New Arizona Americans Elect Party Coconino County Co-Chairs Holden Pham and Randa Hamid Commit Themselves to Party Platform Advocating Economic Justice

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz., May 9 -

Arizona Americans Elect Party leader Trey Young today appeared at a press conference at Northern Arizona University to introduce the party's new Coconino County co-chairs Holden Pham and Randa Hamid and highlight the Arizona Americans Elect Party's commitment to economic justice.

Mr. Pham, 24, is a graduate student at NAU, working on his M.A. degree in Social Responsibility and Sustainable Communities in Flagstaff.  Ms. Hamid, 30, who received her undergraduate and law degrees from Yale University, also lives in Flagstaff, where she is a staff attorney in social policy with the Global Economic Justice Center.

"Both of these amazing young people will be an important part in our 2014 campaign not just for public offices from Governor on down in Arizona but also for our party's commitment to economic justice and to ending the scourge of income inequality and wealth disparity in our state and nation," said Mr. Young as he introduced the new county leaders.

The Arizona Americans Elect Party is the fastest-growing political party in the state.  Committed to social responsibility and economic justice, the party's first candidates, Richard Grayson and Stephen Dolgos, ran for Congress in 2012, and the party plans to run candidates in federal and state races in 2014.  Social activist J.L. Meader of Mesa has already filed to run as a candidate in the Americans Elect Party primary for Governor.

"We're going to get a lot of support in our fight for economic justice in 2014 as a continuation and adjunct to the Occupy movement," said Mr. Pham.  "With the rich getting richer, middle class wages are frozen in carbonite, and more of us are out of work or working harder and longer for less money, it's time to make a concerted effort to turn things around in Arizona."

Ms. Hamid agreed.  "We are living in difficult times, "she said. "As the same time we’re told that we can no longer afford the programs that have kept so many of us from falling into abject poverty, massive tax breaks are being given to millionaires and their corporations.  The Arizona Americans Elect Party understands that our country isn’t broke, the money is just in the wrong pockets."  

New Americans Elect Party Pinal County Co-Chairs Erica Núñez and Hoyt Schermerhorn IV Pledge to Fight Global Warming to Protect Arizona's Future

APACHE JUNCTION, Ariz., May 8 -

Trey Young, leader of Arizona's fastest growing political party, the Americans Elect Party, which will be on the state's ballots again in 2014 after a successful debut in the 2012 election, traveled to Apache Junction today to introduce the party's new co-chairs in Pinal County, Erica Núñez and Hoyt Schermerhorn IV, both climate change activists, who pledged to build the growing party's base in Pinal County.

Dr. Núñez, who lives with her boyfriend and daughter in Apache Junction, is a graduate of Columbia University, from which she earned an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering  and a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering and plasma physics.  She said her decision to become a climate scientist was “a marriage of convenience and deep conviction.”  As a member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, established by the United Nations in 1988, Dr. Núñez helped write papers that were influential in framing the climate-change discussion.  She joined the Arizona Americans Elect Party in 2012 to work for its candidate Richard Grayson, also of Apache Junction, who received 1% of the vote in the race for Arizona's Fourth Congressional District seat.

Rev. Schermerhorn, ordained as a pastor in the Metropolitan Community Church, lives in Gold Canyon with his husband and son.  He studied at Duke University, where he earned an undergraduate degree in geology and a Master of Environmental Management (M.E.M.) degree, and he also holds the Master of Divinity degree from Asbury Theological Seminary.  Also an active member of the Arizona Americans Elect Party from Grayson's 2012 congressional campaign, Rev. Schermerhorn is on the board of directors of Interfaith Moral Action on Climate, which has urged state legislatures and Congress to enact legislation to combat global warming.

Both of the Pinal County Americans Elect Party leaders vowed to elect candidates in 2014 who will protect the environment.  "As most Arizona voters know, climate change is very real," said Dr. Núñez, "and we have a limited time to produce legislation and regulation to protect our environment from the dangers of global warming."

"Although the Arizona Americans Elect Party is active on many fronts," Rev. Schermerhorn said, "climate change may be the defining issue of our generation, and we need to make public support for environmental protections as widespread as support for gay marriage and immigration reform.  Of course, there are a lot of backward-thinking, ignorant people in Pinal County and the state, and we need to show them the error of their ways -- or destroy them before they destroy the beauty of Arizona."

"We are proud to have these accomplished young leaders representing the Americans Elect Party in Pinal County, a crucial area, as we move into next year's Arizona state and federal elections," said Mr. Young, the party's leader. 

