If there’s one thing we know about 2020 in the middle of our terrible pandemic and amid the granfalloon of the national political campaign, it’s that millions and millions of Americans awakened to an awareness of the political processes that our democratic nation operates on and depends on.
The League of Women Voters here in Montgomery County, in line with the state and national Leagues, has always been dedicated to encouraging informed and active participation in government. League works as a non-partisan organization to increase the public’s understanding of major public policy issues so citizens can become more active and prepared to help make governing as effective and responsive as possible.
In her new role as coordinator/producer of Lunch with the League, one of the League of Women’s Voters of Montgomery County’s flagship programs, Shelbi Hoover wants to seize this moment in time. To use this respected community forum as an opportunity to let many voices be heard and registered publicly. As we look around our county, we recognize many under represented voices. All points of view, including those expressed by youth and those of formerly silenced groups, should help shape our future along with those long accustomed to speaking in the public forum. “Bringing new faces and new generations to ‘the civics table’ will make us a stronger and more resilient community,” Hoover notes.
On Feb. 1, Lunch with the League premiered on Facebook Live. (This discussion can be viewed on the League of Women Voters of Montgomery County’s Facebook page.) After a brief introduction, Shelbi opened the floor for discussion of how League’s non-partisan mission can help facilitate communication among various voices in our county. One person asked, “Do people even know that the League is available to men too?” (Our LWVMC is c. 20% male with men on the board and running a valuable program or two. Men have been able to join League for over 40 years.)
“Why not,” asked another audience member, “reach into schools with a mentorship program?” Young people are eager to become active citizens right now so outreach to Ivy Tech students and to Wabash students was discussed. League has always registered this segment of our community to vote, but why not reach out to enlist them more fully as active partners and participants in community conversation?
Questioners wanted to learn about unions in our town, their history and how they affect workers. “How,” another asked, “might we facilitate meetings with neighbors who are not like us, whom we don’t know but who share a street and daily life with us?” Many attendees resonated with the idea of having such informational discussions at other times of the day since not everyone can take a lunch hour at noon. “Maybe sometimes we could have ‘Learn with the League’ scheduled later in the day,” noted coordinator Hoover.
A major need for all of us as citizens just now, as expressed by two or three audience members is to have conversation and discussion about “What is truth?” As one viewer noted, “How can we discuss facts when what a fact is is now questioned?”
It is a given that democracy only works when people can learn factual information about issues and then debate the best way that information can be used to help society progress.
The League of Women Voters of Montgomery County would like to have you as part of this discussion. We want to hear your ideas for increasing communication and sharing information among members of our community. Please send ideas for Lunch with the League/Learn with the League topics to: Shelbi Hoover (shelbi.j.hoover@gmail.com); or, to Helen Hudson (hudsonh@wabash.edu).
LWVMC informally partners with groups like Friends of Sugar Creek, the Chamber of Commerce, HUE (Humans United for Equality), Business and Professional Women, MainStreet, the Black Collective, and the Mayor’s Office, among others, to forward important community issues and perspectives. If your group or business would like to partner on projects of non-partisan public interest or have League facilitate a non-partisan forum, contact Hudson (hudsonh@wabash.edu).
Stay tuned for news about the topic of the next Lunch with the League on March 1.
The League of Women Voters, a non-partisan, multi-issue organization encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase public understanding of major policy issues and influences public policy through education and advocacy. All men and women are invited to join the LWV where hands-on work to safeguard democracy leads to civic improvement. For information about the League, visit the website www.lwvmontco.org or voice mail 765-361-2136.
