March 2024 Contents Co-President's Message Action Alert: LCS Funding Recent Activities: Domestic Violence Town Hall Opportunity to Serve: First Voter Registration Event of the Year (April 12) Community Partner Event: Junior League's DEIB Summit (April 13) Mark Your Calendar! Annual Meeting (May 13) Upcoming Event: LWV National Convention (June 27-30) Opportunity to Serve: Become a Digital Program Guru! Virtual Events and Webinars |
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Hello Members: As spring begins in earnest here in Virginia, we turn our attention to our Annual Meeting. We hope you will join us on May 13 at 6:00pm at Charley's in Lynchburg to enjoy each other's company and make our plans for the coming year. Folks will be able to purchase their own meals off the menu as we elect our new officers and approve the 2024-25 budget. The meeting will feature a talk by local activist, Brenda Moss. It will also be time to renew your LWVLY membership. Please mark your calendars and bring a friend (or two)! We also want to call your attention to the important decisions being made by City Council about spending--in particular, the Lynchburg City Schools are under attack. We encourage members to attend the April 26 public hearing on City Council's proposed budget. You can sign up in advance to speak for 3 minutes or submit written comments; more details about how to sign up for public comments are included below. A strong public education system is a cornerstone of the League's program, so we must get out there and make some noise! I'm reminded of activist and mother of five, Viola Liuzzo, who traveled on her own from Detroit to Selma to join the march for voting rights almost 60 years ago, in March 1965. Why did she go? Because, she said, "It's everybody's fight." So, too, is this fight for the health of our local schools, whether you have school-aged children in LCS or not. Equal access to quality education that prepares our young people to be informed, active citizens is crucial to the functioning of our democracy. And teachers, who are on the front lines of this battle, need our support! As always, thank you for all you do! Jennifer Gauthier On Behalf of the Co-Presidents |
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Action Alert: LCS Funding |
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Tensions between City Council and the Lynchburg City School (LCS) Board remain high as Councilors Hegelson, Misjuns, and Faraldi continue to attack funding for LCS. Member Molly McClenon provides a very brief history: Superintendent Dr. Crystal Edwards initially proposed an LCS budget with level funding (that is the same amount as LCS got this year). The LCS Board voted to ask city council for more, mainly to support those programs currently supported by COVID money to overcome learning loss and to address behavior problems. These programs appear to be working, but that money is expiring. On Tuesday, March 26, there was a joint meeting for the LCS Board to present their budget request to City Council. Reporter Emma Johnson covered the meeting for the News and Advance; read her article here. It is clear that these funding issues are related to the large tax cut passed by City Council last year. It is also clear that well-funded public schools are essential for Lynchburg. Several LWVLY members have been attending LCS Board and City Council meetings. We encourage all members who are able to do so to join them. Members can also watch meetings online (live or recorded). LCS Board meetings are available here, and City Council meetings are available here. Members who wish to offer public comments at the LCS Board meetings can do so in two ways: in-person or over the phone. To speak in person, you should sign up with the Board clerk before 3:30pm on the day of a Board meeting or sign the Public Comment Form available to the public 15 minutes before each meeting. To speak over the phone, you should leave a voice message on the clerk's phone line (434-515-5092). Messages will be played during the public comment section of the Board meeting. Complete details are available here. Members who wish to offer public comments about a City-related matter during a regular Council meeting should submit a written request to be included on the agenda. You can do this by submitting your topic of discussion in writing to the Clerk of Council by email alicia.finney@lynchburgva.gov; loryn.holt@lynchburgva.gov), by appointment, or by submitting a Public Comment form. Complete details are available here. Members may also wish to write a letter to the editor of the News and Advance. Letters must be 250 words or less, and any personal attacks or factual inaccuracies won’t run. You can submit your letters to the editor at this link. Remember, if you speak at a meeting or write a letter, you do so as a citizen, not as a LWVLY member. Only the Co-Presidents can speak for LWVLY. But your voice can make a difference! |
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Recent Activities: Domestic Violence Town Hall |
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LWVLY Board members Bethanie Mickles, Esq. (Co-President), Dr. Muriel Mickles (Vice-President), and Sue Stengel (Treasurer) attended the Domestic Violence Community Town Hall sponsored by the YWCA of Central Virginia, on Thursday, March 28, at the E.C. Glass High School auditorium. Board members were able to assist at the YWCA table and pass out information regarding the many programs and resources available at YWCA. Attendees also listened to informative presentations about the problem of domestic violence in Central Virginia by Mayor Stephanie Reed, the Lynchburg Commonwealth's Attorney's Office, the Lynchburg Police Department, the YWCA Sexual Assault Response Program, the YWCA Court Advocates, the Lynchburg Department of Human Services, Miriam's House, and the University of Lynchburg. |