J.L. Mealer of Mesa is the First Arizona Americans Elect Party Candidate to File for Governor, Party Leader Trey Young Announces

PARADISE VALLEY, Ariz., May 3 -

Arizona Americans Elect Party leader Trey Young today called a press conference to announce that the party's first gubernatorial candidate has filed.  

J.L. Mealer, a Mesa business leader and sportsman, is one of three candidates to have filed formal declarations of candidacy for Governor in 2014 with the Arizona Secretary of State's office, along with former Arizona Board of Regents Chairman Fred DuVal, a Democrat, and ex-Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman, a Republican.

"We in the Americans Elect Party are proud to have one of the first candidates for Governor of any party to be in our 2014 primary," said Mr. Young, flanked by other party leaders, including First Vice-Chairwoman Buffy Lehman Auchincloss, his aunt, and party Treasurer Dr. Irina Tereshkova, his girlfriend.  "We are expecting Mr. Mealer to run a dynamic, progressive race and we're looking forward to hearing the ways he will protect the rights and fortunes of Arizona's silent majority who've been ignored by our current right-wing Republican governor and legislature."

"We're confident he'll help the Americans Elect Party fight the Tea Party scum who've turned Arizona into a shithole," Dr. Tereshkova added.  "Mr. Mealer will appeal to those Arizonans who own catheters, colostomy bags, authentic replicas of Obama’s original Kenyan birth certificate, adult diapers, bomb shelters, survivalist manuals, Ayn Rand coloring books and souvenir Krugerrands -- and in this state, that's a majority of the voters."

Dr. Frank Fukuda and Dr. Spring Waterston, Noted Sex Therapists, Named City of Sedona Americans Elect Party Co-Chairs by Arizona Party Leader Trey Young

SEDONA, Ariz., May 2 -

Arizona Americans Elect Party leader Trey Young traveled to Sedona today to name the noted sex therapists Frank Fukuda and Spring Waterston as the City of Sedona Co-Chairs of the Arizona Americans Elect Party.

"I'm excited that wonderful Sedona is the first city to have an active group of Americans Elect Party members," said Mr. Young at a press conference at the Tantric Foundation in West Sedona.  "And our party is privileged indeed to have such distinguished residents as Dr. Fukuda and Dr. Waterston as our representative in the community."

"We hope to bring a more spiritual side to the political party," said Dr. Waterston, who is in private practice in Sedona, where she volunteers as a children's story reader at the Sedona Public Library.  She received her Ph.D. from Maimonides University and is an ABS certified sex therapist who specializes in sexual dysfunctions, gender identity, and geriatric issues.

"Spring and I will work hard but have fun in our attempt to gain new Americans Elect Party members in Sedona," Dr. Fukuda said.  He received his Ed.D. from Florida State University and is an ABS certified sex counselor as well as a longtime volunteer at the Nicodemus Wilderness Project.

The Arizona Americans Elect Party is the state's fastest-growing political party; its first candidates for Congress first appeared on the 2012 ballot and the party is already qualified for the ballot in 2014, when it hopes to run candidates for most federal and state offices.

Rabbi Elana de Carvajal and Dr. Noor Rizvi Named Pima County Americans Elect Party Co-Chairs; Vow to Fight Anti-Immigrant 'Haters', Join May 1 March & Rally for Immigrant & Worker Rights

 

TUCSON, May 1 -

Continuing the revitalization of the Arizona Americans Elect Party, party leader Trey Young came to Tucson today to install Elana de Carvajal and Noor Rizvi as the party's new Pima County co-chairs.

Rabbi de Carvajal, 27, is a native of Mexico City who received her bachelor's degree from Barnard College and did her graduate work at Jewish Theological Seminary, where she was ordained as a Conservative rabbi.  Married to a University of Arizona sociology professor, Mark Rubin, she is the mother of twins and spiritual leader of Congregation Shaare Zion in Tucson, where she lives. 

Dr. Rizvi, 33, is a native of Lahore, Pakistan, and received undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of California at Los Angeles and its David Geffen School of Medicine.  He lives in Oro Valley with his wife, Dr. Tina Singh, and is in a private practice in plastic surgery in Tucson and  Oro Valley.

"We're proud of our new Pima County Americans Elect Party leaders, who are accomplished and talented individuals in the community," said Mr. Young, who became party leader last week.  "We're sure they'll attract new members in Tucson and elsewhere."

Both Rabbi de Carvajal and Dr. Rizvi, both immigrants, have been active in support of the Arizona Dreamers and the Coalición de Derechos Humanos.

Following their press conference, Mr. Young and the new Pima County party leaders joined the May 1 Coalition march and rally in support of International Workers Day for Justice and Dignity.

