This week, we were dealt a rough hand with Bob Turner winning the special congressional election in the 9^th Congressional District. But, being a Young Democrat is more than winning elections, it is also staying true to core Democratic issues like the environment, charity, and an appreciation for the arts. And this weekend is filled with events that help those causes flourish.

Tomorrow, Saturday, September 17, Assemblyman William Colton and his office will be running a community clean-up. Keeping our streets clean ensures that we will take pride in our community and do our best to keep our city prosperous for generations to come. If you are interested in attending, please meet up at 155 Kings Highway, cleaning up Avenue X, Avenue U, McDonald Avenue in Gravesend, Brooklyn. For more information, please visit http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=112733835497714.

10 years ago this week, a tragedy hit our nation that we will never forget. With understanding that friendly rivalries can be used as a source of good the New York State Young Democrats and New Jersey Young Democrats have organized a charity softball game. The proceeds will go to the 9/11 Widows Foundation. In attendance will be Ken Zebrowski of Rockland County (NY), who plans to play shortstop, and Assemblyman Ruben Ramos of Hoboken (NJ). The game will be held on Sunday, September 18, at
Mamma Johnson’s Field in Hoboken, NJ with opening pitch at 3pm. For more information, please visit http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=243346212366460.

For those of you who do not want to travel out to New Jersey, there is an great event right in our backyard. On Sunday, from 10am-6pm, Borough President Marty Markowitz and the Brooklyn Literary Council will be hosting the 6^th Annual Brooklyn Book Festival at Borough Hall Plaza. With over 250 authors and 12 different stages, the Brooklyn Book Festival highlights the literary culture of Brooklyn and has grown to be the biggest book festival in the north-east. And as its PSA that you may have seen on television recently says, “It’s hip! It’s smart! It’s diverse! And it’s free!” Featured authors for this year’s festival include Pete Hamill, Eoin Colfer, Senator Joseph Liberman, former Brooklyn Congressman Major Owens, Joyce Carol Oates, Toure, Adam Mansbach, Wallace Shawn, and Colson Whitehead. Also, be sure to vote for your favorite author in the AT&T Brooklyn Book Festival Fan Fave contest; the top three authors, as voted upon, will get, respectively, $3,500, $2,500 and $1,500 toward the charity of their choice. Go to BrooklynBookFestival.org for more information.

Finally, for months now, the Brooklyn Young Democrats have been staunch advocates of redistricting reform. We have held rallies calling on Senators Jack Martins, Greg Ball, and Marty Golden to keep the promise they made when they signed the NY Uprising pledge. We have told our elected officials that we will hold them accountable for their actions. But now, it is time for us to tell them what the effect redistricting without an independent commission will have on our say in our democracy. On Tuesday, September 20, the NYS Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment (LATFOR) will hold a public hearing regarding redistricting and they want your input on how the legislative district lines should be drawn. The LATFOR public hearing will be held from 8am to 6pm at Brooklyn Borough Hall (209 Joralemon Street). For more information, please visit http://www.latfor.state.ny.us/hearings/20110912/.If you wish to testify before the task force, you must sign up beforehand by filling out and submitting the form found on that page.

We may have lost one battle this week, but the war to promote and protect our values and issues continues on and we won’t stop fighting.

Adam Mansbach, Bob Turner, Brooklyn Book Festival, Brooklyn Borough Hall, Brooklyn Literary Council, Colson Whitehead, Eoin Colfer, Greg Ball, Jack Martins, Joseph Liberman, Joyce Carol Oates, Ken Zebrowski, LATFOR, Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment, Mamma Johnson's Field, Marty Golden, Marty Markowitz, New Jersey Young Democrats, New York State Young Democrats, NYSYD, Owens, Pete Hamill, Ruben Ramos, Softball, Toure, Wallace Shawn, William Colton