Volume 75, Number 3 | June 2024 | _________________________________
|
Be sure to mark your calendar for Saturday, June 1 at 9:30 a.m. for the upcoming meeting: "Combatting Mis/Dis-information in the Political Arena and Government!"
Are you interested in finding out how to evaluate information sources and content regarding current events, politicians, candidates, issues, and news? Our panelists, C.J. Janovy from KCUR and Betsy Webster from Channel 5 News, will provide us with much needed information. Darron Story, of Power 105 KC, will moderate the conversation.
Hope to see you there!
Shawnee Mission Unitarian Universalist Church (SMUUCh)
9400 Pflumm Rd. | Lenexa, KS 66215
Socializing begins at 9 a.m. The program starts at 9:30.
☕ The Hospitality Team invites you to bring a baked treat or healthier option (fruit, cheese, etc.) to share at this meeting! Sign Up Here if you can help. Thank you!
🥫 As always, the SMUUCh Fuud Pantry appreciates our donations of non-perishable food items.
| _________________________________
|  |
Election season is upon us! Let the fun begin!
Visit www.ksvotes.org to check or change your voter registration information so that it’s up to date.
Remember these important dates ahead of the August Primary.
-
Monday, June 3, at noon is the deadline to change your party affiliation.
-
Tuesday, July 16 is the deadline to register to vote for the primary.
-
Saturday, July 20 at 9 a.m. is the start of in-person advance voting.
-
Tuesday, July 30 is the deadline to apply for mail-in ballot.
-
Monday, August 5 at noon is the end of in-person advance voting at the Election Office.
-
Tuesday, August 6, is the Primary Election. Polls are open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
Encourage friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers about important Election dates. Reach out to our Voter Information team at voterinformation@lwvjoco.org to utilize Voter to Voter this Election season.
Other ways to encourage others to vote:
-
Wear your Vote pins
-
Wear League Vote t-shirts
-
Place Vote signs (without candidate signs) in your yard
-
Place Vote magnets on your car’s bumper
-
Invite others to join you at a League event, such as our monthly program meetings and Candidate Meet & Greets
-
Visit our website at www.lwvjoco.org.
Connie Taylor
President
| |
Board openings
We have two board openings: DEI Chair and Advocacy Chair. Both of these leadership positions are by appointment.
Prior to our May meeting, I accepted the resignation of Danielle Keller as Advocacy Chair. She served our organization well with her dedication to advocacy as seen in the weekly Advocacy Action Alerts during the Kansas Legislative Session this year. I know big things are in store for Danielle.
We are committed to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, especially when other institutions, organizations, and companies are doing away with it. DEI is a pillar of our organization and vital to our continued success.
If either of these exciting opportunities pique your interest, please reach out to me at president@lwvjoco.org.
| |
Announcing New Opportunities with League of Women Voters of Kansas
Three recommended position updates were approved for further study at the April LWVK Council Meeting.
📣 First: Connie Taylor, LWVJoCo President, along with LWVJoCo secretary Harry Bognich, will chair and co-chair the development of a new position statement on election integrity and disinformation. This will be a two-year study and will be voted on at an LWVK Council meeting in 2026.
🪸 Second: Statewide LWVK concurrence with the programs of study currently underway in Topeka and Lawrence regarding the update and revision of our state position on climate change. This is a three-year study and will be voted on at LWVK Convention in 2027. This effort will be led by Vicki Arnett (Topeka) and Carol Williamson (Lawrence-Douglas County).
🎒 Third: There will be a review of the position on school finance. This is a one-year update and will be voted on at the 2025 LWVK Convention. The effort is led by Marlene Merrill (Lawrence-Douglas County/State Board) and Jim Edwards (Topeka).
To serve on any of these three studies, send me an email at president@lwvjoco.org.
| _________________________________
|
Leadership Listening Tour
Our LWVJoCo leadership is dedicated to hearing from you. With that in mind, we’ve scheduled four opportunities for you to share your thoughts about the League.
Thursday, May 30, 2024 | 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Blue Valley Library
9000 W 151st Street, Overland Park
Thursday, June 20, 2024 | 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Monticello Library
22435 W 66th Street, Shawnee
Sunday, July 7, 2024 | 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Central Resource Library
9875 W 87th Street, Overland Park
Tuesday, July 9, 2024 | 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Oak Park Library
9500 Bluejacket Street, Overland Park
Please bring your own beverages and snacks. Registration is recommended. Visit our website at www.lwvjoco.org.
| _________________________________
|
DEI Moment
June: LGBT Pride Month & Caribbean-American Heritage Month
-
9th Race Unity Day (Baha’i)
-
11th Shavuot/Pentecost (Jewish) (June 11 - June 13)
-
12th Loving Day
-
12th Anne Frank Day
-
14th The Hajj (June 14 – June 19)
-
16th Eid al-Adha (Islamic) (June 16 - June 19)
-
16th Father's Day
-
19th Juneteenth
-
20th World Refugee Day
-
26th Anniversary of Legalization of Same-Sex Marriage in the U.S.
-
28th National Pride Day
Source: NIH Diversity Calendar - June 2024 | Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
Check our Event Calendar for local Juneteenth events.
| _________________________________
| Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy.
Are You Ready for Election Season? Gear Up Today!
Election merchandise will be available at the June Meeting.
Car Magnets: $5
Yard Signs: $10
VOTE Pins: $20
T-shirts: $15
Please pay by cash or check.
| _________________________________
|
Matthew Golden
Suzanne Woodward
Marilyn Deppe
Kerstin Deppe
| _________________________________
| |
Help us cover Johnson County!
Check out this month's observer reports to find out:
1. How much did JOCO spend on the Presidential Preference Primary?
2. How did Blue Valley middle schoolers do in the state Civics Bee? (Did you know there was a state Civics Bee?)
3. Where was the newest member of the Prairie Village City Council born?
| | | _________________________________
| BOARD AND COMMITTEE BRIEFS
|
LWVK Suffragist Memorial Committee
Membership Committee
Membership Committee meetings will float around the county libraries. This is an open invitation to join our meeting just to see how we work. You can find us at the following locations:
-
June 13, 2024 | Central Resource Branch, 9875 W. 87th Street, Overland Park KS, Conference Room 2 | 4:30-5:30 p.m.
-
July 11, 2024 | Leawood Pioneer Branch, 4700 Town Center Drive,Leawood, KS, Leawood Conference Room | 4:30-5:30 p.m.
-
August 8, 2024 | Merriam Plaza Branch, 6120 Slater Street, Merriam Plaza Meeting Room | 4:30-5:30 p.m.
We are working on Zoom capabilities as well. The Events Calendar on the website will be updated. Please go there to see, and register (registration is recommended and so very helpful).
Save the Date! New Member Orientation!
New Member Orientation will be August 18, 2024. Details to follow. The Events Calendar will have updates, and the ability to register for this event.
Book Clubs
The Book Club webpage is operational! Check it out!
Both book clubs will be discussing Heather Cox Richardson’s Democracy Awakening.
-
Virtual Book club June 24, 2024. This is a Zoom meeting, and the link is on the Events Calendar.
-
The In Person Book club will be July 16 at the Central Resource Library. Details are on the Events Calendar
Join them!
2024 Membership Challenge
Ask a friend or family member to join you at a League Meeting.
| _________________________________
| LWV Kansas is a supporter of Kansas Rural Center's Policy Watch.
Our partners at Mainstream and Loud Light publish newsletters with their observations on legislative action.
| _________________________________
|
Our monthly newsletter, The VOTER, provides information on League programs and events. Get it delivered to your inbox. Subscribe for free!
| |