September 2023
Cooler weather is almost here! Get energized with the LWVAA! Look in this update for:
- Fall Kickoff
- Save the Date: Upcoming Events
- News from First Vote!
- Advocate Today!
- Site Lines: About the Member Directory
- Volunteer Opportunities
- Learn With the League
- News from LWVTX & LWVUS
- Welcome Our Newest Members!
Read on to learn more!
Happy September, Everyone!
FALL KICKOFF!
Join us on September 23rd from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. at the Asian American Resource Center for our annual Fall Kickoff! Our theme this year is The Fight for Local Control. Hear from speakers who will break down the 2023 Legislative Session and specifically discuss House Bill 2127, a sweeping bill that stops local governments from enacting certain laws. What will be affected in Austin? How can local jurisdictions work within this new legal framework? What can you do as a citizen? Join us to find out!
Also learn about upcoming events, sign up for volunteer opportunities, and network with other members.
Who can attend?
This event is open to members and the public. Register now!
Event Agenda
Doors will open at 1:45 p.m. Beginning at 2:00 p.m., socialize with light snacks and participate in our “Get to Know the League” scavenger hunt, which will include optional fun activities.
At 2:45 p.m., the League will host a panel discussion on The Fight for Local Control: How the 88th Legislative Session Affects the Austin Area. We will discuss why local control is important and how we as citizens of the Austin Area can advocate for our interests locally.
Bring a Friend!
Bring a friend - or two or three! The member who brings the most non-member guests will win a prize at the event! Help us spread the word.
Where is the event?
We will hold the Fall Kickoff at the Asian American Resource Center, located at 8401 Cameron Rd., Austin, TX 78754.
Questions?
Contact LWVAA President Jessica Foreman for more information.
Register here: Fall Kickoff - The Fight for Local Control
Save the Date!
Taxes and the Texas Constitution - Sunday, October 15, 1:30 - 3:00 pm
Mark your calendars and make plans to attend a panel discussion on proposed constitutional amendments 2, 3, and 4. This town hall event will be held at the Baker Center at 3908 Avenue B and is hosted by LWVAA and Braver Angels of Central Texas. Registration will be available on the LWVAA website soon.
Panelists:
- Michael Granof, Professor Emeritus, UT Austin McCombs School of Business
- Vikki Goodwin, Texas House District 47
- Dorothy Marchand, VP Voter Education LWVTX
- David Thomason, Director, The Civics Lab at St. Edward’s University
- Moderated by Lynn Reynolds of Braver Angels
Contact VP Community & Policy Joanne Richards for more information.
“Boot Vouchers” Rally at the Texas Capitol - October 7 at 12:00 noon
LWV Texas opposes vouchers and any effort to spend our tax dollars on private school tuition. The governor called a special session of the Texas legislature dedicated to vouchers. LWV Texas is calling on members and supporters to rally at the Capitol in support of fully funded public schools in Texas, with no vouchers!
Contact rally organizers Idona Jane or Anna Salas Porras for more information.
First Vote!
On August 19, local Leagues from eight Texas counties came together in person and via Zoom for a joint training session organized by LWVAA and LWV of Williamson County. Our friends in WilCo shared the presentation that has worked well in the last school year. The goal is for each county to make it their own, modifying to best fit their schools. We plan to continue connecting with other local Leagues to share ideas, resources, and lessons learned.
Voter registration events held in August!
- ACC back to school events were held at ACC Eastview, ACC Hays, ACC Highland, ACC Elgin
- Austin Energy Community Connections Fair
Contact First Vote! Chair Susana Carranza for more information.
Advocate Today!
Take the Austin Energy Survey
Make your voice heard! Take the Austin Energy survey, which will be used to update its Resource, Generation And Climate Protection Plan. We encourage you to participate: Austin Energy could use the results to justify continuing to burn fossil fuels long term and place less emphasis on sustainable energy.
The two most critical questions are:
- Question 2 asks you to prioritize affordability, cost stability, environmental sustainability, and reliability priorities best achieved with a transition to renewable energy. Energy sources with no fuel costs – wind and solar, for example – are more affordable and stable in price. By contrast, natural gas prices fluctuate wildly. Environmental sustainability should not be eliminated or minimized from the priorities. To ensure that it continues to be included, it needs to be a high priority, the top on many surveys.
- Question 3 offers another problem because it implies that carbon-free energy is more expensive than polluting energy. If the numbers are small for what the household can afford, environmentally friendly sources may be lessened. Take that into consideration when you answer this question about what your household can afford.
Contact VP Advocacy Karen Nicholson for more information.
