Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy.
| | The Voter
The official newsletter of the
League of Women Voters of Piedmont, CA.
Vol. 36, Issue 7 | February 4, 2026
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February 2026 with the
LWV of Piedmont!
In this issue:
- A Message From Our President
- In Appreciation
- Mark Your Calendars!
- Volunteer With Us!
- Voter Information
- Unite and Rise 8.5
- Immigration Around the Nation and State
- Reminder
- Weekly Virtual "Lunch with the League"
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A Message From Our President
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Dear LWV of Piedmont Members and Friends,
This note begins with thanking the Piedmont City Council, Vice Mayor, Conna McCarthy, on behalf of the City of Piedmont, for the official proclamation that we officially recognize and celebrate February 2026 as Black History Month. In case you missed the Monday, February 2, 2026 meeting, please go HERE to watch the recording. The proclamation starts at around the 10:40 minute mark.
Here are resources for you to learn more about Piedmont's Black History, links to resources that have been shared with me and links that may be of interest in deepening your education of Black History.
Unite & Rise 8.5! 8.5 million is the number and represents a call to action to every member and friend, to "unite and rise up against the anti-democratic actions" of the current administration and is part of our "Women Defend Democracy" campaign. 8.5 million is the number of votes scholars at the Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights have determined would "bring about change through nonviolent protest".
Join me in committing to the fight for democracy with the League of Women Voters HERE !
Did you know that the League of Women Voters turns 106 years old this month? I find it amazing that in a political world full of movements, organizations, and political parties that come and go, the League of Women Voters remains true to our original purpose, standing tests of time. Learn more about League history HERE!
Finally, please be on the lookout for upcoming issues of The Voter for volunteer opportunities to support our mission.
Take care.
In League,
Lisa Gardner
President, League of Women Voters of Piedmont
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Thank you, Dr. Stephen Sidney!
for joining us in our first
Docs and Discussion
You can watch the recording of our conversation (starting at the 22min mark, following the documentary) with Dr. Sidney, and check out past recordings from the LWV of Piedmont, on our Youtube channel HERE! | | | | Thank you!
Piedmont Anti-Racism and Diversity Committee and the City of Piedmont
for hosting the
29th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration
on
Monday, January 19th, 2026
Please enjoy these photos from this wonderful event founded by the
League of Women Voters of Piedmont Board Member, Lois Corrin
and plan to attend next year!
|  | Mayor Betsy Smegal Andersen spoke on behalf of the City of Piedmont. |
 | Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration founder, Lois Corrin with Piedmont Anti-Racism & Diversity Committee, Co-President Ellen Lee, welcome attendees to the 29th Annual MLK, Jr. Day Event. |
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 | The Destiny Junior Company dance team presented a moving and powerful performance. |
 | Keynote speaker, Lateefah Simon, Congresswoman (CA-12) engages in conversation with UC Berkeley Asst. Professor of Journalism and keynote speaker interviewer, Lisa Armstrong. |
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 | Post event connections were made with City of Piedmont's Vice Mayor, Conna McCarthy, City Council Member and League of Women Voters of California, Co-President, Lorrel Plimier, and LWVP Board members, Lois Corrin and Lisa Gardner, President. |
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LWV California Events
Stay connected with other Leagues in California and their events HERE.
| | |  | | Join the League of Women Voters of California (LWVC)
Youth Circle
Thursday, February 12, 2026
7pm by Zoom
Are you, or do you know of, young league members (ages 16-25) who would like to join a new initiative of the LWVC? You'll be joining 2023 Piedmont High School graduate and current UCLA student, Ginger Gardner to form a preliminary steering committee to get the LWVC Youth Circle off the ground.
The initial vision for the Circle is to provide an opportunity for young League members to come together to share ideas and programs that work in their communities or at their schools to engage young people in democracy through voting, activism, advocacy, etc. Ultimately, we want this to be a leadership opportunity for interested young folks to develop the Circle in a way that is most meaningful for them.
They are inviting all of the members of current LWV clubs, youth councils, etc. from various local Leagues across California. Older League members are welcome to join, too, but this group is specifically for the 16-25 year old age range - for young folks, by young folks.
Click HERE to express interest in the group and to rsvp for next week's zoom meeting.
