Democrats Gathering
U.S. Sen. Markey, U.S. Rep. Neal featured speakers
U.S Sen. Ed Markey and U.S. Rep. Richard Neal will face their 2020 re-election challengers, Shannon Liss-Riordan and Holyoke mayor Alex Morse, respectively, on Sat., Oct. 5, during a daylong series of panel discussions and speeches at Holyoke Community College hosted by the newly formed student club, HCC College Democrats.
"College Democrats Western Mass Kickoff 2019" runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the PeoplesBank Conference Room on the third floor of HCC's Kittredge Center for Business and Workforce Development, on the main HCC campus at 303 Homestead Ave.
Congressman Neal is scheduled to give a speech at 2 p.m., followed immediately by Sen. Markey at 2:30. Other highlights include panels of state legislators and local mayors at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. respectively.
Dozens of student representatives from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst College, Mount Holyoke College, Smith College and Clark University are expected to attend the event, which is sponsored by Sen. Markey and Congressman Neal.
The event is free and open to all, but space is limited. Lunch will be provided.
"We're honored to be hosting the College Democrats of Western Mass 2019 Kickoff this Saturday," said Mark Cote, chapter president of the HCC Democrats Club. "We're a newly formed chapter of College Democrats and the only active chapter in Hampden County. We're also one of the few public chapters, but we hope to help change that and to provide the same opportunities to our students that most private college students already have to get involved in local, state and national government. Having both Rep. Neal and Sen. Markey speak at an event hosted by a new chapter like ours proves it can be a success at every public college in Massachusetts."
Anyone interested in attending should contact Mark Cote at mcote394@hcc.edu
Full agenda:
11 a.m.: introductions, brainstorming, letter-writing (CDMA officers)
11:45 a.m.: speech by Shannon Liss-Riordan, challenger to Sen. Markey
12:15 p.m.: lunch 1 p.m.: Pioneer Valley Legislators Panel: State Rep. Aaron Vega (D-Holyoke); State Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa (D-Northampton); State Rep. John Velis (D-Westfield); State Rep. Mindy Domb (D-Amherst).
1:45 p.m.: Caucus signups 2 p.m.: U.S. Rep. Richard Neal (D-Springfield)
2:30 p.m.: Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.)
3 p.m.: Pioneer Valley Mayors Panel: Mayor Alex Morse (Holyoke); Mayor David Narkewicz (Northampton); Mayor Nicole LaChapelle (Easthampton). 3:45 p.m.: closing remarks (CDMA officers)
PHOTO: U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, with then-HCC student Lisa Ladas, during a visit to HCC. Neal will be one of the featured speakers at a forum for College Democrats on Sat., Oct. 5, at HCC.
