Happy International Women's Day

Happy International Women's Day

Happy International Women's Day
Type: 
News

March has been off to a busy start! 

Last week the U.S. House passed the For the People Act (HR1) and the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021. Additionally, the Biden administration signed an executive order expanding access to voting on the anniversary of Bloody Sunday. It renews our hope in the promise of a more just America to see our nation’s leaders’ commitment to democracy and social justice reform.

While there is support and commitment to democracy reform at the federal level, we continue to witness egregious attacks on voting rights at the state level throughout the country. State legislators are responding to our nation’s historic 2020 election season by proposing bills that disproportionately limit access to voting for Black and brown voters, students, and those with disabilities. Therefore, the push for the Senate to pass S1, the Senate bill of the For the People Act, is critical as we continue to combat these bad bills. The Senate is expected to introduce S1 sometime next week, with a vote expected in late summer. 

Setting standards for redistricting is a major component of the For the People Act, which is why it is important that we have public participation from members of all communities in the upcoming redistricting process. On April 29, we will be hosting our People Powered Day of Action! We are urging every League to participate. This day of action will be a great way to engage more people in the 2021 redistricting cycle and promote community awareness of how redistricting works and how gerrymandering harms communities. Sign up your League up today.

I cannot sign off without giving a shout out to Women’s History Month. This is a great time to recognize the day-to-day work, commitment, and struggle of women in our communities as they fight for equity and justice. It is a great time to reflect on the great contributions of the women who came before us and those who are leading the way today. It is also a great time for our country to make history by adding the ERA to our Constitution. Read our recent blog about the ERA, Make Women’s History: Add the ERA to the Constitution.

Finally, we approach the one-year anniversary of a global pandemic and a national public health crisis, I encourage you all to take a moment for self-care. The work we do is critical, but it is important that we also take care of ourselves. Continue to wear your masks and stay safe!  

In League, 

Deborah
CAMPAIGN FOR MAKING DEMOCRACY WORK®


Training: Best Practices for Your People Powered Day of Action Event

Register to join LWVUS staff on March 18 at 4:30pm ET as we review some tips and best practices to maximize impact and visibility for your April 29 People Powered Day of Action event! We are encouraging all Leagues to plan engaging and educational events focused on our fight for fair maps. This training is open to all League members and will include ways to leverage traditional, digital, and social media; considerations for outreach, and tips for creating a follow up plan with attendees. You can check out our existing People Powered Day of Action resources to jumpstart your planning efforts and register your April 29 Day of Action event with us by 10pm on March 15 for a chance to win $500 for your League! Reach out to the redistricting lead in your state if you want to coordinate state and local events. Contact organizing [at] lwv.org if you have any questions.

Sign up for VOTE411 in 2021

Does your community have elections during the 2021 election cycle? Are you ready to provide voters in your area with the important, non-partisan candidate information they need to successfully cast their ballot? If so, join with your colleagues across the country and sign up for the VOTE411.orgvoters’ guide program now! The 2020 election cycle was our biggest year ever for VOTE411, with Leagues from 43 states and DC providing detailed candidate information on over 40,000 candidates to nearly 5.4 million voters. Let us build on our success from last year and continue to provide voters with the candidate information they expect from the League, where they are looking: on VOTE411.org. If you would like to sign up for VOTE411 in 2021 please fill out this form, and LWVEF staff with reach out to you directly. If you have any questions, please contact igarcia-hernandez [at] lwv.org.

S1 Resources on League Management Site

Now that the For the People Act has passed the House and will soon move to the Senate, we have updated the resources for understanding and messaging about the bill. Check out our For the People Act resources on the League Management Site. 
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

March DEI Webinar: Gender Identity

All are welcome to join us on March 11, at 7pm ET, for our monthly DEI webinar. The topic for March will be gender identity, and we will explore the terminology of gender identity and how issues such as trans rights intersect with our League work. Register now. 

News of the Week
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Kentucky could soon be expanding voting rights restoration to even more individuals who have been convicted of felonies. LWV of Kentucky has worked hard to elevate this issue in their state. Read the story from Huffington Post.
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The LWV of Wisconsin released a 2020 Presidential Election report with Wisconsin Election Protection which explains the reason for high voter turnout. Read the story.
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LWV of Larimer County created an online resource to help combat mis and dis information by teaching people media and news literacy. Read about it.
ADVOCACY

Blog: The Formerly-Convicted Should Get to Vote. Here’s How the Senate Can Make It Happen.    

Just like with gerrymandering, felony disenfranchisement laws allow partisan minorities to maintain legislative power on the local, state, and federal levels. Laws that disenfranchise convicted individuals come from the Jim Crow era – and that’s where they belong. It is up to the Senate to pass the For the People Act to restore voting rights to all formerly-convicted people now living in their communities. Read the blog post.

Upcoming Policy Webinar Schedule   

Check our page on the League Management Site to see a listing of all future and past webinars from the LWVUS Advocacy and Litigation team! Webinars cover setting Legislative priorities, putting together action alerts, policy briefings on legislative issues, and preparing for your next legislative session. Currently, webinars are scheduled through March 2021. 

Introducing LWV Redistricting Speakers Bureau Program 

We are happy to share our new Speakers Bureau Program. As part of our People Powered Fair Maps work, the advocacy team has created a packet on how your League can create their own redistricting focused speakers bureau. This packet has all the information you need to start recruiting, advertising, and building out your own speakers bureau program. Find the packet on the League Management site.

