Emailing - League of Women Voters of Orange County

For many, Thanksgiving is a time of being together– with family, or friends, or neighbors – of connecting. I have been thinking a lot about connections lately, especially with respect to the League.
Over and over, we are hearing that the times we live in call for the building of relationships, and I think this is something we should take seriously. This can mean forging deeper bonds among LWVOC members, but it can also mean creating and strengthening partnerships with other Central Florida organizations engaged in the work we care about. It can also mean reaching out into the community so that people know who we are, and what they can count on us to do. As we look to the new year, I hope you will help me think about ways that we might create stronger connections within and beyond.

Yours in Service,
Kathy

LWVOC President Rev. Kathy Schmitz

PS – My standard advice for awkward political conversations at Thanksgiving gatherings (1) Own who you are. (2) Let go of the need to convert Uncle Bob. (3) When all else fails, say “Please pass the cranberry sauce.”
PSS – I recently learned that FusionFest 2024, this weekend will include a citizenship ceremony. If you’ve always wanted to experience one, here is your chance. I plan to attend.

UPCOMING EVENTS

LWVOC HOLIDAY PARTY, Dec 11, 6-9pm

Join us as we decompress from the year and celebrate with an evening of great food, wine and live jazz entertainment with our League friends. We are honoring members of our community and supporting the Hope CommUnity Center again this year with gifts of unwrapped toys or a donation. Don't delay as catering orders will go in soon! Click HERE to register. EVERYONE WELCOME

Visit the SIP & SHOP, Dec 6, 12-5pm, North Park Ave. in Winter Park; participating stores will donate 15% of the afternoon's proceeds to LWVOC. Plan to complete your holiday shopping while giving back to the League! Purchase toys to donate at our Holiday Party.

HOT TOPICS is on recess until JAN 8, 2025. In the meantime, learn more about the incredible NOV program from our RECAP here, How Florida Can Reduce Gun Violence. We've also uploaded the special HT Overtime discussion (Click to VIEW here on YouTube). Its presenters included:

--Abe Morris, Hot Topics panelist

--Raysean Brown, the CVI Strategy Director for Florida Rights Restoration Coalition (Peace Orlando)--one of the program participants will share his remarkable and moving story

--Bobby Belton, moderating the discussion

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

CAMPAIGN SIGN RECYCLING

It was a "2 dumpster" year for the first time, filled with discarded campaign signs ready to be recycled. This unique program in conjunction with Orange County and the cities of Winter Park and Orlando was awarded the Florida Recycling Champion Award for Intergovernmental Waste Reduction Program!

Shown in action above right: Nat'l Resources Chair Kay Hudson and long-time project volunteer and League supporter, Noah Adelman. Essential League volunteers included: Barbara Grenade, Christina Hammock, James Waterman, Eugene Stoccardo, Jim Irwin, Joan Irwin, Val Mobley, Leonard Mobley

HOW NATIVE AMERICAN WOMEN INSPIRED THE WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT

For over 1000 years, Native Nation women have had a political voice in their tribal communities – a right that white women had only received 104 years ago.

Click HERE to read more about the native women of the Haudenosaunee Tribe and their accomplishments for equity.

Other resources:

Native American Month

First Nations

Cultural Survival

The League’s DEIA committee reminds you that November brings Native American Heritage Month. America is a vast land of many cultures dating back thousands of years to the original inhabitants of the lands we live on today.
The relationship history between the US Government and indigenous peoples is one of trauma and turmoil that has altered the culture of the original tribal communities. These 7.4 million American citizens and the 574 federally recognized tribes continue to strive for self-determination and resilience in the face of decades of setbacks. There is still much to learn about the original settlers of the territory we now call the United States of America.

Statewide call to action: The League of Women Voters supports the Florida Right to Clean Water campaign, a citizens' initiative to amend the Florida Constitution with the right to clean and healthy waters. If our current laws were working, then we wouldn’t have manatees dying in record numbers, 80% of our 1000 springs impaired, and harmful blue-green algae and red tide in greater frequency and duration. A constitutional right takes precedence over legislation that permits pollution, restricts fertilizer bans, and allows radioactive materials to be used in our roads. Create a legacy for the future of our waters!

The Right to Clean Water! In support of establishing our basic right to clean and healthy water, LWVOC has committed to helping get this citizen initiative on the 2026 ballot. Please sign your own petition. Those who signed prior to 2024 will need to sign the new petition.

Learn how YOU can become an active volunteer here: https://www.floridarighttocleanwater.org/resources

#GivingTuesday has become a cultural phenomenon and a welcome addition to the generosity of the holidays. Consider adding the LWVOC to your gift list and become a Supporter here.

"We believe in an America where every voice is heard. And we will not stop working and fighting to preserve the free and fair elections that define our democracy."

LWVOC President Rev. Kathy Schmitz

LWVOC 1st VP Lee Rambeau-Kemp

Mark Pafford – Ida B. Wells Member

Cheryl Wheeless

Share this newsletter and invite your family and social circles to JOIN the League of Women Voters of Orange County!

Visit our Donor page to see the MANY different ways you can support the League of Women Voters of Orange County.

Sponsors are vital to our work to empower voters by providing timely information for the benefit of non-partisan civic engagement in our community.

To further explore how becoming a Hot Topics Sponsor can align with your business goals, please contact LWVOC Vice President, Lee Rambeau Kemp HERE

A range of sponsorship levels are available.