By Travis Holsclaw
My name is Travis Holsclaw and I am the new President of the Hillsborough County Young Democrats (HCYD). The next year will look a little different due to social distancing guidelines, but we are committed to keeping young people engaged by fundraising and social events.
As the next president of the HCYD, my goal is to focus on fundraising and having social events. I want this organization to be an opportunity for people to come out and find opportunities to get more involved in whatever aspect of politics they want. Already we have a diverse crew who focus on all aspects of the political landscape from policy initiatives, political candidates, or just the party itself. Providing more socially focused events would also provide a more lighthearted and fun environment to meet and connect with others who have similar goals. It is important to create ways for younger individuals to get involved and this can then lead to future events that are more action focused put on by HCYD or partner clubs and caucuses.
By focusing more on fundraising, we will be able to then provide stipends to our members to attend events or meetings. HCYD can also provide donations to the Democratic party for their fundraising events which can in turn help get more Democrats elected. Stipends will help increase young involvement at events by encouraging them and making it easier for them to attend. Too often younger involved individuals are valued for their free labor. We want to fix this by providing a stipend to our members that can encourage others to do so as well. Additionally, by fundraising we can create a mailing and social media campaign to help get out the vote and let younger Democrats know about our organization. This combination of social events and fundraisers will help bring the HCYD to the next level and grow our membership.
I am so passionate about HCYD because I now call Tampa home. I was born in Tennessee but have lived in Florida almost my entire life and in Hillsborough County for almost 17 years. I went to Spoto High School in Riverview then I joined the Navy and served for about four years on a submarine before being discharged. While serving I developed an interest in studying philosophy which altered my views so much so that I applied, and was discharged, as a conscientious objector. Since returning I have wanted to dedicate myself to helping the community and have spent hundreds of hours volunteering for local non-profits and political campaigns. I went to Hillsborough Community College to earn my Associates degree and I just graduated with my Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and a minor in Political Science at the University of South Florida. Now I work for a local company assisting colleges with commencements throughout Florida, Georgia, and Alabama as well as working for a local political firm and a local coffee roaster. Previously, I was the Membership Director for the 2018-2019 HCYD executive board and have been involved with the organization since 2016.
This year’s election will be full of promise as long as we keep young people engaged in the political process. Happy 2020!