The U.S. Embassy in Italy will host an online discussion on Activism and Citizen Participation: U.S. Elections 2020 on Thursday, October 22, 15:00 CEST (16:00 Bucharest time), featuring Dr. Carolyn Jefferson-Jenkins. If interested and available, please join the event via https://www.facebook.com/AmbasciataUSA.
Carolyn Jefferson-Jenkins is the first African American woman to serve as President of the League of Women Voters, where she focused on increasing voter participation, campaign finance reform, and health care for underserved populations. Jefferson-Jenkins continues to be an advocate and activist for civil rights, social justice, educational excellence, and stronger citizen participation in the electoral process. She serves on numerous boards and advises community-based organizations including Howard University’s Women Ambassadors Program. She also has contributed to numerous journals and books on election reform.
Also, please find below a list of recorded webinars on U.S. Elections-related topics. They were organized throughout the year by various U.S. embassies. As you will notice, the U.S. speakers are experienced professionals, who presented and discussed with their audiences on subjects relevant to the 2020 U.S. Elections. We hope you will find these resources helpful for a better understanding of the U.S. election process.
Understanding the American Election Process
U.S. Speaker: Professor Brian Brox is an Associate Professor of political science at Tulane University in New Orleans,Louisiana. He also acts as head of political science undergraduate studies at the University and directs the U.S. Public Policy Program. Professor Brox also serves as a Political Consultant both in Louisiana and nationally. His company, Brox Research, conducts market research and public opinion polling for a variety of clients. Dr. Brox received his PHD in Government from the University of Texas at Austin and his BA degree in Political Science from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. https://vimeo.com/396021556
Password: egy-vote2020
Women Running for Office U.S. Speaker: Susannah Wellford, who is the CEO and founder of Running Start, a nonpartisan, non profit organization dedicated to training young women to run for political office. Running Start trains approximately 2500 young women every year in the United States and around the world. She is also a co-founder and past President of the nonpartisan Political Action Committee (PAC) Woman Under Forty, an organization which helps young American woman get elected to the United States Congress. Ms. Wellford has experience working as a lobbyist and as both a congressional and White House staffer. https://vimeo.com/438541221
Youth & Election
U.S. Speaker: Adrienne Lever, who has over a decade of experience in political organizing, civic technology, and electoral campaigns. She is an alumnus of both the Obama and Clinton campaigns, and a founding member of Swing Left, a national grassroots organization that formed in the wake of the 2016 loss and went on to mobilize over half a million volunteers to take back the house in 2018. https://vimeo.com/461095547/c2968d2a9a
Presidential Debates U.S. Speaker: Frank Fahrenkopf, who is Co-Chairman of the Commission on Presidential Debates. He was previously Chairman of the Republican Party for six years. When Fahrenkopf retired, he had served as Chairman of the Republican National Committee longer than any person in the 20th century. He co-founded the Commission on Presidential Debates in 1986 with Democratic National Committee chairman Paul Kirk. He also founded the National Endowment for Democracy, where he served as Vice Chairman and a board member. Additionally, he was President and CEO of the American Gaming Association (AGA) until he retired in 2013.
https://vimeo.com/429782716
