A Coalition of CDA Women Address President Natasha McKenzie’s Statements
As a joint coalition of women — many of us of color — in the College Democrats of America, we call for Natasha McKenzie, President of the College Democrats of America, to resign from her position immediately.
The actions displayed at the 2015 College Democrats of America convention by Natasha McKenzie were disappointing and grotesque in nature. Natasha McKenzie has not lived up to this organization and its values.
We all believe that it is historic and empowering to see women, and specifically women of color, leading the College Democrats of America, its state federations, and its chapters. However, we do not stand by the actions Natasha McKenzie took during the convention and we will not tolerate the bullying and intimidation of members in this organization.
Furthermore, Natasha McKenzie used her identity as a woman of color as the reason that members of our organization have asked her to step down; quite frankly, we are offended. Co-opting the struggles of minority female leaders for personal salvation is insulting and demeaning to our cause.
Natasha McKenzie argued that she was “tired of men using the phrase ‘you’re intimidating’ to belittle women in positions of power,” and that she “will continue speaking up, even when some people feel uncomfortable with a young, African American woman doing so.” Natasha McKenzie believes that calls for her resignation are rooted in sexism and discontent in seeing a woman of color in a position of power — this is simply not the case. We are uncomfortable with her as a leader and the way she has ostracized and belittled members of this organization, especially by threatening and disenfranchising members during College Democrats of America elections.
She stands by the following: “Being a part of the Democratic Party means speaking up for those who do not have a voice, those who have been neglected, those who have been marginalized, and those who have been disenfranchised — even in the face of professional, political and personal intimidation.” We — as a coalition of CDA women — are using our voice to stand up for all women within this organization and those who have been “marginalized” under her leadership.
As women, we fundamentally believe that her behavior displayed at the convention demeans the idea of what it means to be strong, empowered, and intelligent women who can actually stand up for themselves and what they believe in.
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