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Date: 8/23/2021
Subject: LWV-Wake Update August 23rd 2021
From: Cheryl Tung



LWV-Wake Update 8/23/2021

 
Dear ~~first_name~~,
 
Greetings from LWV-Wake. While the lazy days of summer may be nearing the end, activities at the League are in full swing!
 
Redistricting Advocacy
Redistricting advocacy efforts have increased as the NCGA joint Redistricting Committee seems poised to ignore public comments as well as those from many of its own members regarding criteria and number, timing and locations of its proposed hearing sites. We have responded by: 
  • Issuing a press release calling for changes to be made with regard to public hearings as well as the addition of Wake County to the list of proposed hearing sites,
  • Sending emails to all members of NCGA's Redistricting Committee,
  • Submitting a Letter to the Editor from Laurel Voelker, Redistricting Chair and
  • Submitting public comments to the NCGA public comment portal.
In addition, a new Action Alert has been issued for this week that provides updated information and talking points. If you'd like tips on how to make more effective public comments, please scroll down to upcoming events for details on the LWVNC Webinar: Presenting Public Comment at Government Meetings and Hearings presented by LWV-Wake's Dianna Wynn. 
 
Women's Equality Day is almost here!
Our largest fundraiser of the year is happening this Thursday, August 26th at 5:30pm at Dix Chapel. For more details, please scroll down to Upcoming Events. PLEASE NOTE: TO COMPLY WITH CITY OF RALEIGH AND WAKE COUNTY MASK MANDATES, MASKS WILL BE REQUIRED AT OUR EVENT. IN ADDITION, IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THAT ONLY THOSE INDIVIDUALS FULLY VACCINATED ATTEND THIS EVENT. 
 
DEI Roundtable: The Past, Present & Future is tomorrow August 24th!
Guest Speaker Carolyn Jefferson-Jenkins PhD will lead an informal discussion and review the past, reflect on the present and determine personal actions that address a renewed voter suppression movement. Jefferson-Jenkins served two terms as the President of LWVUS, and was the first women of color to serve in this position. She continues to advocate for civil rights, social justice and education excellence. Scroll down for more details and to register. 
 
PLEASE RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP
 Help us fulfill our mission of Defending Democracy and Educating Voters. While your support for League provides the financial resources to keep the League operational, we also need your VOICE for issues important to North Carolina. Our volunteers work hard to provide our community with much needed information and opportunities for engagement.  Renew your membership and complete your membership profile take full advantage of membership benefits. 
 
 

Upcoming LWV-Wake Events
  • 3 more days until our Women's Equality Day event on August 26th. This year's event will be held at the newly remodeled All Faith's Chapel at Dix Park with guest speaker Artspace CEO Carly Jones. Carly has worked to make the arts more inclusive and accessible across socio-economic boundaries in NC. In addition, she has been cast as "Camila Rosario" in NC Theater's upcoming musical In the Heights. During this event, we will recognize the incredible work of all women elected officials serving Wake County. This event is our major fundraising event of the year and we hope all members will support us by attending and/or purchasing a sponsorship. We rely on these funds to offset the increasing costs of our programs and for operational support. Please note: WED sponsorships can be purchased online or you can click a link to download a sponsorship form and mail a check. Register/support us here:

  • Redistricting committee- Has created a Fair Maps Art Contest for LWV-Wake in an effort to increase public awareness of the power of redistricting and the need for fair maps. From July 15th-September 1st, artists are invited to submit 2D work related to the themes of fair voting maps in North Carolina. We will be holding an online exhibition and offering a cash prize to contest winners. We hope this contest will engage citizens to advocate for more public input opportunities and more transparency by the NCGA during the upcoming redistricting round. Learn more here:


Health Inequity

  • August 24th 4:45pm DEI Series (Members Only) - Join our August DEI discussion to review the past, reflect on the present, and determine personal actions that address a renewed voter suppression movement. Register here.
  • August 31st: 3pm-5pm - Healthcare Committee - Special Presentation “Health Inequities in North Carolina: A Story” presented by William Munn, Ph.D. This Members Only event will look at the deep inequities in our state’s healthcare. Register here.
  • September 16th 2pm League Lit (Members Only) - Will discuss The Daughters of Kobani: A Story of Rebellion, Courage, and Justice by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon. More details can be found here. 
  • September 30th Timely Topics (Public Event) - Working for the Future: What to do when 100 years is not enough? Guest speaker will be Carolyn Jefferson Jenkins, PhD. The event will be held at the NCSU University Club at 5:00pm. Register here.


