by Terri Gulyas, Chair Reflection on James Baldwin’s The Fire Next Time The question at the heart of James Baldwin’s The Fire Next Time is whether we Americans can face the truth about racism deeply enough to change our country. Baldwin shows how racism harms Black Americans directly, while also trapping white Americans in false ideas about our history. For Baldwin, progress takes more than promises or changes in the law. We white Americans must examine our beliefs and the sy

Earlier this year, we published our first poetry anthology, Democracy’s Urgent Call, which has over 1100 copies in circulation. Our 2027 volume, The Arc of Justice, is again inspired by artist/activist Niki Johnson’s four-part series, Pillars of Democracy (click here to view.) As poets and members of the League of Women Voters, we recognize the power of language to connect people, to stir hearts and minds, and to reaffirm the enduring promise of this nation. Together, we li

Terri Gulyas, Chair September: A Season for New Beginnings—and Action For me, September has always felt a little like the beginning of a new year. Perhaps it is a lingering memory from my school days: a new academic year, new teachers, new classmates, and new opportunities to learn. As we enter September during an important election year, it seems like an appropriate time to reflect on how far our country has come in expanding participation in our democracy—and how fragile th

Terri Gulyas, Chair Connect, Learn, and Build Community One of the best ways to strengthen our community is by learning from one another—and our friends and allies have some wonderful opportunities to do just that! Migration Advocacy (COMSA) is launching a new virtual book club, and League members are warmly invited to participate. The first discussion will be held Monday, September 21 at 3:00 p.m. via Zoom and will feature Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen by Jo

Terri Gulyas, Chair Disability Rights: From Awareness to Allyship July is a meaningful time to reflect on disability rights and inclusion. This month marks the anniversary of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), signed into law on July 26, 1990. The ADA prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities and has helped expand access to employment, education, transportation, public accommodations, and civic participation. While significant progress has bee

June 1 Lighting of the bridges in Green Bay to celebrate Juneteenth and Pride month. The Main and Walnut Street bridge lights will be all the colors of the rainbow for the month of June. June 13 Parade and Celebration The 7th Annual Juneteenth Celebration parade in Green Bay will take place on Saturday, June 13, 2026. Time: The parade begins at 11:30 AM, with line-ups starting at 10:30 AM. The parade kicks off at We All Rise: African American Resource Center (on Chicago Stre

DEI Committee Report for June 2026 – Terri Gulyas, Chair June is Pride Month — a time to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, honor the long struggle for equality, and recommit ourselves to protecting the civil rights of all people. Here in Northeast Wisconsin, Pride events continue to grow in visibility and community support. Green Bay Pride is planning a family-friendly downtown celebration in June, while Door County’s Open Door Pride Festival in Sturgeon Bay will feature music

Terri Gulyas, Chair The committee will resume meeting in fall. As we head into a summer shaped by an increasingly complex political climate—including renewed debates over voting rights, LGBTQ+ protections, and how we understand and teach our shared history—it feels more important than ever to stay informed, curious, and connected. While our DEI Committee meetings pause for the summer, the learning continues. This is a chance to read deeply, explore new perspectives, and eng

Terri Gulyas, Chair As we continue to learn together and engage across differences, it feels especially important to stay informed and connected in today’s political climate. With a rise in legislation impacting transgender individuals, these issues are not abstract—they directly affect our communities. I’m always looking for books that both inform and invite reflection, and the two below offer very different entry points while sparking meaningful conversation about identity,

Terri Gulyas, DEI Committee Chair With so much to learn about in our world, reading makes it possible to see the world through someone else’s eyes. Here is a great book that talks about implicit bias and microaggressions. It’s an excellent companion to the webinar coming up this month. We changed the day to Thursdays, hoping that will make it more convenient for others. Hope to see you there! ~ Terri Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice That Shapes What We See, Think,

(Terri Gulyas, Chair) News and Reviews Here are two books that will support what we will discuss in our next two webinars. We’ll be changing the day of the week and/or the meeting time to hopefully draw others into the discussion. More details to come! Three or More Is a Riot – Jelani Cobb In Three or More Is a Riot, Jelani Cobb brings together incisive essays that chronicle the political, cultural, and racial fault lines of the United States from roughly the early 2010s

(Terri Gulyas, Chair) Our next meeting will be Tuesday, November 18, 6:30 PM via Zoom. This will be Session #2 of our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion series. Kole Torres, the LWVWI DEI Manager, will present Charting Our Course: Aligning DEI with Values, Goals, and Actions. If you weren’t able to make it to our first session, that’s okay. My favorite part was at the end of the presentation when Kole gave us “calls to action” and talked about work that other Leagues are doing,

Submitted by Terri Gulyas, DEI Chairperson Many thanks to those who attended our September kick-off event discussing diversity, equity, and inclusion in our communities. We viewed The DEI Journey with Local Leagues webinar and enjoyed an engaging discussion facilitated by Kole Torres, the LWVWI Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Manager. For those who missed this event, the slides can be viewed at The DEI Journey with Local Leagues slides . Here’s a link to the webinar: The DE

Submitted by Terri Gulyas, DEI Committee Chairperson DEI Committee Launches 2025–26 Workshop Series! We’re excited to announce a series of engaging workshops for the 2025–26 program year. The series will kick off on Saturday, September 20, at 11:00 a.m. (location to be determined). Follow-up sessions will be held via Zoom in the evenings of October, November, February, and March. To get the most out of the workshop series, participants are asked to view a short webinar from