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The Voter 2/24/2025

Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy.

The official newsletter of the League of Women Voters of San Luis Obispo County.

Vol 67 | Issue 2 | Date: Feb. 24, 2025

In this issue:

THE LEAGUE REMAINS COMMITTED TO DEMOCRACY

“For over a century, the League has remained steadfast in our commitment to the American people and our democracy. President Trump’s latest actions put both in deep jeopardy. We call on our elected officials to stand up to tyranny, protect our democracy, and honor their oath to the American people.”

Celina Stewart
CEO, League of Women Voters of the United States

LWVUS Urges Congress to Exercise Its Authority
The League of Women Voters of the United States has sent a letter to the leadership of Congress expressing grave concern for the state of our nation. Specifically, the League urges Congress to exercise its authority to protect the rule of law, defend the Constitution, and end Executive Branch overreach. The League urges Congress to assert its constitutional authority under Article I to protect our system of checks and balances, ensure the rights of Americans, and defend democracy itself.

The letter states:
“The League of Women Voters of the United States (“the League”), along with our state affiliates in 50 states and the District of Columbia, write to express our strong concern about Congress’s abdication of its duty and authority under Article I of the US Constitution. We urge you to exercise your authority to protect the rule of law, defend the Constitution, and end the overreach by the executive branch of government, which is leading to harm for millions of Americans. We demand that you honor your oaths and protect your constituents.” See the full text of the letter here.

LWVUS Responds to Executive Actions Taken by the Trump Administration
As our democracy continues to be tested, the League of Women Voters remains steadfast in our fight to empower voters and defend democracy for all people. In the first few weeks of the second Trump Administration we’ve witnessed an undeniable assault on the foundations of our democracy. The League has expressed dismay over executive orders removing federal support for voter access and registration and pardoning the January 6 perpetrators. See the full statement from League of Women Voters of the United States CEO Celina Stewart here.

LWVUS Condemns Trump Administration’s Weaponization of Government Against Americans
LWVUS has issued a press release condemning the Trump Administration’s weaponization of government against Americans. CEO Celina Stewart stated, “The callousness of the most recent actions, including the terrorizing of the immigrant community, shows a blatant disregard for the well-being of the American people. We’ve seen the weakening of the Department of Justice’s civil rights work, continued attacks on people of color and the LGBTQIA+ community, and the elimination and freezing of humanitarian aid to other countries. These efforts are dangerous for our country, compromising our international relationships and putting many Americans’ livelihoods at stake.” See the full text of the press release here.

NEW MEMBER ORIENTATION

New Member Orientation

Tuesday, March 25, 2025
2:00 - 4:00 PM

On Zoom

Learn about the League and meet your fellow League members

Register Here

Mark your calendars and save the date, Tuesday, March 25 at 2:00 p.m., to join us for a New Member Orientation. This virtual event, offered via Zoom, is aimed at welcoming new members and introducing them to the League of Women Voters of SLO County. This event is open to anyone interested in learning more about the League and our mission. Members and non-members are welcome to attend.

The two hour program is divided into two segments. In the first segment new members will introduce themselves and share their backgrounds and reasons for joining the League. In the second segment the chairs of our committees will introduce themselves and explain what their respective committees do. They will explain what is expected of committee members, including what type of time commitment is involved.

There is no charge for this event but please register in advance to receive the Zoom login information.

