Leader’s Letters: Building a League Legacy
Martha Goralka, LWVDV Co-President
The League of Women Voters is made up of people reflecting every religious community. For some of us this is a time of deep thoughtfulness. This is one of my latest reflections.
Our LWVDV membership chair — before Ashley Coates so ably stepped up as chair — was Audrey Albrecht. In addition to working with our League members, Audrey was also devoted to affordable housing, attending meetings, and advocating for affordability. In addition, she came all the way out to Brentwood to table for the League when the Health Care for All film, “The Time is Now,” was shown at the Brentwood Community Center. Audrey was a dedicated office volunteer; so you can imagine my shock when she gave me her key to the League office at what turned out to be her last board meeting. I am a perpetual denier, so I could not believe she would not be needing her key. I didn’t know then that her cancer was back, and this time it was winning. Audrey gave freely of herself and I’m proud to have known her. She did fight the good fight on every level of her life. Her legacy lives on in all of us as we continue to Make Democracy Work by every means imaginable.
Our Diablo Valley League is working on curriculum for our high schools; the League will be speaking to low income housing groups; Shawn Gilbert has already presented our League history to DVC students during March Women’s History Month; we’re gearing up for our 2020 Election Season; we’re helping with the DVC student elections this month; we’ve already held our observer training meeting; we’ve selected our State League issues and are working on the selection of our Local League’s priority issues. . . . and so much more. Audrey’s League legacy is there for all to see. It is exemplary. She died June 30, 2018. What will your legacy and my legacy be as we complete our League journey? Your decision and mine is today and every day. I hope our daughters, granddaughters and great-granddaughters in the next 100 years benefit from the legacy we’re building right now.
Suzan Requa, LWVDV Co-President
We have now come face to face with the results of policy advocacy based on false promises:
“The wealthy, with lower taxes, will create more middle class jobs. All working families with those jobs will have quality health care and retirement without government subsidies. Current jobs are disappearing for some Americans totally because of too much governmental and environmental regulation. Cut all regulations and those jobs will return.”
There is not enough corporate nor individual profit in making democracy work nor for providing community service for all. All businesses and individuals make use of government investment, government subsidy, and government regulations.
Those of us of LWVDV are still believers in democracy for all and diversity in leadership. We want to return to rebuilding a healthy government safety net of services. We have constructive and timely work to do.
Building grass roots expertise, communication skills, advocacy, and networking are key to changing this dynamic of the destruction of our democracy and the refusal to fund historical government services, government regulation, and government investment.
What is your personal focus of concern? Is it affordable housing/homelessness? ACA or Healthcare as essential (including with pre-existing conditions)? Separation of immigrant children from their families? Gun safety and violence prevention? Campaign finance? Voting Rights and/or Gerrymandering? Voting District Creation? Election security? Climate Change?
We have a need for volunteers with communication skills in all computer and social media forms and in public speaking.
Work with us to build the POLITICAL WILL to generate community solutions at our local city councils and state legislature through partnership of LWVDV and your known non-profit, non-partisan allies.
Donate to us for local community issues education and/or to the LWV nationally to support the legal battles for a return to voting rights act and an end to gerrymandering, among other fundamental democratic principles.