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Vice President Dr. Muriel Mickles at the YWCA Domestic Violence Community Town Hall. |
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Opportunity to Serve: First Voter Registration Event of the Year (April 12) |
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LWVLY will be registering new citizens at the Naturalization Ceremony at Poplar Forest on April 12. LWVLY has been supporting local Naturalization Ceremonies for years. We have met the staffing need for this event, but will be looking for additional volunteers as we expand to registering college students and possibly offering registration at other local community events. If you'd like to learn more about volunteering at registration events, contact Jan Willinger at 434-444-5076 or janintheburg@gmail.com. |
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Community Partner Event: Junior League's DEIB Summit (April 13) |
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The Junior League of Lynchburg, 2023-24 Community Partner of the LWVLY, will be hosting its first ever Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Summit on Saturday, April 13, from 9 am-2 pm at Central Virginia Community College in Merritt Hall (Rooms 5145 and 5146). The workshop facilitators are Dr. Robert Canida (University of Lynchburg), Dr. Muriel Mickles (CVCC), and Olivia Raj. Panelists will include Bethanie Mickles, Esq., Stephanie Andrews, Jennifer Woofter, and Dr. Anna Koehle. Lunch will be provided and registration is required through Eventbrite. |
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Mark Your Calendar! Annual Meeting (May 13) |
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We're excited to see you for this year's annual meeting including dinner and a presentation! RSVP HERE Monday, May 13, 6-8pm Charley's Restaurant 707 Graves Mill Road The annual meeting is where we vote on our new Board slate, so your presence is important! In addition to conducting this essential League business, the Annual Meeting is a time to catch up with other LWVLY members and hear from speakers on timely topics. This year's meeting will feature guest speaker Brenda Moss, gun control advocate and founder of the Shawn Moss Wellness and Growth (SWAG) Foundation. This event is open to the public; we encourage you to bring friends who might be curious about the League or interested in this year's guest speaker. All guests should plan to order individually from the menu, and LVWLY Members should also plan to renew their annual membership ($60) if they haven't done so yet. Please be sure to RSVP so we can plan appropriately. We look forward to seeing you on May 13! |
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Upcoming Event: LWV National Convention (June 27-30) |
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Registration for the 2024 National Convention is now open! On June 27-30, 2024, National Convention will occur in Washington, DC, giving LWVLY an excellent opportunity to send a large delegation. Convention will be a fully hybrid experience, with both combined and unique experiences for in-person and virtual attendees. All information related to National Convention, including registration and hotel bookings, can be found here. Delegates from all Leagues will vote on our 2024-2026 Program, 2024-2026 budget, 2024-2026 LWVUS Board of Directors and Nominating Committee, and submitted bylaws amendments. There will be opportunities to network with fellow League members, participate in a variety of workshops and trainings, and hear from dynamic speakers. LWV will also host a Lobby Day on Thursday, June 27. |
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Opportunity to Serve: Become a Digital Program Guru! |
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As part of a national organization, our LWVLY has access to numerous resources to educate voters, share information, promote the League and generally empower voters. In fact, we have more great programs available than we currently have the human resources to manage! There is a powerful app called Vote 411 which offers a one-stop site for everything about elections---folks can check their voting status, see what's on the ballot for their local election, or find their polling place. League in Action (part of Outreach Circle) is another great app---this digital organizing platform could help us build a digital community where people could view a list of actions to support their particular areas of interest. But we need people to learn these systems and help us fully implement the programs in Lynchburg. If you're interested in helping us integrate a digital program, contact Jan Willinger at janintheburg@gmail.com or 434-444-5076. |
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Virtual Events and Webinars |
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Mondays (weekly), 3:30-4:15pm Eastern Event: Election Rumors Briefing Call Price: Free In collaboration with the Algorithmic Transparency Institute, LWVUS will be hosting weekly election rumors briefings to address trends of mis/dis/mal-information. During these briefings we will get an overview of the MDM landscape and answer any questions that you may have on addressing these concerns. Briefings will be held via Google Meet. To join the video chat, visit meet.google.com/npj-vsco-apy. To join by phone, call 631-898-6521 (PIN: 190612266#). |
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The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization encouraging the informed and active participation of citizens in government. It influences public policy through education and advocacy. We never support or oppose any political party or candidate. |
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