Young Ecosocialist Caucus hosts 2023 elections after tumultuous 2022

In 2022, there were 3+ resignations, 1 special election, 2 regular elections, and 2 special appointments by the steering committee of the Young Ecosocialist Caucus, the Youth Caucus of the Green Party Us, to keep spots filled. Overall, many would agree that there hasn’t been a lack of effort in maintaining a strong-supportive Steering Committee. Hunter Crow was one who picked up the proverbial torch when the education committee chair position opened up for the 3rd time in 2022 after two resignations in the position. “I think it is important that we continue to find ways to keep the Green Party movement alive and keep youth interested in the party. I do know that many volunteers or key organizers can’t be around forever, so we need to ensure that we have the ability to pass the torch to the next generation to keep the party alive for many years. I think that it is important to take note that without the dedicated support and backing of the young people, it would be extremely difficult for this party to survive the 21st century.”

The current and only nominee for the Education Committee chair position for 2023, Justin S. expressed his goals over the next year in the position, and what the vision of the Education Committee is in its entirety. “I view Educom to be a place where members can learn about theory and practice.

For theory, I want EduCom to be an internal library of sorts for members, where they can come if they want to learn more about a topic or introduce their green parties to different topics, particularly socialist viewpoints. I also want members to actively read and debate ideas. This is why I want to revive a reading group that meets regularly.”

The following roles are up for election:

• Co-Chair – (Jay Walker’s term ending)
• Education & Member Support Committee (EduCom) Chair – (Hunter Crow’s term ending)
• Finance Committee (FinCom) Chair – (Cassiday Moriarity’s term ending)
• Media Committee (MediaCom) Chair – (Will Systma’s term ending)
• National Committee Delegate – (Riley Mahon’s term ending)

Nominations for the roles have concluded at this time.

Here are the nominees so far:

Co-Chair (1)

• Hunter Crow

Hunter is a resident of Arlington Texas. He is currently a student at Tarrant County College Trinity River Campus where he is enrolled in the AAS Library Technician Program. Hunter became a member of the Green Party of the United States towards the end of 2015. He is currently the Co-Chair of the Green Party of Texas and has been a local organizer and volunteer for the Tarrant County Green Party and the Green Party of Texas since 2017. Previously Hunter was the National Committee Alternate Delegate for the Youth Caucus. His work also includes working on the Tarrant County College Student Government Association as the Senate Chair where he has raised awareness on social justice issues. Hunter is also a Co-Chair of the GPUS Bylaws, Rules, Policies and Procedures Committee, Youth Caucus Education Chair. He is currently commissioned by the State of Texas as a Notary Public and serves his community in that capacity. 

• Cassiday Moriarity

Cassiday Moriarity was born and raised in small-town Indiana. Now living in Indianapolis, she chairs the local Circle City Greens chapter. Historically, she has held positions as vice chair and communications director for the Indiana Green Party.

Her work thus far had included rebuilding the Indiana Green Party’s website, the Green Pages website, and working with the fundraising committee on NationBuilder to set the party up for success at all levels.

Education & Member Support Committee (EduCom) Chair 

• Justin S.

Justin is a graduate of George Washington University and Vermont Law School. He is an attorney licensed in Vermont, focused on real estate transactions. While in the DC area, he was part of the Maryland and Virginia Green Parties. During the pandemic, he joined the youth caucus.

Finance Committee (FinCom) Chair 

• Sam Chance

Sam Chance (he/him) has lived in Madison, WI the majority of his life. He is currently the co-chair of the Wisconsin Green Party, the state party IT and Platform & Policy Committees, as well as the Dane County chapter, Four Lakes Green Party.

Media Committee (MediaCom) Chair 

• Emerson Lee

I believe I would be suitable as a national committee member as I am active on the ground for Green Party campaigns. In the past months, I have been on Cook County Green Party committees for the MWRD Election, meeting with candidates and running canvassing meetings, and designing social media adverts. As well as this I am currently working on a mayoral campaign for the most progressive candidate in Chicago, Ja’mal Green. Besides working on campaigns I am currently the chairman of the Young Greens of Chicago, a new upcoming youth chapter of the Green Party in Chicago, and I believe as a national committee member I would be able to be the voice of ecosocialist youth around Chicago.

National Committee Delegate (1 spot)

•  Riley Mahon

Riley Mahon is a socialist activist from Pittsburgh where he is an active member of the Green Party, DSA, and Sunrise. He served as the Vice Chair of the Green Party of Allegheny County in 2022 and ran as a Green for Upper St. Clair’s school board in 2019 as a high school senior. In 2021 he worked as a co-chair of Connor Mulvaney’s campaign to be the first Green on the Pittsburgh City Council. He has also been involved in efforts to create a police accountability board and in the successful movement to ban fracking in Allegheny County’s parks.

Emerson Lee is the perfect example of why having YES as a caucus is so important. As one of the “younger” members of the Green Party of the United States, in most conventional forums they would be ignored and pushed the wayside instead of fostering their leadership capabilities. When discussing their qualifications for the role as social media chair for the committee, they stated; “I am actively making Green party material. I run my caucus’ Instagram and we avidly work with other Green Parties as well as candidates. We have reached out around the world to other parties such as the Indonesian green party and the Indian green party. As well as this I am avidly on the ground for campaigns with the green party, canvassing for MWRD candidates and being on campaign meetings, [and] designing social media adverts.”

In order to vote in the Steering Committee elections, you must be a dues-paid member of YES by February 12th, 2023 at 11:59pm. In order to do so, go to yesgp.org/donate.