YDA Convention

The Indiana Young Democrats are bringing the largest gathering of young Democrats, from across the nation, to the Heartland. Hosted for the first time in Indianapolis, the Young Democrats of America's 2019 National Convention is proud to present a robust line-up of high-profile speakers, breakout sessions, and professional trainings.

As the official youth caucus of the Indiana Democratic Party, IYD mobilizes young people to participate in the electoral process, influence elections, promote the ideals of the Democratic Party, and develop the skills of the next generation to serve as leaders on local, state, and national levels. » Join Us at the Convention

Featured Speakers

Speaker Nancy Pelosi

Speaker Nancy Pelosi

Hear from the 52nd Speaker of the United States House of Representatives on Friday, July 19th.

Congressman Andre Carson

Congressman Andre Carson

Proudly representing Indiana's 7th Congressional District and home of the Young Democrats of America 2019 Convention.

Mayor Pete Buttigieg

Mayor Pete Buttigieg

Join South Bend, Indiana Mayor and Presidential Candidate Pete Buttigieg on July 18th.

Congressman Seth Moulton

Congressman Seth Moulton

Hear from Presidential Candidate Seth Moulton, Friday July 19th at 11am. » See the Schedule

  • Wednesday, July 17

    11:00 am

    Registration Opens
    Registration is open from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm.

    Introduction to the Young Democrats of America
    Rm: B&O

    12:00 pm

    Welcome - General Session
    Remarks delivered by Indiana State Chairman, John Zody; Rm: Grand Hall Ballroom

    David Oks and Henry Williams, Campaign Managers for U.S. Senator Mike Gravel

    1:00 pm

    Breakout Sessions, Trainings, and Committee Meetings
    The First 24: Crisis Communications Training, hosted by Wide Awake Digital; Rm: New York Central

    Protecting the Right to Vote, hosted by Porsha White, Let America Vote National Political Director and Matthew Kochevar, Co-General Counsel at the Indiana Election Division; Rm: C&O

    Making the Case: A Discussion on Fundraising with the YDA Convention Fundraising Committee; Rm: Edison North

    Credentials Committee Meeting; Rm: Grand Hall Ballroom

    3:00 pm

    Breakout Sessions, Trainings, and Committee Meetings
    Is Political Research for You? hosted by David de la Fuente; Rm: New York Central

    Delegate 2020 Training by YDA's Representatives to the DNC; Rm: C&O

    Rules Committee Meeting; Rm: Grand Hall Ballroom

    Platform Committee Meeting; Rm: Edison North

    5:00 pm

    Dinner Break
    Canvassing for Local Young Democrat Candidates; Rm: Crowne Plaza Lobby

    Dinner Break with Ali for Indy; Rm: Offsite

    7:00 pm

    Welcome Reception
    Please join us at City Hardware for our welcome reception; Open to registered convention attendees only; Address: 136 N Delaware St, Indianapolis, IN 46204

  • Thursday, July 18

    8:30 am

    Breakfast
    Illinois Street Ballroom (Breakfast is open until 10:00 am)

    9:00 am

    Registration Opens
    Registration is open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

    9:30 am

    Introduction to the Young Democrats of America
    Rm: Wabash (Note: Session Runs until 10:00 am)

    Breakout Sessions, Trainings, and Committee Meetings
    Credentials Committee Meeting, Rm: C&O

    Asian American Pacific Islander Caucus Meeting, featuring IN Rep. Chris Chyung; Rm: New York Central

    Environmental Issues Caucus Meeting, featuring IN Rep. Carey Hamilton; Rm: Milwaukee

    Planning a Successful Chapter Convention; Rm: Edison North

    Prayer, Progress & Politics: Interfaith Breakfast, lead by YDA Faith Initiatives Director; Rm: Nickel Place

    Latinx Voter Engagement Discussion, hosted by Young Democrat Latinx Leaders; Rm: Illinois Central

    Organizing Starts on the BLOC(K), hosted by Angela Land, Executive Director of Black Leaders Organizing for Communities; Rm: Wabash (Note: Session begins at 10:00 am)

    11:00 am

    General Session
    Pledge of Allegiance: 2019 Democratic candidates for City-County Council in Indianapolis, Indiana, Ali Brown and Crista Carlino

    South Bend, IN Clerk Kareemah Fowler

    Indiana State Senator JD Ford

    Indiana Rep. Chris Chyung, introduced by Katherin Chi, Vice President of the Marion County Young Democrats

    Ken Martin, DNC Vice Chair and President of the County Chairs Association

    12:30 pm

    Lunch Break
    AAPI Caucus Lunch; Off-site at Mikado Japanese Restaurant, 148 Illinois St.

