The LWVOC Voter Services team is on the front line of HOPE for the future. They've spent the last few weeks helping graduating HS seniors learn about their voting rights and guiding them toward becoming registered. Where else have they been? At the monthly Naturalization Ceremony, assisting brand new citizens with their voter registration! They, along with the SOE office will participate in these uplifting ceremonies for the rest of 2025.
Below are some of the area high school photos but look for more on our social media uploads. (links at the top right of this newsletter) THANK YOU Voter Services teams for your hours and hours of volunteerism!
|  | | Gina Hall and Linda Dalton (center in white) with Margery, Luis, Gregory and Manuel from the SOE office at the Naturalization Ceremony. |
 | | VS at Colonial HS with SOE rep, Marbri Pereira, Leaguers Betty Saulpaugh and Kathleen D. Cavanaugh |
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 | | VS at Evans HS with Anne Packham and Victor Collazo showing off some student literature |
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 | | VS at West Orange HS with Michele Stone and Betty Saulpaugh |
 | | VS at Evans HS with Barbara Lanning, Victor Collazo, Linda Dalton, Melinda Wright |
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 | | VS at Jones HS with Leila Allen, SOE staff Shavon Sutton, Terry Osborne |
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 | Yesterday's Hot Topics' panel for Unkindest Cuts: The Cost of Gov't Downsizing, shared sobering statistics for what "may happen" if local/state/federal funding sources dry up and leave area programs scrambling for replacement dollars. But in kinder news, generous Leaguers/guests donated to the food collection for Hope CommUnity Center and used the QR code table display for Second Harvest contributions. RECAP coming soon but in the meantime, consider the panelists' calls to action; click below to HELP:
Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida
Every $10 provides 40 meals for kids, families and seniors facing hunger.
Heart of Florida United Way
Get involved in many ways through their website.
Orange County Public Schools
Become a school volunteer
Central Florida Public Media
Independent Journalism
Orlando Sentinel
Central Florida's largest local newspaper
Shown below L-R: standing 1st VP Lee Rambeau Kemp, Bronze Sponsor David Berelsman, Sue Foreman, Co-President Jane Hursh; moderator Steve Mort, HT Co-chair Diana Smith; food collection organizers ....., Kay Hudson; panelists-Skyler Swisher, Kelly Astro, Steve Mort, Derrick Chubbs, Dr. Maria F. Vazquez Photography by Carol Wonsavage | Check the calendar for all upcoming Committee meetings (most on Zoom) and become an active Leaguer!
MAY 20, 12pm
Education Committee Mtg.
MAY 20, 7pm
Women's Rights Committee
Revitalization meeting OPEN TO ALL
MAY 21, 7pm
DEIA Social Justice Bk Club
JUNE 11, 11am
Hot Topics
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*We table and sometimes provide power points to provide voter registration and civic information at the following opportunities. You must have taken and passed the League voter registration test HERE
MAY 15, 11AM
Student Registration
MAY 20, 7pm
Evening Informational
JUN 21, 11AM
Student Registration
| | | | The AANHPI community is a diverse and growing population that make up about 7 percent of the total U.S. population. Orange County now has the largest AANHPI population with over 95,000 in Florida. AANHPI Heritage Month 2025 events in Orange County will take place through Saturday, May 31.
Throughout the history of our nation, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have helped shape America's character, becoming a vital asset to the Central Florida community while contributing to the economic growth and cultural enrichment of our region.
| | |  |  |  | MEMBERS: The 40th Biennial State Convention of the League of Women Voters of Florida will occur June 6 - June 7 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Downtown Orlando, Florida. Click HERE for registration details.
Want to Serve as a LWVOC Delegate?
LWVOC is allowed up to 30 delegates to the state convention and has funds to pay the registration fee for 25 of them. Priority in serving goes to Board Members and Committee Chairs first and then is open to the general membership. If you are interested in attending as a delegate, please email Kathy Schmitz at president@lwvoc.org and indicate whether or not you would be seeking reimbursement. To be reimbursed for the $285 registrations fee, you will need to attend the full event and afterwards, submit a brief report.
