| Yesterday's Hot Topics, honoring Black History Month with the topic, Voices of Labor: The African American Journey was another full house of celebratory attendees. A full RECAP will be available soon including video, a full photo album and review/take action commentary.
Photos courtesy Daryl Fullerton; shown L-R: ASALH Central FL President Manuel Jones, LWVOC President Kathy Schmitz; panelists- Kimberly Rankin, Rhonda Reaves, Dr. Darryl Gordon, Tadar Muhammad, Curtis McCloud; LWVOC 1st VP Lee Rambeau-Kemp, OC Mayor Jerry Demings; attendees, Mayor Demings greets moderator Curtis McCloud, Former LWVOC President Tiffany Israel, Leaguer Melva Ross; special guest Dr. Ethel Wellington-Trawick
|  |  | Celebrating Black History Month: Shown above, League of Women HERstory makers including our beloved former LWVOC President Carol Davis, who passed in 2020. The LWVOC DEIA Committee has pulled together a PDF of linked resources for local events as well as educational links.To download, click: Orange County Black History Month Events | | Feb 18, 12-1pm
Education Committee Mtg
Feb 19, 7PM
DEIA Social Justice Book Club
FEB 26, 10am
Natural Resources Committee tour
of Audubon's Birds of Florida
*Details shown below
MAR 1, 9am
GVP & Nat'l Resources
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*We will be tabling to provide voter registration and information at the following opportunities. You must have taken and passed the League voter registration test HERE
Feb 22, 10am-5pm
Pine Castle Pioneer Days is an annual community event promoting the living history of the Pine Castle area through demonstrations and other educational opportunities.
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Join members of Natural Resources Committee for a group guided tour of the Audubon’s Birds of Florida exhibit at the Museum of Arts and Sciences in Daytona Beach, 352 S Nova Rd
When: Wednesday, February 26, 2025
Time: 10:00am Tour time
Transportation: Carpooling TBD
Cost: $15 (plus optional lunch)
Link: https://www.moas.org/Audubon-s-Birds-of-Florida-6-26031.html
Reply by: Sunday Feb 23
Contact: Jeanette Lambert or Kay Hudson @ lwvnrc@gmail.com | | | | Registration is now open for our March 12th Hot Topics. We'll be exploring the controversial new laws that criminalize the unhoused, how local advocacy groups are responding and what can be done going forward.
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Let's Go to Lobby Days MAR 11-12 Assistance would cover the cost of registration ($195.00) plus $120/night for up to 2 nights. For more information, please email president@lwvoc.org with the subject “Lobby Days Assistance.”
Shown, Leaguers meeting with FL Rep. L Bracy Davis
Lobby Days marks a unique opportunity to humanize our legislative priorities with our state lawmakers. The League's membership has continued to grow over the past year and we're excited to show that off in the halls our state capitol.
|  | | Vote-by-mail requests expire after each federal general election cycle. Therefore, all vote-by-mail requests expired on Dec. 31, 2024. To continue to receive vote-by-mail ballots, you must submit a new vote-by-mail request each general election cycle.
UPCOMING Orange County Elections
March 11th, Municipal elections for the Cities of Ocoee, Winter Park, Belle Isle, Maitland, Town of Windermere |  |
LWOC DEIA members have reviewed the film: KNOW YOUR PLACE produced last year by the Heart of Florida United Way. This excellent and deeply introspective film illuminates realities in Central Florida’s not-so-distant past, sharing the personal stories of Central Floridians who have faced racism, segregation, and bias throughout their lives.
An excellent learning activity for Black History Month, the film is now available on the United Way website at hfuw.org or knowyourplace.org. Both the censored and uncensored versions are available, as well as a link to a facilitator's guide that can be used to continue the conversation within your family or a small group gathering.
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| TIMELY COMMENTARIES (personal submissions-not on behalf of LWVOC) authored by Leaguers featured recently in the Orlando Sentinel and on Spectrum 13 News, an official LWVOC statement:
| | |  | | LWVUS has transitioned to member sign-ups on their national site.
Not a member yet? Visit JOIN HERE and learn about becoming a Leaguer! |  | DONATIONS to LWVOC should be made on our own League site, lwvoc.org.
Visit the Donate page to explore the many ways you can $upport LWVOC.
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Sponsors are vital to our work to empower voters by providing timely information for the benefit of non-partisan civic engagement in our community.
To further explore how becoming a Hot Topics Sponsor can align with your business goals, please contact LWVOC Vice President, Lee Rambeau Kemp HERE
A range of sponsorship levels are available. |  |  | | Statewide call to action: The League of Women Voters supports the Florida Right to Clean Water campaign, a citizens' initiative to amend the Florida Constitution with the right to clean and healthy waters. If our current laws were working, then we wouldn’t have manatees dying in record numbers, 80% of our 1000 springs impaired, and harmful blue-green algae and red tide in greater frequency and duration. A constitutional right takes precedence over legislation that permits pollution, restricts fertilizer bans, and allows radioactive materials to be used in our roads. Create a legacy for the future of our waters!
The Right to Clean Water! In support of establishing our basic right to clean and healthy water, LWVOC has committed to helping get this citizen initiative on the 2026 ballot. Please sign your own petition. Those who signed prior to 2024 will need to sign the new petition.
Learn how YOU can become an active volunteer here: https://www.floridarighttocleanwater.org/resources | |