Our History
The Contra Costa Young Democrats were first founded in 1982 to provide young people an entry point into the political system in their own backyard. This first iteration of the club was brought together by now Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia, East Bay Regional Parks Director Colin Coffey, Political Consultant Melody Howe Weintraub and staffers in the Office of Congressman George Miller.
When they aged out of the club in the early 1990’s the club laid dormant until 2013, when it was brought back to life by a group of staffers for then-Senator Mark DeSaulnier and Superintendent Tom Torlakson, with support from IBEW Local 302 and Congressman John Garamendi.
Now, the Contra Costa Young Democrats is one of the largest (and fastest growing) young democrats club in the State of California, with over 80 dues paying members and a strong leadership team consisting of local legislative staff, political fundraisers, communications consultants, nonprofit leaders and municipal commissioners.
Contra Costa County has more registered Democrats than San Francisco — where Contra Costa goes, so goes California!
Who We Are
Contra Costa Young Democrats mobilizes young people under the age of 36 to participate in our electoral process to elect Democrats, influence the ideals of the Democratic Party, advocate for progressive issues, and train the next generation of progressive leaders.
Local organizing is the cornerstone of our Club. We are dedicated to training the next generation of leaders, fighting for issues that are important to our members, and building lasting friendships.
We engage Contra Costa’s young democrats through our monthly meetings where we bring guest speakers to talk to our members about different issues — from immigration reform to different candidates running for office. Our monthly meetings are also a great way to meet other young people and build friendships with those who share your values.
We also hold a variety of social events, campaign and other informational meetings outside of our regular meetings that continue to provide our membership with political experiences and opportunities to strengthen friendships.Come say hello at our next meeting. We meet every third Wednesday at Creek Monkey in Martinez.
Our Mission Statement & Bylaws
The mission of the California Young Democrats of Contra Costa County is to develop, support and sustain a network of local young Democrats in their efforts to raise the awareness of pressing issues and help mold the future of the Democratic Party.