The slate of hate, a series of anti-LGBTQ+ bills pushed by Tennessee Republicans at the state level, continues to threaten our communities. TN Senate/House Bill 0001 would criminalize medical and healthcare procedures for trans youth (click here to view the bill) TN Senate/House Bill 0003 would criminalize drag shows on public property or anywhere viewable … Read more
The Washington County Democratic Party (WCDP) expresses its dismay at Tennessee Republicans’ obsession with canceling freedoms for the transgender community after having canceled women’s rights and reproductive freedoms in the previous legislative session. As reported by the press, this proposed anti-trans bill would deny medical freedoms in selecting care options, particularly for transgender youth in … Read more
Today, the Washington County Democratic Party (WCDP) announces the launch of a year-long series of non-partisan, educational, public forums open to all, regardless of political affiliation. The purpose of these events is to inform our communities about successes and challenges for our region across a variety of topics: diversity, education, the environment, workers’ rights, economic … Read more
Today, as part of Trans Day of Remembrance (TDOR), we commemorate and honor our transgender and non-binary siblings, close and far, lost to violence in our communities. Started in 1999 as a vigil to celebrate Rita Hester, a trans woman killed a year earlier, TDOR is also an annual reminder that anti-trans and anti-queer hate … Read more
There are two issues I hear frequently from Republican voters in Tennessee as to why they vote for Republican candidates: guns and abortion. You see, I’m intimately familiar with the narrative: “Democrats only want to take away my guns and kill babies.” Propaganda works. First of all, plenty of Democrats own guns. They enjoy hunting, … Read more
People come into our lives for a variety of reasons and seasons. In January of 2016 I returned home to Johnson City and over the next year I learned just how much Ralph Davis, President of the Washington County-Johnson City NAACP branch, had given to this community. The loss of his light will be deeply … Read more
This morning, WCYB Reporter, John Engel, interviewed Tennessee’s First Congressional District Representative, Phil Roe, where Congressman Roe stated that “many” of the students taking English as a Second Language (ESL) classes in the Johnson City School System are here illegally. John Engel asked: “Congressman, if they’re hiring English learning language teachers, that doesn’t necessarily mean … Read more
Adam Dickson is a local leader who challenges all of us to be our best selves while bettering the community in which we live. Adam serves as an Adjunct Instructor at East Tennessee State University where he is responsible for the development and instruction of the course, Black American Political Thought. Adam now serves as … Read more
Tonight, at 9 PM, President Trump will deliver his first State of the Union address to the American people. Many, like Representative John Lewis and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, won’t be in attendance; but instead leaving their absence as a protest against Trump and his unAmerican Administration and their policies. It is expected that he … Read more
Registering voters is one of the single most important tasks any of us can do to be successful on Election Day. Registering voters and making sure everyone is able and turns out to vote ensures that our democracy is truly representative. If any one voice is missing, everyone misses out. Tennessee has made it even … Read more