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Year: 2026

September 8, 2026 Endorsement Meeting

Members are encouraged to attend the next meeting of Fresno Stonewall Democrats to decide on candidate endorsements. The meeting will be on Tuesday, September 8, 2026. We will call to order at 6:00 PM. Please arrive at 5:30 PM to get a good seat and order dinner and/or drinks before the meeting starts.

Candidates are required to submit a completed Questionnaire to be considered for endorsement. Returned Questionnaires are posted to our website and can be reviewed at: https://fresnostonewalldemocrats.org/candidate-info/

Candidates attending the meeting will be allowed two minutes to address members.

Members in good standing will vote on endorsements by secret ballot. New members can only participate if they joined by the previous meeting on August 11, 2026, due to our 28 day waiting period (per our bylaws).

The meeting will be held at Los Amigos Restaurant (5088 N Blackstone Ave, Fresno, CA 93710) on Blackstone just north of Shaw. The meeting room is open by 5:30 pm for a 30 minute social and attendees are invited to order dinner and/or drinks at this time. We call the meeting to order at 6:00 pm and proceed with our Agenda. We will start hearing from candidates by 6:15 pm.

Our meetings are hybrid and you may also attend by Zoom if you are unable to attend in person:

Click here on 9/8 before 6:00 PM to open Zoom and connect,
or open the App on your device and enter the meeting ID and password below:
— Meeting ID: 180 983 807
— Meeting password: 1969

All other information, directions, agenda, etc., can be found at our LinkTree: https://linktree.com/fresnostonewall

All Democrats are welcome to attend meetings regardless of membership status but we hope you’ll decide to join (only $20 per year) and participate in club meetings and activities. New members must wait 28 days before they are eligible to vote on any club business. Memberships that have lapsed must be renewed by September 8 in order to participate in the endorsement process.

August 11, 2026 Meeting

Fresno Stonewall Democrats will meet on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, at 5:30 PM, at Los Amigos Mexican Restaurant. We start with a thirty minute social so everyone has time to greet each other, exchange information or flyers, and order dinner and drinks before the meeting. We call to order at 6:00 PM. Please arrive at 5:30 PM to get a good seat and order dinner and/or drinks before the meeting starts.

This month:

Shay Franco-Clausen is a nationally recognized LGBTQ+ advocate, political strategist, and labor organizer dedicated to building political power through community organizing and coalition building. She serves as Chair of the California Democratic Party LGBTQ Caucus and as a Political Organizer for the California Teachers Association, where she works to strengthen public education, advance pro-equality policies, and support grassroots political engagement across California.

A proud Afro-Latina, lesbian, spouse, and parent, Shay has spent nearly two decades developing leaders, supporting candidates, expanding civic participation, and creating pathways for historically underrepresented communities to lead. Her work brings together labor, civil rights, and LGBTQ advocacy with a focus on building sustainable leadership and long-term political infrastructure.

Whether mentoring new organizers, leading statewide initiatives, or helping communities organize locally, Shay is passionate about creating spaces where people feel empowered to lead, organize, and make lasting change.

All Democrats are welcome to attend meetings regardless of membership status but we hope you’ll decide to join (only $20 per year) and participate in club meetings and activities. New members must wait 28 days before they are eligible to vote on any club business.

Agenda and other reports can be found at: https://bit.ly/fsd-mtgdocs.

Zoom to our meeting at https://bit.ly/fsd-zoom or open the Zoom app and enter the ID and password for our meeting (same every month):

Meeting ID: 180 983 807
Meeting password: 1969

ANNOUNCEMENT OF ENDORSEMENTS

Members of Fresno Stonewall Democrats met on March 10, 2026, to decide on candidate endorsements for the upcoming June Primary Election. We are pleased to announce the following endorsements:

FEDERAL ENDORSEMENTS
US Congressional District 21: Jim Costa

STATE ENDORSEMENTS
CA Board of Equalization D1: Nelson Esparza
CA Senate District 14: Esmeralda Soria
CA Assembly District 31: Annalisa Perea

COUNTY OF FRESNO
Fresno County Board of Supervisors D1: *Maria Pacheco

CITY OF FRESNO ENDORSEMENTS
Fresno City Council D1: No Endorsement
Fresno City Council D3: No Endorsement
Fresno City Council D5: Brandon Vang
Fresno City Council D7: Ariana Martinez-Lott

Endorsements were won by candidates who completed a Questionnaire. Members at an Endorsement Meeting were polled and candidates with 60% or more support by voting members were endorsed.

In races where “No Endorsement” was given, votes were split between candidates with none receiving the 60% required for endorsement. Thank you to all the candidates who completed questionnaires and spoke to members and attendees at the Endorsement Meeting (listed alphabetically in each race):

*Due to an issue on Maria Pacheco’s questionnaire, the Executive Board withdrew the endorsement in March; however, after an explanation for the error at the April 14 Monthly Meeting members called for a re-vote to endorse; per club bylaws due notice was given to members (28 days) and a new vote was conducted at the May 12 meeting where Maria Pacheco won the endorsement for Board of Supervisors D1; this post has been updated to account for that endorsement.