January 2025
To access links in The Voter, members first must log in to the lwvtucson.org website.
Not yet a member? We have flexible membership levels.
| | President's Message
from
Emily Bridson | | | New Year and New Perspectives
As the rush of the holidays and 2024 comes to a close, I’ve taken time to reflect on LWVGT’s impact. Being a volunteer-run organization means it takes many hands to serve our community. Our biggest asset is our members – and that’s you! Everyone who has attended an event, or volunteered, or supported our work in any way – thank you. Thank you for defending our democracy and empowering voters for the good of all.
For 2025, this work will continue but with a heightened sense of urgency. The midterm elections are less than two years away and this is as an important cycle as any. The Board of Directors has a retreat on January 5th. We will be making plans to be as impactful as possible in 2025, while also prioritizing advocacy work. Our focus on being a collaborative organization that welcomes new members will continue in the new year.
When I gave my first address as our incoming president back in April of 2024, one of the values I felt we needed to embrace daily was to be brave. What does being brave look like when applied to the League’s work? It means not shying away from controversial policy positions, holding legislators accountable, and moving outside of our comfort zone to continue to defend democracy. Let's continue to work on being brave. The great news is that we have a strong and growing Advocacy Committee that thoughtfully researches positions and is ready to take action on our behalf.
You can get involved as we ramp up several events in the coming months. Please consider attending:
- National Day of Racial Healing on Saturday, January 18
- Legislative Day at the state capitol on Thursday, March 6 (Take a bus from Tucson to Phoenix with us!)
- Issues & Eggs Breakfast Forum and Fundraiser on Friday, March 7
- LWVGT Annual meeting on Friday, April 25
Log into our website lwvtucson.org to sign up and learn more. We need your participation to ensure our voices are heard.
In service,
Emily Bridson
| | President-Elect's Message
from
Betsy Boggia | | | I hope everyone enjoyed a peaceful and restful holiday season.
As we prepare for 2025, I want to share specific information regarding our new membership platform, ChapterSpot.
As you may have heard, the LWVUS and affiliates will be switching to ChapterSpot in February, 2025. This new platform will allow current and new members to log in and update or renew membership via credit card online, and will streamline new member tracking and follow up processes for the LWVGT. The membership fees will continue to be on a sliding scale from $20-$75. According to the LWVUS, adopting this technology will:
• Increase and diversify overall membership and accordingly increase our ability to fulfill our mission.
• Increase funding at the state and local levels where it is needed.
• Streamline membership to free up time for League leaders to focus on more substantive work.
Current leadership of the LWVGT has been training to prepare our chapter for this transition. If you have any questions and want to learn more, you can access this comprehensive site with training and FAQ’s: ChapterSpot. There are no actions required at this time, and more information will be shared as we make this transition.
I'm looking forward to continuing to Empower Voters and Defend Democracy in 2025 with all of you!
Onward,
Betsy
Presidentelect@lwvtucson.com
| LWVGT Holiday Brunch
Saturday, December 14th
9:00am-11:30am | | LWVGT members gathered together to celebrate the holiday season.
| | | Technology and Website Committee
Update Your Profile
Monday, January 6, 2025
6:00 PM until 7:00 PM
| We will focus on how to update your profile to get ready for the data transfer to the new membership module with LWVUS.
Registration is required to attend the Zoom training and it is FREE for active members. You will receive the Zoom link in an email after your registration is complete. Register HERE. | New Task Force Meeting!
When: Tuesday, January 14, 2025, 6:00 PM until 7:00 PM
We will be re-designing and updating the LWVGT homepage, both the public view and the member view. (The upcoming conversion to ChapterSpot will necessitate some of the changes.) The re-design will make the website more inviting and easier to use. With this in mind, we are creating a Task Force to complete this update. The Task Force will meet several times in January and February. We are planning to complete the update by March 1, 2025.
If you are interested in joining the Task Force, please volunteer HERE or contact Linda Longlet with any questions at web@lwvtucson.com.
| | New Member Q & A
Tuesday, January 07, 2025
6:00 PM until 7:30 PM
Do you have questions? We have answers!
This is a drop-in meeting for new members to ask us anything. Come with your questions about how to get involved or ask questions regarding any aspect of League operations. Registration is not required. You can find the Zoom link to attend HERE. | | | Membership Renewals Starting February, 2025
• When the new membership portal launches in February 2025, you will receive an email to log in to the portal, but you will not be asked to renew again until a year after your most recent renewal.
• You will be given the option to sign up to auto-renew annually, and your membership will last a year after your last renewal. Once you have access to the portal, you will be able to update your own information, including contact information.