Delegates will have the opportunity to participate in our Convention Plenary and vote on our 2025–2027 Program, 2025–2026 budget, 2025–2027 LWVFL Board of Directors and Nominating Committee, and submitted bylaws amendments.
ORANGE COUNTY LEAGUERS: Those of us in LWVOC won't need a place to stay but those coming from around the state will. If you are able to offer housing to someone attending convention, please click HERE to fill out a "hospitality form" and we will do our best to match you as LWV of Orange County Welcomes the State!
(FYI: There is a block of rooms at the convention hotel, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, in Downtown Orlando, at 60 S Ivanhoe Blvd, Orlando, FL 32804. For those who don't know, this is adjacent to the Florida LWV offices in the Conduit.) |  | | Floridians for National Popular Vote invites you to attend a special pre-event workshop at the 40th Biennial State Convention of the League of Women Voters of Florida
• Date: Thursday, June 5 2025
• Time: 1:30pm - 5pm ET, Dinner to Follow
• Location: Orlando Doubletree Hotel, 60 S. Ivanhoe Blvd, Orlando (meeting room TBD)
• Registration: 1:00pm, Orlando Doubletree
FREE to league members, community partners and interested parties. This is an independent program which does not require participation in the LWVFL Convention. There will be a Caucus during the LWV Florida Convention on June 6 as well for those attending the Convention. Pat Rosenstiel will speak at both events.
|  | VOLUNTEER NEEDED who is well-versed in Roberts Rules of Order for the upcoming LWVFL Convention June 6-7
Meals are paid for (including Gala dinner)
Hotel (if not local) paid
Complimentary registration included
Needed for Fri. afternoon (6th) for plenary and Sat. (7th) from 10 am to around 4pm
If a volunteer cannot be found, paid staff will be considered. If you or someone you know is interested, please reach out to LWVFL Vice President, Barbara Lanning at barbara.lwvoc@gmail.com
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Elizabeth Ingram
Ray Alcantara
Not a member yet? Visit JOIN HERE and learn about becoming a Leaguer! |  |
REMEMBER, if you're joining or renewing on the national site, COME BACK and
| | |
 | | LWVOC Homelessness Study 2025
Members of the Orange County League are expressing increased interest in being part of the conversation surrounding homelessness in our community, particularly with regard to the options available to our unsheltered neighbors. The conversation intensified following the March 12 Hot Topics, Unsheltered: Criminalized and Cast Aside, and the subsequent public meetings about shelter proposals in SoDo (South of Downtown) and East Orlando.
While members can support or oppose proposals as individuals, when we speak as a League, we base our advocacy on positions developed through a study and consensus process. To give the League more grounding going forward, we will be conducting a short and intense study.
This will begin with the assembling of a task force to gather information and create summaries and study guides. We expect this first phase to be completed in August. In September and October, during Phase 2, information will be available to all League members to review and discuss, with the goal of coming to some common understanding on what the League will and will not support.
Anyone interested in being part of Phase I, in small ways or large, can contact one of the co-presidents, Jane Hursh (co-president@lwvoc.org) or Kathy Schmitz (president@lwvoc.org).
Visit the Hot Topics RECAP here to find out more about how the LWVOC is highlighting the issue. | SPECIAL "Take Action" Alerts Now Available from Pres. Kathy Schmitz
“Alert lists” are open to both LWVOC members and non-members. They are a way to share timely opportunities, for example, upcoming rallies, volunteer needs, or urgent legislative actions. To keep email volume down, only I, or someone I specify, will be posting to this list.
“Sharing lists” are an additional option for LWVOC members. Within guidelines that will be posted, anyone who joins one of these lists will be able to post. Guidelines will focus on posting actionable information, avoiding debate, and maintaining a respectful tone.
Current topics are Immigration, Housing & Poverty, Women’s Issues & Health Care, and Defending Democracy
To sign up for any of the lists, fill out this simple form HERE.
| 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. | |