From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Identity Caucus
Identity Caucus
An Identity Caucus is a colloquial term for one of the Many ASGP members, on the other hand, contended
"caucuses of underrepresented groups" affiliated with that the creation of Identity Caucuses gave the individ-
the Green Party of the United States. These caucuses are uals participating in them "double" representation
designed as formal vehicles for ensuring that the con- (through their state party membership and through their
cerns of members of historically underrepresented identity caucus membership) and threatened the geo-
groups are heard by the Green Party’s national organiza- graphic nature of the party’s organizational structure
tion. (because an unlimited number of such groups could po-
As of January 2006, the National Lavender Greens tentially be created).
Caucus, the National Women’s Caucus, and the Black Cau- Although the Boston Proposal was ultimately rejected
cus had all been formally recognized by the national by the G/GPUSA at its Carbondale Congress, the ASGP
Green Party. Other caucuses were in the process of for- decided to honor the terms of the agreement anyway
mation, including the Latino Caucus, the Disabled Greens (partially as a result of the exodus of a large number of
Caucus, the Rural Greens Caucus and the Youth Caucus. G/GPUSA members into the Green Party of the United
Formal accreditation of a caucus gives it a status equiva- States, many of whom formed The Green Alliance).
lent to that of an accredited state party, except that each Bylaws amendments implementing the basic frame-
state party has two or more votes on the National Com- work for accrediting caucuses were adopted by the ASGP
mittee, while each caucus has only one. in Santa Barbara, and a more specific accreditation pro-
cedure was incorporated in 2004.
History The bylaws give the National Committee the author-
ity to determine whether the term "underrepresented
Caucuses of underrepresented groups were specified as group" can be applied to a group seeking accreditation,
organizational units of the national Green Party as a re- potentially addressing the concern that a very large
sult of the passage of the Boston Proposal by the Asso- number of caucuses could be formed. If groups such as
ciation of State Green Parties (ASGP) at its annual na- the Rural Greens, the Secular Greens, and the Poly Greens
tional meeting, held in Santa Barbara, CA, in 2001. The seek accreditation in the future, this provision will be
ASGP was a predecessor organization to the current na- tested.
tional Green Party of the United States, and the Boston
Proposal was intended to facilitate a merger between the
ASGP and the Greens/Green Party USA (G/GPUSA), a "ri-
External links
val" national organization. • Rules and Procedures of the Green Party of the
One of the most controversial features of the Boston United States, including accreditation procedures for
Proposal among ASGP members was the creation of cau- identity caucuses
cuses. Many members of the G/GPUSA felt that the ASGP • National Green Party Caucus Page
was insufficiently sensitive to the concerns of historically • National Lavender Greens Caucus
underrepresented groups and wanted to ensure that the • National Women’s Caucus
merged organization would have formal structures in • Black Caucus
place - as the G/GPUSA did – to ensure that issues and • Disabled Greens (in formation, not yet formally
concerns of importance to these groups would be heard accredited
and addressed. • Youth Caucus
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Identity_Caucus&oldid=316707722"
Categories:
• Green Party (United States) organizations
• Women's wings of political parties
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