CEO's Remarks at NCBCP Voting Rights and Reproductive Justice Call to Action (Blog) 5/25/2022 On June 25, the League's CEO Virginia Kase Solomón joined Black Women Leaders and Allies, an arm of the National Coalition for Black Civic…
5 Must-Know AANHPI Women Who Shaped Democracy (Blog) 5/17/2022 Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) women have always been an integral part of the voting rights movement. From opposing…, Patsy Mink Patsy Mink was a third-generation Japanese-American attorney and politician born and raised in Maui. After graduating as class…, Tye Leung Schulze Tye Leung Schulze was born in San Francisco in 1887. In her teens, she became a translator for her local mission home, where she…, Emma Kaʻilikapuolono/Kaili Metcalf Beckley Nakuina Emma Kaʻilikapuolono/Kaili Beckley Nakuina was a judge and cultural writer born in Hawaii's…, Dr. Sayu Bhojwani Dr. Sayu Bhojwani was born in India and spent various periods of her childhood in Belize and British Honduras. In 1980, she moved…, Dr. Mabel Ping-Hua Lee Dr. Mabel Ping-Hua Lee was a Chinese American activist and suffragist. She is also the first Chinese woman in the US to earn…
Remarks on the Leaked Roe v. Wade Draft Opinion (Blog) 5/5/2022 On Tuesday, May 5, the League's national organizing director, Alma Couverthie, spoke on the steps of the Supreme Court regarding the leaked draft…, Those of us who believe in the promise of our democracy also believe in the power of elected officials to protect the rights of the people. Yet this…, Abortion rights are rooted in the implied Constitutional right to privacy. If Roe and Planned Parenthood are overturned, other personal…, Our ability to participate in our democracy is dependent on our autonomy over our own bodies. The League of Women Voters signed on as amicus…
Arab American Women in Democracy You Should Know (Blog) 4/26/2022 April is Arab American Heritage Month! This month (and all year long), we celebrate the rich and diverse culture and contributions of the Arab…, Charlene Mekled Elder: Judge In 2006, Judge Charlene Mekled Elder was appointed to the Wayne County 3rd Circuit Court by Michigan Governor…
How Changing Our Economy Can Protect Our Planet (Blog) 4/20/2022 This Earth Day, many of us are asking one question: “What is my role in addressing climate change?” We see countless articles listing the “top ten…, Linear processes “take, make, and waste,” by taking materials from the earth, making a product, and moving it to a landfill at the end of its useful…
Women's Equality and Ending Sexual Violence (Blog) 4/13/2022 Content Warning: This blog discusses sexual violence and assault. Over the years, the United States has made significant social and legal…, Our role in ending sexual violence mirrors our role in making democracy real for all of us — we must continue to uphold our values of equity…, Even with the above laws in place, it is clear – we need the Equal Rights Amendment. While the ERA doesn’t focus on sexual violence, it sets a…
3 Cases of Redistricting Reform: 2018 vs. Today (Blog) 4/5/2022 Partisan gerrymandering, i.e., designing electoral maps to benefit a particular political party during the redistricting process, goes against the…, Missouri: The Clean Missouri Initiative and Amendment 3 In 2018, voters in Missouri passed the Clean Missouri initiative, a ballot measure…, Bramer and Steiger also voiced concern that Amendment 3 broke with 150 years of precedent by only counting voting-eligible adults as part of the…, Proposal 2 also included several other pro-voter reforms, including automatic and same-day voter registration, as well as no-excuse absentee voting…, Utah: Proposition 4 In 2018, voters in Utah passed Proposition 4, which created a seven-member independent redistricting commission empowered…
Racial Gerrymandering and the 2021-2022 Redistricting Process (Blog) 3/31/2022 Every ten years following the census count, our nation undergoes the redistricting process. Redistricting is the process of drawing state, local, and…, Previously, voters of color were protected from gerrymandering by the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA). Yet in the last decade, the Supreme Court…
Women Creating Their Own Histories: Staff Spotlight (Blog) 3/29/2022 Every day, we're creating women's history. The League is fortunate enough to have been a part of women's political power for over 100 years,…, When you think of incredible women, who comes to mind? Jessica Jones Capparell – Director of Government Affairs: I think of women who are fighting…, What is a challenge you've faced, personally or professionally, as a woman? Maggie Bush – Program and Outreach Director: I think most successful…, What is your favorite thing about the women in your life? MB: Women get the tough work done and then look around to see how they can support others…, What role do you think women have played and/or will play in our democracy? AG: Our Constitution was first crafted by white, land-owning men, who…
The Woman Who Argued 'Rucho v. Common Cause' Looks Back (Blog) 3/25/2022 March 26th marks the anniversary of the landmark Rucho v. League of Women Voters of North Carolina (also known as Rucho v. Common Cause) Supreme…, Ultimately, the Supreme Court ruled that gerrymandering based on political party was not unconstitutional. What does this mean for voters? The case…, Tell us about your current work with the Southern Coalition for Social Justice (SCSJ). What made you decide to be a lawyer and focus on voting…