By Michele Manos, Chair, PCDP Diversity and Affirmative Action Committee
I am honored and enthused to be chairing PCDP’s new Diversity and Affirmative Action (DAA) Committee. This will be a formidable task, but we certainly have the will, skill and dedication to create a Pima County Democratic Committee that more closely reflects our county’s population. If successful, the DAA Committee’s efforts should also help build a more representative electorate and party leadership.
The DAA Committee (still under construction) will be a matrix of members representing geography (LD) and constituent groups. Our most underrepresented constituent groups include: youngers; Latinos; Native Americans; African-Americans; Asian/Pacific Islanders; people living with disabilities; rural communities, and men. (Men? Well, the DNC requires that men and women be represented equally at all levels of the party.) Here are the demographic details currently available for our County Committee membership:
| Group | % of PCs | Target % |
| Under 60 years | 26% | 73% |
| Latinx | 7% | 37% |
| Native American | 1% | 4.5% |
| Black | 3% | 4% |
| Men | 35% | 50% |
While we haven’t begun to map out goals and strategies, some possible actions are clear. Our activities may include outreach at community events (strategic tabling), engagement with like-minded organizations, and student internship programs. We’ll definitely need funding to make progress. I expect to seek local donations, as well as grants from the state and national level. Please feel free to contact me with suggestions and your willingness to get involved.