Happy Thursday! Here is your Weekly Update from the League of Women Voters Milwaukee County (LWVMC). Something for everyone! |  |
Classes now forming for Facing Racism – One White Woman at a Time
Facilitated by Mary Delgado, a LWVMC member, this nine month program meets via Zoom every two weeks for nine months. Participants read, write about and discuss seven books, including: "Birth of a White Nation" by Jacqueline Battalora; "The Fire Next Time" by James Baldwin; "Between the World and Me" byTa-Nehisi Coates; "Stamped from the Beginning" by Ibram X. Kendi; "I’m Still Here" by Austin Channing Brown; "Evicted" by Matthew Desmond; and "White Too" by Robert P. Jones. Contact Mary Delgado at maryd8@gmail.com for further information.
The experience of learning about the systemic racism in the United States and more importantly examining my own racism has changed my view of the world in which I live. This racism study with other women has been life changing for me. There is so much that I was never taught in school and which I did not understand about my brothers and sisters who have a different skin color. There is still a lot for me to learn but I have a start and I want to learn more and change the behavior that contributes to the oppression of fellow citizens of my country. Martha M.
This is a raw exploration into the roots of racism and white privilege along with its effect on "non-whites", specifically black people. It's opened my eyes to a world I've known only subliminally to exist and moved me to action, if even one small step at a time. Anne W. |
The League of Women Voters and Current Historical Research on the Menominee Reservation
Listen to archeologist David Overstreet discuss the League of Women Voter’s involvement in the Menominee Reservation’s history and find out more about the Tribe’s fascinating history. Prof. Overstreet is a LWVMC member who has spent decades doing archeological research on the Menominee Reservation in Keshena, WI. View his recent talk here. | | |  | | Don't forget to register!
We look forward to seeing you at the LWVMC Annual Meeting at Summit Place, 6737 W. Washington in West Allis, on Wednesday, May 24!
Please click the button below to learn more information and to register for this fun event.
Our guest speaker this year is LWVMC member, Anita Johnson, voting rights advocate and recipient of many awards including: the 2020 Robert H. Friebert Social Justice Award and the 2023 Black Excellence Award in "Community Leadership." Her work with Souls to the Polls is ongoing.
We look forward to seeing you there and thank you for all you do for the League!
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LWVMC BOOK DRIVE ON APRIL 30, 2023
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Visitor's parking lot of the LWV Milwaukee County office
6737 W. Washington Street, West Allis
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If you are downsizing or simplifying, you can help support the League of Women Voters of Milwaukee County…JUST BRING YOUR GENTLY USED BOOKS, CDS AND DVDS to the Visitor’s Parking Lot at 6737 W. Washington St., West Allis on Sunday, April 30 between 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
LWVMC volunteers will take the items to Sharehouse Goods for resale or donation to the Milwaukee Public Library. If the items are saleable, Sharehouse Goods will sell them online, then donate 50% of the profits to the League of Women Voters of Milwaukee County.
We will also be accepting non-perishable food donations for the Hunger Task Force. Especially needed items include: healthy breakfast grains (whole grain/sugar free cereals, oatmeal); canned veggies (no salt added); canned fruits (no sugar added/in their natural juices); and peanut butter.
Looking forward to seeing you in the parking lot on Sunday, April 30. In the event of rain, LWVMC volunteers will be located in the Atrium, just inside the Visitor’s Entrance. Questions? Contact m.sussman@lwvmilwaukee, org. | |
April 2023 Voter Experience Survey
Complete the survey from LWVWI here by April 22. |  |
National Popular Vote Bills Introduced In Wisconsin
Wisconsin legislators just introduced the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC) bill in the Senate, and it has been referred to the Committee on Government Operations, Elections, and Consumer Protection. The compact is designed to ensure that the candidate who receives the most votes nationwide (the popular vote) is elected president.