Don’t Forget! Rep the League Is Happening Now!

The League has released our revamped congressional interview program: Rep the League! The 117th Congress provides League advocates with an extra opportunity to connect with freshman and returning lawmakers. State and local Leagues are expected to interview their congressional delegates and report back by June 1, 2021. Read our guidance to find a background on congressional interviews, meeting tips, and information on reporting back to LWVUS on the League Management site.

LWVUS Requests End to Federal Funding for Police in Schools

LWVUS signed onto an ACLU and disability rights groups letter asking President Biden to end federal funding of police in schools. This would occur via an executive order, in partnership with Congress on a FY 2022 budget that includes no federal funding for school police and presidential support for the Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act, which LWV previously endorsed. Read the letter.

LWVUS Asks Biden to Allow Low and Middle-income Countries COVID-19 Vaccine Access

LWVUS joined a Public Citizen letter to President Biden asking him to allow low and middle-income countries access to COVID-19 vaccines by waiving intellectual property rights provided for in World Trade Organization rules. This action is based in LWVUS past work on trade policy. Read the letter.

LWV Joins Letter Opposing the Tennessee Medicaid Waiver

Per request from LWVTN, the League signed onto a letter opposing the approval of the Tennessee Medicaid block grant, which would limit the amount of federal funding provided to the state and authorize limits on prescription drug coverage. The League believes that all Americans should have access to quality and affordable healthcare no matter what state they live. Read the letter. 

LWV Urges Senators to Vote No on Anti-immigrant Amendment to COVID Relief

Building on our Senate vote recommendation a few weeks ago, the League joined a letter led by immigrant rights advocates urging Senators to oppose a COVID relief package amendment that threatened to deny survival checks to mixed-immigration status families. Fortunately, the coalition was successful, and the amendment did not pass. Read the letter.
ORGANIZING

March League Community Call    

However you personally mark the “before” and “after” of life in a pandemic, March symbolizes the one-year mark of COVID-19, abruptly changing all our lives. This one-year mark is bound to spur difficult feelings, especially for communities that have been disproportionally impacted. Please join LWVUS and your fellow League members for our League community care call on Tuesday, March 30th at 4 pm ET. We will specifically use this time as a League community to reflect on the changes we needed to make as individuals, League members, and as an organization. Our call will include a live community care action with OutreachCircle, so do not miss out! Register today!

Follow Us on OutreachCircle!

Want to stay engaged with empowering voters and defending democracy efforts? Follow the League of Women Voters US on OutreachCircle, our one-stop shop for resources, action alerts, and volunteer opportunities. You can even use this tool to send emails and texts to your network and post on social media! The LWVUS Organizing Team regularly posts updates on our Circle to ensure our supporters stay in the loop! Click here to follow the LWVUS OutreachCircle or search for “League of Women Voters US” on the OutreachCircle app today! (You will be prompted to create an account.) Want to learn more about how your League can use this free digital tool? Email the Organizing Team at organizing [at] lwv.org to schedule an OutreachCircle demo for your state or local League.

OutreachCircle Supporter Kit 

Want to sign up for OutreachCircle, but need some help? Have you already signed up for OutreachCircle, but would like more information on how to follow Circles and take actions? No problem! Check out our OutreachCircle supporter kit that outlines step-by-step how to sign up and use OutreachCircle. Check it out!
MEMBERSHIP

ICYMI: Trainings on Nonpartisanship   

Over the past few months, LWVUS has hosted a series of webinars on the subject on nonpartisanship. Recordings of these webinars and additional resources are available on the League Management Site.

Apply for a New Task Force on League Structure       

As the League of Women Voters enters its second century of voter education and advocacy, we are seeking to ensure that our organizational structure is optimally aligned for the greatest possible success. The League Structure Task Force will assess our current operating model and make recommendations for improvements that will result in a stronger League network, more engaged members and volunteers from all walks of life, increased organizational efficiency, and, ultimately, greater mission impact on behalf of voters. This task force will meet via Zoom one to two times per month from April to December 2021, with the possibility of extending if necessary. Both new and longstanding League members are encouraged to apply. The deadline is April 1.

State Conventions and Annual Meetings      

The National office is putting together a collection of recorded content for state and local Leagues to use for conventions and annual meetings this year! We plan to include welcome messages from CEO Virginia Kase and Board President Dr. Turner, a keynote from Dr. Turner, links to topical webinars, and a new workshop centered on DEI and its many applications to League work. The workshop and webinars are about one hour in length, and messages from leadership will be 5–15 minutes in length. A page will be created on the League Management Site for access to these recordings in the coming weeks. If you have questions about hosting virtual meetings, please review our resources on the League Management Site or reach out to cdavis [at] lwv.org. 

Governance Q&A Sessions

As Leagues prepare for state conventions and annual meetings, questions about bylaws, leadership changes, and other organizational governance concerns often emerge. Please join members of the LWVUS Governance Committee for “office hours.” Bring your questions (or submit them in advance to abanner [at] lwv.org) for discussion and feedback. Two sessions will be held: register for March 19 at 12pm ET or register for March 24 at 5pm ET.
League to which this content belongs: 
Woodland