Data, Dollars, & Our Health: A Community Earth Month Forum with Tom Content, Executive Director, Citizens Utility Board; Jodi Habush-Sinykin, WI State Senator, District 8; Anne O’Connor, Milwaukee County Supervisor, District 1.
|  |  | | No Kings III
March 28, 2026
Washington Park
12-1 Community Fair
1-1:30 Rally | 1:30 March
Visit the League action space, path at south perimeter of the Bandshell area. See map for more info. No Kings website, map
Get ready to show up and make your voice heard! Let’s defend democracy and demonstrate our commitment to the Constitution through one of the rights it accords us–peaceful protest.
Please help us spread the word about the League of Women Voters long history of “empowering voters and defending democracy” by coming to our branded photo opportunity and sharing those images on social media including the QR code to the Weekly Update sign-up.
At the same time, complete our postcards to Senator Ron Johnson asking him to support our Constitutional rights; the Milwaukee Common Council thanking them for their resolutions on ICE activity and to Mayor Johnson asking him to support the resolutions.
For those of you who would prefer another location, there are many rallies in Milwaukee and Waukesha County. Find one near you at this website: Nokings.org.
* Parking will be limited. Plan to arrive early, car pool, or take the bus. OR Grassroots North Shore has welcomed League members to utilize their bus. Here is their message: “Grassroots North Shore is organizing buses to take us to and from the site. The staging location for the buses is the Park and Ride Lot at the intersection of Port Washington and Silver Spring Dr — across from the Bay Shore Mall. Here's a link to the map for the lot. We're asking people who want transportation to sign up for the NO KINGS event so we can gauge the number of people who want to take the bus and then to donate $10 to defray the cost of rental.”
Over 10,000 people are expected at this venue but there are other venues to choose from throughout Milwaukee and Waukesha counties. You can find all the opportunities at Nokings.org. |  | The April Election is Just Around the Corner! | Wisconsin Voter Registration Deadlines
It's now too late to register by mail or online prior to the April 7 election, but you may still register in person up until the Friday before Election Day at Early Voting sites and on Election Day at your voting site. | Early In-Person Voting began on March 24
For City of Milwaukee Residents, here are flyers with information about Early Voting and Drop Box Locations. | If you do not live in the city of Milwaukee, check your municipality website
for locations of Early in-person voting and drop box locations (if available). | | Visit MyVote.WI.gov now to get this information about the April election:
- View a sample ballot
- Your polling location
- Update your address if you've moved
| | | | As Wisconsin voters prepare for the April 7 election, the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin hosted a timely webinar to help the public better understand how to evaluate candidates running for the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Evaluating Supreme Court Candidates: What Every Citizen Should Know is designed to equip voters with the knowledge they need to assess judicial candidates.
Watch the webinar | More information | Why the April 7th Supreme Court Election is Key for Reproductive Rights |  | | The upcoming Wisconsin Supreme Court election will play an important role in shaping the future of reproductive rights in the state. The court may be asked to decide cases involving existing abortion laws, including how older statues are interpreted and whether the newer legal challenges are upheld.
A key issue in the last election was Wisconsin's 1849 abortion ban, which some argued could have been interpreted in a way that immediately restricted access statewide. If that had happened, it would have significantly limited available services and created confusion for patients and providers.
The majority of Wisconsin voters believe individuals should be able to make private medical decisions without government interference. Because the Wisconsin Supreme Court can have the final say on these issues at the state level, the outcome of this election may influence how reproductive rights, personal freedom, and healthcare access are defined and applied for years to come.
Remember for the upcoming April 7th election, every vote matters and it is critical to vote your values to ensure every voice is heard. |  | | The Reproductive Rights Team invites you to an upcoming book talk and conversation about Black feminist resistance and reproductive justice with two fantastic scholars.
Friday, April 17, 11am to 1pm
Kuumba Juice + Coffee, 274 E Keefe Ave, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212
While calling this a “book talk,” and the conversation will stem from Dr. Falu’s book Unseen Flesh: Gynecology and Black Queer Worth-Making in Brazil and Dr. McCormick’s book We Are Pregnant with Freedom: Black Feminist Storytelling for Reproductive Justice, it is absolutely not required that folks read the books in order to attend or partake fully.
This event is sponsored by UWM Center for 21st Century Studies’ Reproductive Justice Working Group to create a space where researchers at UWM and reproductive justice community advocates in Milwaukee can work together to address systemic injustices disproportionately affecting Black, Latinx, and other women and trans people of color.
This event is free and open to the public. RSVP to Eventbrite so that we can keep tabs on expected head count. Contact Gail at g.sklodowska@lwvmilwaukee.org for more information. | |
The ReproWarriors are gearing up for Community Outreach this spring--fall at festivals, farmers markets, etc. Want to participate in these fun, joyous, family-friendly events which serve to Get Out the Vote and educate the public?
