May 2024 League Lookout - LWVNAZ News/Events Northern Arizona and Greater Verde Valley
| LWVNAZ Members and Supporters:
Our goal with the monthly newsletter is to provide you with a quick snapshot of our monthly events and activities all in one place. Hope you enjoy it!
We are providing information that the League is sponsoring as well as information about events that you might find of interest. Feel free to share this information with anyone you think would benefit from this information!
To get information about other league activities, see our website.
| Message from the President
Hello fellow Leaguers,
The month of May is here, and it is a busy time for many of us. We may start to think about travel or vacation and our organizations may be wrapping up their year. The same is true for the League. Our annual meeting is planned for Monday, June 10 from 10 am to Noon at the Sedona library. More details and information are below.
I will be finishing my term as President after the annual meeting. It has been an honor to serve, but the time has come for me to step down. I will continue as a board member as we regroup and reorganize as a team. We are determined to continue our service to the community in this most critical election year. See below for information on our upcoming Voters Education Program for June – Trustworthy Elections Workshop which will use information from respected national organizations seeking to explore issues and find common ground. Our monthly Book Club continues with a varied and interesting range of topics. You can also see our volunteers throughout the community at Voter Services events.
As we move toward the future, my best thoughts and wishes to all of you.
Yours in league,
Maryann Kenney
President LWVNAZ
| | Join with other league members for an informal get together on May 16th.
Let's get to know each other and have a drink and a snack.
Place: Firecreek Coffee Company
677 East Mingus Avenue
Cottonwood
Time: 9:00 AM - ??
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Voter Education Program
June 1, 2 - 4 pm
Trustworthy Elections Workshop
| | | Elections are the essence of the democratic process. However, for citizens to accept their outcomes, they must trust how the election was conducted. Unfortunately, many Americans no longer consider our elections trustworthy—for reasons that are deeply polarized. Conservatives worry more about voter fraud and vote-count security; progressives fear voter suppression and resistance to the transfer of power.
These matters, and more, will be addressed in a Trustworthy Elections workshop sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Northern AZ, to be held on Saturday, June 1st, from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. at which issues that arise at every step in the electoral process, from opening the polls to counting the votes, will be explored. Problematic points will be identified, and specific improvements will be proposed.The emphasis will be on finding common ground.
This workshop, facilitated by Paul Friedman, Ph.D., will be held at the Keep Sedona Beautiful building, 360 Brewer Rd. in Sedona. The facilitator, Paul Friedman, is a professor emeritus in the Communication Studies Department of the University of Kansas. Since moving to Sedona, 20 years ago, he has been a popular facilitator at the Yavapai College Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, and a volunteer community mediator.
Material recently released by two national organizations will be used. They are Living Room Conversations and Braver Angels--both concerned with bridging the gaps among our divided electorate. | |
Join us!!
Monday June 10
10 am - Noon
Sedona Library
| | | Planned Agenda
10:00 - 10:30 - chat with old friends, meet new members, enjoy light refreshments
10:30 - Welcome followed by presentation from library director Judy Poe and the important role and challenges for today's libraries.
~11:00 - 12:00 Business meeting: discussion of the state of our League and voting on the proposed board, budget and changes to the bylaws (we expect this will be needed to change to a more lean and flexible board structure). We are only voting in person this year.
All members will receive an information packet before the meeting with the proposed board, budget and bylaw changes. Member input is encouraged.
Please plan to join us!
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The Political Book Club meets at 3:00 pm MST on the last Monday of the month.
The April discussion of the Political Book Club was Enough by Cassidy Hutchinson.
Cassidy Hutchinson’s desk was mere steps from the most controversial president in recent American history. Now, she provides a riveting account of her extraordinary experiences as an idealistic young woman thrust into the middle of a national crisis, where she risked everything to tell the truth about some of the most powerful people in Washington.
Books selected for the next several months are:
The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: What Everyone needs to Know, by Dov Waxman
The Lie Detectives: In Search of a Playbook for Winning Elections in the Disinformation Age, by Sasha Issenberg
Poverty by America, by Matthew Desmond
One Nation Under God: How Corporate American Invented Christian America, by Kevin N. Kruse
The only requirement to join us is to have read the book. We are still meeting via Zoom. If you would like to join the group, contact ann.holland99@gmail.com to obtain the Zoom link for the meeting.
We are still meeting via Zoom. If you would like to join the group, contact ann.holland99@gmail.com to obtain the Zoom link for the meeting.
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As you know, we are encouraging our members and, by extension, their personal and professional networks to help the VOTE411 team develop candidate questions for each of the primary races.
- If you have not already done so, please complete the Candidate Questions Survey and share it with your local league members, friends, family, neighbors, colleagues, etc. We want the questions to reflect issues that voters care about. Please reply by May 6.
- We invite you to JOIN the VOTE411 team to help with various other activities - ballot measures, candidate contact, publicity, and more
- If you wish to help review the questions to craft race-specific question sets, please reply to me directly at marianne.schaeferlwv@gmail.com
The VOTE411 team welcomes your input and appreciates all your contributions!
| | Did you miss it?
The two-hour PBS
Election Special
is available to watch online
| | | If you haven't seen this already, you are missing a great special co-sponsored by LWV Arizona, informative and encouraging!
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Upcoming
Statewide Events
| | | | Deadline to Register extended until May 6. Interested in attending? Financial support for registration fee possible through local league. Contact lwvnaz@gmail.com for more info. | |
ADVANCING EQUITY ● EMPOWERING VOTERS ● DEFENDING DEMOCRACY
The 2024 State council is hosted by LWV of Arizona and LWV of Greater Tucson. Conventions promote education, networking, community building, and efficient league business. Amid critical elections, our mission is clear to empower voters, defend democracy, and prioritize equity by focusing on women voters, underrepresented groups, and inclusivity. This year's Council allows for electing a President-Elect for 2025-2026, approving budget adjustments from May 2023, revising LWVAZ Education policy, and amending bylaws for LWVUS compliance.
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Registration Fees: $250 for all attendees. Included meals - Friday Lunch, Saturday Breakfast and Lunch, and Snacks and drinks throughout the event.
Deadline to register: May 6, 2024.
No refunds on cancellations or no shows. Registration is transferable to another delegate or league member.
Pre Council Virtual Workshops - May 13-15, noon -1 p.m. One registration link for all the virtual zoom workshops.
COUNCIL REGISTRATION LINK
Use your local league club express login credentials to register for this event.
The event will also be posted on your local league site.
Who can attend:
Open to all current members of the LWV of Arizona (You're automatically a member of the state league and national league when you join a local league in Arizona). Non-member guests require an invitation and approval from the state organizing committee.
Special Activities:
●Friday May 17:“Dinner & Night at the Casino” For dinner, we will meet at a local casino and enjoy a buffet together.
●Saturday May 18:Pre-council morning activities, 7- 9 a.m.Explore Tucson’s Turquoise Trail (2.5 mi) or hike Tumamoc Hill (3 mi) with friends
●Casino Hotels close to the venue include Casino Del Sol or Desert Diamond Casino
Airbnb - www.airbnb.com/a/stays/Tucson-Arizona
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