August 12, 2024; 7:00pm Oakwoods Lodge, Crystal Lake IL 60014
YOUNG DEMOCRATS OF MCHENRY COUNTY
McHenry County, Illinois
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES August 12, 2024; 7:00pm Oakwoods Lodge
Attendance, 18 as of 7:20pm
Abstract
The Call to Order was initiated at 7:17pm, afterwards Corinna spoke on the importance of young voters, and how YDMC aims to positively influence McHenry County’s internal population and sphere of influence for the social and political environment on a scale grander than the county. Afterwards, an invitation was made to the sitting audience to speak, specifically focusing on those thoroughly engaged within the county’s governmental system - several members spoke on their experiences and current situations. Casey Fitzgerald mentions Youth Opportunity fund, which aims to increase the opportunities for financially insecure or underage young people to engage with politics, which YDMC wishes to emulate. A talk begins regarding medical transparency and technology, and how individuals wish to see reforms and inaugurations be implemented into McHenry County or other administrative divisions authorizing in geographic boundaries. 8:35pm, votes for affirming new representatives passed, as well as motion for adjournment.
Timeline
7:00pm-:17pm
buffer before meeting, social/informal conversation
7:17pm-:28pm
Call to OrderCorinna Sac gives inaugural speech
● “All of the great movements were lead by the youth of America” 7:28pm-:34pmMichelle Clark speaks
● “If we have learned anything after these last few years, its that [voting patterns] can change on a dime”
7:34pm-:43pm
Casey Fitzgerald speaks● “Influence the party... Organize the community”
7:43pm-:48pm
Casey Fitzgerald begins Q/A
● How effective are your college tables?
○ Free literature and items such as pens or foodstuffs better the average number of people approaching the table. Tables are effective only when there is a friendly and informed face that can represent all of what an organization stands for.
○ Passing mention of tabling at McHenry County College (MCC) – YDMC states an interest in tabling on the MCC campus
● Youth Opportunity Fund (YOF) is mentioned.
○ illinois High School Democrats wished to donate to campaigns, but
due to their age, they could not. YOF allowed them to indirectly do so
○ “[Fitzgerald is] floored by how supportive older folks are of the younger
generation”
○ This fund is also used to fund tickets for events, which opens up more
opportunities of engagement for young students who lack funds – this improves accessibility also of students on lower on the socio-economic scale.
○ Corinna Sac is reminded of the True Blue dinner tickets, which were 150-200 dollars and asserts that a YOF-type fund within YDMC may be helpful.
○ This fund may also be used for local projects and budgets that are low enough to be looked over (i.e., a dollar here, a dollar there, add up. This targets small costs as well).
7:48pm-:54pm
Yasmeen Bankole, regional director for Dick Durban, speaks
● Young Illinoisians for Harris is mentioned.
○ Kickoff call is August 23rd, 5:30pm CST, Kamala Harris’s campaign’s new director will be present at the call
7:54pm-:55pm
Chris Kalapodis speaks
7:55p-:58pm
Peter Janko speaks● “There's no space for lazy Dems anymore”
7:58p
Jackson Lulofs speaks
● Reforms to technological aspects of medicine
○ Action will increase our political clout and legitimacy amongst sister
organizations or otherwise.
○ In McHenry County’s comprehensive plans for 2030, reforms to
address racism in the medical system (believability, prescription, dosage,
etc) is not present.
○ An example of positive reform would be removing negative, unuseful
adjectives within charts that may be transferred to other medical professionals.
■ Pressuring representatives to act upon this was suggested as an action item
● Reforms to online children’s safety○ Lulofs is working alongside the DSA to resist the Kids Online Safety
Act
■ According to Lulofs, this will be weaponized against those who self-identify as LGBTQIA in searching for identity affirming actions and care.
● Phone banking against the act was suggested as an action item
■ Rejecting the bill is not enough, codifying internet freedom for individuals under 18 is important
○ Yasmeen Bankole states that CEOs from Meta, TikTok, Snap, X and Discord were present in the halls of Congress for kids’ online safety hearing – doxxing, harassment, and more were the subjects.
■ “...this is at the forefront of [Dick] Durbans mind”
8:10pm-:17pm
extensive talks regarding children’s privacy on the internet occur, centered in the possibility that Republicans may be able to weaponize censorship of interactions with LGBTQIA and abortion issues8:17p,
Chris Kalapodis speaks on the emergence of artificial intelligence and tech broadly● Yasmeen Bankole states that the federal government was not prepared for nor
fully grasp AI, and thus the speed in which regulatory measures are proposed are comparatively slow.
○ Aspects of AI and tech that relate to cybersecurity (fraud, ransoming systems, etc) is done through the Department of Defense. Talks of a new department being developed where the emergence of AI is challenged are occurring.
● Corinna Sac speaks on her experience with doxxing, and how education on the topic must change and develop. Testifying anecdotes to broad political bodies have been effective to reach representatives and influence bills.
● Kalapodis brings it back to a local/county level. Speaks on encouraging new tech centers into the county
○ Peter Janko states that the McHenry County Economic Development Corporation controls this kind of action.
○ Yasmeen Bankole states that tax incentives have historically been introduced to encourage companies to be brought into specific locations, and encourages supporters of bringing new technologies into the county to speak with their municipalities and zoning committee to introduce tech hubs – also to see what they already have in the pipeline already
■ “Its exciting whenever Amazon comes” 8:23pm-:35pm
meeting slowly adjourns without formal call
8:35p
Corinna Sac motions, Jayden Preusker seconds, to vote in Alena and Jackson Lulofs as Representatives, motions pass unanimously affirmative
Adjournment motion, second, and passage
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