Contact April Hartman to be included on the email distribution list. You can sign up to volunteer for shifts when you are available - typically weekends. | | | |
We need your help to build the “Garland of Choice” to surround the state capitol with thousands of colorful ribbons and constituent messages to bring this issue to the attention of our representatives. The elimination of government interference in our choices and affordable access to contraception, IVF, and abortion healthcare still matter! | A Shout-Out to Voter Registration/Education in LIBRARIES!
Mitchell Street Library this week: A grade school student wanted to keep on spinning the wheel until he could answer all the questions. Diane (Stiegerwald) obliged and he missed only one question. Diane gave him a copy of the Constitution, and Diane and Esperanza (Gutierrez) said they'd ask him questions about it the next time they're at Mitchell Street. Esperanza encouraged him to study hard. He said he will study it and remind us to test him on it.
That's what it's all about, friends! See photos below. (Diane S. in white teeshirt) | Save-the-Date:
LWVMC Annual Meeting Luncheon Saturday, June 6
Details on this important -- and fun -- event coming soon! | | We are gearing up for the Third Annual Silent Auction to be held at this year’s Annual Meeting on June 6, and are looking for a few people to join our auction team. Your involvement can include all or just one of the following activities:
- Solicit donations.
- Offer your home as a drop off location for donated items and bring them to the meeting site.
- Work at the auction: Set up the donated items, gather the auction bid sheets and notify the winners, collect payments and distribute the items.
- Send thank you notes to donors.
If you have limited time but want to contribute to the League, this is a great opportunity for you. Your participation will be invaluable in helping us reach our fundraising goal with all proceeds going to support the League’s work empowering voters and defending democracy! Please contact Lorna Grade at l.grade@lwvmilwaukee.org |  |
LGBTQ+
Global Stand for Inclusion: UN Rejects Narrow Definition of Gender
The United Nations recently delivered a decisive message on the global stage, overwhelmingly rejecting a U.S. proposal that sought to define “gender” strictly as male and female. This proposal, introduced at the Commission on the Status of Women, was widely criticized for attempting to narrow long-standing international understandings of gender and exclude the lived realities of LGBTQ+ people. In the final tally, only a small number of countries supported the U.S., while many others either opposed or declined to advance the measure, signaling broad international resistance.
Advocates and human rights organizations viewed the outcome as a powerful affirmation of inclusive, evolving definitions of gender rooted in dignity and equality. The vote reflects a growing global consensus that gender cannot be reduced to a rigid binary, especially in policies that impact human rights, healthcare, and legal protections. It also underscores concerns about attempts to roll back progress on gender equity and LGBTQ+ inclusion through international policy channels.
As debates around gender, identity, and equality continue both internationally and here in the U.S., civic participation and advocacy remain critical. The UN’s decision serves as a reminder that progress is not guaranteed, but collective action can help safeguard and advance inclusive values. |
To stay informed about legislation affecting the LGBTQ+ community and track advocacy efforts, visit Fair Wisconsin’s Bills to Watch page:
https://fairwisconsin.com/bills-to-watch
To identify and contact your state legislators and relevant committee members, use MyVote Wisconsin: https://myvote.wi.gov
Speaking up matters.
LGBTQ+ ... All Letters Matter!
|  | | FUTURE LOCAL CLIMATE EVENTS
April 11, 10:15-12:30am - League event: Data, Dollars, & Our Health: A Community Earth Month Forum - See Flyer at the top of this Update. Register at https://lwvmilwaukee.org/
April 8, 8:15 a.m. light breakfast, 9-10:15 Program- Data Centers and the Energy-Water Nexus. Prof. David Strifling, Director, Water Law and Policy Initiative Marquette U., and Art Harrington, Adjunct Prof of Law and of counsel at Godfrey & Kahn, S.C., will co-moderate a conversation with:
-
Tom Content, Executive Director, Citizens Utility Board of Wisconsin
-
Cheryl Nenn, Riverkeeper, Milwaukee Riverkeeper
-
Kate Phillips, Senior Corporate Counsel, WEC Energy Group
Registration: https://mailchi.mp/marquette/tpeqsw0tsf-10343699?e=e78274f3b5
Apr. 8, 6p.m. City of Milwaukee ECO Office Public Input Opportunity
Share your thoughts about moving forward with electric vehicle (EV) charging stations: public meeting 6pm, April 8th at the Washington Park Urban Ecology Center or use the link below. Help cut pollution, fight climate change, create good-paying local jobs, and increase access to clean, affordable transportation.
ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE IN MILWAUKEE COUNTY
Nov. 22, 2025 - LWVMC program, Addressing Climate Change in Milwaukee County - Find Video and Slides of this informative event HERE. Spread word of this still-relevant information with others. |  |
Milwaukee’s Food Apartheid
“Food apartheid” is defined as intentional, systemic and racialized inequality in access to food. Earlier this year, the City and County of Milwaukee formally designated food apartheid in Milwaukee as a public health emergency. What has caused it and who is primarily impacted?
Milwaukee’s north side is segregated as a result of historical policies like redlining and freeway expansion which isolated minority communities and concentrated poverty. Large grocery chains often abandon low-income neighborhoods or refuse to build there, citing lower profitability, crime, and thin profit margins. Between 2021-2026, nine major supermarkets closed their doors on Milwaukee’s north side, many giving only a few days’ notice. Only one major grocery retailer remains on the north side. The absence of nearby supermarkets can lead to a higher use of corner stores that are within walking distance, but offer higher-priced, processed food with little or no fresh produce. A Milwaukee Journal Sentinel survey in 2025 found that prices for kitchen staples at these stores is 50% higher than supermarkets. Many residents lack vehicles and rely on limited public transportation, restricting access to distant, full-service grocery stores. Cuts to FoodShare/SNAP funding have worsened the crisis.
Next week, we will share more about the local and state government response to this public health emergency. | Medicaid Task Force Action Call
Ask your Senators to join the growing list of co-sponsors on the School Hunger Elimination Act and the Nutrition Red Tape Reduction Act. The School Hunger Elimination Act (S.4525) increases federal funding for community eligibility schools, creates a statewide community eligibility option, improves direct certification, and provides retroactive reimbursement for meals served to children who are certified for free or reduced price meals later in the school year.
Join the Wisconsin Healthy School Meals For All! Coalition
|  | So Many Events, So Many People Registered and Informed
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OUR TEAMS. For the last 4 weeks they have been in full gear holding close to 70 separate events. Our teams were active in the following areas: high schools, libraries, correctional facilities, naturalization ceremonies, Colleges and Universities, South side with Comite por el voto Latino and community events all around town. Thanks to the dozens of volunteers as they stepped up to participate in the great democratic act of educating the community about the coming elections.
Two more pictures representing some our work below |  | | Lilly Owley at her first voter registration event - happily educating fellow UWM students
|  | Maria Avila (L) and Barbara Medina (R) with Pamela Johnson (center), Zablocki's temporary branch manager | | |
| A VARIETY OF OPPORTUNITIES FOLLOW | VOLUNTEERS NEEDED URGENTLY FOR VOTER OUTREACH EVENTS
To the Voter Service Community Outreach Volunteer Team: Thank you for your work. As we move into this busy election year there are growing volunteer opportunities waiting for you (Sherman Park-Black Family Wellness Expo-Owens Place-Rock the Green). Please click here to sign up to provide voter education tabling and voter registration if knowledgeable/trained. Your time and presence is needed. |  | | THERE IS STILL TIME TO HELP INCREASE CANDIDATE PARTICIPATION
Go to VOTE411.org
Search for your personal ballot by entering your address and clicking on “Submit.”
Did your Spring candidates respond to the League questions on VOTE411? If your local candidates have not answered the League’s questions, you can contact them and tell them you want to learn about where they stand on issues in our community.
Here is a sample script you can use in a phone call, a text, or an email to the candidates:
1. If your candidate(s) has answered our questions, thank them!
Thank you for responding to VOTE411’s Voter Guide so that voters can be informed before casting their vote!
2. If your candidate(s) has NOT answered our questions, call on them to do so! Send them an email such as this:
As voters, we want to hear where our candidates stand on the issues. That’s why I am calling on you to respond to VOTE411’s Voter Guide so we can be informed before casting our ballot! If you haven’t received our invitation, check your SPAM folder before contacting Sue Leister at voterguide@lwvmilwaukee.org to request she resend the invitation. | | The Observer Corp is still in need of volunteers. These commitments are only about 1 hour of time per month, and most can be done from home.
NEEDS:
· Common Council Committee Meetings (watch recording from home)
· Transportation & Transit Committee Meetings (watch recording from home)
· Intergovernmental Cooperation Council (need a volunteer to attend in person)
If you can help please contact Robyn Furger, r.furger@lwvmilwaukee.org | | | Our Speakers Bureau in the Community |  | | New Berlin Public Library and League of Women Voters Partnership
On March 20, the New Berlin Public Library and the League of Women Voters of Milwaukee County partnered to present a free screening of the new documentary “The Inquisitor,” which explores the life and legacy of Barbara Jordan, the trailblazing Black congresswoman and champion of constitutional democracy. Jordan, who became the first Black woman elected to Congress from the Deep South, rose from Houston’s segregated Fifth Ward to become one of the most powerful voices in American political life.