    Pay what you can Professional Headshots by Jes Nijjer in the Illinois St. Ballroom

    2:00 pm

    Breakout Sessions, Trainings, and Committee Meetings
    Credentials Committee Meeting; Rm: Grand Hall Ballroom (Note: Session runs until 5:30 pm)

    Disability Issues Caucus Meeting, featuring U.S. Paralympian Ayden Jent; Rm: C&O

    LGBTQIA Caucus Meeting, featuring IN State Senator JD Ford; Rm: New York Central

    High School Caucus Meeting; Rm: Milwaukee

    Becoming a DigiDem: Tech Talent for Campaigns, hosted by DigiDems Political Director Emily Zahn; Rm: Edison North

    Breaking News to Stakeholders, hosted by the National Democratic Training Committee; Rm: Nickel Place

    Hustle 101, hosted by Hustle; Rm: Illinois Central

    Rules Committee Meeting; Rm: Wabash (Note: Session runs until 5:00 pm)

    Smart Justice: Cutting the Nation’s Prison Population in Half, hosted by the American Civil Liberties Union; Rm: Illinois Street Ballroom

    How Indiana Changed What a 2019 Candidate Looks Like, hosted by Run for Something Political Director Sarah Horvitz; Rm: Illinois Street Ballroom

    Phone Banking; Rm: Southern (Phone banking is open from 2:00 pm to 6:30 pm)

    4:00 pm

    Breakout Sessions, Trainings, and Committee Meetings
    Veterans Issues Caucus Meeting, featuring Veterans Service Officer and Young Dem Peter Cowden; Rm: C&O

    Jewish Caucus Meeting; Rm: New York Central

    Association of Chartered Unit Presidents Meeting, featuring Indiana Democrats Chairman John Zody and Indiana Young Democrats President Derek Camp; Rm: Milwaukee

    Black Maternal Mortality Through a Trauma-Informed Lens, hosted by Cara Berg, DNP, CNP, SANE-A, CBR Clinical Consulting, Indiana Coalition to End Sexual Assault; Rm: Edison North

    Young, Queer and Getting Elected in a Red State, featuring State Senator JD Ford; Rm: Nickel Place

    Diversity and Inclusion Committee Meeting; Rm: Illinois Central

    DC & Puerto Rican Statehood Discussion Panel, featuring Elisa Muñoz of Sociedad Civil Estadista, Simon Carlo of the Young Democrats of Puerto Rico, and Zachary Israel and Marcus Goodwin, of the DC Young Democrats; Rm: Illinois Street Ballroom

    Unbought & Unbossed: Voices of Black Women in Politics, hosted by YDA Black Caucus Vice Chair, Jugba Santi; Rm: Illinois Street Ballroom

    5:30 pm

    Region Meetings
    Region Meetings hosted in all rooms

    Northeast Region Meeting; Rm: C&O

    South Central Region Meeting; Rm: New York Central

    Midwest Region Meeting; Rm: Milwaukee

    Great Lakes Region Meeting; Rm: Edison North

    Mid-Atlantic Region Meeting; Rm: Nickel Plate

    SouthEast Region Meeting; Rm: Illinois Central

    Pacific Region Meeting; Rm: Illinois Street Ballroom

    Southwest Region Meeting; Rm: Illinois Street Ballroom

    6:30 pm

    Dinner Break

    Pay what you can Professional Headshots by Jes Nijjer in the Illinois St. Ballroom

    7:00 pm

    General Session
    Indianapolis Council Candidate Keith Potts and Indiana Young Democrat 2019 Candidates

    South Bend Mayor and Presidential Candidate Pete Buttigieg, introduced by National Convention Title Sponsor Deborah Simon

    Young Democrats of America Candidates for National Office

    8:30 pm

    Marion County Young Democrats Georgia Street Reception
    Celebrate with us on Georgia Street at an outdoor fest featuring food trucks and local DJs; Free to registered convention attendees and open to the general public for a small entry fee, with ID.

