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Friend, 

Happy May, League leaders! 

This month marks Jewish American Heritage Month. The League honors the Jewish American community and all Jewish American women working to power democracy. We also condemn the antisemitism Jewish Americans are experiencing right now, and we stand in solidarity with our Jewish American friends and neighbors. 

May is also home to Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month. As a member of the AANHPI community, I hope you will join me in celebrating — not just throughout May, but every day — all the AANHPI women who have fought to create a more equitable and just society. Intersectionality is core to our mission of empowering every voter and defending democracy, and I am honored and energized to be doing this work with you all.  

Over the last week, we have seen peaceful protesters arrested while exercising their constitutional rights of assembly and free speech. In some parts of the country, the democratic act of protest is now under attack. Peaceful protest is a constitutional right deeply rooted in American democracy and must be respected. The League of Women Voters condemns violence and civil rights violations at peaceful demonstrations. We also condemn antisemitism, discrimination, harassment, islamophobia, and racism of all forms. Today we issued a statement supporting the right to peacefully protest.

With a critical election season already underway, it’s crucial that the League speaks as a collective, empowering all voters to make their voices heard. To maintain our reputation as a trusted, valuable source for voter education and information, it is critical that all Leagues follow and enforce our brand standards. LWVUS recently released our brand standards at a glance, a compressed and easy-to-digest version of the LWV and VOTE411 brand standards. You can download this at-a-glance on lwv.org. Additionally, the LWVUS communications team recorded a branding webinar on all you need to know about LWV and VOTE411 brand standards. Review slides and watch the recording here. 

In other League news, don't forget to review and adopt your debate/forum and voter guide criteria with your League board in preparation for general election 2024 candidate engagement activities. For reference, check out the criteria the LWVEF Board approved for presidential candidates in 2024.  

Finally, I want to thank you all again for completing our 2023 Annual League Survey. We have been regularly providing follow-ups with Leagues and sharing resources in this newsletter, but I want to ensure you all have what you need to track data throughout the year! If you have not already, I strongly encourage you to review the Annual League Survey page on the League Management Site: it includes new and updated resources like data trackers to help your League with our next survey! 

In League,

Sania

PS. I cannot believe that our National Convention is next month! Our finalized agenda now includes breakout sessions hosted by both Leagues and LWVUS staff. View the agenda and register for Convention here. 

See all upcoming events on the League Management Site.

• Action Alert: Urge Your Representatives to Support the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act
• Action Alert: Tell Congress to Ensure That the Equal Rights Amendment Is Published

LWV is a proud partner for National Voter Registration Day, which falls this year on Sept. 17. The League has been the largest on-the-ground partner since the inception of NVRD: let’s keep that trend going! Sign up today using LWV’s specific link and begin planning this year’s activities to register voters and take part in this huge annual celebration! By signing up to be a partner, you will receive free stickers and posters, training materials, and more.

• Report: Women Voters by the Numbers
• Blog: EMTALA at SCOTUS: Abortion Will Always Be a Federal Issue

We recently launched our corporate and organizational partnerships page, where interested organizations can find potential partnership information and see brands that have already signed on. If partners are interested in state or local activations, we will work with appropriate Leagues to support localized programming. Similarly, if you know of a national brand or organization looking for support in empowering voters this year, please connect them to partnerships@lwv.org.

LWVUS recently released our brand standards at-a-glance, a compressed and easy-to-digest version of the LWV and VOTE411 brand standards. You can download this at-a-glance on lwv.org. Additionally, the LWVUS communications team recorded a branding webinar on all you need to know about LWV and VOTE411 brand standards. Review slides and watch the recording here.

LWVUS developed on a Google Form that Leagues can edit and use for data collection and more! The data collected in this form can help your League complete the Annual League Survey and showcase your impact. Access the Google Form and the Excel data tracker on the League Management Site.

The Convention website includes all up-to-date information on our National Convention, registration, and travel information. The full agenda, including caucuses, workshops, and breakout sessions, is now posted.

The LWV Program Planning Committee has scheduled upcoming opportunities for League members to ask questions about the LWVUS Board Recommended Program and the Program Planning process ahead of the 2024 National Convention. View dates and register here.

The groups.io platform for Program Planning is live and available for League members to review all program ideas and proposals for the 2024 National Convention. You can also post questions! 

• Yesterday, the League of Women Voters announced their first major national brand partnerships, including Macy’s Inc., Microsoft, and Lyft. Read the press release here. 
• The League of Women Voters of Missoula, MT, worked with Missoula College to provide students with voter registration information. Learn more: League of Women Voters helps Missoula College students access voting information.
• Caren Short, director of legal and research for the League of Women Voters of the US, talked to Associated Press about the League’s litigation work to fight voter suppression. Read here: A crush of lawsuits over voting in multiple states is creating a shadow war for the 2024 election.

Special Notifications: To help keep members informed, LWVUS sends this bi-weekly, internal email newsletter to state and local League presidents, as well as other highly engaged League members. The League Update includes important announcements about upcoming trainings and webinars, grant opportunities, messaging resources, stories from Leagues nationwide, and surveys to help LWVUS serve Leagues better. This newsletter is curated for League members specifically and is not intended for public consumption or distribution. 

Do you know a League member who wants to receive this email? Members can subscribe to receive the League Update here. Please do not reply to this message. To unsubscribe, please click the “unsubscribe” button at the bottom of this email.