• When it comes time to renew, you will receive an email reminder. Dues will no longer be a fixed rate but will be pay-what-you-can. The recommended dues amount for all members across the country will be $75.00, but members can pay any amount (minimum $20.00), including the current dues rate.
• Under the new system, a percentage of dues will go to the state and national League. This means that when you renew, if you would like to make an additional contribution directly to LWVGT as some members choose to do when they renew, this will need to be separate from choosing a higher dues amount. A higher dues amount benefits the League as a whole and allows us to offer the option of lower dues to increase our member base but does not exclusively support the local League.
• There will still be the option to renew by check for members who don't use the internet, but members who are able to access the portal and renew are encouraged to do so. | DEI Book Discussion Group | | All League members are invited to participate.
Meetings: The Group meets via Zoom the first Thursday of every other month, from 6:00pm to 7:30pm. Go to the LWVGT website lwvtucson.org and click on Calendar at the top of the page to find Zoom links for each meeting.
Please bring the following: 1-2 quotes from the book that are meaningful to you; some new information or insight that you learned; and any questions you may have about the book or topic.
| | | February 6, 2025 - The Message by Ta Nehisi Coates
April 3, 2025 - Stonewall: The Definitive Story of the LGBTQ Rights Uprising that Changed America by Martin Duberman
June 5, 2025 - Facing the Mountain: An Inspiring Story of Japanese American Patriots in World War II by Daniel James Brown
| The League of Women Voters of Greater Tucson Book Club formed in 2012 to provide an opportunity for members to meet and socialize with others who share their love of reading. The Club reads and discusses books from different genres, which are chosen by members. Members submit titles for consideration between September and November each year, and then choose the five books for the following year at the November meeting.
Meetings: The Book Club will meet in person in the LWVGT Conference Room or via Zoom, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. on the third Wednesday of the months that it meets. Go to the LWVGT website lwvtucson.org and click on Calendar at the top of the page to find information for each meeting.
| | | January 15, 2025 Holding the Line by Barbara Kingsolver
March 19, 2025 Jesus and John Wayne by Kristen Kobes Du Men
May 21, 2025 The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
July 16, 2025 Solito: A Memoir by Javier Zamora
September 17, 2025 The Heaven Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
November 19, 2025 A Gift Upon the Shore by M.K. Wren |
National Day of Racial Healing Program
January 18th, 2025
1:00pm-6:00pm
| | When: January 18th, 2025, 1:00pm to 6:00pm
Where: 525 N. Bonita, Tucson, AZ (YWCA campus)
Sponsors: YWCA of Southern Arizona and the League of Women Voters of Greater Tucson
This year’s theme is "How We Heal from the Effects of Racism." The day’s events will be moderated by Dr. Cheree Meeks (President of the NAACP, Tucson) and will include speakers, a youth panel, cultural performers, and food. The event is free and open to the public.
| | The National Day of Racial Healing Committee would like you to consider making a donation to help offset some expenses for the January 18th event. We wish to pay honoraria to the participants of this inspiring program, which we hope you will attend.
If so moved, please make a check payable to the YWCA of Southern Arizona (our cosponsor) and indicate NDRH in the memo section. Send to the YWCA of Southern Arizona, 525 N. Bonita Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85745 to the attention of Victor Bowleg.
| | | What is NDRH? The National Day of Racial Healing is a time to contemplate our shared values and create the blueprint together for #HowWeHeal as a community from the effects of racism. Launched nationally in 2017, it is an opportunity to bring ALL people together and inspire collective action to build common ground for a more just and equitable world.
Fundamental to this day is a clear understanding that racial healing is at the core of racial equity. This day is observed nationally every year on the Tuesday following Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. However, our program will take place on the Saturday prior to MLK Day, January 18th from 1pm to 6pm.
Why NDRH? Racial healing helps to build trust among people and helps restore communities to wholeness, to work together on changing current systems and structures to affirm the inherent value of all people.
We can’t heal or create greater racial equity if we don’t know each other. Racial healing involves building trusting relationships that help us work together to address the impact and damage caused by racism. Changing the systems that separate us starts with challenging our individual impulses to separate. Let’s use this NDRH event to build common ground with our community.
Learn more at: National Day of Racial Healing.
| Issues & Eggs Committee Meeting
Friday, January 10th, 2025
3:30pm-5:00pm | | Save the date for our 2025 Issues & Eggs Breakfast Forum
"Safe Lives, Safe Homes: Examining the Connection between Domestic Violence and Housing"
When: Friday, March 7th, 2025
Where: DoubleTree by Hilton Tucson
445 S. Alvernon Way, Tucson, AZ
Time: 8:00am-10:30am
Issues & Eggs Committee Meeting
When: Friday, January 10, 2025
Where: LWVGT Office Conference Room
800 N Swan, Suite 126
Tucson, AZ 85711 | | | | We're Looking for Sponsors!