As of April 2023, the NPVIC has been adopted by 15 states and the District of Columbia representing 195 electoral votes which is 72.2% of the 270 votes needed to give the compact legal force. The compact will take effect when enacted by states possessing an additional 75 electoral votes. There are bills in front of 13 state legislatures which have a total of 160 electoral votes. If the bill is passed in Wisconsin, our 10 electoral votes will be added to those of other compact states.
What can you do to show your support? Call and/or write your legislators! Tell them you want the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact bills, SB 144 and AB 156, scheduled for public hearings. |  |  | |
The Special Election for District 14 Milwaukee County Supervisor is May 2, 2023. The online Voter Guide for this Special Election is published and available at VOTE411.org.
Thank you to the VOTE411 Volunteers!!
The Spring 2023 Election Voter Guide at VOTE411.org published online by the League of Women Voters of Milwaukee County was a success due to the amazing group of volunteers who worked on the project.
Last week we thanked the Community Volunteers, the important link to the municipal clerks and school boards for information on open positions, candidate filings, and candidate contact information. The Voter Guide couldn’t happen without their help.
This week we continue our thanks to other League members helping with the effort to publish VOTE411.org, the online Voter Guide.
The Candidate Question Subcommittee creates the questions the local candidates will be asked to answer in the Voter Guide. Special thanks to Mary Sue Kristiansen for stepping up to the Subcommittee Chair and to Sarajane Kennedy, Maria Tully, and Mary Voelker for working with her on developing questions.
Thank you Judit Schugurensky for translating the candidate questions into Spanish. Our thanks also to Eloisa Gomez, Diane Steigerwald and the CVL/LVO Committee for creating a Spanish language handout on topics in the Guide to promote voting in Milwaukee’s Spanish-speaking community.
Thank you to Judith Winn for exploring the use of Club Express for encouraging candidates to respond and to Sarah Pfeiffle, the office administrator.
The Voter Guide Team: Sarajane Kennedy, Mary Ellen Spicuzza, Mary Sue Kristiansen, Peter Neuwald, Ruth Jones, Maria Tully, and Mary Voelker.
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The 2023 Milwaukee Consortium for Hmong Health Conference sponsored by the Organization of Chinese Americans-Wisconsin (OCA) and the Asian American Pacific Islander Coalition - Wisconsin (AAPI) was held this weekend. It is a premier event for the Hmong Community. There were about 200 in attendance. Eloisa Gomez, Ellen Trytek and Carole Montgomery volunteered for this event. They were supercharged and did great outreach! We registered four people and helped one person change her address online.
It’s great to be a partner with these organizations for this event. | | | | Thanks to the volunteers and partners at the event. |
Jail-Based Voting
Two More iPads Needed | | | |
We continue to work with the MIlwaukee County Jail and the Community Reintegration Center (CRC) formally the HOC to register eligible residents and to request absentee ballots. Year to date we have registered 60 people and requested 100 absentee ballots. (Total number of absentee ballots is greater than the number of people registered because there are multiple elections and some of the people we registered last year (not in the YTD county) are still incarcerated.)
We are using iPads to do this work. The connectivity of these devices work well in the work that we do, however we need more of them. So if you have an iPad that you are no longer using or if you are thinking about upgrading would you please consider donating your old iPad to the LWVMC/Voter Services?
Thank you to two of our members who have donated their iPads for this work. We could still use two more.
You can contact me if you have questions about this or to arrange for pickup, p.schrader@lwvmilwaukee.org. |  | Help Recruit Municipal Clerks
LWVWI will be holding a virtual Clerk Recruitment Information Session on Tuesday, April 25th, 2023 (7:00pm- 8:00pm)
Municipal clerks play one of the most important roles in our democracy. In Wisconsin, these 1850+ individuals have enormous power to make sure elections are carried out in a way that makes voting accessible for all eligible Wisconsin voters. It is for this reason that we are working together with our partners to educate the community on this important role and help raise awareness and generate interests to help fill vacancies whenever they arise.
Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from current municipal clerks about what clerks do, how they lift up their communities, and how to become employed as a clerk in your own communities.
