The 3rd Annual Black Joy Festival was held Saturday 8/19 at Lake Lorna Doone Park in Orlando. It was a family friendly event hosted by the Black Health Commission featuring music, exercise, healthy food, and fun activities for the children. LWVOC representatives were there, educating voters as well as handing out fun and informative fans, a big hit on a very hot day! | | Photos shown above, top to bottom, L-R: Saudi Ellis, FL House Rep D-40 Lavon Bracy Davis, Linda Dalton, Victor Collazo; Volunteers w/OC Comm. D-6 Mike Scott; Tara R, Gina H, Cheryl R, Deborah F, Saudi E.; Volunteer Group: Gina Hall, Linda Dalton, Sylvia McMillon, Saudi Ellis, Victor Collazo, Tara Russakov, Cheryl Rogers; Leaguers Deborah Ferencak and Cheryl Rogers collecting Right to Clean Water Petitions. Two attendees filling out petitions |  |  | | Gina Hall and Joan Erwin represented LWVOC at this week's All Women Empowerment Impact Forum held at Camping World Stadium.
Of note: Women's Equality Day is celebrated in the United States on August 26 (this Saturday) to commemorate the 1920 adoption of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which prohibits the states and the federal government from denying the right to vote to citizens of the United States on the basis of sex. |  | Reproductive Rights and access to abortion are core issues for the League of Women Voters.
You may have heard the news The Center of Orlando for Women owing 193k in fines to the state Division of Administrative Hearings. The Center of Orlando for Women is one of the only two abortion clinics in the Orlando area, and it is independent. Therefore it does not have the luxury of having as much funding as Planned Parenthood. There is a fundraiser currently that has been shared by their clinic escorts, SWAN, and the clinic itself. Click HERE for a donation LINK | | |
| AUG 26 at 3pm and 7pm
The DEIA Committee invites you to join League members at the historic Ritz Theatre in Sanford on Sat, Aug 26 at 3p and 7p to attend the award winning play "Dissonance". We would love to see you, friends and family there.
For one night only, see the thought provoking performance of "Dissonance", a conversation between two friends, one black one white, after the murder of George Floyd. The historic Ritz Theater/Wayne Densch Performing Arts Center in Sanford is hosting the play on Saturday August 26th at 3p and 7p.
Special discount for Leaguers BUT you will need to call them at 407-321-8111 to receive the discount using promo code UNITY or HARMONY for 15% off any seat price. To learn more about the play, visit www.dissonanceplay.com, | | | |
SEPT 6, 1-2PM
What is the Nat'l Popular Vote Interstate Compact?
| | SEPT 23, 2:30-5:30PM
SPEAKEASY Orange County's Most Conscientious Happy Hour returns Sept. 23 in partnership with the Global Peace Film Festival.
Wine, appetizers and conversation will follow the screening at the Winter Park Library.
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The moderator is Nancy Alvarez, WESH 2 News anchor, and panelists include Samí Haiman-Marrero, president and CEO of Urbander communications agency; Johanna Lopez, current Florida House Representative and former member of the Orange County School Board; Amy Mercado, Orange County Property Appraiser and former Florida House Representative, twice elected, and Laudi Campo, Hispanic Federation Florida State Director
Considering that Hispanics now make up one-third of Orange County’s population (2020 Census,) join us as we discuss:
How do we ensure that this diversity will continue to contribute to our shared progress in Central Florida, now and into the future?
How did each woman get to where she is now?
What do they want us to know about their journey? Who inspired them? Who are their heroes? What do they see for their futures?
Learn more about them HERE.
The RECAP of our Aug Hot Topics is now available including the recorded event on our YouTube Channel. If you attended/viewed online, consider completing a quick event survey HERE, helping our efforts to continually improve the event.
|  | | Click this LINK to take a guess about who we're inviting to lunch. We'll randomly choose one participant to win a FREE Hot Topics lunch! |  | | VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
The Hot Topics team needs help with checking in attendees, etc. Contact Pat Grierson for more information.
Also needed, event photographers and writers to summarize the program. Contact Susan Windmiller for more information |  | TAKE THE QUIZ FOR VOTER REGISTRATION!
Just a reminder that all members that wish to participate in voter registration events must take and score 100% on the new voter registration quiz. The quiz can be found on the Voter Services Committee page Voter Services Committee page HERE. The new quiz went into effect 6/28/2023 and is in effect until 6/30/2025. If you haven't taken the VR quiz since 6/28/23, you must take and pass to be able to register citizens. | | |
 | Adopt-a-Precinct 2024
To all past and future LWVOC Adopt-a-Precinct Volunteers. Our Supervisor of Elections office has invited our Adopt-a-Precinct teams to participate in the 2024 election season. We have been offered our six 2022 precincts for all three of the elections in 2024:
Presidential Preference Primary Election: March 19
Primary Election: August 20
General Election: November 5
Please mark your calendar for these dates.
You may have received emails from the Supervisor of Elections and from the LWVFL encouraging you to sign up as poll workers. That is a process separate from our Adopt-a-Precinct Program that enlists volunteers on behalf of LWVOC. If you have any questions please contact Mary Montanus at mcmontanus@gmail.com Mary will be sending out emails shortly to our veteran Adopt-a-Precinct Poll workers about the 2024 election season. | | |  | | Annemarie Cooper
Mary Ann Comes
Click Join Now to learn all about our Membership levels including Student Memberships which are FREE. |  | Lelia W. Allen gave a generous donation to the LWVOC Fund in support of the League's long-term growth.
Susan Fritsche gave a generous donation to the LWVOC Fund.
Mary Munroe gave a generous donation to the LWVOC Fund.
This could be you! $upport LWVOC
Honor or recognize someone with a donation.
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The Right to Clean Water! In support of establishing our basic right to clean and healthy water, LWVOC has committed to helping get the citizen initiative on the 2024 ballot.
Learn how YOU can become an active volunteer here:
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Climate First Bank is our Platinum Sponsor. The bank will be supporting LWVOC Hot Topics events for 2023. Climate First Bank is the world's first FDIC-insured community bank founded to combat the climate crisis. Climate First Bank offers a complete, full-service portfolio of simple and easy-to-use traditional banking products designed to do good for people and the planet. Please follow this link to learn more: climatefirstbank.com | |