Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strategic Planning

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Bridge from now to the future

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Robin Schmidt, President

LWV of the La Crosse Area

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Welcome from the 2021 - 2022 LWVLA Board of Directors

Agenda for 98^TH Annual Member Meeting – June 8, 2022

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Opening Remarks: Robin Schmidt

Servant Leadership: Onalaska Mayor Kim Smith

Committee Successes: Committee Chairs/Reps

Recognitions and Gratitude: Robin Schmidt

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Ballots and Voting Robin Schmidt

2021 Annual Meeting Minutes

2022-23 Budget

2022-23 Program

2022-23 Bylaw Changes

2022-23 Board and Officers

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Standing Committees:

• Communications Oversight
• Voter Services
• Membership
• Program

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Ad-hoc Committees/Workgroups

• Vote411
• Book Club
• Observer Corps
• DEI Strategic Planning

Partnership:

Upper Mississippi River Region Interleague (UMRR)

Challenges:

• Can’t do it all at once – breathe – take hold of low hanging fruit and “baby steps” when appropriate

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• Trust is not built overnight – “People need to know you care before they care what you know…”
• Perceptions of LWV as an “elitist” white female organization
• Work with partnerships to expand our base
• Actions speak louder than words �

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion �LWV Milwaukee County

Comité Por el Voto Latino / Latinx Voter Outreach

Content

• Comité Por el Voto Latino / Latinx Voter Outreach Committee
• Strategy
• Activities
• Challenges / Successes
• Going Forward

Comité Por el Voto Latino / Latinx Voter Outreach Committee

• Began in 2017
• Goal: Increase the number of Milwaukee Latinx voters through nonpartisan bilingual and culturally appropriate outreach efforts focusing our work on Milwaukee's South side. 
• Why?
• Latinos lack access to bilingual, nonpartisan voter education information
• Latinos have a history of low voter turnout
• Latinos will become a larger share of the electorate in future years.

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Strategy

• Engage the media, publicize and distribute voter information materials
• Develop ongoing partnerships in the Latinx communities that include nonprofits, the faith communities, schools and businesses
• Provide trainings, e.g., Online Voter Registration (OVR) training
• Conduct research to better understand voting awareness by Latinx voters: The data CVL-LVO is exploring is both at the local level (63 South side wards) and national data.

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Develop Ongoing Partnerships

• Nonprofits such as United Community Center, La Causa, Voces de la Frontera, VIA CDC, Milwaukee Christian Center’s Muskego Way Forward, Safe&Sound, Southside Organizing Committee (SOC) and community festivals/events,
• High Schools such as: South Division, Bay View, Carmen, Cristo Rey, and St. Anthony
• Churches such as St. Patrick and Our Lady of Guadalupe
• Milwaukee Election Commission

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Activities

Voter Information

Activities

High School

Voter Registration

Challenges

• Communication not always returned by agencies, churches or schools
• Deal with frustrated voters
• People wanting to register may not qualify
• Requirements for Proof of Residence, Voter ID and procedures for absentee voting are often confusing to people and they are not prepared with their materials.
• Invitations to events occasionally come last minute, and we scramble to put a presence together
• Could use more volunteers for the work we’d like to do - prioritize

Successes

• Building trust takes time - consistency pays off
• Voter information (bilingual materials) gratefully accepted and trusted
• Like giveaways, e.g., pens, buttons, stickers
• Engaged voters have questions
• Genuine appreciation for the work we’re doing in their (voter’s) neighborhood
• LWV members look like them and speak their language

Next Steps

• Build on what we’ve done
• Continue Research – Voter turnout figures
• Voter Wards physical survey
• Develop and execute a canvassing plan
• Maintain and develop new relationships, including reaching out to more and new businesses

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Diversity Equity & Inclusion

�LWVUS Policy Statement

• LWV is an organization fully committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in principle and in practice. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are central to the organization’s current and future success in engaging all individuals, households, communities, and policy makers in creating a more perfect democracy.
• There shall be no barriers to full participation in this organization on the basis of gender, gender identity, ethnicity, race, native or indigenous origin, age, generation, sexual orientation, culture, religion, belief system, marital status, parental status, socioeconomic status, language, accent, ability status, mental health, educational level or background, geography, nationality, work style, work experience, job role function, thinking style, personality type, physical appearance, political perspective or affiliation and/or any other characteristic that can be identified as recognizing or illustrating diversity

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LWV Ozaukee County 2020 Membership Survey

Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) are major goals of the League of Women Voters of Ozaukee County. We want the membership of our League to reflect the community in which we live. We also want our League to better serve the needs of our community. In order to measure our DEI progress and improve our services to you and our community, we are asking all League members to share some personal data.

