Meeting notes 05.02.08

Dear M3 / better than chocolate / Minority Civic Initiative members,

Thank you so much for attending our initial meeting today. Now that we have a game plan and a vision set, I am very excited about what this group can do. :)

Now for the minutes...

Discussed

Audience:

• Minorities as a whole. Promote more interaction between minority groups.
• Incl. broader audience, i.e. college students in general.
• Decision: 2-fold events. Speaker event--geared for everyone. Dinner event--geared for minorities

Speech + focus group:

• Speech topic: background and history on Asian American political participation. Is it true that Asian Americans have a low participation rate? Low voter turnout? Where does this "trend" come from?
  
• Focus group to follow speaker. Possibly include speaker?
• Initiate dialogue about minority blocs, particularly Asian American bloc, in US politics.
  
• Moderator should be from this planning group.
  

Minority panel / Political party dinner:

• Point out issues that matter to each group. How would the 2008 election address minorities? Provide topics and questions to parties ahead of time.
• Allow for student interaction with party members. Talk face-to-face about how each party intends to address minority issues.
• Open to interested minorities. Extend invite to dorms.
  

• Liaisons:

• College Dems - Simon
• College Repubs - Aldrich
• College Libretarians - ?
• NDVotes'08 - Cherrica

Possible sources of funding:

• EALC
• Poli Sci Dept. - Diana
• NDVotes'08 - Cherrica
• MSPS
• Dorm multicultural commissioners
• AAA / InFocus

Additional events / ideas:

• Voter registration at AAA meetings
• Attendance at NDVotes'08 events as AAA group. Make it an AAA event.
• Quad event. (Did we scrap this or keep this? Or are we having the speaker event on the quad? Now that would be cool...)
  

Game Plan
May - June

1. Get a speaker for kick-off. Book date.
2. Arrange for Republican and Democratic follow-up dinners. Book dates.

July - August (before school starts)

1. Find funding $.
2. Figure out logistics: SAO approvals, venue, publicity, etc.
   

Action Items

Kick-off speech
Cherrica: book a speaker and make logistical arrangements

Late September / October dinner events with each party
Aldrich: contact Chris Chocola or any other possible Republican
Simon: work with Priscilla to send Tim Roemer an invitation

Everyone else: read blog and provide feedback! And help come up with an "official" name!