At yesterday's Hot Topics, the Winter Park Events Center was filled with individuals gathered to honor Black History Month and to learn from the conversation between panelists Dr. Rebekah McCloud and Dr. Marvin Dunn, author of A History of Florida Through Black Eyes. Look for a RECAP soon with a recorded version of the program, photos, a review, and more. Other special guests included members of Equal Ground a community-centered organization engaging the rising American electorate through equal access to education about voting and empowerment.Shown below back row: panelist Dr. Rebekah McCloud, Co-Pres. Jane Hursh, Equal Ground Exec. Dir. Genesis Robinson, Equal Ground S. FL Field Dir. Simon Adams;
Front row: Co-Pres. Kathy Schmitz, panelist Dr. Marvin Dunn, LWVOC Board Secretary Saudi Ellis, Equal Ground Founder & Senior Advisor Jasmine Burney-Clark
Photography by Carol Wonsavage |  |  | | The DEIA Committee challenges all League members to learn one new thing about Black History each day and share it with friends and family. We recently spoke about Civil Rights attorney Constance Baker Motley, In addition to becoming the first Black woman to argue before the Supreme Court, Ms. Motley provided critical legal support to Martin Luther King, Jr and the Freedom riders.
Read more HERE about local events and resources to learn about Black History Month.
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The DEIA Committee invites members to celebrate Lunar New Year 2026. Widely observed across East and Southeast Asia, this holiday honors rich cultural traditions and community.
This year’s Dragon Parade and Lunar New Year Festival will take place in the Mills 50 District of Orlando on February 22 from 11AM-4PM More details HERE. The event offers a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and learn about Asian traditions, history, and cultural contributions that continue to shape and enrich our community. | | |
 |  | Join Us for an Evening of Vision & Action: Protecting Our Water Future, FEB 17
You’re invited to an inspiring evening with two remarkable environmental leaders who are transforming how we safeguard America’s most precious resource—our freshwater.
Click HERE to register and learn more about this special event.
Over wine and artisanal bites, discover the innovative strategies emerging from Florida and Colorado, where citizens are pioneering new approaches to ensure clean, abundant water for drinking and thriving ecosystems.
Special Guests:
Former LWVOC president and American Rivers lobbyist, Deirdre Macnab, recapping western efforts and Dr. Leslie K.Poole, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies at Rollins College catching us up on our local water battles
Location: Winter Park Leaguer residence; guided parking available in neighborhood. Please contact Lee Rambeau Kemp if you'll need special accommodations for food/parking/etc. | | | | SAVE the DATE ~ March 11
We have another incredible panel scheduled for next month's Hot Topics!
Making History: Women Lead the Judiciary
March may be Women's History Month, yet we'll be celebrating the women of today who will inspire future generations.
More details coming soon but we expect another full house so...
| | | | League Superheroes are already out in the high schools educating and registering the next greatest generation of voters for 2026! At Apopka HS left: Nancy Nix, Caroline Blydenburgh, teacher/SGA sponsor Ms. Hough, Bobby Sena, Betty Saulpaugh; right: Second shift: Jeannie Briggs, Mary Ann Coffey, Melinda Wright, Bobby Sena |  | Many of you know that this past year we moved to a new membership database through the LWVUS. We learned in December that some of our members may have thought that their membership was up to date but this was actually NOT the case. If you have not renewed recently, please visit the LWVUS portal HERE to confirm your membership is still active. Thank you for your support! We could not do this without you!
If you have any questions please reach out to Katie Sanders, our Operations Manager at operationsmanager@lwvoc.org.
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Our Nominating Committee is in the process of interviewing prospective members of the 2026-2027 Board of Directors. Our board guides our priorities, encourages members in their activism and supports League efforts to defend democracy. If you feel called to serve the League in this capacity, please contact Kay Hudson lwvkay@gmail.com or any member of the Nominating Committee: Sandi Vidal, Gina Hall, Kathy Sheeran and Joan Erwin. | | |
| | | FEB-JUN, 2-5:00pm
Observe City of Orlando Council meetings and submit for posting on LWVOC website.
FEB-JUN, 1:30 & 7:00pm
Observe Apopka City Council Meetings and submit for posting on LWVOC website. Observe in-person at City Hall or online at Live streaming on YouTube
>>Click How to Volunteer video for easy instructions! Volunteer opportunities are open to League members only.
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FEB 21, starting at 7:45am
At this community-wide outdoor event, we will have a table to register voters and provide voter education/information.
FEB 24, starting at 10:30am
We will be partnering with the Student Government Association (SGA) at lunchtime to register students to vote along with staff from the Supervisor of Elections office. All volunteers must have taken and passed the LWVFL Voter Registration Assistance Quiz and be registered with Orange County Public Schools as ADDitions Volunteers for Apopka High School. | | | NEEDED: Voter Outreach volunteers who speak Spanish or Haitian Creole!! Please contact>> Saudi Ellis | | |  | From the Immigration Committee, a Call To Action: Our Community Vote
Setting politics aside, we unite in this Community Vote to affirm a clear principle: NO ICE IN OUR STREETS Masked officers, secret policing, and fear-based immigration enforcement undermine trust and make us all less safe. Use this form to contact your legislator and urge them to protect due process and keep ICE out of our neighborhoods. Join thousands across our communities by sending the email in the link above to your legislators and declaring: no ICE in our streets. |  | | Five members of the League of Women Voters spoke to the Orange County Board of County Commissioners asking them to file a lawsuit to clarify the county's requirements with respect to ICE contracts. The members of the Immigration Committee are pictured in the picture above: Paul Heroux, Jill Heroux, Linda Coffin, Patty Hurd, and Virginia Meany. Also in attendance was committee member Toni Crabtree as observer of the proceedings. Read ab accompanying article from Central Florida Media is HERE. | | |
 | | |  | | Danielle Talbot
Roberta Montafia
Zachery Davis
Ginger Miranda
Sally Scala
Walker Smith IV
Albert Chastain
Share this newsletter and encourage your friends and family to JOIN HERE
*Current members, don't forget that you'll be renewing through our national LWVUS site! Watch your email for reminders! |  |
Lynn F. Nelson
LWVOC offers multiple ways to $upport our non-profit with giving preferences such as "planned giving" as well as our "Giving Society". Explore these and more on our Giving page HERE. Contact Lee Rambeau Kemp if you have questions. | | |
Sponsors are vital to our work to empower voters by providing timely information for the benefit of non-partisan civic engagement in our community and we have a range of sponsorship levels available. To further explore how to become a sponsor, please contact LWVOC Vice President and Fund Development Chair Lee Rambeau Kemp HERE
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