  • Friday, July 19

    8:30 am

    Breakfast
    Illinois Street Ballroom (Breakfast is open until 10:00 am; breakfast and seating are also available outside of the New York Central room)

    9:30 am

    Breakout Sessions, Trainings, and Committee Meetings
    Credentials Committee Meeting; Rm: Grand Hall Ballroom

    Hispanic Caucus Meeting; Rm: C&O

    Delegation Chairs Meeting; Rm: New York Central

    Platform Committee Meeting; Rm: Milwaukee

    Rural Caucus Meeting; Rm: Edison North

    Native Issues Caucus Meeting, featuring Carolina A. Castoreno-Santana, Executive Director of the American Indian Center of Indiana; Rm: Nickel Place

    Who Runs This City Panel; Rm: Illinois Central

    Trans People are People Training, hosted by the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana; Rm: Wabash

    11:00 am

    General Session
    Pledge of Allegiance: 19 year old Democratic candidate for City Council in Winchester, Indiana, Kevin Carreno

    U.S. Congressional Representative and Presidential Candidate Seth Moulton

    Mayor of Miramar and Presidential Candidate Wayne Messam

    Indiana Black Legislative Caucus Chair St. Rep. Robin Shackleford

    City-County Council President Vop Osili of Indianapolis

    Young Democrats of America Board Updates

    12:30 pm

    Lunch Break

    Pay what you can Professional Headshots by Jes Nijjer in the Illinois St. Ballroom

    1:30 pm

    Phone Banking
    Rm: Southern (Phone banking is open from 1:30 pm to 6:00 pm)

    2:00 pm

    Breakout Sessions, Trainings, and Committee Meetings
    Credentials Committee Meeting; Rm: Grand Hall Ballroom

    International Affairs Committee Meeting; Rm: C&O

    Rules Committee Meeting; Rm: New York Central

    Platform Committee Meeting; Rm: Milwaukee

    Women's Caucus Meeting, featuring China Dickerson, National Political Director of Forward Majority; Rm: Edison North

    College Caucus Meeting; Rm: Nickel Place

    Education Equity Discussion, featuring Indiana State Senator Eddie Melton; Rm: Illinois Central

    Story-Telling as Strategic Communications, hosted by Heather K. Sager of the Indiana Young Democrats and Justin Conley of the Young Democrats of America; Rm: Wabash

    Future Now: Building New Majorities in Statehouses, featuring former New York State Senator Daniel Squadron and Future Now; Rm: Illinois Street Ballroom

    Diversity Training, hosted by Elizabeth Williams-Riley, President and CEO of the American Conference on Diversity; Rm: Illinois Street Ballroom

    4:00 pm

    Breakout Sessions, Trainings, and Committee Meetings
    Labor Caucus Meeting; Rm: C&O

    Black Caucus Meeting, featuring U.S. Representative Andre Carson; Rm: Edison North

    Young DNC Members Panel; Rm: Illinois Central

    Diversity Training, hosted by Elizabeth Williams-Riley, President and CEO of the American Conference on Diversity; Rm: Wabash

    The Reproductive Freedom Movement in the Midwest: A Discussion Panel, hosted by Planned Parenthood of Indiana; Rm: Illinois Street Ballroom

    How to Advocate That the Candidate That You Love is the Electable Choice, hosted by David de la Fuente of Third Way; Rm: Illinois Street Ballroom

    6:00 pm

    Dinner Break

    Pay what you can Professional Headshots by Jes Nijjer in the Illinois St. Ballroom

    7:00 pm

    General Session
    Pledge of Allegiance: 2019 Democratic candidate for City Council in Columbus, Indiana, Grace Kestler

    U.S. Representative Andre Carson, introduced by Indiana National Committeewoman Arielle Brandy

    U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi

    Indiana Democratic Party Deputy Chair for Engagement Dana Black

    Young Democrats of America Candidates for National Office

    9:30 pm

    Hospitality Events
    YDA Promise After Hours; Rm: Iron Horse

    LGBTQIA Caucus Night Out; Rm: Offsite (Note: event begins at 10:00 pm)

  • Saturday, July 20

    8:30 am

    Breakfast
    Illinois Street Ballroom (Breakfast is open until 10:00 am)

    Credentials Committee Meeting; Rm: Edison North

    10:00 am

    General Session
    Pledge of Allegiance: Indiana Delegation Chairman and 2019 Democratic candidate for City Council in Evansville, Indiana, Alex Burton

    National Organizing Director for Planned Parenthood Kelley Robinson

    Young Democrats of America Elections; Open to state delegates only

    1:00 pm

    Lunch Break

    2:00 pm

    General Session
    Young Democrats of America Elections; Open to state delegates only

Young gets it done. Join us at the convention.

» Purchase a Ticket/Register

Early Bird

$49

 ends May 15, 2019 

Regular

$59

  

On-Site

$69

 starts July 16, 2019 

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