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• 43 members participated (about 50%)

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• 88.4% felt that increasing DEI was very or extremely important

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Demographic Comparison

LWV Ozaukee Membership

Ozaukee County 2021

25

1/21/21 by Schwan

Demographic Comparison

LWV Ozaukee Membership

Ozaukee County Residents

26

1/21/21 by Schwan

�LWV Ozaukee Policy Statement

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• There shall be no barriers to full participation in this organization on the basis of gender, gender identity, ethnicity, race, native or indigenous origin, age, generation, sexual orientation, culture, religion, belief system, marital status, parental status, socioeconomic status, language, accent, ability status, mental health, educational level or background, geography, nationality, work style, work experience, job role function, thinking style, personality type, physical appearance, political perspective or affiliation and/or any other characteristic that can be identified as recognizing or illustrating diversity

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• It is our goal to embody and engage in actions that will advance diversity, equity and inclusion in all that we do as a League chapter.

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�Timeline

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• October 2020 Committee Formed
• October 2020 Review of LWVUS DEI modules to provide a deeper understanding of DEI
• December 2020 Membership Survey to determine DEI Importance
• Posted policy statement on Website
• January 2021 Drafted DEI Action Plan
• October – December 2021 Decentralization
• 2021-2022 partnerships, collaborations & activities

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LWVOZ DEI Committee Members

• Connie Roethel
• Christy Schwan
• Susan Waldo
• Barbara Hunt
• Sue Kimmel
• Ellen MacFarlane

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• Karl Hertz
• Cynthia Boock
• Holly Hamilton
• Marie Douglas
• Connie Kincaide

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Action Plan

• Identify other Ozaukee County & State organizations working on DEI
• Form partnerships & collaborations
• Review other Chapter websites & DEI activities
• Create access & participation in DEI trainings, book discussions, pod casts, webinars, meetings, speakers
• Draft Press Releases & Letters to Editors in local publications
• Decentralize DEI throughout league functions & activities
• Developed Land Acknowledgement Statement

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�Collaborations

• Bridge the Divide
• NAACP Ozaukee County
• LWVWI CAC Committee Workgroup
• City of Cedarburg DEI Taskforce
• WI LBGTQ Chamber of Commerce
• Bridge Builders
• Braver Angels
• Other State Chapters

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Peace �in the Park

July 24, 2021 at Cedar Creek Park in conjunction with:

• Cedarburg DEI Committee
• Bridge Builders
• Bridge the Divide

NAACP Freedom Fund�Dinner

• August 5, 2021 at Shully’s
• LWVOZ was a table sponsor
• 8 members attended

• Facilitated by Braver Angels - Cameron Swallow and Susan Vergeront
• 50 community members attended

Born on the Water�Book Club Discussion

Kick-off Book Club discussion of Culturally Inclusive History Curriculum

Held February 21, 2022

Led by Anne Watts and Christy Schwan

35 members and guests attended

Caste�Book Club Discussion

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Held March 21, 2022 at Cedarburg Public Library

Led by Vonna Pitel and Nancy Haacke

20 members and guests attended

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Setsuko’s Secret�Book Talk

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• Held April 12, 2022 at Jewish Museum Milwaukee
• Panel presentation with author Shirley Ann Higuchi, J.D,

Ray Locker and Kathleen Saito Yuille

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The 1619 Project�Book Club Discussion

Held April 19, 2022 at Cedarburg Public Library

Led by Anne Watts and Christy Schwan

15 members and guests attended

�Conclusion

Panel Discussion

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