Greetings from the League of Women Voters Pasadena Area! I hope March finds you doing well, staying safe and healthy.

I am excited about three new projects that the LWV-PA is launching to advance our goals of making democracy work.

First, at the national level we will be joining forces with all Leagues to advocate for People Powered Fair Maps (PPFM). The U.S. League is calling for a Day of Action on April 29 and encourages Leaguers to plan for a major advocacy campaign to encourage public participation in “drawing the lines” of congressional and other districts. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, population data from the 2020 Census will not be released to the states until late September 2021, months behind schedule. So we are in a hurry-up-and-wait situation that we can use to our advantage. In California, the state’s Citizens Redistricting Commission will be soliciting input from residents to establish “communities of interest” for the purpose of securing equitable representation. More information about redistricting will be coming soon. In the meantime, save the date of April 29 so we can all take part in a national campaign of awareness and participation. If you would like to take an active role in our educational program to encourage residents in our service area to “draw the lines,” please email us at office [at] lwv-pa.org by Monday, March 8, to be trained as a speaker.

Second, the LWVUS is also organizing efforts to mobilize volunteers to contact their representatives to support the For the People Act (H.R. 1), which will restore the Voting Rights Act. For details, read the article in this Voter and sign up for the friendbank training on March 3.

Third, in the interest of community and friendship, the LWV-PA will be introducing “Speak Easy Saturdays.” These virtual forums are intended to encourage free speech, spark thoughtful discussion of current events, and ultimately inspire local action. But please—keep it on the QT. These forums are for members only! Details about our first Speak Easy Saturday are available in this Voter edition and will be posted to the LWV-PA website.

Finally: In March we celebrate Women’s History Month, and in this issue of the Voter we are profiling five amazing women who have broken multiple barriers. Learn about them and the many others who have paved the way for us by being the first in their fields!

Be safe out there,

—Martha Y. Zavala