 |  |  | LWVMC Receives $40,000 Grant from Greater Milwaukee Foundation to Advance Civic Engagement
LWVMC is proud to announce it has received a $40,000 grant from the Greater Milwaukee Foundation (GMF) in support of its ongoing nonpartisan civic engagement and voter education initiatives. This latest award brings GMF’s total investment in the League’s mission to approximately $150,000 since 2022.
The League’s relationship with the Greater Milwaukee Foundation began in 2022 with a grant application to fund activities such as the Future Voter Fest, organized by the League’s Comité por el Voto Latino Team to engage young and first-time voters. In 2023, GMF extended an unsolicited $30,000 grant to support the League’s general operations, followed by grants of $40,000 in 2024, $30,000 in 2025, and now $40,000 in 2026.
Ian Bautista, Senior Director of Civic Engagement at GMF, has served as the League’s main point of contact and championed the importance of community partnerships to strengthen democracy. "The Greater Milwaukee Foundation is honored to work with civic engagement partners like the League of Women Voters of Milwaukee County,” Bautista said. “LWV, like the Foundation, understands that democracy and meaningful public stewardship of public decision-making are the foundation upon which justice, equity, and economic mobility efforts are built. Their commitment and sense of community are assets to Milwaukee and to the State of Wisconsin."
The League is deeply grateful for GMF’s continued partnership and investment in civic engagement across the Milwaukee area. “This support helps us expand our reach and ensure that residents throughout Milwaukee County have the information and motivation they need to participate in every election,” said Peg Schrader, President of LWVMC. “Together, we are helping build a more informed and active electorate.
| | MEMBER ENGAGEMENT EVENT
SATURDAY, MAY 9
2-4 PM
New member orientation, existing member refresher | | LWVMC ANNUAL MEETING LUNCHEON
SATURDAY, JUNE 6
Details on this important - and fun - event coming soon! | | | Invite Your Friends to May 9th Member Gathering!
Why did you join the League? What activities do you most enjoy? Which volunteer opportunities do you find most rewarding? Share your enthusiasm for the LWV with your friends and family and invite them to learn more about everything we do. Come to the Member Engagement Gathering on May 9th, 2-4 pm at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Branch of the Milwaukee Public Library, 2901 N. MLK Drive. This is a great chance to meet new friends who share a passion for democracy! |  | The Third Annual Silent Auction will be held during the Annual Meeting on the afternoon of Saturday, June 6 and we are in need of your generous donations to help us reach our fundraising goal. Popular items include gift certificates to restaurants or for services like massages, mani-pedis, yoga and exercise classes, as well as tickets to sporting or entertainment events. Other services could be using your special talent to make someone a meal, quilt or knit a throw blanket, provide a photography session. Gift baskets are also popular and can be a joint effort for you and your friends to make. Ideas include baskets of books, liquor or wine, gardening, cooking, or your own creative theme. Also, you may have or know of a business that would have something to donate in support of the League’s work. The ideas are really endless, and donations can be big or small.
Please use the Donor Form 2026 to provide the details of your donation and to select a drop-off site. If you have any questions, please email Lorna Grade at l.grade@lwvmilwaukee.org. |  | Public Dollars, Public Good: Defending LGBTQ+ Families at the Supreme Court
A new case before the Supreme Court could have sweeping consequences for LGBTQ+ families across the country. The Court has agreed to hear a challenge involving Catholic preschools in Colorado that were excluded from a state-funded universal preschool program because they would not agree to follow nondiscrimination rules protecting LGBTQ+ families.
At its core, this case asks a critical question: Can organizations that receive taxpayer funding choose to exclude families based on sexual orientation or gender identity? Colorado says no. If you take public dollars, you must serve the public equally. The preschools argue that being required to accept LGBTQ+ families violates their religious freedom.
Nondiscrimination laws exist to ensure that every child and every family is treated with dignity. LGBTQ+ parents deserve the same access to early childhood education as any other family. When taxpayer-funded programs allow exclusion, they effectively tell some families they are less worthy of public support.
The stakes are especially high given the current direction of the Court. In recent years, the Supreme Court has increasingly sided with religious plaintiffs in cases that intersect with LGBTQ+ rights, raising concerns about whether hard-won protections could be weakened. This case could further redefine the balance between religious liberty and civil rights, potentially allowing publicly funded entities to opt out of nondiscrimination protections.
Equal access to education, public programs, and civic life is foundational to a healthy democracy. Allowing discrimination under the banner of public funding undermines that foundation. As this case moves forward, we encourage our members and the broader Milwaukee community to stay informed, engaged, and vocal.