"It's time to fight the haters in Arizona," said Rabbi de Carvajal.  "The Americans Elect Party will stand up for our immigrant community. Both Noor and I have pledged to continue our efforts as party leaders on their behalf."

Dr. Rizvi agreed: "We call for immigration reform for 11 million, ending the militarization of our borders and communities, ending the criminalization of migrants, and resisting and repealing the hateful SB 1070."

"The Americans Elect Party respects the rights of all workers," added Mr. Young, "and we will be looking for candidates in 2014 who will represent that view.  Fuck all the haters in Arizona."

Newly-Elected Arizona Americans Elect Party Yuma County Co-Chairs Rain Halligan and Elijah Sanchez Pledge to Make Arizona Less of a Shithole

YUMA, Ariz., Apr. 30 -

Rain Halligan and Elijah Sanchez, both of Yuma, were today elected co-chairs of the Yuma County chapter of the Arizona Americans Elect Party, and pledged themselves to "make Arizona less of a shithole."

Ms. Halligan, 28, a Yuma visual artist and LGBT activist, and Mr. Sanchez, bassist in a Yuma band, were elected at a meeting of party members led by state party leader Trey Young, and including party treasurer Dr. Irina Tereshkova, artistic director Richard Grayson, and first vice-chairwoman Buffy Lehman Auchincloss.

"Arizona as we know it is, like, totally fucked up," said Ms. Halligan.

Mr. Sanchez agreed, noting that the recent signing of a bill to forbid the destruction of weapons received in municipal gun buybacks is just the latest example of how "Arizona is seen as a laughingstock filled with right-wing assholes."

"Most Republican male legislators like guns because they're concerned about their small penis size," said Ms. Halligan.  "Jan Brewer must have a similar problem or something."

"The Arizona Americans Elect Party will change all that in the 2014 elections," said party leader Trey Young.  "We're looking for cool people to join us and for cool people to run as candidates.  Hopefully, we'll get some more of Yuma's 'natural aristocrats' like Rain and Elijah to become a part of Arizona's fastest-growing political party."

Jaden Parascandola and Myrtle Willoughby Named Co-Chairs of Maricopa County Americans Elect Party

PARADISE VALLEY, Ariz., Apr. 29 -

Jaden Parascandola and Myrtle Willoughby have been named as co-chairs of the Maricopa County Americans Elect Party by Trey Young, Supreme Leader of the Arizona Americans Elect Party, the state's fastest-growing 2014-ballot-qualified political party.

"The party is now big enough so that we can have county affiliates," Mr. Young, 26, a Scottsdale entrepreneur, said at a press conference today in Paradise Valley at the party's new headquarters, which coincidentally is also the home of Mr. Parascandola, stepbrother to Mr. Young, and his girlfriend Ms. Willoughby.

Mr. Parascandola is a lacrosse player, blogger and art collector who holds a B.A. from Swarthmore College.  Ms. Willoughby is an attorney who serves as staff counsel to the Très Jeune corporation, the holding company for Mr. Young's media, restaurant, and related business interests.

"We are excited to have Jaden and Myrtle heading our Maricopa County local party," said Mr. Young.  "They'll do a great job and are already planning a gala party for our party, putting it well on its way to becoming the cool political party for the Valley of the Sun's elite voters." 

Both Mr. Parascandola and Ms. Willoughby are active members of the Arizona Campaign to End Gun Violence. They hope to use their positions to support the Arizona Americans Elect Party's goal of achieving legislation to regulate dangerous firearms so as to prevent future mass shootings such as those at Sandy Hook, Tucson, Aurora, and elsewhere.

Buffy Lehman Auchincloss Elected First Vice-Chairwoman of the Arizona Americans Elect Party

PARADISE VALLEY, Ariz., Apr. 28 -

Buffy Lehman Auchincloss, 93, the philanthropist and longtime social activist, today was elected First Vice-Chairwoman of the Arizona Americans Elect Party, the state's fastest-growing political party which will be on the ballot in 2014.

Ms. Auchincloss, a former fashion designer and airplane pilot who created scholarships for graduate students interested in studying feminist and environmental issues, lives in Paradise Valley, and also maintains homes in Palm Springs, Manhattan and Bermuda.  She has agreed to help raise substantial funds for the Arizona Americans Elect Party, according to Trey Young, the party's leader and her great-grandnephew, who announced her election.

"Aunt Buffy taught me so much about progressive politics, fashion and haute cuisine when I was growing up," Mr. Young said in a statement.  "I'm going to keep learning from her.  It is fabulous to have her at my side as we lead the Arizona Americans Elect Party into the next election."