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The League was ¡Presente! November 20th
It was quite a celebration with Governor Tony Evers, Common Council President Jose Perez and Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) officials, decorations and refreshments at MATC Walker Square 816 W. National Ave. Twenty new citizens (former citizenship students) were given recognition certificates. The LWV CVL/LVO had a central role with registration table (Maria Avila and Barbara Medina), resource table (Esperanza Guitierrez), Mock Voting Machine from the Milwaukee Election Commission (Diane Steigerwald), and photo ops with picture frames. There were eight new voter registrations, four more looking up their polling place. About 20 people did the mock election and about 40 people discussed and were given voting and election information. Thank you to our volunteers for the voter registrations (some very tricky), and engagement, answering voting questions, and outreach! We were quite a team and were a centerpiece of the Citizenship Recognition and Celebration Ceremony.
News Report on Celebration |
Money Matters
Fund Development Committee starting!
Wednesday, December 13th at 2:00 p.m via Zoom.
Your time and talent as member volunteers are essential to carrying out LWVMC’s mission. The third ingredient is having the financial resources to accomplish mission centered work. Increasing revenue can translate directly into having a greater impact.
LWVMC is starting a Fund Development Committee to do just that! Will you consider joining the Committee? We can increase the impact of our work by increasing our capacity to take actions that have a cost.
The zoom link is here.
Contact Mary Voelker at m.voelker@lwvmilwaukee.org to see the meeting agenda.
Not sure you want to commit? Come to the meeting and check it out! Please contact Mary Voelker with your questions. We would love to have you be a part of this!!
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Year-end gift to LWVMC
Thank you for your generosity throughout the year giving your time, talent, and treasure as a volunteer and member of LWVMC. Recently you received a letter from our president, Nancy Maloney. Her letter is persuasive about why supporting LWVMC is important and asks you to consider a year-end gift to the League of Women Voters of Milwaukee County. Nancy’s letter includes a brochure about Legacy giving which reminds us that there is another way to give beyond writing a check or donating with a credit card.
Here are gifting options available:
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A check made payable to “LWVMC” mailed to 6737 West Washington Street, Suite 2218, West Allis, WI 53214 (there is an envelope included with Nancy’s letter).
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A credit card payment. Visit www.lwvmilwaukee.org/donate
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A qualified charitable distribution (QCD) from your IRA. This can be used to offset your IRA Required Minimum Distribution (RMD). Consult with your tax and/or financial advisor. Direct your IRA custodian to make the check payable to “LWVMC.” It is important to make LWV-Milwaukee County the recipient.
Does your employer have a matching gift program? A matching gift doubles your donation to the LWVMC. Check it out!!
Gifts can be made in the name of another person as a memorial gift or a gift in honor of a special person in your life.
A LWVMC member will be calling you to make sure you have received Nancy’s letter. As you plan your end-of-year giving, thank you for including LWVMC as a recipient of your charitable contributions! |
The League Needs Hands-On Help!
LWVMC is a volunteer-powered organization, with lots of opportunities to engage in vital mission-focused work. Many of these jobs, such as newsletter editing or VOTE411 data management tasks, can be done from home on your own schedule. Others, such as voter registration events at high schools or at naturalization ceremonies, require in-person attendance -- but are so rewarding!
Please visit the Volunteer page of our website to see current opportunities. Visit the Our Work page to learn more about League activities you may want to be a part of. Some of the volunteer gigs are for members only. If you have questions, please contact Mary Ellen Spicuzza at me.spicuzza@lwvmilwaukee.org. |  | |
Empower voters! Defend democracy!
Merriam-Webster defines democracy as government by the people. We participate by voting for elected officials. Why don’t more people vote? Reasons from an NPR (National Public Radio) survey after the 2020 general election include not being registered, feeling their vote wouldn’t have made a difference and being undecided on whom to vote for.
We educate voters about the candidates running for office with VOTE411.org. We ask candidates where they stand on issues facing your community. You can help by identifying issues in your community and sharing them with the Vote411 Team at voterguide@lwvmilwaukee.org.
You can also help by spreading the word about VOTE411.org. It is very underutilized! Watch these weekly Updates for ideas about other ways you can help!
| LEAGUE CAFE
Friday, December 15th at 10 am (note date correction!)
Community Room, East Branch of the Milwaukee Public Library (East · MPL)
Our December League Cafe meeting is a book club meeting.
Usual Cruelty: The Complicity of Lawyers in the Criminal Injustice System
by Alec Karakatsanis
From an award-winning civil rights lawyer, a profound challenge to our society's normalization of the caging of human beings, and the role of the legal profession in perpetuating it. Alec Karakatsanis is interested in what we choose to punish. It is a crime in most of America for poor people to wager in the streets over dice; while it's perfectly fine, by contrast, for people to wager over international currencies, mortgages, or the global supply of wheat.
If you purchase this book at Boswell Books, online or at their store (Boswell Book Company, www.boswellbooks.com, 2559 N Downer Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53211) mention you are a Member of the League Cafe Book Club for a 10% discount.
Please do not hesitate to come even if you have not had a chance to read the book or finish reading it! All are welcome!
|  | View Abortion Facts Forum Recording
Among the facts presented at the Nov. 13 public forum on abortion, the facts about fetal development, which contrasted sharply from images seen on anti-abortion billboards, were a surprise to many attendees. The forum, titled "Fact or Fiction: Dispelling Abortion Care Myths" featured experts on the medical and legal aspects of reproductive health care. The event was presented by the LWVMC Reproductive Rights Committee, co-chaired by Charlie Gaebler-Uhing, M.D., and board member Betsey Caron. Explore the topic further on our resource page and view the recording here (note: sound quality improves about 2 minutes in). | | LWVWI’s Ballot Bulletin series highlights measures that ensure our elections are fair, accessible, and secure. They are SO informative! Read about all past Ballot Bulletin issues HERE |
Wisconsin Justice Initiative Hosts a Salon with Chris Donahoe of Law Forward
Friday, Dec. 8 at Noon- Riverfront Pizzeria, 509 E. Erie St., Milwaukee
Wisconsin Justice Initiative is hosting a Salon featuring Attorney Chris Donahoe of Law Forward, who will discuss several major-impact cases the nonprofit law firm is litigating, including challenges to redistricting and the 2023 constitutional amendments on bail and pretrial release.
Register Here. Lunch is available for purchase. |
Amazing Faith Lunch Dialogue
Wednesday, Dec. 27 at 12 p.m.
Prince of Peace Lutheran, 4419 S. Howell Avenue, Milwaukee
People of all faiths and no faith, all spiritualities and theologies gather in small groups to share a meal and participate in a moderated discussion using a proven model, evoking deep exchanges about lived experiences and the role of faith and/or spirituality in their lives. Through exploration and dialogue, participants learn about the beliefs and traditions of others within an atmosphere of respect and understanding, and are empowered to stand as witnesses for tolerance and inclusion. Hosted by Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee.
| Support Democracy. Support your League.
Your support is critical to help our nonpartisan grassroots organization reach voters play a critical role in democracy. It would not be possible to empower voters and defend democracy without your support.
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