Issues & Eggs is our only annual fundraiser and enables us to maintain valuable programs and services. Without the generous support of sponsors we would not be able to bring this important event to the LWVGT community and continue our programs.
Do you know of a company, corporation, or organization that the Issue & Eggs Sponsorship Committee should contact? If so, can you provide us with specific contact information (name and email)? There are varying levels of sponsorship and we have a letter ready to send to potential sponsors.
Send your list of potential sponsors to Cheri Sprenger at cheri.sprenger@gmail.com, or Maura Raffensperger at maurapics@gmail.com. | | SPONSOR LEVELS:
Platinum $3,000: Half page ad in printed program, logo on website and social media, table for 10 at event.
Gold $2,000: Quarter page ad in printed program, logo on website and social media, 8 Tickets to event.
Silver $1,500: Company logo on printed program, website and social media, 8 Tickets to event.
Supporter $750: Name listed in printed program and on website, table for 8 at event.
Supporter $550: Name listed in printed program and on website, 2 Tickets to event.
All sponsorships must be confirmed by February 1, 2025 to ensure marketing and program placement. Ads and logos needed by February 15, 2025. Thank you!
| | | It's possible that over the holiday season you received a lovely gift (or two) that you don't really need. If so, please consider donating it to the Issues & Eggs raffle. Starting in February we will collect member-donated raffle items. Stay tuned for days and times! | LWVGT members will be able to purchase a table for 10 people for $500.00 (this discount is exclusively for LWVGT members). More information and a link to purchase a table will be coming soon. Keep in mind that members can split the purchase of a table (for example, two members at $250.00 each).
| How You Can Make an Impact
and Support
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
|
Honor and Support DEI by Exploring
Martin Luther King Day
January 20th, 2025
| On January 20, 2025, the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday will mark the 30th anniversary as a National Day of Service.
Read about the years-long battle to establish Martin Luther King, Jr. Day HERE.
Visit The King Center's website HERE.
|
Honor and Support DEI by Exploring
Human Trafficking Prevention Month
January 2025
| The Office on Trafficking in Persons offers a toolkit for 2025. "This toolkit is designed to educate and equip individuals and organizations with the tools they need to share resources, raise awareness, and foster meaningful connections to prevent human trafficking. It is structured around four key focus weeks to ensure clear messaging and effective resource-sharing. Throughout the month of January, we encourage you to engage with the provided resources to amplify your impact and help prevent trafficking."
You can find the toolkit (in PDF format) HERE.
Hope for Justice is a nonprofit that offers information and resources HERE.
The Arizona Attorney General's office provides information and resources HERE.
|
Registration Now Open
The Affordable City: Strategies for Putting Housing Within Reach
A Discussion with Shane Phillips
Wednesday, January 29, 2025, 6:00pm to 7:30pm
| The League of Women Voters of Metropolitan Phoenix and the League of Women Voters of Arizona will host Shane Phillips, author of The Affordable City, to explore the roles that tenant protections, housing supply, and subsidies can play in the effort to make communities more affordable and accessible.
Phillips will examine concrete actions — including rezoning, rent stabilization, housing vouchers, density bonuses, home ownership programs and more. Phillips makes a moral and economic case for why each is essential and offers recommendations for making them work together.
When: Wednesday, January 29, 2025, 6:00pm to 7:30pm
Where: Zoom
This event is free. Registration is recommended and you can register HERE (be sure you are logged in).
| We want to hear from you!
All committees and members are encouraged to submit articles and information to be published in The Voter. Photos of events are also welcome. However, be sure that LWVGT members allow their photo to be used.
Please note the 20th of the month is the final deadline for the next issue. However, exceptions can be made if your event happens late in the month. The editor may reach out to Committee Chairs requesting summaries and photos for events that occur late in the month.
Submissions are welcome at To submit an article for The Voter
| | Elected Officers
President: Emily Bridson
President-Elect: Betsy Boggia
Secretary: Barb Colvin
Treasurer: Patricia Tapke
Voter Services: Linda Maccabe
Public Programs: Teresa M. Jenkins
Membership: Kate Stewart
Advocacy: Lovely Ganthier | | Board-Appointed Directors
2024-2025
Sadie Shaw
OPEN
OPEN
Elected Directors
2024-2026
Bob DeLaney
Isabel Georgelos
Linda M. Longlet
2024-2025
Teleia Taumanu
Grace Marie Theesfeld
OPEN
| | | Click HERE to find The Voter and other newsletters.
|
Official Address
800 N Swan Suite 126
Tucson, AZ 85711
| |