Happy Thursday! Here is your Weekly Update from the League of Women Voters Milwaukee County (LWVMC). |
Join The LWVMC for a Screening of Juneteenth: Faith & Freedom
Thursday, June 8 from 3 p.m. - 5 p.m.
East Library, 2320 N Cramer Street
"Juneteenth: Faith & Freedom" is an unscripted documentary that invites viewers into the story of Juneteenth – the holiday recognizing the end of legalized slavery in Texas – through the eyes of a Black man learning about the holiday from the direct descendants of those liberated. The story serves as a parable that offers hope, and the insight that faith can be the greatest weapon against injustice.Light refreshments. Discussion to follow film.
"Juneteenth: Faith and Freedom" is the inaugural film in the LWVMC’s DEI Film Series. |  | | Minnesota Governor Tim Waltz has now signed the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC) into law. As a result, 16 states and the District of Columbia (with a total of 205 electoral votes) have now adopted the Compact.
NPVIC has also passed one legislative chamber in 8 additional states with another 78 electoral votes. Nevada passed the NPVIC as a constitutional amendment in 2023. If passed by the 2025 legislature, the proposition will be decided by the voters in 2026.
The National Popular Vote law will take effect when enacted by states with a majority of the electoral votes (270 of 538)—that is, when passed by states with an additional 65 electoral votes.
Then, the presidential candidate receiving the most popular votes in all 50 states and DC will get all the electoral votes from all of the enacting states guaranteeing that the candidate who wins the most popular votes becomes President. Explanatory video (8 minutes).
Go to this link and click on Wisconsin to learn how you can tell your legislators to support the NPVIC. | Register for the LWVWI Annual Meeting, June 9-10 | |
Wednesday, June 7, is a hard deadline for all virtual Annual Meeting registrations. This year, LWVWI has made it possible for virtual participants to attend breakout sessions in real time. Therefore, virtual attendees can participate in all of the scheduled programming, just like in-person attendees.
Registration and more information here.
You can view the full Agenda, speaker bios, breakout topics, the plenary packet and more by going to this website.
Please reach out to Brandi Rodriquez, LWVWI Membership & Events Manager, with questions/concerns at BRODRIQUEZ@lwvwi.org or (414) 841-8785.
|  | Save the date for the Board & Leader Orientation on July 5. The Board & Leader Orientation provides new and returning board members and committee leaders with detailed information about LWVMC and the role you'll serve. This is time for us to get acquainted with each other and learn what's necessary to hit the ground running in our roles with the LWVMC. Please register to account for printed copies of materials and room setup.
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LWVUS 2022-2024 Edition of Impact on Issues
The LWVUS 2022-2024 edition of "Impact on Issues", the League’s cornerstone policy positions document, is now available online and in print.
Throughout its 103 years, the League has served dual purposes of education and advocacy, engaging in studies on representative government, international relations, natural resources, and social policy. Although our history of advocacy goes back to our beginnings, this version of Impact on Issues covers our advocacy efforts beginning in the 1960s.
Impact on Issues provides a clear understanding of LWVUS positions, how they interrelate, and how they can complement and reinforce state, local, and regional Inter-League Organization (ILO) positions, strengthening the League’s impact at all levels of government.
The paperback is $5 and can be ordered on Amazon here. LWVMC also acts in support of The League of Women Voters - Wisconsin positions and The League of Women Voters - US positions. |
Seeking Members For Reproductive Rights Program Planning
In 1983, the LWVUS announced the adoption of a position affirming reproductive rights:
The League of Women Voters of the United States believes that public policy in a pluralistic society must affirm the constitutional right of privacy of the individual to make reproductive choices.
In May 2022, after a draft majority opinion in Dobbs was leaked revealing that the Supreme Court was prepared to overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, the LWVUS Board of Directors agreed to support filibuster reform, including elimination of the filibuster, as a targeted strategy to protect reproductive rights. Since then, LWVUS has supported state Leagues’ advocacy efforts to protect and expand reproductive rights.
LWMVC is calling for volunteers who would like to help plan programming related to reproductive health care rights. If you are interested in helping to plan or coordinate the efforts, please contact Program VP Lorna Grade at l.grade@lwvmilwaukee.org. |  |  |
Empower Voters and Defend Democracy!
What will you do for the 2024 elections to protect our Democracy?
Consider volunteering with VOTE411. There are different levels of involvement to choose from:
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As a member of the steering committee who regularly attends Team meetings, assumes responsibility for some of the VOTE411 tasks, and participates in decisions regarding our VOTE411 Spring and Fall Voter Guides. Key aspects include: Tech tasks including data entry; candidate correspondence; creating candidate questions; contacting community volunteers; submitting articles to the Voter and Update; marketing and social media.
- As someone who assists with an aspect of the team’s work, perhaps on a subcommittee creating candidate questions or recruiting community volunteers or assisting with data entry, but who does not regularly attend Team meetings.
- As a community volunteer helping to gather candidate information for our Spring Voter Guide from your municipal clerk and/or school district, primarily between mid-November and the end of the candidate filing period in early January.
Skills needed: As a member of the steering committee, it would be important to have a working knowledge of Google Docs or be willing to learn how to use Google Docs. Depending on your role, we would help you learn relevant parts of the online Vote411 system.
We have consistently welcomed new people to help with Vote411 and we invite your questions.
Please contact Sarajane Kennedy by phone at 414-453-3494 or email voterguide@lwvmilwaukee.org to answer your questions or arrange an in-person or Zoom meeting to talk further about opportunities to help create our LWVMC Vote411 online Voter Guides for the 2024 elections. |  |
Time For Action on Climate & Equity Plan
Join other Milwaukee County League members and support the City of Milwaukee as it begins the official process of approving the City’s implementation of the City-County Milwaukee Climate and Economic Equity Plan.