VIRTUAL COFFEE HOUR

~~~ You're Invited! ~~~

Virtual Coffee Hour

Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 9 am

Register Here

Bring your morning beverage and join other LWV SLOCO members for an hour of casual social interaction. This is chance to get to know other members and discuss topics and issues that are important to you - or just shoot the breeze! Bring your questions and ideas - we'd love to hear them! Everyone is welcome - you don't need to be a League member to attend.

This meeting is held online on Zoom. Register to receive event reminders or just drop in using this link. Your meeting host is long-time League member Nancy Welts.

Can't make it to coffee hour on Feb. 26? See dates of future coffee and cocktail hours here.

ANNOUNCING PARTNERSHIP WITH CAL POLY

LWV SLOCO Announces Partnership with Cal Poly College of Architecture & Design

The League of Women Voters of SLO County Board of Directors is pleased to announce a partnership between the League, through its Housing & Homelessness Committee, and the Cal Poly College of Architecture and Design (CAED)to work on a project design for workforce housing in SLO County. CAED runs “studios” - student teams that work on hypothetical planning solutions to real world challenges - as part of its ‘Learn by Doing’ curriculum.At Cal Poly, Learn by Doing is a deliberate process whereby students, from day one, acquire knowledge and skills through active engagement and self-reflection inside the classroom and beyond it.

The Committee’s main objectives in this partnership are to educate our audiences on the feasibility of integrating workforce housing into existing landscapes and to show how the entire community benefits by having a bigger supply of housing for a diverse population.

The project could begin as early as Spring term 2025 under the faculty leadership of Hemalata Dandekar, former head of the Department of City and Regional Planning. We will keep you, our members and supporters, informed as this partnership progresses.

REPORT ON THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY IN SLO COUNTY

New Report on the Immigrant Community in SLO County Released
The Fabric of SLO County: Understanding the Diversity and Contributions of our Immigrant Community

The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo County recently released an important study on the composition, challenges, and needs of the immigrant community in San Luis Obispo County.The Fabric of SLO County: Understanding the diversity and contribution of our immigrant communityconsolidates data from various sources to support the work of policymakers, nonprofits, and other local organizations. Key issues covered include housing, healthcare, legal support, education, economic stability, and family services.

Heightened discussions over immigration policy and enforcement have increased the need to learn more about the complexities of our local immigrant population. Without knowing who our neighbors are, we cannot have a welcoming, healthy and prosperous community or effectively address the challenges that we must face together.

➤A condensed summary of the report can be accessed here.
➤The Spanish version of this summary report can be accessed here.

For more on the work of the Community Foundation San Luis Obispo County see their website here.

PROGRAM PLANNING MEETING UPDATE

What issues should our local League focus on in 2025 – 2027?
Members share their ideas and concerns at Program Planning Meeting

Forty-six League members and guests met at the United Methodist Church on January 25, 2025 to discuss their priorities for local League education and advocacy for the next two years. We had 2 breakout sessions led by 8 discussion leaders: Cindy Marie Absey, Leslie Brown, Ed Cabrera, Kim Gravell, Alex Karlin, Julie Rodewald, Glenn Silloway and Nancy Welts.

Members reached consensus on four main issues for local League focus and brainstormed strategies to achieve our goals. Several themes recurred in all the issues we discussed and ideas were presented for how we can support the LWVC/LWVUS initiative “Making Democracy Work” locally.

In summary, the priority issues that emerged from our discussions were:

Civic Education & Information Literacy. We see the need for more educational programs on how government works, the importance of voting and civic involvement, and how to tell fact from fiction.
Housing & Homelessness. This is a continuation of our current efforts to educate on how the broken housing market impacts our entire community.
Environmental Stewardship & Climate Resiliency. Members want us to continue to monitor and report on the local impacts of climate change, support clean energy efforts, and advocate for sound management of resources.
Immigration & Civil Rights. Members want us to work with other organizations to educate on immigrant rights, citizenship, and civil liberties.

A more detailed description of these four priorities will be presented to the membership for a vote at the Biennial Meeting on May 10. If adopted, they will become the League Program for education and advocacy for the biennium beginning July 1.

CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Celebrating Black History Month
February 2025

African Americans and Labor
February is Black History Month. This year’s theme “African Americans and Labor,” focuses on the various and profound ways that work of all kinds has impacted the collective experiences of Black people. Work – free and unfree, skilled and unskilled, vocational and voluntary – is at the very center of Black history and culture.

Be it the traditional agricultural labor of enslaved Africans, debates among Black educators on the importance of vocational training, self-help strategies and entrepreneurship in Black communities, organized labor’s role in fighting both economic and social injustice, or efforts by social justice activists, volunteers, and institutions, Black labor has played a crucial role in shaping Black lives, cultures, and histories.

Find more information on celebrations of Black History on the Smithsonian website here and the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) website here.

Black History Month Removed from Google Calendar
Black History Month started as Negro History Week in 1926. February was recognized as Black History Month by President Ford in 1976. Google announced in 2025 that Black History Month is no longer highlighted by default, saying it was no longer "scalable or sustainable" to continue adding the growing number of national and international "cultural moments" manually to its calendars. Indigenous People Month, Pride Month, Jewish American Heritage Month, Holocaust Remembrance Day, and Hispanic Heritage Month have also been removed.

IMMIGRANT LEGAL RESOURCES CENTER TOOLKIT

Immigrant Legal Resources Center Toolkit
Step-by-Step Family Preparedness Plan

At our Program Planning meeting on January 25, members encouraged the League to make Immigration and Civil Rights a focus for future education and advocacy. They suggested that the League work with other organizations to educate on immigrant rights, citizenship, and civil liberties and to counter misinformation about immigration.

In that vein, we are sharing this message from the Immigrant Legal Resources Center (ILRC). The ILRC is an invaluable source of legal, social, and educational information for immigrant communities and those who advocate on their behalf. One example of the resources available is this Step-by-Step Family Preparedness Plan.

For more information on the work of the ILRC see their website here: ilrc.me/resources.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Women of Color Symposium

Saturday, March 1, 9 am - 3 pm

Cal Poly Chumash Auditorium

The Women of Color Symposium, being held on Saturday, March 1 from 9 am to 3 pm, is an event organized by women of color for women of color, with the goal of creating a space of connection and belonging.

The Women of Color Symposium will focus on developing skills, learning strategies, and most importantly building connections that will advance women of color in our region.

When we center the experiences of women of color, we are more likely to create communities and workplaces that benefit that benefit ALL people, not just women of color.

Saturday, March 1, 10 am-2 pm
Wildfire Preparedness Community Meeting
SLO Vets Hall,801 Grand Ave, SLO

Join SLO county fire agencies for a community meeting on wildfire preparedness. SLO Co Fire Logo

The meeting will focus on explaining why the fires were so destructive in LA, how local agencies are preparing for wildfires in our county, and educating the public on how residents and homeowners can better prepare for large-scale wildfires in SLO County. Additionally, it will offer various resources to help citizens achieve that goal.

See more information here. Read the SLO County Fire Dept. press release here.

A live stream will be broadcast at facebook.com/SLOCountyOES.

Protecting Our Immigrant Community

Thursday, February 27, 12:00 - 1:30 pm

Moderated by Supervisor Laura Capps, hear from a panel of local experts on the rights of immigrant residents in Santa Barbara County. This co-sponsored event includes speakers from the SBC Immigrant Legal Defense Center, 805UndocuFund, SBC Undersheriff, and an Immigration Specialist Deputy Public Defender. Join us to listen and learn!

This event will be held at the Faulkner Gallery of SB Public Library. The forum is free and open to the public. Spanish interpretation will be available. The forum will also be live-streamed on YouTube here. A video will be available on YouTube for later viewing in English and Spanish.

League of Women Voters of San Luis Obispo County

The League of Women Voters of San Luis Obispo County is a nonpartisan, grassroots civic organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. Membership in the League is open to people 16 years and older, of all gender identities. With over 100 years of experience, the League is one of America’s oldest and most trusted civic nonprofit organizations.

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