Happy Thursday,
Here's this week's Update for League of Women Voters Milwaukee County (LWVMC) news, information and events. | Tuesday, May 24
Wisconsin Club 900 W. Wisconsin Avenue
Hybrid event - in person and by Zoom
Registration required
Enjoy drinks on the balcony and dinner in the ballroom with a program presented by Susan Holmes - selections from her co-authored musical about Victoria Woodhull, “Victory for Victoria!” Woodhull was the first woman to run for U.S. president (in 1872).
Then join us either in person or by Zoom for our LWVMC Annual Meeting, where members will vote on the budget, nomination slate, program priorities, and proposed dues increase. Valet parking available. Guests are welcome, but only members may vote. We hope to see you there!
Watch your email for the Annual Report Packet this week! | Beyond Voting: Citizen Advocacy Presentation
On Tuesday, May 10 from 7 p.m. - 8 p.m., the Church and Society team of United Methodist Church of Whitefish Bay will host a presentation on citizen advocacy by LWVMC. Presenters are LWVMC members President Peggy Creer and Barbara Notestein, a former WI state legislator and co-chair of the League's Police Accountability & Community Safety Committee.
The program, which is free and open to the public, will be both live-streamed and in-person at the church, 819 E. Silver Spring Dr. Visit umcwfb.org for information about live-streaming.
The program will help attendees:
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Identify how to advocate for ideas or beliefs
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Explore options for taking action
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Learn how to engage with elected officials and policymakers
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Review the legislative process
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Discover ways to track legislation or proposals at local, state and national levels
|  | Register Now for a Talk by Reggie Jackson
“The Hidden History of Diversity in America” takes a long look at American history and explores our national ambivalence about diversity and inclusion. We examine the legal and social treatment of Native Americans, enslaved Africans, White Ethnic immigrants (such as the Irish, Italians and Jews), as well as immigrants and refugees from Asia and Latin America – and how those experiences have led to the racial and ethnic disparities we witness today. | Attend the Discussion on the Impact of Politicization of Nonpartisan School Board Races
Presenter: Professor Ford, UW-Oshkosh
Waukesha Branch Monthly Meeting
May 17th, 6pm via Zoom
Professor Ford will discuss topics such as: how the politicization of School Boards is a growing phenomenon nationwide, the growing trend of placing party affiliations on the ballot in nonpartisan races, how the internet has impacted nonpartisan races, Waukesha County School Board race results and how party backing impacted outcomes, why School Boards should remain nonpartisan, and what you can do about the politicization of nonpartisan governmental positions. | From the LWV Upper Mississippi River Region (UMRR) |
LWV UMRR Annual Meeting
Saturday, May 21
8:45 a.m. via Zoom
Registration required
Does it take an act of Congress to protect the Mississippi?
The answer is that Congress is one piece – an important one – of the solution to the Mississippi’s woes. In the UMRR Annual Meeting, we will have a panel of speakers to talk about bills currently in the US Congress that have the potential to greatly affect our river. We will also explore the idea of a “compact” between the river states to protect the river from water diversions. This session will set the stage for the work that LWV UMRR will tackle in the years to come.
We have a great slate of panelists for this session - representatives from organizations working for the river and leading work on federal bills and big ideas.
Here's the link for more information on the LWV UMRR Annual Business meeting.
This meeting will be a webinar and pre-registration is required.
| Managing Water for Sustainability
Minnesota is a state famous for its water resources, yet there are problems. Conflicting demands for groundwater are lowering groundwater levels, impacting wetlands and trout streams. The Minnesota DNR is using an approach that brings together local interests to find solutions that fit for the area - our April 4, speaker Jason Moeckel shared Minnesota's approach and discussed the successes and not-so-successes.
This post on the UMRR Blog
has the link to the recording of the meeting as well as links to timely news articles on water scarcity in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan. |  | | Join the League at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 7 to learn more about the National Popular Vote!
In the first of four webinars, “The National Popular Vote: What, Why and How?," Eileen Reavey from National Popular Vote will teach us just that--the what, why and how of the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. There will be time at the end to take audience questions.
