Kent County Democratic Party

In just one week KCQC and Kent County Indivisible are teaming up to host Drop Beats Not Bombs at Rosa Parks Circle in Grand Rapids!

The goal of this event is to bring the community together in support of those families affected by ICE.

This family-friendly event will feature live music, DJ performances, drum corps, artist demonstrations, dancing, games, short advocacy speeches and activities for all ages.
Support Local Community Organizations There is no admission charge, but if you believe in events like this and want to support local families, please donate whatever amount you can.
Sign up below for more details and information as this community event approaches!
https://actionnetwork.org/events/drop-bombs-not-beats

Proceeds will be equally divided between:
- SECOM Resource Center
- Movimiento Cosecha GR
- GR Rapid Response To ICE

These organizations provide legal aid, emergency assistance, housing and sanctuary support, food access, and advocacy for humane local policies. 100% of donations made through this ActBlue QR code campaign will go directly to these three organizations, with processing fees covered by the National Indivisible Organization.

Thank you for helping build a stronger and more caring community

Prosperity. Opportunity. Progress.

Zach Abbott for Michigan is running for state representative because he personally understands the struggles facing millions of Michiganders, including the stress of rising grocery and utility prices, childcare difficulties, and significant medical expenses now that he and his wife no longer have military health insurance. His campaign is focused on lowering the cost of living for all Michiganders, driven by the knowledge that over 1.6 million Michigan households struggle to afford basic necessities. He believes Michigan can choose a path of prosperity and progress that delivers high-paying jobs, makes life more affordable, and ensures a brighter future for the state's children.

Get Registered - Find Your Candidates - Find Your Ballot
KentDems.com/vote

Editorial Submitted by: Elise Kolenda, Chair of the Kent Dems Women's Caucus

"Women Are Tired - but We Won't Quit

American women are no strangers to fighting for justice, equality, and democracy - for many of us, it is a repetitious cycle, year after year, of the same fights played over and over again since the founding of this country and even birth of humanity."

Read the full article on our Substack:
https://kentdems.substack.com/

At the beginning of May representatives from our Kent County Progressive Caucus - KCPC, Youth Caucus, Environmental Action Team, Veterans Caucus, Kent Dems Women's Caucus , KCQC Q***r Coalition, and Black Caucus organized and hosted the Kent County Dems’ first-ever Coalition Candidate Forum at Fountain Street Church!

Over two dozen candidates ranging from local School School Board & City Commission, to State House & State Senate came together for a substantive conversation about the future of Kent County, and of Michigan.

Check out our substack for the full recap!
kentdems.substack.com

Rooted In Rural Michigan & Ready To Lead

Rachel Gross for MI 78th is a proud daughter of rural Michigan and your candidate for State House in District 78. She knows our challenges because she's lived them. Rachel is committed to empowering our rural communities because together, we can build a Michigan where every rural voice matters, and every community thrives.

Get Registered - Find Your Candidates - Find Your Ballot
KentDems.com/vote

Attention Local candidates - the Calvin University Democrats want to hear from you!

School board, city council, judge, mayor, city clerk, county commission local elections may not always get the most attention, but they impact our everyday lives in a big way.

Connect with passionate college students by filling out their candidate questionnaire here:
https://forms.gle/eKthy6KPtCz8YPSZ8

Editorial Submitted by: Miguel Diaz, member of the Veterans Caucus

In "Cuba’s Embargo Turns 64," Miguel Diaz III argues that the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba, initiated by President Kennedy in 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis and subsequently intensified by later administrations, has devolved into a perpetual mechanism of geopolitical hostility that inflicts severe humanitarian damage on the Cuban public. Citing findings from the National Security Archive and recent reports from 2026, the text underscores the devastating daily realities faced by Cuban citizens—including systemic poverty, extreme income disparity, and catastrophic, multi-day electrical blackouts that leave vulnerable populations without power or food. Diaz criticizes the ethical stance of the United States as a global superpower, contending that continuing the blockade actively punishes innocent civilians rather than effectively challenging dictatorial leadership. Ultimately, the author issues an urgent appeal to the humanity of the American public, urging individual citizens to bypass government inaction by using specified humanitarian platforms, online markets, and postal services to directly deliver vital food, financial assistance, and resources to the starving people of Cuba.

Read the full article on our Substack:
KentDems.Substack.com

Editorial Submitted by: Shaine C., KCQC Member

Barney Frank: A Legacy of Courage, Service, and Reform

For over three decades, Barney Frank served the people of Massachusetts with an unwavering commitment to justice, equality, and financial accountability. Elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1981 as a Democrat representing Massachusetts’s 4th congressional district, Frank would go on to become one of the most consequential and trailblazing legislators of his era, serving until his retirement in 2013.

Frank’s legacy is inseparable from his identity. In 1987, he became the first sitting member of Congress to voluntarily come out as openly gay — a moment of extraordinary courage at a time when such a declaration carried enormous personal and political risk. He did not simply survive that disclosure; he thrived, continuing to win re-election by wide margins and earning the deep respect of his colleagues on both sides of the aisle. Then, in 2012, he made history once more when he married his partner, Jim Ready, becoming the first sitting member of Congress to marry a same-sex partner. In doing so, he didn’t just break a barrier — he shattered it with dignity and joy, showing the country what was possible.

Read the full editorial on our Substack:
kentdems.substack.com