LWVAC is proud to have several Life Members—those who have been League members for 50 consecutive years! We’ve set out to interview them. Here we talk with Karen Miller. This interview was first published in the September 2017 LWVAC Voter.

Karen comes from a family of lawyers and activists in New York. She herself became a lawyer, then a judge in New York City. Now retired, she consults to the UF Levin School of Law and to the New York Law School.

When did you join the League?

My Aunt Doris started taking me to League meetings when I was four years old. When I became 21, I officially joined the Metro Evening Branch of the League in New York City. There were 23 branches of the League in NYC then. I’m proud to say I was a consultant to the 125th St. Branch when it started up.

What issues have moved you the most?

Economic inequality. In the East Harlem community, I volunteered for several organizations dedicated to bringing opportunity and education to its residents.

I wanted to get an effective message out on the value of voting to bring about change in the neighborhoods. My then-boyfriend (a Marvel comic illustrator) and I developed an action figure named “Voteman.” Here is an example of his escapades, co-sponsored by the League. It was distributed all over New York City.

What big changes have you seen in the landscape—political, the League, Gainesville?

In the League we don’t do as much study as we used to do--to research, present, and vote on our positions.

I’m dismayed to see that our judicial system is still biased against women, especially those who have been in abusive situations.

What advice or lessons learned would you pass on to our members?

Don’t get complacent—there is still a lot of work to be done in voter registration and in getting those registered to turn out to vote. Let’s start some projects like sending college kids into nursing homes to help people who have just moved with their voter address changes.

My Aunt Clara, an immigrant from Russia, gave me a strong lesson on the privilege of voting. She always voted and, since she was over 100 years old, I would drive over to Brooklyn to take her to the polls. One year she called me and said that she’d see me on Tuesday. I looked at the races, and saw there was only one contest--for a school board position. I would have to take the whole day off, so I asked Aunt Clara, “Do you really have to vote this time?” She shot right back at me: “First the czar wouldn’t let us vote, then we couldn’t vote because we were Jews. When I got over here I couldn’t vote because I was a woman. If you won’t take me, I’ll find someone who will!”