Letter from the President
Greetings!
One of the strengths of the League of Women Voters is our ability to connect and collaborate. We excel at outreach, network building, establishing partnerships and working within a coalition. We combine individual passions, talents and expertise throughout our organization with obvious and not so obvious allies outside of our organization to achieve significant goals. 

Recently, Chicago’s WTTW debuted its digital docuseries, FIRSTHAND: Gun Violence . This multifaceted series examines gun violence through the eyes of Chicagoans living with the repercussions of gun violence and the ideas of experts whose work proposes solutions. Director/producer Dan Protess was inspired to shed light on this issue plaguing the Chicago area to encourage empathy for people who are living very familiar lives but dealing with extreme violence that not all of us face in our own communities. 

For convenience of communication, our society has reduced this complex set of issues to a single term - gun violence. WTTW’s far reaching project expands this term to the multidimensional approach familiar to the League – finding and sharing the personal narrative, community education, community discussion, building connections across disciplines and areas of expertise, networking, redefining the goals.  

The series prompted me to reflect on our League work. Within our own organization, what fresh perspectives can we find? Where can we apply creative approaches? How else can we network internally to achieve our goals? Are we partnering to the fullest extent within our own organization? Are we taking our fantastic ideas and programs to places they have not been within our own League ? 

I urge you to take the time to explore FIRSTHAND: Gun Violence . Use the experience to expand your feelings and understanding about gun violence. I urge you to also use the experience to reflect on whatever it is that captures your league passion and time. Challenge yourself to see issues and ideas in new light. Let’s do what we do best, just that much better. 

I have challenged the LWVIL Board to better define the roles of the local and state Leagues. Your input is crucial to our work. Please send me your thoughts about these roles and relationships at [email protected] .

Thank you and best wishes,
President
League of Women Voters of Illinois 
100th Anniversary Commemorative Luncheon
Host Committee Members and Project Manager Needed
The 100th Anniversary Luncheon Committee is seeking individuals who are interested in serving on our Host Committee, a committee of people who are responsible for assisting us in our fundraising goals by committing to purchase a table (or gathering a group to form a table of 10) and who are willing to volunteer their time to spread the word about our event to their networks. If you are interested in serving on our Host Committee, or if you know someone who might be interested, please contact Barb Laimins with the names and contact information. 
The committee event planner, Twyler Jenkins of Strategic Events Solutions , has recommended that we identify an overall coordinator of our work – someone who serves as a project manager and is responsible for tracking every step along our planning process. This person will review our goals and objectives to insure what we said we were going to do, is what we are doing. Is this significant position a role that appeals to you? If so, please contact Erin Roeper , by Dec. 31 for more information.
People Power Needed
The Issues & Advocacy Committee needs YOU!
The Issues and Advocacy Committee is looking for some committee members who can help with some administrative duties, including:

  • Taking minutes at the Issues & Advocacy monthly meetings (3rd Tuesdays, 2-4 p.m. at LWVIL Offices (332 S. Michigan Ave., Ste. 634 Chicago, IL 60604)
  • Logistical planning for the Issues Briefing on February 15, 2020
  • Coordinating program planning for LWVIL
  • Updating publications, including Where We Stand and others

Please contact Issues & Advocacy if you are interested in advocacy and helping the LWVIL priority issues to move forward.
WE DID IT!
You called. You wrote. You made a difference.
Thanks to your action, the following legislative change occurred:

The License to Work Act (SB1786) has passed both houses during the Veto Session. This bill will restore dignity & agency to those who have lost their drivers licenses for non-moving violations.

The House Committee on the Judiciary’s voted 21-11 in support of House Judiciary Resolution 79 (that replaces House Judiciary Resolution 38) that would remove the ERA deadline. This brings us one step forward to removing the deadline and adopting the ERA to the US Constitution.

The Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB) voted against a proposed resolutions (Resolution 1 & 3) that would call for the Illinois Association of School Boards to support legislation that would allow school districts to set school safety and student protection policies that would allow trained, armed school teachers and staff. For the second year, a proposal on this topic was not adopted by the IASB Delegate Assembly.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY!