This is where we will need your help: Help us get the word out about this event! Please share this exciting opportunity with your networks.
| 54th Annual Municipal Clerks Week (April 30 - May 6, 2023) Nomination Form | | | |
Join the Disability Vote Coalition to recognize the important work of our Wisconsin Municipal Clerks. Nominate an outstanding municipal clerk in recognition of the 54th Annual Municipal Clerks Week. This is a great chance to recognize clerks for their work to make our elections accessible and welcoming.
Do you know a clerk has done a great job supporting voters with disabilities and older adults in your community? Please use the short survey below to make your nomination. Submit your nomination as soon as possible and no later than April 24, 2023. Nominations will be shared with clerks and posted on our website.
Municipal Clerk Appreciation Nomination |  |  |
Saturday, April 29, 2023 | noon-2 p.m.
Madison College Truax Campus
Banquet Room – D1630 (near cafeteria)
1701 Wright St., Madison, WI
LWV Dane County members and the public are invited to attend LWVDC’s annual Lively Issues Luncheon. Enjoy a delicious meal and a thoughtful keynote address exploring the intersection of race, education, and civic involvement. Keynote Address: Race, Education & Civic Engagement, featuring Gloria Ladson-Billings.
$25 per person, includes a delicious southwest-inspired meal and the chance to win a door prize! Deadline to register is Friday, April 21. You may also mail a check to the office. Please download and print this form (PDF) and follow the instructions.
More information here.
About the speaker: Professor Emerita Gloria Ladson-Billings is the former Kellner Family Distinguished Professor of Urban Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction and faculty affiliate in the Department of Educational Policy Studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Dr. Ladson-Billings’ research examines the pedagogical practices of teachers who are successful with African American students. She also investigates Critical Race Theory applications to education. She is the author of many critically acclaimed books, including The Dreamkeepers: Successful Teachers of African American Children and Crossing Over to Canaan: The Journey of New Teachers in Diverse Classrooms, as well as numerous journal articles and book chapters. She has been honored with numerous awards for her contributions to academia and the community.
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Milwaukee’s Poet Laureate Mario "The Poet" & Friends Celebrate National Poetry Month Celebration at Milwaukee Public Library Branches
Each event includes a poetry reading by Mario “The Poet” and an Open Mic session facilitated by Ryeshia Farmer. All ages are welcome to participate.
Saturday, April 22, 3-4:30 p.m., Villard Square Branch, 5190 N. 35th St.
Thursday, April 27, 4-5:30 p.m., Mitchell Street Branch, 906 W. Historic Mitchell St. | | |  |
April 27, 12:00-1:30 p.m.
Milwaukee Turners at Turner Hall
1034 North Vel Phillips Ave.
In person and virtual
Join the Milwaukee Turners, Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Milwaukee Jewish Federation, the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) of Wisconsin, and ElevAsian to kick off Jewish American Heritage Month and Asian American Heritage Month, which take place in May. Experts and community leaders will explore the role of culturally responsive education and teaching a fuller understanding of American history in combating antisemitism and anti-Asian hate - highlighting model programs that are teaching AAPI history and Jewish American history, as well as a proposed amendment to Act 31 that would direct school boards to provide instruction on Hmong Americans and Asian Pacific Islander Desi Americans. Panelists will bring diverse perspectives from roles in K-12 education, state government, and the School Board. What does inclusive education look like, why is it important, and how can parents, students, and community members take action in the fight against anti-Asian and antisemitic hate? Panelists include: Andrea Bernstein, Jewish Community Relations Council; Elsie Crawford, Repairing Together; State Rep. Francesca Hong; and Paula Phillips, Milwaukee County Office of Equity.
LIGHT BUFFET LUNCH PROVIDED - Doors open at 11:30AM. Broadcast begins at 12PM in the Palm Garden, on the first floor of Turner Hall. Please indicate in your registration if you will require a Kosher meal.
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Thank you!
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