LWV 



 CALENDAR

January 12, 11am....Lyons Township High School
Student Voter Registration & Registrar Training

Contact Stephanie Nelson at crazybus [email protected] for parking & location information.

January 13, 7-8:45pm...LaGrange Public Library, Cossit & LaGrange Rd
                Book Discussion: The New Jim Crow
contact Verlaine Carnall to borrow a copy
 
February             Supreme Court Decisions
 
March                 Candidate Forums

March                 Cost of Pharmaceuticals
 
April                    Rape on Campus
 
May                    Annual Business Meeting


GREETINGS FROM YOUR CO-PRESIDENTS

We had a great time at our annual holiday party.  With all of the hard work that we do, it's always exhilarating to have a relaxed night with great potluck food, good socializing highlighted by singing the chorus to a Hannukah song led by Jan Goldberg and a wonderful Holiday gift auction.
 
Checkout our Facebook page to see pictures from the holiday party & other events: https://www.facebook.com/TheLeagueofWomenVotersoftheLaGrangeArea/timeline.  You don't need to be on Facebook to see the pictures.  But if you are on Facebook, click the "Like" button and then select "notification" from the dropdown and you will be notified when any new items are posted.  Hope you enjoy the pictures.

We have joined LWV's national monthly teleconference on Gun Violence Prevention.  The purpose of the teleconference is to share information on common sense gun laws with League leaders from all 50 states.  The focus is on state legislation.  Stay tuned for monthly updates.
 
At the request of LWVIL, we are participating in a project to contact Social Service agencies in our area to gather information on the impact of the budget impasse in Illinois on their services.   We will use this information to lobby with our State Leaders and local legislators to work out a compromise that is long past due.  Once the information is collated we will post a link to access the document on our website.   Thanks to Tina Rounds for initiating the contacts.
 
Be sure to scroll through this newsletter to learn about the exciting upcoming Voter Service activities planned by Stephanie Nelson.  Consider becoming a Deputy Registrar.
 
See you at the book discussion on January 13th.
 
Mary Klonowski and Patty Rocco


BOOK DISCUSSION: THE NEW JIM CROW

We will be discussing the book, THE NEW JIM CROW by Michelle Alexander.  

With dazzling candor, legal scholar Michelle Alexander argues that "we have not ended racial caste in America; we have merely redesigned it.'  By targeting black men through the War on Drugs and decimating communities of color, the U.S. Criminal Justice System functions as a contemporary system of racial control--relegating millions to a permanent second-class status--even as it formally adheres to the principle of color-blindness.

The discussion will be led by Marian Honel-Wilson, who was recently honored for her diversity work.

To borrow a copy of the book from Verlaine Carnall, contact her at 708/354-2477.

Feel free to come for the discussion even if you have not read the book.

VOTER REGISTRATION & REGISTRAR TRAINING


We are hosting 2 registrar training sessions at LT on Tuesday, January 12 beginning at 11am. We need volunteer to help register students prior to taking the registrar training.  

If you know of any adult who would like to be trained as a registrar and be available to help at registration events in February, please pass the word.

Contact Stephanie Nelson at [email protected] for more information.

INDEPENDENT MAP CAMPAIGN CONTEST

As we enter the winter season, the Independent Map campaign is running a contest among the local leagues.  Between now and March 15, the local league with the most signatures will win prize money, up to $750.  There will also be monetary awards for 2nd & 3rd place.

In order to be entered in the contest, send your notarized petitions along with your name and league, LWVLGA, to:

Mary Schaafsma
Illinois League of Women Voters
332 S. Michigan Ave., Ste 525
Chicago, IL 60604