If you have questions about the LWVIL advocacy, reach out to the Issues & Advocacy Committee Co Chairs Jean Pierce and Rosemary Heilemann .
Issues Briefing: 2020 Vision for the Future
February 15, 2020 at Northeastern Illinois University
The 2020 Issues Briefing: 2020 Vision for the Future is scheduled for Saturday, February 15, 2020 at Northeastern Illinois University ( 5500 N St Louis Ave, Chicago, IL 60625 ). This year's day long conference will include sessions about: Voter Suppression, Affordable Housing, Gun Violence Prevention, Redistricting, Census, Climate Change and so much more. To see the full tentative schedule visit the LWVIL website . Questions? Reach out to the Issues & Advocacy Committee Co Chairs Jean Pierce and Rosemary Heilemann .
Lobby Day 2020
Mark your calendars for April 22, 2020 to raise your voices at the Capital.
Keep a look out for more information in the new year. Questions? Reach out to the LWVIL Issues & Advocacy Committee .
Voter Services Updates
Important Information that your League needs to know.
Is your local League planning to hold candidate forums in 2020? Do you have a LWVIL trained Moderator that will preside over it? The Voter Services Committee has compiled an updated list of trained LWVIL moderators that are available to assist our local Leagues. Please note that this list is only available to local Leagues to help the contact information of individuals. For a list of all available moderators, please email LWVIL offices .
The  Seven Steps to a Successful Registration Drive  under the voter service section of the Resources for Leaders has been updated to correct the section on registering a homeless person. It now outlines that evidence of an address used by a homeless voter is not necessary.
100th Anniversary Articles
New Article sharing the history and legacy of the League.
A new 100th Anniversary League Article is now available! The article, entitled The League in the 1940s penned by League member Marge Massarello , highlights the changes during this decade specifically the name change from the "National League of Women Voters" to the "League of Women Voters" and established the refocus mission with "emphasis on voter services with new guidelines on nonpartisanship and candidate forums." Don't forget that this article can be used in your local League newsletter, on your website, as press releases to your local media and even help in reaching out to your local history museum and/or library to start discussions about partnering for an exhibit. If you have any questions about the 100th anniversary committee , tool kit or articles, please reach out to 100th Anniversary Chair Mary Kubasak .
Thank you, Mary Klonowski
Dedicated League member has made an immeasurable difference.
The Issues and Advocacy Committee of LWVIL is sorry to announce that League member, Mary Klonowski of LWV La Grange Area, is stepping back from her responsibilities as an Issues Specialist for Gun Violence Prevention. Mary Klonowski has assisted with advocacy for Gun Violence Prevention (GVP) for 8 years, in which time she has ensured that GVP issues and legislation were consistently at the forefront of League’s efforts.
 
In the past Mary has served on the Board of Directors of LWVIL for two terms. A long-time member of LWV La Grange Area, she has served that League as President or co-President, Treasurer, Program Chair and Voter Service Chair. In addition to her responsibilities as Issues Specialist, she created the LWVIL Google Group on Gun Violence Prevention with the goal of having every local League represented in the group so that League members can share information and learn how our different locations - city, suburban, rural - shape our perspectives on this issue.
 
For the past two years, Mary helped lead the opposition to a proposed Illinois Association of School Boards Resolution which supported the idea of giving school districts the option to arm teachers in Illinois schools. When the League learned of the proposal, Mary immediately mobilized local Leagues to advocate at their local school boards to oppose this resolution at the organization's yearly meeting. She distributed a Fact Sheet, a "Time for Action” email alert, a prepared statement to be read at School Board meetings throughout the state, as well as a template for Letters to the Editor.  Many League members testified publicly at School Board meetings on behalf of LWVIL and distributed the prepared documents to the School Board Trustees and the District Superintendents. The League also shared these documents with other organizations, inviting them to join in the campaign.
 
Mary, we will surely miss your passion, persistence, and organizational talents,

Jean Pierce and Rosemary Heilemann
Issues and Advocacy Co-Chairs
Local League Spotlight
LWVIL Local Leagues are doing amazing things in their communities.
LWV Naperville partnered with the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwestern Indiana to hold a Voter Girl workshop for 143 Girl Scouts! Each young woman learned about how to be leaders at the ballot box and in their community. Emphasis was different for each age level. Daisies learned about being a good neighbor in their community and school, while Brownies celebrated community. Juniors examined government at the local, state and national levels. Cadettes learned about ways to find common ground among people with diverse viewpoints on issues that affect their lives. Seniors went behind the ballot to see how the voting process works. This was a great partnership and example of the amazing things happening with our local Leagues. And we aren't the only ones who think so. CBS Chicago featured this great partnership during their evening news.
LWV Arlington Heights, Mt. Prospect & Buffalo join the Aptakisic Junior High School Day of Service where they worked with students to stuff birthday envelopes. These envelopes are given to high school students that are becoming voting age. The envelopes include information on how to register to vote, along with an accompanying sticker, magnet and a pen. You can catch even more about the League's efforts on  ABC 7 Chicago. Great job Leaguers!
Important Dates to Remember



Please note that this list of important dates is not exhaustive.
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