February 2023

IN THIS ISSUE

Democracy Lobby Week

Opportunities will include hearing about current legislation, getting lobbying tips, and speaking with your own state legislators.

Members will have a chance to meet with legislators to discuss upcoming legislation. The meeting with District 22 legislators is being scheduled by LWVTC coordinators (Brenda Paull and Karen Tvedt) and is likely to be on Wednesday, February 7. LWVTC members who register will receive information including the zoom link.

The preliminary Lobby Week schedule includes:

DEI & J Committee Meeting - February 15

The Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice Committee urges you to join us to reflect and strategize specific ways that we can better coordinate with Black, Indigenous, People of Color; LGBTQ+A and those marginalized due to differing abilities, class, and economic status. Is there a role for the Thurston League in holding law enforcement accountable to unbiased policing? Let's explore. 

We began planning for 2023 in January and will complete this work on February 15. Please join us via Zoom, 5:30-7:00 pm to expand our reach. See graphic in this issue to view the activities and programming applying the DEI lens in 2022. Get the next meeting Zoom link via: Membership@LWVthurston.org. Read more about DEI & J in the "February is Black History Month" article below.

Leaders from the Squaxin Island, Nisqually, and Chehalis Tribal nations have been invited to speak along with a representative from the Governor’s Office.  A second part of the program is a time for each tribal leader to share topics of importance to their Tribe. The Forum is open to the public. 

To learn more about the Centennial Accord before the Forum, please review the History and What We Learned chapters in the Study of Thurston Area Tribal Nations  that will be available late in February on the LWVTC website. Copies of the agreements are available here.

Get Ready for the State Convention in May

By Shelley Kneip

Every other year, the League of Women Voters of Washington holds a convention. This year the convention will take place Thursday, May 4, 2023, through Sunday, May 7, 2023, in Pasco Washington. The 2023 LWVWA Convention theme is "Discovery4: Discover Democracy, Discover League, Discover Partners, Discover Tri-Cities". The convention will be an opportunity for new and long-term members to learn more about the League, meet members from across the state, and get inspired.

What happens at convention? This is the time to vote on various actions to be taken by the LWVWA. Officers and board members are elected, bylaws may be amended and the Program in Action is adopted for the next two years. There are also workshops and caucuses to learn more about issues important to you. 

If you would like to be a voting delegate on behalf of the Thurston League, please contact Darlene Hein. ‎ You don’t have to be a delegate to attend. To learn more, visit Council & Convention Information (note, you must be logged in as a member to access this page).

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

I was impressed with the group, women in their 30s and 40s whose mission is “to advance women's leadership for meaningful community impact through volunteer action, collaboration, and training.” I’m sure they will continue to work on their messaging and advocacy. And, given the positive reception, I believe we may get a few more members from this group.

This Comprehensive Plan update is known as Thurston 2045 because it plans 20 years into the future, and must be ready to implement by 2025. Currently, Thurston County is working to “scope” the update – to determine what policy areas need to be addressed. League members and allies are encouraged to give the Commissioners and County staff comments on the scope of the update before February 12. 

Areas of concern, where comments are recommended include:

• A lack of performance measures to determine if plan goals and policies are being implemented, including monitoring between decadal updates.

• Insufficient collaboration with cities, tribes, and others for the distribution of future housing units which accommodate diverse housing types and affordability.

• Unaddressed racial disparities resulting in environmental justice and housing inequities.

• Inadequate protections to ensure a sufficient land base for long-term farm use.

• Missing plan policies related to the climate emergency, including mitigation and adaptation policies. 

• Needed precision between plan goals and objectives and those zoning and development regulations which intend to implement them.

Please feel free to expand upon or modify this list of recommended scoping items. Your individual email should be sent to Contact Thurston 2045. Be sure you have clearly included your name and email address with your message. 

Thank you for your action.

Election Deniers

By Susan Fiksdal

As we have learned through the news and social media, there are still some election deniers who refuse to believe that we have secure and fair elections. The state League has created useful info bits which are listed on our website here.

