June is a busy month with vacations, celebrations, and remembrances. As you make plans for the summer, it's also prudent to take a few simple steps to be prepared for this autumn's elections. Stay informed about upcoming candidate forums, new election laws, and more at the League's very own Vote411.org
Also, take the time to visit the brand-new website for your Orange County Supervisor of Elections office at www.voteorangefl.gov
Leaguers and supporters, if you've tried to visit our website lately, LWVOC.org, you may have noticed that it's been sluggish and sometimes, hasn't opened at all. We appreciate your patience as the company that hosts our site seeks solutions and shores up its reliability. They have assured us that this is a "web traffic" issue only and does not put any personal data at risk. |  | | JUNETEENTH
The DEIA Committee invites League members, neighbors and friends of all backgrounds to come together to commemorate Juneteenth. On June 19,1865, General George Granger informed the people in Texas that all enslaved people were free.
Juneteenth is more than a historical commemoration—it is a call to engage with our shared history and to work toward a more equitable society. Orlando's Juneteenth celebrations offer opportunities for education, cultural appreciation, community service, and civic participation. "Celebrate Juneteenth at the History Center with this family-friendly day! Meet the trailblazers who shaped our region in unforgettable ways – from the musicians who lit up Orlando’s South Street Casino to activists and community builders whose legacies continue today. Engage with the evolving story of freedom in our ongoing exhibition How Distant Seems Our Starting Place, join a guided museum tour, and enjoy hands-on activities that highlight the Black Floridians who helped elevate Central Florida’s culture and history." Details HERE
|  | JUNE 20--Diversity is our superpower.
Communities that treat everyone with dignity and respect thrive. During Pride Month, the DEIA Committee encourages League members to celebrate the many contributions of the LGBTQ+ community.
For a day of fun and music, join "Come out with Pride" on June 20 at the Central Florida Fairgrounds. This "bold and unapologetic" event highlights the intersection of Black identities for a celebration of culture, music and community engagement.
Love & Liberation: A Juneteenth Pride Celebration: Details HERE | | |
 | | LWVOC members attended Equal Ground's Legislative Debrief on Saturday June 13th at The Experience Center Church in Orlando. Approx. 80 people attended the event. including Leaguers shown L-R: Saudi Ellis, Virginia Meany, Melinda Wright, and Co-President Kathy Sheerin. The event was a recap of the Legislative session covering Redistricting, new ID requirements, property tax, and the budget followed by a lively Q&A. A stellar performance was given by D6 OC School Board Member Stephanie Vanos and LWVOC member who answered question after question about school closures, funding and space allocation for charter schools, and more. | | |  | We Don't Need More Labels. We Need More Solutions. Leaguer Kam Shenai considers labels vs. solutions. The idea is simple. We have stopped solving problems and started throwing words at each other; “billionaire,” “woke,” and the rest. The piece holds both parties to the same standard, uses Andrew Carnegie to show why one word can never tell the whole truth, and closes by asking readers to judge ideas by results, not labels, staying nonpartisan throughout. Cont. reading HERE |  | Longtime Leaguer Nancy Rudner offers her opinion in recent Orlando Sentinel commentary.
"This week (June 15-21), World Refugee Week, established by the United Nations, recognizes the right to seek safety and celebrates refugees’ strength and resilience. It marks the 75th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention, the international refugee protection agreement the United States voluntarily signed, accepting its obligations since its inception." Cont. reading HERE | | |
 | We are SO CLOSE to our matching goal of $25,000!
Help us fuel up for Election 2026! | Okay, so maybe we started our Summer Match Campaign before the actual first day of summer (June 21), but we're known for being prepared early and it's worked! Our $25,000 match campaign is almost at its goal--we're at $20,000 and your continued support will help us end this campaign EARLY! Right now, every dollar you give will be doubled thanks to a generous $25,000 challenge from Visionary Sponsors Jennifer and Phil Anderson.
Every dollar you give DOUBLES the power to support our efforts to empower voters. Wonder what we spend our money on? View our year's Budget Assumptions Here.
| | Terrell Thomas
Merritt Gilbert
Naisha Francois
Sergio Cisneros
| | |  | | SAVE THE DATE for a Day of Action on August 8, 2026, in honor of the anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of
More details coming soon but expect to engage in activities that truly empower voters and defend democracy. |  |
SAVE THE DATE
JULY 11-12, Council of Leaders
Registration for 2026 Council of Leaders is ongoing. We are at Rollins College this year July 11-12, 2026 and will provide training and networking focused on Election Protection, Bringing Floridians Together, and Local League Best Practices. Registration is only $50 and is linked here. | | |
| FUND THE COURTS AND VOCA
Use your voices to demand increased funding for our court system to keep pace with the growing population of our area and FOR the restoration of Victims of Crime Act funding to support victims of domestic abuse.
Click for full Petition Information 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 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
|  |  |  |  | LWVOC is a 501(c)(3 )tax-exempt organization and your gift is tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law. To claim a gift as a deduction on your taxes, please keep your email gift receipt as your official record. The receipt is sent to you upon successful completion of your donation.
A copy of the official registration and financial information for LWVOC, a Florida based nonprofit organization (Registration No. CH26900) may be obtained from the Division of Consumer Services by calling toll free 1-800-435-7352 within the state or visiting their website at fdacs.gov/CONSUMERSERVCES. Registration does not imply endorsement, approval, or recommendation by the state. | |