Because equality is not optional, it is essential.
| To stay informed about legislation affecting the LGBTQ+ community and track advocacy efforts, visit Fair Wisconsin’s Bills to Watch page:
fairwisconsin.com/bills-to-watch
To identify and contact your state legislators and relevant committee members, use MyVote Wisconsin: myvote.wi.gov
Speaking up matters.
LGBTQ+ ... All Letters Matter! |  |
CELEBRATE
FREE! Rock the Green! Saturday April 25, Noon to 3pm at the Harley Davidson Museum, 400 W Canal St, Milwaukee. Join the celebration for a sustainable Metro-Milwaukee. More at Rock The Green.
REPORTS
- How much of your monthly power bill goes directly toward corporate profits? Check this easy-to-use electric bill calculator for an estimate.
- Tracking and mapping tool for data centers that includes money, legislative, lobbyist, projects, and cancelled projects.
- Bill McKibben on Trump’s Climate Rollbacks: “This Is Economic Self-Sabotage” - A sober 18 minute MUST WATCH that illuminates an array of negative effects due to the climate rollbacks.
ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE IN MILWAUKEE COUNTY
April 1 - Milwaukee County Board affirms climate commitments despite federal roll backs.
|  | Shadow a presentation as training to be a speaker
The Speakers Bureau is doing two presentations in May that offer an opportunity to shadow the speaker as training to do the presentation yourself as a member of the LWVMC Speakers Bureau. The presentations are on May 4 and May 21, both from 1:00- 2:30 PM. The content of the presentations is all about voting. It will begin by engaging the participants in a discussion about why voting is important. Then the presentation will cover the voter registration process and the voting process. We will provide materials on the League, about the importance of voting, and the voting process. If you are interested, please contact Heather Godley at SpeakersBureau@lwvmilwaukee.org.
We will also have League members at the event to help register voters. If you are trained to help citizens register to vote, please see the Volunteer Opportunity on the League’s website and sign up. Then you can do both. |  | | Brookfield Resist “End The War Now” Protest
April 25, 10:30-Noon Street Demonstration
The Illegal war in Iran is far from over. The reasons given for this war keep changing and there are regular claims of total victory. All this despite the fact there’s been no regime change, many innocent lives taken, the economy of the world worsening, and no positive benefit for the people of Iran.
Join us on the street to let passersby know that we reject this war. Register here for more information: | Prepare for May Day…or Other Protests
Poster-Making Party
Saturday, April 25, 10:00-Noon
Bay View Library | 2566 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.
Join us for a creative and community-centered poster-making party in preparation for May Day! Together, we’ll design bold, meaningful posters highlighting workers’ rights, solidarity, and the vital contributions of immigrants in our communities, recognizing that immigrant workers help build, sustain, and enrich our society in countless ways. All are welcome to join this relaxed, creative gathering with art supplies provided. Bring your ideas, your voice, and your vision as we create powerful messages like “Workers’ Rights = Immigrant Rights” and “We All Belong” to share at the upcoming May Day rally and march. SIGNUP HERE |  | 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 | | May Day Strong
May 1, 2026
No School. No Work. No Shopping
Please note that in addition to the May Day rally, march and speakers, May 1, 2026 is being organized as a day to demonstrate our economic power. Workers, students, and families are called to take action across the country to demand a nation that puts workers over billionaires, with many refusing business as usual through No School. No Work. No Shopping. Learn more HERE.
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As we approach the month of May with its celebration of Mother’s Day, does the memory of your mother, grandmother, and other women who were close to you start taking space in your life? A memorial gift to the League of Women Voters of Milwaukee County is a meaningful way to honor the memory of your mom, or a sister, or a special friend who is no longer with us. These gifts strengthen our mission, which allows the legacy of the person you honor to live on through positive impact in our community. Consider a gift to the League in memory of someone who was important in your life. Make a memorial donation to the League of Women Voters here.
|  |  | RETHINKING CITIZENSHIP IN MILWAUKEE
April 29, 2026 from 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM
Location: Marquette University Alumni Memorial Union, Room 157
MKE Roots and Marquette University Civic Dialogues are co-hosting a panel discussion about rethinking citizenship in our city. The event is free and open to the public. No registration required.
Join the discussion that will bring together representatives from local civic-minded organizations to discuss the historical and modern definition of citizenship and what roles community members can and should play in upholding our democracy in Milwaukee. The League is honored to have Eloisa Gomez as one of the panelists. |  | Women’s Fund Monthly Laundry Night, April 27, 6-8 pm
IL Bosco Eco Boutique, 225 S. 2nd St., Walkers Point
The patriarchy continues to shape our world in complex and challenging ways; however, meaningful conversations have the power to ignite change. Join us for an evening of authentic conversations and meaningful connections. Topics vary and casually unfold into practical insights and strategies to drive progress. You leave feeling refreshed, inspired, and connected in a community of change-makers. | So Many 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. | |