The Climate and Equity Plan supports Milwaukee's goals to:
Reduce community greenhouse gas emissions: 45% by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
Improve racial and economic equity by creating green jobs that pay at least $40,000 and are focused on recruiting local people of color.
The City will be considering the Plan at upcoming Committee meetings in mid-June. This is our chance to collectively move forward on addressing the climate crisis and economic inequities in our communities.
PLEASE:
Watch LWVMC Updates on, June 1, 8, & 15 for directions to contact your City Alderperson and ask them to support the City of Milwaukee Climate and Equity Plan
Attend one of these City of Milwaukee Committee Meetings!
- June 13, 9 a.m., City Hall Room 301-B, Zoning, Neighborhoods and Development Committee
- June 14, 9 a.m., Room 301- B, City Hall - Finance and Personnel Committee, where resident may provide individual testimony in support of the Plan
- June 20, 9 a.m. Common Council Meeting, possibly in the Common Council Chambers, no testimony allowed. Gather as LWVMC members and hold signs in support of the Plan
Read the Executive Summary of the Plan HERE.
|  |  | "Just Action" Book Release and Discussion with Richard and Leah Rothstein
Friday, June 2 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Milwaukee Public Library
Centennial Hall, 733 N. 8th Street
- FREE -
Attend the discussion about "Just Action" with authors Richard and Leah Rothstein and local historian, Reggie Jackson, who is also a researcher at the Redress Movement.
Racial segregation characterizes every metropolitan area in the U.S. and bears responsibility for our most serious social and economic problems. We've taken no serious steps to desegregate neighborhoods, however, because we are hobbled by a national myth that residential segregation is de facto-the result of private discrimination or personal choices that do not violate constitutional rights. Richard Rothstein’s highly acclaimed book, "The Color of Law: a forgotten history of how our government segregated America," demonstrates, however, that residential segregation was created by racially explicit and unconstitutional government policy.
"Just Action: How to Challenge Segregation Enacted Under the Color of Law" describes how we can begin to address this, providing dozens of strategies local groups can pursue to redress segregation in their own communities. By starting with achievable local victories, we can build a national movement that can remedy our unconstitutional racial landscape.
Richard Rothstein is author of "The Color of Law" as well as several other books and articles on educational policy and racial inequality. He is a Senior Fellow at the Thurgood Marshall Institute of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. Leah Rothstein's expertise in the full range of housing policy stems from more than two decades of experience as a consultant to affordable housing developers and local governments and as a community and union organizer.
| Villa Terrace Land Acknowledgement
June 3, 10 A.M. - 12 P.M
Villa Terrace Museum
2220 N. Terrace Avenue
Free - Register Here
The Villa Terrace Museum of Decorative Arts will celebrate the annual renewal of the Museum’s Renaissance Gardens for the summer by acknowledging the indigenous land in a ceremony led by representatives of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Electa Quinney Institute.
The Villa Terrace has partnered with the Institute to craft the land acknowledgment and to increase opportunities for Milwaukee’s indigenous community through the Museum.
Programming Director Andrea Bell-Myers spearheaded the partnership. Bell-Myers worked with leaders from the Institute — Director and Associate Professor of Anthropology Dr. Mark Freeland and Elder in Residence Mishiikenh “Vern” Altiman — to create the public land acknowledgement.
“When done well, a land acknowledgment represents a starting place of learning and engaging in new relationships. A good question that can come from this starting place is, ‘What does this relational to and understanding of land compel us to do?’” notes Dr. Freeland.
Garden of Healing (estimated times):
10:00am to 10:30 am Pre-Introduction Smudging ceremony before the event begins
10:35am Introduction and Opening
10:38am Opening - honoring land acknowledgement (3
10:50am A Native Honor song(s)
10:52am Keynote speaker Elder Vern in Residence from UW-Milwaukee
11:15am to 11:45am Connection and Sharing Circle |  | Boswell and Porchlight Book Company present...
A virtual event with Dorcas Cheng-Tozun, author of Social Justice for the Sensitive Soul: How to Change the World in Quiet Ways in Conversation with Sally Haldorson, Managing Director of Porchlight.
Jun 6, 2023 03:00 PM (Zoom)
Often social justice work is imagined to be raised voices and raised fists in the streets, slums, villages, inner cities, and halls of political power. But what does social justice work look like for those of us who don't feel comfortable battling in the trenches? Sensitive souls have much to contribute to bringing about a more just and equitable world. Cheng-Tozun expands the possibilities of how to have a positive social impact, affirming the particular gifts and talents that sensitive souls offer to a hurting world.
Publishers Weekly writes: "This practical, energizing entry will prove a handy resource for the withdrawn." And from Karen Walrond, author of The Lightmaker's Manifesto: "Activism can feel imperative but daunting, especially for those of us who are introverts or shy. Cheng-Tozun proposes a quieter, but no less impactful, approach: her gentle guidance urges us to get curious about finding our way to quiet activism, allowing us all to join in the march toward making the world a brighter place. A soulful book."
Dorcas Cheng-Tozun is a writer and leader whose work with various nonprofits, social enterprises, and faith-based organizations has given her the opportunity to engage with a broad range of social issues toward solutions in the areas of homelessness, affordable housing, energy access, youth leadership, HIV/AIDS, and international development.
Often social justice work is pictured as voices and fists raised in the streets. But what does social justice work look like for those of us who don't feel comfortable battling in the trenches? Sensitive souls have much to contribute to bringing about a more just and equitable world.
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Thank you!
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