We combine these with images for Facebook posts every July and October prior to the primary and general elections to inform voters of Washington State laws. Last October, Washington State Archives followed our Facebook page because of this valuable information. Currently, another state League committee is working on a video contest, open to all 9th-12th grade students to create 60-90 second videos about our secure elections. We will keep you updated on the contest and the results.

Later that year, the Association of the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH) was formed as an organization committed to researching and promoting achievements by Black Americans and people of African descent. In 1926, ASNLH started the first Negro History Week. February was chosen due to two birthdays - Abraham Lincoln and Fredrick Douglass, both linked historically to Black Americans. Known today as the Association of the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), ASALH expanded the celebration in 1976 to a month-long observance. In 1986, Congress signed a law designating February as the month for annual public and private events honoring “National Black (African American) History Month.” (More about the ASALH here.)

Throughout the year, there are designated heritage months and cultural celebrations. At last month’s celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, New Life Baptist Church presented local leaders, mentors and icons with a depth and breadth of inspiration, perspectives, introspection, and challenges for the work ahead. Dr. Maxine Mimms noted that MLK Day is the only holiday “where we are asked to work!” She challenged us to make this holiday not just a day of service but time to be “reflecting with our families, reflecting with our neighbors.”

View the recording of New Life Baptist Church’s MLK Jr. Day celebration here.

Please Answer the Call!!

By Carol Goss for the Membership Committee

The Membership Committee has been busy making calls and leaving voice messages for many of you. We’re checking-in to ensure you have the information and documents you need to be an educated and involved member of the League. If you’ve received voice or email messages from Shelley Ferer, Mary Moore or Brenda Paull, it’s an opportunity to let us know ways in which you’d like to be involved. No need to wait for a call - we can schedule a coffee chat or phone call by contacting us here.

Many of us are working, caring for family members, experiencing health and/or mobility challenges and other obstacles.  Letting us know more about you allows us to continue connecting members with opportunities to engage you in a meaningful way at the level that works best for you. 
If you’ve received phone or email messages, please respond and let us know if, how, or when you are interested and available to help move the vital work of the League forward. 

Not available to volunteer? Please know your dues continue to support all three levels of the League including local, state and national work, including registering voters, fighting to preserve voting rights, planning programs/events and sponsoring legislative advocacy to protect the environment, gun safety, reproductive justice and more.

And thanks to the many of you who show up - bringing your interest, curiosity and passion!

Welcome and Thank you to New and Renewing Members

100th Anniversary of Temperance & Good Citizenship Day

By Susan Fiksdal for the Voter Services Committee

Temperance and Good Citizenship Day was enacted by the Washington legislature in 1923 to promote civics education and peaceful citizen engagement. On Temperance and Good Citizenship Day, high-school seniors have the opportunity to register to vote during their social studies classes. 

For the past three years, under state law, students ages 16-17 years have been able to pre-register to vote, so the League promotes that right for all students including those who are not yet 16.  

On January 14, LWVTC Voter Services’ members tabled at Tumwater and Capital High Schools, pre-registering 16–17-year-olds to vote. We continued our effort at Yelm High School on Tuesday January 17. Thanks to Vicki Merkel, Judy Schroeter, Keitha Bryson, and Susan Fiksdal for talking to over 120 students during lunchtime and spreading the word about civic responsibility.

She also served as the parliamentarian for LWVTC annual meetings, co-chaired finance drives, and held league meetings at her home including a tea for new and prospective members.

During 1976-77, Margaret was on the board of directors for the League of Women Voters of Washington. She was the state action chair, with the title of action coordinator. 

After graduating with political science degrees, Margaret and her husband Fred Hellberg served two years in the Peace Corps in Panama. When they returned to the United States, she began teaching at Mesa High School in Arizona in early 1970s.

After her League work in Olympia, Margaret returned to teaching. She taught at Jefferson Middle School and Olympia High School (OHS). She was also a counselor at OHS. Margaret earned a Master of Arts in education administration attending night classes at the University of Washington. She was the founding principal of Rochester Middle School. Margaret retired in 2002 as the vice principal of Olympia High School.

EMPOWERING VOTERS. DEFENDING DEMOCRACY.

The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.