Eileen co-founded the grassroots advocacy group campaigning for Oregon to pass the National Popular Vote bill in 2016. She now works to apply those organizing lessons in other states as National Popular Vote’s National Grassroots Director. |
In Person Voter Registration Event - Voces de la Frontera
The Comité por el Voto Latino (Latinx Voter Outreach) Team had a presence at the Voces de la Frontera (VDLF) pre-march on Sunday, May 1. VDLF holds an annual policy reform/advocacy march on or about May 1 each year. League members who volunteered for this event were Eloisa Gómez, Diane Steigerwald and Elizabeth Aelion.
Liz registered two people and we promoted voter awareness to about 100 people. Diane made another community connection. The buttons were a huge hit especially with the young people. VDLF is a nonprofit membership based organization led by low-wage workers, immigrants and youth whose mission is to protect and expand civil rights and workers’ rights through leadership development, community organizing and empowerment.
Our thanks to Diane Steigerwald for coordinating our participation at this event.
| Images of members of the Comité por el Voto Latino (Latinx Voter Outreach) Team at the Voces de la Frontera (VDLF) pre-march on Sunday, May 1. Members in attendance, left to right, include Elizabeth (Liz) Aelioin, Diane Stiegerwald and Eloisa Gómez.
| Vot-ER Collaboration
The League is collaborating with Vot-ER in providing voter registration and information to people who use their clinics. Our strategy is to staff a table at some of the clinics who serve the underrepresented populations that we are targeting.
Vot-ER integrates voter registration into the health care delivery system. Vot-ER is founded on a core belief that empowered voices and full participation in the democratic process lead to positive health outcomes. | Juneteenth Volunteers
On Sunday, June 19 join us for the celebration of 2022 Juneteenth Day. This year we are tabling with Clean Slate.
Clean State is a staffing organization that helps people with a criminal record find jobs partially through assisting with expunging their records.
The location is to be confirmed but we will be approximately on the corner of Burleigh and Dr. Martin Luther King Drive.Voter Services is now using our website to announce all of our volunteering opportunities.
Remember you have to have been trained in online voter registration or have experience in registering people to vote to be eligible for this event. | Looking for opportunities to volunteer?
Wondering how to find out about them and how to submit your name?
We are so pleased that Club Express provides us an efficient, up-to-date way to see the available volunteer opportunities to help with “one-time” events as well as to make longer term commitments. Check out the postings and sign up for those you are interested in. Go to the LWVMC website (https://www.lwvmilwaukee.org) and click on the Volunteering tab at the top.
If something interests you, click on it and sign up. You will be contacted soon.
- The website is still “under construction” so not all opportunities are posted
- Continue to watch the Update for postings
- On-going positions like committee memberships are listed as occurring all year
- Once you are contacted, you will find out about specific meetings and dates
- Please get in the habit of visiting the Volunteering tab on our website
- More opportunities will be added
| | We will meet by Zoom on Wednesday, May 18 at 6 p.m. to continue our discussion about foci for the coming year and hear reports from the leads on specific environmental issues.Please join us! Contact: Co-chair Ann Batiza at annwisc@gmail.com or 414-238-3903. | |
Join a virtual League Cafe discussion of Nikole Hannah Jones’s “The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story” on Friday, May 20, from 9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m.
We are splitting the book into sections to facilitate manageable discussions. We will discuss Chapter 6 through Chapter 8 at the May 20 meeting.
Peruse educational resources from the Pulitzer Center here or watch a C-Span interview with author Nikole Hannah-Jones and Steven Hahn, New York University history professor. |  | Attend WISDOM’S Statewide Meeting on Immigration
Monday, May 9
6:30 p.m. via Zoom
WISDOM is a statewide network, comprised mainly of faith-based organizations. WISDOM began with Milwaukee Inner-City Congregations Allied for Hope's (MICAH) founding in 1988. It has now grown to 13 affiliate organizations across the state of Wisconsin from Eau Claire to Kenosha. WISDOM uses a faith-based lens to advocate for racial, social and economic justice for all. WISDOM is a proud member of the national Gamaliel Network. Find out more about WISDOM here.. |
Recording Available: Where Everybody Knows Your Name with Jay English
If you missed the LWVMC Members Forum on Saturday, April 9, with Pastor Jay English, you can view it now on Facebook. In this talk, Jay English, pastor and creator of the Cross-cultural Literacy Program, discusses the tragedy of racial illiteracy and provides practical suggestions about how to bring people of various cultural backgrounds together to reach common goals.
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