will control both the Virginia House of Delegates and the Virginia State Senate. New York City became the largest city in America to adopt ranked-choice voting. In Lewiston, Maine, Safiya Khalid became the first Somali-American elected to her city council. Even the woman who lost her job because she flipped off Trump's motorcade won elected office in Virginia. These victories were powered by the organizing and mobilizing of so many communities across the country, especially teachers, Black voters, and young voters.

This is not to say that last night went as every Democrat hoped. Republican Tate Reeves will be the next governor of Mississippi, largely because of the state's substantial voter suppression efforts. And, while results are not yet final, the candidate we endorsed for city council, Nicola Williams, did not cross the finish line.

These victories will inspire us and these losses will motivate us. This semester, we've phonebanked into Virginia, Mississippi, and Kentucky, making thousands of calls. We've knocked doors for city council (in the rain). And we've zeroed in on progressive legislation to support at our annual Lobby Day.

2020 is just a year away, and with your help, our victories will be lasting. Run for Dems Board, join a presidential subgroup, keep coming to general meetings (including next week!), and join us for our Lobby Day on December 4th. We'll see you soon.

Yours,
Hank & Isabel
President & Vice President

Statement on J Street U Party Platform Campaign

As Harvard Democrats, we’ve always fought for a Democratic Party that confronts questions of justice directly rather than shying away from them. Ahead of the 2020 Democratic Convention, we’re calling on DNC platform delegates to add language affirming the rights of Palestinians and condemning the unjust and illegal Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza to our party platform. No matter the government that forms in Israel, the Democratic Party must be clear about its values. We stand with J-Street U in their fight for our party platform to reflect the reality of the occupation.

Statement on HGSU Strike Authorization Vote

We endorse the HGSU-UAW’s strike authorization vote and urge our members to vote YES to authorize a strike. We stand in solidarity with student workers advocating for protections from discrimination and harassment, quality health care, protections for international students, and a fair contract for all. For over a year, HGSU-UAW has been negotiating on behalf of student workers. The Harvard administration has been stalling negotiations and refusing to compromise on things as basic as discrimination protections. It is time to let Harvard know that this is unacceptable. The strike authorization vote would not begin a strike, but would enable the democratically-elected bargaining committee to call a strike. Our members can learn more about the process at HarvardGradUnion.org/FAQ.

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Statement on The Harvard Crimson's Requests to ICE for Comment

We’re joining Act on a Dream in their call for The Harvard Crimson to stop calling ICE on their fellow students, and our board will not agree to interviews with The Crimson until they stop. No organization, especially an organization dedicated to serving students, should cooperate with ICE. By asking ICE for comment on stories about immigration activism on campus, The Harvard Crimson has deliberately chosen to put students on our campus in jeopardy. We urge our members to sign Act on a Dream’s petition here. 

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Statement on SFFA v. Harvard Decision

We couldn’t be more proud of our fellow students who raised their voices in court and across this campus to defend diversity at Harvard. Today’s decision is an important victory, but we’ve always been vocal that Harvard’s admission process is far from perfect. As Judge Burroughs said, it still falls upon Harvard to improve its process. We hope Harvard commits itself to ensuring that bias against Asian American applicants is never present in personal rankings.

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Harvard Dems Respond to President Bacow's Remarks

The Harvard College Democrats released the following statement in response to President Larry Bacow’s remarks comparing an easing of alumni donations rules to the 13th Amendment:

Harvard President Larry Bacow’s comments stand in diametric opposition to the values our community, and the Harvard community at large, holds. At a time when Harvard must more fully reckon with its dark history of enabling and practicing slavery, it is unacceptable for its leader to compare alumni donors to enslaved persons and revised donor rules to the 13th Amendment. His comments display a deep misunderstanding of our nation’s history and the role slavery continues to play today. It’s time for him to make his apology real by divesting our institution from the prison-industrial complex.

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Statement on Rick Snyder

The Harvard College Democrats issued the following statement in response to former Governor Rick Snyder’s appointment as a Taubman Center fellow:

“The Harvard College Democrats urge Dr. Liebman to rescind former Governor Rick Snyder’s appointment as a senior research fellow. This appointment betrays the values and mission of the Harvard community and validates Governor Snyder’s legacy of racism.

To those who suffered at the hands of his administration, mostly people of color, Governor Snyder’s appointment is deeply hurtful.

Harvard Kennedy School’s stated mission is to improve public policy and public leadership “so people can lead safer, freer, and more prosperous lives.” Appointing Governor Snyder as a fellow calls this mission into question. Governor Snyder's legacy is that of disregard for Black lives. If HKS honors that legacy with this appointment, for whom is the safety, freedom, and prosperity you mention in your mission statement?

This appointment is a direct endorsement of Governor Snyder’s racist legacy. By appointing Governor Snyder as a fellow, Harvard Kennedy School is telling its students and community members that disregard of communities of color is acceptable, that harm caused to communities of color is inconsequential, and that a legacy of racism is synonymous with a legacy of service.

Governor Synder not only allowed poisonous water to flow into the homes of Flint, Michigan, but also subverted democracy when he took power away from local officials who had been elected by the community and instead gave control over Flint to ‘emergency managers.’

Governor Snyder’s actions are still causing pain. Flint’s children are still suffering. And Flint still does not have clean water.

If the Harvard Kennedy School is truly committed to their mission of public service “so people can lead safer, freer, and more prosperous lives,” Governor Snyder’s fellowship should be rescinded and granted instead to someone who has not endangered the lives of the people they claim to serve, but rather who has fought for justice, safety, freedom, and prosperity for all — especially for historically marginalized communities of color.”

Inquiries should be directed to communications@harvarddems.org.

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College Democrats Demand Meeting with DCCC Chair

CAMBRIDGE, MA—After reaching 75 chapters nationwide, the coalition of college Democrats chapters boycotting the DCCC is asking for a meeting with DCCC Chair Cheri Bustos to talk about the regressive vendor policies they have put in place. Last week, they backed out of a meeting with Our Revolution that may have included us. We demand accountability from the DCCC and won’t stop until this policy is reversed. To view a full list of coalition members, click here. To join us, pledge on social media to boycott the DCCC with #BoycottDCCC.