 |
We're looking forward to seeing you in June at our next Hot Topics. As a member, you receive a discount so be sure you log into the system first and if you're not, now is a great time to join LWVOC
Hot Topics registration here.
Fear of being harassed in public. Threats veiled and overt. Mutilated primary documents returned to owners. Laws that take away rights and encourage discrimination. In the Sunshine State, LGTBQ+ people feel like they’re under attack. But at least there’s hope on the horizon, as the Florida Legislature adjourned its regular session this year without enacting any new laws aimed at the transgender, gay, lesbian, bisexual and queer community. The League of Women Voters of Orange County hosts a June 11 Hot Topics lunch and panel discussion, “Pride Under Attack: Defending LGBTQ+ Rights,” about the difficulties that LGBTQ+ people face from state and federal actions.
MODERATOR: Gina Duncan, president and CEO of the Pride Chamber of Greater Orlando
--Dr. George Wallace, CEO of The LGBTQ+ Center Orlando
--Heather Wilkie, executive director of Zebra Youth
--Nathan Bruemmer, attorney and board member of Equality Florida
--Gabriella Rodriguez, executive director of QLatinx.
--Full bios HERE
|  | The Voter Services Committee has completed an epic few weeks of "Senior Clearance" for local high school graduates. Shown here, two of the busiest members including (l) Gina Hall, Voter Services Co-Chair and Victor Collazo (r) volunteer extraordinaire at the last event at Timber Creek HS.
Summer will fly by quickly and college students will return to the many campuses in central Florida.
Click on the collegiate resource below that our Voter Services team provides to these students and be sure to share with your friends and family.
| | | Check the calendar for all upcoming Committee meetings (most on Zoom) and become an active Leaguer!
JUNE 2, 6pm
Voter Services Committee Mtg.
JUNE 17, 12pm
Educ Comm. Mtg.
JUNE 17, 5pm
Communications Mtg.
JUNE 18, 7pm
DEIA Social Justice Bk Club
| | Registration for the League of Women Voters of Florida’s 40th Biennial State Convention has been extended through Friday, May 30 at 11:59 p.m.!
If you haven’t registered yet, this is your final opportunity to join us June 6–7 at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Downtown Orlando for an energizing and impactful weekend of League business, learning, and connection.
| | | | MAY is ending but multiple heritages were celebrated including these important central Florida communities:
National Jewish Heritage Month - The Central Florida Jewish community, primarily located in and around Orlando, has a population of approximately 68,700 adults and children.
Haitian Heritage Month - Around half of Haitians in the US are in the state of Florida, mostly in the south but central Florida, particularly Orlando and surrounding areas, has a significant Haitian population, estimated to be around 40,000 individuals.
AANHPI - The Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander community in Orange County is considered the fastest growing large region of their group in Florida. | | | | Floridians for National Popular Vote invites you to attend a special pre-event workshop at the 40th Biennial State Convention of the League of Women Voters of Florida
• Date: Thursday, June 5, 2025
• Time: 1:30pm - 5pm ET, Dinner to Follow
• Location: Orlando Doubletree Hotel, 60 S. Ivanhoe Blvd, Orlando (meeting room TBD)
• Registration: 1:00pm, Orlando Doubletree
FREE to league members, community partners and interested parties. This is an independent program which does not require participation in the LWVFL Convention. There will be a Caucus during the LWV Florida Convention on June 6 as well for those attending the Convention. Pat Rosenstiel will speak at both events.
| | |  | | Our nonprofit and nonpartisan League is powered by grassroots volunteers who work tirelessly to ensure that democracy and democratic principles prevail which is why we love to share photos of our Leaguers in Action at community and school events. We've had an unprecedented number of tabling opportunities and want to make sure that we're fully prepared for a busy summer.
To do that, we're working on a new giving goal of $10k by June 15. Your $upport is greatly appreciated and will be thoughtfully used as we stand up for free and fair education for all, gun violence prevention, accessible housing, protecting individual rights, women's rights, natural resources, and more! Support us HERE |  | | Maribeth Healey
Carrie Yarbrough
Jeremy Rodriguez
Rae Clark
Carl Falconer
Visit JOIN HERE and learn about becoming a Leaguer! |  |
REMEMBER, if you're joining or renewing on the national site, COME BACK and
| | |
 | | LWVOC Homelessness Study 2025
Members of the Orange County League are expressing increased interest in being part of the conversation surrounding homelessness in our community, particularly with regard to the options available to our unsheltered neighbors. The conversation intensified following the March 12 Hot Topics, Unsheltered: Criminalized and Cast Aside, and the subsequent public meetings about shelter proposals in SoDo (South of Downtown) and East Orlando.
While members can support or oppose proposals as individuals, when we speak as a League, we base our advocacy on positions developed through a study and consensus process. To give the League more grounding going forward, we will be conducting a short and intense study.
This will begin with the assembling of a task force to gather information and create summaries and study guides. We expect this first phase to be completed in August. In September and October, during Phase 2, information will be available to all League members to review and discuss, with the goal of coming to some common understanding on what the League will and will not support.
Anyone interested in being part of Phase I, in small ways or large, can contact one of the co-presidents, Jane Hursh (co-president@lwvoc.org) or Kathy Schmitz (president@lwvoc.org).
Visit the Hot Topics RECAP here to find out more about how the LWVOC is highlighting the issue. | SPECIAL "Take Action" Alerts Now Available from Pres. Kathy Schmitz
“Alert lists” are open to both LWVOC members and non-members. They are a way to share timely opportunities, for example, upcoming rallies, volunteer needs, or urgent legislative actions. To keep email volume down, only I, or someone I specify, will be posting to this list.
“Sharing lists” are an additional option for LWVOC members. Within guidelines that will be posted, anyone who joins one of these lists will be able to post. Guidelines will focus on posting actionable information, avoiding debate, and maintaining a respectful tone.
Current topics are Immigration, Housing & Poverty, Women’s Issues & Health Care, and Defending Democracy
To sign up for any of the lists, fill out this simple form HERE.
| 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. | |