Upcoming LWVNC Events
Rally for Equality on Women's (In)Equality Day
 
On Women's (In)Equality Day, join Leaguers from all over NC for a Rally for Equality August 26th from 10 a.m. to noon. Meet at the NC General Assembly Building (16 W. Jones St.). Come by the carload. Wear your pin. Bring your signs. Look for fans, banners, and beach balls. Details here.

LWVNC Webinar: Presenting Public Comment at Government Meetings and Hearings
Monday, August 30th 1pm
Presented by LWV-Wake 's Dianna Wynn, This webinar will address how to sign up to be heard, guidelines for strategically preparing your message, and tips for presenting at a hearing or meeting. This webinar is relevant for people wishing to express their personal opinions to elected officials as well as those speaking on behalf of the League of Women Voters. Register here.
Legislative Update

Redistricting Advocacy
Details of the August 18th House Redistricting Committee Meeting:  
  • A list of 10 proposed county sites that included a public hearings schedule for redistricting was released.
  • Wake County, the state's most populous, containing the state's largest school district was excluded from the list.
  • Representative Pricy Harrison submitted proposals for a redistricting schedule and a redistricting process.
  • Committee Chair Senator Ralph Hise suggested there would be a vote on the proposed county sites and public hearing schedule this week, although there has been no committee hearing scheduled. 

North Carolina Budget
We continue to monitor the NCGA conference budget process where the House and Senate, along with Governor Cooper, work on a final version of the budget that they hope to put to a final vote on September 9th. The budget contains many policy provisions, including some that effectively work to strip powers of the NCSBE, and falls short of adequately funding education needs in NC. The League of Women Voters of Wake County, in a recent Letter to the Editor, called on legislators to remove all voting and election policy provisions from the budget. 
 
Some facts and figures about the 2021-2023 NC biennial budget:
  • NCGA leaders have agreed on the total biennial budget – $25.7 billion for fiscal year 2021-22 and $26.7 billion for fiscal year 2022-23, $2.1 billion short of what Governor Cooper proposed.
  • The Senate tax cut proposal calls for completely eliminating state corporate income taxes and reducing the personal income tax rate from 5.25% to 3.99%. The House will reveal their suggested tax cuts this week.
  • There are a number of educational changes included in the House budget proposal. WRAL lists them here.
  • The Senate and House health budgets have several differences. NC Policy Watch describes them here.

Renew membership image for newsletter
Did you receive a membership reminder postcard?
Please renew your membership & create your member profile
 
Most LWV-Wake memberships, unless renewed, expired at the end of July. In an effort to decrease the amount of volunteer work, we transitioned to an easy online renewal process. Once you log in with the credentials that were emailed to you in June, you will be prompted to update your password and renew your membership. If you cannot find your login info, please call Club Express Customer Support Toll-free: (866)HLP-CLUB (457-2582) and they can assist you with logging in for the first time and even help you renew and set up your profile. 
Please note: You CAN pay your membership dues by credit card and you DO NOT need to have a PayPal account to do so. PayPal is the processing company we use to process credit cards and debits. Once you click PayPal, you can enter your credit card information or your bank account info. You can also choose to download the renewal form and mail it with a check. We hope you will continue to support us with your membership in order to receive information about important issues and our educational programs!
 

Thank you for continuing to support the League of Women Voters of Wake County. I look forward to seeing you at one of our upcoming events.
Sincerely,
Cheryl Tung
President