Apr. 28, 2023 Elijah Hamilton
The Ridgewood Democratic Club (RDC), held its first in-person meeting since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic last week at their office at 60-70 Putnam Ave. in Ridgewood.
Karina Robledo, who serves as an officer for the Ridgewood Democratic Club (RDC), said that the group had been meeting virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but is now working to have in-person meetings moving forward. She said April’s meeting was the first step toward ensuring the community remains involved with the club.
“We need to engage the community,” Robledo said. ”It’s the best way to be involved and engaging in the community is really important right now, especially if some of our community members don’t feel seen or heard. We want to give them that voice.”
The group also elected new officers and members to its board, including Phillip Barsamian, who was elected to serve as the club’s president.
The newly elected president echoed Robledo’s sentiments and said he and his colleagues will work hard to get the community more involved with the club.
“We will continue to improve our longstanding community outreach, including streamlining our online presence to make it more impactful,” Barsamian said. “During COVID, we met virtually and will continue using technology to reach out to voters.”
The RDC is one of New York City’s oldest Democratic clubs. It was formed by Carl Berger in his Nicholas Avenue home in January 1908. Berger served as the temporary chairman, holding meetings in various parts of Ridgewood. At that time, there were 60 members enrolled.
Since then, the group has grown and expanded throughout its 115-year history.
Residents looking to get more information regarding the club can do so by following the Ridgewood Democratic Club on Facebook or by sending an email to ridgewooddemocraticclub@gmail.com.