Following the film, LWVMC President Peg Schrader facilitated a lively discussion with attendees, reflecting on Jordan’s words, the barriers she faced as a Black woman in public office, and the ongoing challenges to full participation in our democracy. This program is part of a Women’s History Month series highlighting women whose leadership and courage continue to inspire our work for voting rights and civic engagement.
Again, HOORAY FOR LIBRARIES!
Pictured, from L to R: Ruth Shank, Peg Schrader, Tiffany Kelly - New Berlin Public Library Adult Svcs. Mgr., Karen Nelson, and Mary Voelker. The four League members are all board members. |  | | | Yes! Protest Rallies are Ongoing!
Why do protests matter?
Visible resistance is essential so the government and its supporters see the number of citizens who don’t agree with their actions. Nonviolent visible protest activity encourages those sitting on the sidelines to join in.
Here is the link to the listing of ongoing weekly protests: Protest Rallies |  | The March 17th Interfaith Conference presentation in the “Faith and Civic Life: Raising Our Moral Voice” lecture series was given by Rev. Kerri Parker, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Council of Churches (WCC). The WCC includes 23 different Christian church groups connecting 2,000 congregations, and extending to other organizations because “We Don’t Go Alone: Ecumenical Witness,” the title of her talk.
She focused on work the WCC’s Advocacy Ministry does in lobbying for Wisconsin legislation related to positions they take on issues like nonviolence and human dignity, with their current efforts focused on immigration. She explained their model of: (1) Education on the issues and how to lobby. (2) “Courage is contagious” by lobbying in large groups and speaking with moral authority. (3) Encouraging legislators who may agree with their positions but feel pressured by party positions. (4) Pastoral commitment to offering spiritual and emotional support to those providing personal testimony. (5) Ecumenical witness is multivocal, not demanding unanimity but unity.
|  | |
Tell Legislators What We Want!
at No Kings, Washington Park
March 28, 11:30-1:00
The Unite & Rise team will be walking throughout the crowd at No Kings III asking people to complete postcards telling our legislators what we want and…don’t want. Then we’ll present them with ceremony at the legislators’ offices.
We need people to help. You’ll be done in time to listen to the speeches and to march. Contact Donna Spars at d.spars@lwvmilwaukee.org. | | Do You Have a Donor Advised Fund?
If you are considering changes to your charitable giving and you don’t have a donor advised fund, ask your financial advisor if this might be the right time for you to set up a donor advised fund (DAF). They can be set up for you by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, by the Waukesha Community Foundation, and by many brokerage firms. | | | | League Cafe will meet at 10:00 am on Friday, March 27th at the East branch library, 2320 N Cramer St, for general discussion of current issues. This is a good opportunity to connect with other League members, and we always have plenty to discuss.
Our next book discussion - on April 24th, is “James” by Percival Everett. (Also 10:00 am at the East branch library.) Please join us! |  | Equal Pay Day is March 26
From our friends at AAUW (American Association of University Women):
Equal Pay Day is a symbolic marker that illustrates the gender pay gap and the reality that women, on average, are still paid less than men. This year, Equal Pay Day is on March 26. It’s a stark reminder that pay inequity is still shaping women’s lives, families, and futures.
Women working full time in the U.S. are paid 81% of what men earn. AAUW’s research shows that a gap exists at all levels of work in almost every occupation. There is a gender pay gap in every state. It cuts across all age groups and demographics, widening significantly for women of color. The gap greets a woman as soon as she gets out of college and grows wider throughout her lifetime.
Read AAUW's "Not So Simple Truth About the Gender Pay Gap" here. |  | | Now is the Time…to become part of a community of white women who…
· are determined to do something about racism in our country,
· don’t want to do this work alone,
· won’t sit back at this pivotal moment of our country’s history and do nothing,
· see a need to transform their thoughts and attitudes toward racism and to act to dismantle the racism in our society.
Our journey begins in June, 2026. Please click here to learn more about the program and to find a group.
Several members of LWVMC have participated and can be contacted as references for this amazing opportunity.
· Mary Sussman m.sussman@lwvmilwaukee.org
· Mary Ellen Spicuzza me.spicuzza@lwvmilwaukee.org
· Gail Sklodowska g.sklodowska@lwvmilwaukee.org | Lots of Ways to Support Local Democracy and Your League. Thank You! | Is Your Member Profile Up-to-Date?
The Member Portal of our website has resources (including a member directory) just for members. Please login to the website, click Member Resources in the top menu, go to your Member Profile and complete/update your Additional Member Data and Interests (found under Website Functions). Contact roster@lwvmilwaukee.org with questions. Thank you! | Follow us on Social Media! | You have received this message from the mailing list of League of Women Voters of Milwaukee County. If you would prefer not to receive these emails in the future, go to the opt-out page and modify your privacy settings. You can also request to be removed from our database completely. | |