help_outline Skip to main content
HomeEmailingsNewsletters/Emailing
Date: 3/15/2022
Subject: LWVJoCo Update: Women's history, reproductive rights, and more
From: LWV of Johnson County



JoCo League logo

Hello ~~first_name~~:

In this issue: 
🚺 Reproductive freedom in KS
πŸ‘©πŸ½β€πŸ¦± Ways to celebrate Women's History Month 
πŸ‘ Highlights from fiscal year 2022
πŸ’‘Key election dates, another water update, election officials under attack, and more


AssaultonReproFreedom-EM

Attend our next educational session on 4/2

Reproductive freedom is, once again, under attack in Kansas. Join us for a robust discussion about the importance of defeating the August 2022 ballot measure to amend the Kansas Constitution. Learn how you can protect the right to control personal decisions about reproductive heath and abortion care. This session is free and open to the public. 
 
Saturday, April 2, 9 a.m.
Registration is required.
 

WomensHistoryMonth2022

Two ways to celebrate Women's History Month

Black History Month is about half over, but there's still time to honor women's contributions and help break the bias. In addition to reading the suggested resources in the DEI Moment below, we offer the following options:
 
Read the national League's coverage of their International Women's Day panel discussion featuring women leaders in advocacy. Key takeaways include the importance of compassion and faith in our community; the need to refuse to engage in "us vs them" thinking; and the criticality of amplifying individual voices. Read the blog and view the panel recording here.
 
Attend "After Winning the Vote: A Conversation with Suffragists," presented by History on Tap at the Shawnee Town Hall on March 23, 7 - 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 and include a complimentary beverage from a featured brewery. Get your tickets here.
 
Check out these recommendations from the Johnson County Library.

Makingadifference

Our impact

March 31 marks the end of our League's fiscal year, and we wanted to share a few highlights, courtesy of our outgoing president, Amber Stenger. In fiscal year 2022:
  • 1,040 people attended 16 candidate forums hosted with 11 partner groups.
  • More than 1,100 people attended or watched our 10 educational programs on important policy issues.
  • We reached more than 30,000 people through our social media channels.
  • More than 500 people were encouraged to register to vote, despite the suspension of in-person voter registration events in July 2021
We thank everyone who made these numbers possible and everyone who has engaged with the League over the past year - including you!

DEI Moment - Women in Science - Reproductive Health
This DEI Moment recognizes the contributions of black women in science through the lens of reproductive rights. 
 
Many know the story of Henrietta Lacks, a poor black women whose cervical cells were taking without her consent and continue to be used to study the effects of toxins, hormones, and other elements on cancer cells. Her story can be read in this book
 
Fewer know the "Mothers of Gynecology" - 11 enslaved women purchased by J. Marion Sims for the purpose of conducting gynecological experiments. These were done without consent and without anesthesia. Learn more about these women in this article from the LA Times.
 
Now, more than ever, we need to stand up and protect the reproductive health of all women.

Stay Engaged

  
β˜•οΈ Don't miss the last Legislative Coffee! 
If you're in Wyandotte County, don't miss the last Legislative Coffee - an opportunity to learn and ask questions about the current legislative session from your Representatives and Senators. This session is co-hosted with the Bonner Springs Public Library and the Bonner NAACP.
March 26, 9:00 a.m.
Register here and submit questions here.
 
πŸ“Tell your legislator we need more time for map review
The Senate introduced three possible Senate maps. They announced on Friday, March 11, that the deadline to submit testimony was Monday, March 14. While the deadline has passed, you can still review the maps and ask your legislator for more time for review and detailed testimony. 
 
πŸ’§A disappointing water update
The reform bill meant to address the water crisis in Kansas has been gutted. Rep. Ron Highland, chairman of the House Water Committee stated, "What ended up happening is we kicked the can down the road again." Read the full article in the Kansas Reflector.
 
πŸ› Legislative Day at the Capitol
The Kansas African American Affairs Commission, the Kansas Hispanic and Latino Affairs Commission, and the Kansas Civic Table are hosting a legislative day at the Capitol to talk about the work of their commissions and how to become involved. Registration is required.
March 16, 9 - 11 a.m.
Register here
 
πŸ‘©πŸ»β€πŸ’Ό Election officials are under attack
A recent Brennan Center poll found that most election workers like their jobs, but 1 in 6 have experienced threats and 20 percent plan to leave before the 2024 election. Respondents are worried about the effect of conspiracy theories and political pressure, and nearly 80 percent find support from the federal government lacking. Read the full report here, and take a moment to thank an election worker if you see or know one.
 
πŸ—“ Save these election dates
The August 2 Primary Election will include a proposed constitutional amendment on reproductive rights. This means that everyone, including Independents, should be prepared to vote. Keep these dates in mind!
July 12: Deadline to register to vote in the Primary Election
July 13: First day advance ballots are mailed and advance in-person voting may begin
July 26: Deadline for voters to apply for an advance mail ballot
August 2: the Primary Election
 
πŸ™…πŸΎβ€β™€οΈ The Census undercount
On March 10, the national League issued a statement in reaction to the US Census Bureau report undercounting 18.8 million and the underrepresentation of Black, Latino, and Indigenous people in the 2020 Census. Read the full statement here.
 
πŸ™‹πŸΌβ€β™€οΈ We need you!
Voter Information is looking for leads or co-leads for our Voter to Voter (The Voter Network) and Vote411 initiatives. Leads on Voter to Voter would work with the Mainstream Coalition and our League team to recruit, train, and support voting ambassadors. Vote411 leads would work with a small team of volunteers and the State League to identify local candidates for each election, provide that information to the state Vote411 team, and remind the candidates to respond. For more information or to express interest, contact Marie Hernandez at lwvjocovi@gmail.com. 
 
In addition, we are still looking for volunteers for The Voter Girl event, hosted in partnership with the local Girl Scouts, on April 9 at the K-State Olathe campus. Contact lwvjocovi@gmail.com to sign up. 


Questions or concerns?

Contact Us