Site Lines
Making the Most of the LWVAA Website
Did you know that, as a member of LWVAA, you have access to a searchable Member Directory? After logging in to the LWVAustin.org website, select the “Membership Directory” link from the Members Only dropdown menu to get to the search panel. In addition to searching for members by name and location, you can search for members who share your League interests. Enter a value in one or more search fields and click the “Search” button to see a list of members that meet your search criteria. If you don’t enter any search values, all members will be listed.
By default, your directory listing includes your name, city, state, bio, and email address. However, you have control over the amount of information that appears in your directory listing. After logging in to the website, hover over your name in the upper right corner of the screen and select the “Profile” link from the dropdown menu. Once you’re on your Profile page, click or select the “Member Directory” panel to see your Member Bio page. In the General Info section at the top of the page, use the Visibility dropdown menu to select the information you want to include in your listing. You can even opt not to appear in the directory at all. Click the “Save” button at the bottom of the screen to save your selection.
In most cases, the visibility setting you select for the membership directory will also determine the amount of information that appears in the lists of Interests members and members of any committee on which you serve. If you opt not to be listed in the directory, however, your name – and your photo, should you decide to upload one to your profile – will appear in those lists. Note that the Member Directory and the lists of Interests members and committee members are visible only to LWVAA members.
Do you have any questions about logging in to the website? Are there other website topics you’d like to learn more about? Contact Membership Director Joyce Jackson with your suggestions.
Volunteer Opportunities
National Voter Registration Day: VDRs Needed for Tuesday, September 19
Great news! We have locations set up all across Austin for voter registration events. Volunteer opportunities will be posted on the LWVAA website. Contact Claudia Torres-Yanez, Director Voter Registration & Turnout, for more information.
Observer Corps
Help League advocacy! Attend local government meetings, in person or online, and take notes on important actions taken and issues discussed at the meeting. Contact VP Advocacy Karen Nicholson for more information.
Subject Matter Experts
Advocacy needs subject matter experts. Do you have a specific interest? Water or the environment? Education? Budget/Finance? Climate? With your help we can advocate on the local level on many Austin Area issues. Contact VP Advocacy Karen Nicholson for more information.
Communications Volunteer
Do you love creating social media? Are you interested in making videos to reach more voters through TikTok, Instagram or YouTube? Just curious and want to learn more? We’d love to have you on the communications team! Sign up on Share Your Interests. Contact VP Communications Grace Chimene for more information.
Organize & Archive
Do you have a few hours to help organize and preserve the historical materials at the League office? Contact VP Voter Services Valerie DeBill for more information.
Learn with the League
Watch, Share & Subscribe
- Subscribe to the LWVAA YouTube channel! We have a new series called “Learn with the League.” Watch our first video How Amendments are Added to the Texas Constitution
- Subscribe to the LWV Texas YouTube channel! Videos explaining each proposed constitutional amendment are in production. Meanwhile, watch a short video on the history of the Texas Constitution.
LWVTX & LWVUS
News
LWVAA
- Susana Carranza, LWVAA voter registrar and First Vote! chair, was quoted in this article on NPR, Latinos are Texas’ largest ethnic group, but that doesn’t equate to political power.
LWVTX
- By early voting, we will share the Voters Guide online at VOTE411.org and LWVTexas.org and ship the printed version of the Guide so that voters across Texas have access to it.
- LWV Texas announces - A Major Victory Against an Anti-Voter Law. “All Texas voters should have a voice in democracy, and the court’s ruling will help to ensure this,” said Joyce LeBombard, President of the League of Women Voters of Texas. “The ID matching provisions have continued to harm the voters we serve, and we are grateful the court ruled these anti-voter requirements are unlawful.” Read more
LWVUS - Take ACTION!
- Urge Congress to expand the right to vote!
- Demand bipartisan cooperation on voting rights!
- Tell your senators to enshrine sex-based equality by affirming the Equal Rights Amendment as part of our Constitution!
- Urge Congress to address the climate crisis and protect our youth!
- Reduce the influence of dark money by promoting the DISCLOSE Act!
Welcome to Our Newest Members!
Katie Carnahan
Joanna Collins
Karsen Crow
Leslie Currens*
Susan Felder
Mary Ellen Fine
Jody Gibson
Bob Kafka*
Jennifer Montgomery
*Indicates a Sustaining Member
Thank You to Our Sustaining and Renewing Members!
As a member of the Austin Area League, you are also a member of the National and Texas Leagues.
Make a Gift to Support the League of Women Voters Austin Area!
The League shall not support or oppose any political party or candidates. It may take action on governmental measures and policies in the public interest after significant study and consensus is reached.