The League of Women Voters of New Castle County (LWVNCC) President Marjorie Johnson's message for June 2020 is included below...

I hope as many of you as possible can join us for our 2020 annual meeting on 6/22/20, from 11:30-1 on Zoom. You can access it by computer or other device by video or by phone. While this is a different way to hold an annual meeting, it does give us the opportunity to do the League’s business (voting on ByLaws, electing board members and approving the budget) as well as to learn from various people about what your League has been doing this year, and how we are functioning in this time of pandemic. Please be sure to register when you first get the information and then a link to the meeting will be sent to you.

One of the things the board has been doing this year has been to incorporate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion activities and discussion into each board meeting.

As you may be aware, the LWV has its own history of racial injustice for which we need make amends. Given the events of this past week, along with all the many events that have gone before over many years I want to affirm from LWVNCC that: the time for racial justice is long overdue; white privilege has gone on for too long; Black Lives Matter; criminal justice reform is essential; and elected officials need be held accountable on this issue and be part of the solution. We support the demonstrations, and are, in fact, proud of the many people around the world who have come out to speak out in support of George Floyd, but ultimately how we go forward from this depends on what happens at the ballot box. We need people in elected office who are willing to tackle the many injustices in this country. Each of us, also, needs to examine ourselves, our own prejudices, the systems that we help perpetuate, and figure out how we can serve each other for the common good and not for our own good. We acknowledge that America is a nation founded on racism, so all of us must contribute and participate in the work of achieving liberty and inclusion for everyone in all areas of society. At the recent LWVDE Council meeting, a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Awareness Program was presented by Gwen Miller for use by all three Leagues throughout this coming year. Let the conversation and the work begin. May this not be another moment which passes without any constructive response.

-- Marj Johnson