November 2023

Contents

Co-President's Message

Virtual Events and Webinars

Save the Date(s)!

Co-Presidents' Message

We are looking forward to our events this spring---please mark your calendars for a stimulating talk about navigating polarizing conversations on January 12 and our annual Advocacy Program Planning meeting on February 24.

We also have a lot of work to do to get ready for the next election, and we hope you will help!

In anticipation of the 2024 election, we have been thinking about how we can help prepare voters to decipher information in this new age of AI. We hope to create some educational materials that we can use throughout our community and on our website. The sooner we start talking about these challenges and how to manage them, the better! We also need to help shore up confidence in our election workers and the election process as a whole, so anyone who has ideas about how to help with this, please let one of us know.

Have a great holiday season and we look forward to seeing you all in January---please bring friends!

Sincerely,

Jennifer Gauthier, on behalf of Bethanie Mickles

Co-Presidents, LWVLY

Virtual Events and Webinars

December 5, 12pm-1pm

I Never Thought of It That Way: A Conversation with Mónica Guzmán

Campaign Legal Center President and Founder Trevor Potter discusses how to bridge tough conversations with author Mónica Guzmán on her book I Never Thought of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times.

Advancing the cause of a more responsive, representative and accountable government more often than not requires consensus building across political and ideological lines. The bipartisan effort to pass the Electoral Count Reform Act in 2022 by CLC and a host of other pro-democracy advocates serves as a prime example of this dynamic.

Achieving consensus, however, is increasingly difficult in a country that is becoming more divided along political, ideological, cultural and even geographical lines.

Enter author and journalist Mónica Guzmán. Her 2022 book I Never Thought of it That Way provides a thorough and compelling guide for navigating difficult conversations and finding common ground. The book explores some of the core forces driving divisions in our society, then explains how we can attempt to bridge those divides through respectful dialogue.

Learn how conversations where the potential for disagreement is high can become bridging conversations that open up space for mutual understanding and maybe even progress towards a common goal.

The techniques described in Guzmán's book are immediately applicable to the work of advocates seeking to build a broad-based movement in support of core democratic principles.

You can register for this free event here!

December 6, 7pm-9pm

Practicing Civil Discourse - Food Insecurity

While preparing to celebrate with family and friends, we might be making notes of sensitive topics to avoid when we are together. Talking about polarizing issues is difficult!

Join the Fairfax League on Wednesday, December 6 on Zoom at 7pm to learn about tools and resources necessary for civil discourse, and then get a chance to practice those skills during a conversation about food insecurity.

You can register for this free event here!

Save the Date(s)!

January 12, 6pm-7:30pm

How Can We Bring Back America's Center? Promoting Civil Conversations in Polarized Times

LWVLY and the Randolph College Department of Media and Culture are pleased to sponsor a presentation and conversation with Meg Heubeck, Director of Instruction at the University of Virginia Center for Politics.

This event is free and open to the public. No registration is required. The event will occur on Randolph's campus, Leggett Building 537. Free parking is available behind Leggett.

We hope to see you there!

February 24, 10am-12pm

Advocacy Program Planning Meeting

This meeting is for all LWVLY members. During the meeting, we will discuss the state and local "program" of issues we want to focus on throughout the coming year. The input of members at this meeting is vital for shaping LWVLY's annual agenda. We will share the location for this event and a link to RSVP in the January bulletin. For now, please just save the date!

We can't wait to see you, and don't forget to invite a friend!

Would you like to help register voters? If so, you must complete this free, short online training from the Virginia Department of Elections. This training expires annually on June 30. Update yours today!

Remember, to see photos from our recent events, be sure to visit the LWVLY Facebook page.

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.