For League, defending democracy and ending discrimination go hand in hand. Transgender Awareness Week (Nov 13-19) is an annual effort to help raise the visibility of transgender people and address concerns members of the community face. In response to 2023 as a record-breaking year for the introduction of legislation that affects trans and nonbinary people, the League of Women Voters of the La Crosse Area (LWVLA) will present a local panel to discuss issues affecting the human rights of transgender people.

Our Speakers:
Dr. Erin Gutowski, Gundersen Health System physician
Will Van Roosenbeek, UWL's LGBTQIA+ Services Director
Adam Whitney, UWL student

 

Related Resources:
https://my.lwv.org/wisconsin/pride-month-resources
https://www.lwv.org/blog/status-lgbtqia-rights-us                           Nov. Lunch & Learn: 11/8/2023

Note: There will be no Book Club meeting in December.

In her twenties, Belle da Costa Greene is hired by J. P. Morgan to curate a collection of rare manuscripts, books, and artwork for his newly built Pierpont Morgan Library, becoming a fixture on the New York society scene and art and book world. But Belle has a secret that she must protect -- she is the daughter of Richard Greener, the first Black graduate of Harvard and a well-known advocate for equality. Her complexion isn't dark because of her alleged Portuguese heritage that lets her pass as white—her complexion is dark because she is African American. The Personal Librarian tells the story of an extraordinary woman, famous for her intellect, style, and wit, and shares the lengths to which she must go to preserve her carefully crafted white identity in a racist world.

Lunches must be reserved and paid for by the end of the day Thursday, 12/7. Pre-paid lunches are nonrefundable. If you have any difficulty with registration, please contact us at lwvlawi@gmail.com.

 

Members and interested friends are invited to get acquainted (or reacquainted) at the December Lunch & Learn as we prepare for a busy 2024 election year, and the Centennial Year Celebration of the League of Women Voters of the La Crosse Area.

We will review the innovations of Final Five Voting and explain the Ranked Choice election process. There will be a short video by Final Five advocate Katherine Gehl and a light-hearted opportunity to experience Final Five Voting yourself co-hosted by Lee Rasch of Leader Ethics.

We will provide an update on the current bipartisan bill in the Wisconsin legislature to create a top five primary and instant run-off election model for all U.S. House and Senate seats from Wisconsin.

Speakers:
Katherine Gehl TED Talk
Sara Eskrich, Democracy Found

 

Check Out  In the News

 

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Issues Briefing: Preparing for Elections in 2024

Three Topics over Three Days
This year's theme is "Preparing for Elections in 2024." All programs will be held virtually.   

November 9 - 6:30 to 8:30pm - Redistricting in Wisconsin  LWVWI Issues Briefing: Redistricting in Wisconsin - 11/9/2023    

November 11 - 10am to noon -  Proposed Wisconsin Constitutional Amendments  LWVWI Issues Briefing: Proposed State Constitutional Amendments - 11/11/2023

November 14 - 6:30 to 8:30pm - Overcoming Barriers to Voting & Election Administration Challenges

 You can register for all 3 sessions or you can register a la carte.

It's free to attend, but be sure you register.  

The Month of the Freezing Moon
November is Native American Heritage Month

 

In 1990, November was set aside as Native American Heritage Month. While many families sit down to a piping hot turkey dinner, Native people observe traditional harvest ceremonies. Some might volunteer at a community meal, while others are fasting for the day.
For the over 600 tribal nations in America, the severity of genocide, historical trauma, and colonization taught us a fundamental lesson: take nothing for granted. This lesson is essential to our everyday survival.
The many myths that surround the Thanksgiving holiday are often painful and can also be triggering for some Native people. In fact, many Native people refer to Thanksgiving as the National Day of Mourning.
We grieve for our ancestral lands, our elders living in substandard housing, and our precious missing women, men, and children. Historical events of record are sometimes stunning: the story of the Taino Natives who found the lost and starving mariner Columbus and brought him back to good health; the stories of men and women who were captured, kidnapped and sold into slavery for their kindness; or the story of that “first thanksgiving” declared by Massachusetts Gov. John Winthrop after 700 Pequot people were murdered at Mystic Fort. These are only a few of the stories.

Understandably, Native people have an ambivalent relationship with Thanksgiving. Still, my holiday message to you is this: perform an act of kindness in some understated way.
You could visit a neighbor with a pumpkin pie, shovel someone’s sidewalk without telling them, offer your arm to an elder, make an anonymous donation to a winter clothing drive, or buy your thanksgiving fixings from Native growers in your area.
This month, share this country’s true stories, remind others of the cultural practices of Native people, and be inclusive in your language. Learn how to say “I’m thankful” in languages like Somalian, Ojibwe, or Laotian. Your shared struggle with new words and new stories can be a humbling experience.

During this month of the Freezing Moon, use your warm and generous heart to begin to create a new history.

Happy Thanksgiving!
Miigwech,
Dee Sweet
Native Vote Manager
Wisconsin Conservation Voices