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A Panel Discussion of the Oakland Museum of California Exhibit
BLACK SPACES: RECLAIM & REMAIN
Co-hosted by:
The League of Women Voters of California
Reparations Advisory Interest Group (RAIG)
&
The League of Women Voters of Oakland
Saturday, February 28, 2026, from 2:00pm-3:30pm
The Oakland Museum of California's Lecture Hall
1000 Oak Street, Oakland, CA 94607
Join us in a moderated panel discussion between Ernestine Nettles - President of the Oakland League of Women Voters; June Grant – architect owner of blinkLAB architecture; and Attorney Don Tamaki - senior counsel of Minami Tamaki LLP and appointed member of the California Reparations Task Force about past and current policies that underpin this unique exhibit, initiatives for repair and implications for important policy change and reparations.
Guided Tours will be available at 1:00pm before the panel discussion and again at 3:40pm after the panel discussion. Guests are encouraged to take one of these guided tours, although they are welcome to view the exhibit on their own. The panel discussion will be held in the Lecture Hall, beginning at 2:00pm.
For additional information contact: The Reparation Advisory Interest Group raiglwvc@gmail.com or phone (510) 463-1156
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Eyes on ICE: Document and Record
Indivisible Virtual Training Series
Hosted by No Kings
About this event
On 1/24/26, federal agents shot and killed 37-year-old Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse who cared for veterans, in the Eat Street neighborhood of south Minneapolis after brutally beating him in front of witnesses.
Enough is enough. Exercising our Constitutional right to document and record ICE and other federal agents is more important than ever. This call will give you the tools to exercise your rights in a moment when federal agents are terrorizing our communities and using excessive force.
Join this call, Eyes on Ice: Document and Record on Thursday, February 5th, 2026 at 8:00 pm ET.
RSVP for Link HERE!
No Kings will cover the latest updates on ICE and CBP's operations. They will talk through rights when documenting and recording law enforcement encounters, and how you can continue to take action.
| | | | VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
We are an all volunteer organization with "jobs" that range from once in a while tasks, like tabling for events or programming coordination, to full year positions.
We currently have these volunteer roles, which can be done with a friend, ready to be filled:
- VP of Membership
- NEW! Program Committee Member: Join a group of fun, passionate volunteers to make a difference in our community through curated events. Watch your email for more information about this newly forming committee!
For more information, please contact Lisa Gardner today by email at Lgardner555@gmail.com or by phone 510-867-9221.
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In the September 1st, 2025 issue of The Voter, we explained the LWV-US Unite and Rise 8.5 movement. The goal is to motivate 8.5 million Americans to take nonviolent action in support of our democracy.
The actions that we can take in February include: PREPARATION: Building Voter Readiness.
One of our most important jobs we do as League members is assisting our communities with getting ready to vote. Watch for upcoming opportunities to volunteer with us for this election year. We need all hands on deck and look forward to connecting with other Leagues and organizations to bring you informative programming and voter information as we go into the 2026 Mid-Term Elections.
Check out this short informative video about Unite and Rise 8.5 courtesy of the League of Women Voters of Austin Area and find ways to support Unite and Rise 8.5 in our community.
For more information, go to www.lwv.org/uniteandrise and commit to being a part of this vital initiative for democracy.
TEEN VOLUNTEERS - Build Your Voter Readiness, too!
If you can assist us with reaching out to Piedmont and Millennium High School, OR know of High School students who would like to volunteer and work with their fellow youths to get out the vote, please contact Lisa Gardner at Lgardner555@gmail.com. We are registered with the High Schools to provide volunteer hours .
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Immigration Around the Nation and State
| In case you missed it!
From the League of Women Voters of San Diego
Democracy in America: Understanding and Responding to Challenges
Reviews the core structure of our constitutional government, the challenges of many executive orders and actions, and the issues under litigation. The role of Congress in the system of checks and balances is a focus. Link to video here
LWVSD made this video in May. Most of it is currently relevant, but they have updated the parts on litigation over time.
America’s Immigration Challenges
Learn about the structure of our immigration system, changes since January 2025, significant litigation, and bipartisan policy alternatives.
Link to video here
For additional upcoming information from the League of Women Voters of San Diego's Immigration and Deportation Committee, check the LWV California Events page here.
|  | LWVUS has stated that immigration policies should promote the reunification of immediate families, meet economic, business, and employment needs, and be responsive to those facing political persecution or humanitarian crises. https://www.lwv.org/other-issues/immigration.
LWVC has stated its position at https://lwvc.org/position/position-immigration. The LWVC has noted that ICE’s operations in Los Angeles and around California mark a troubling escalation – workplace raids coupled with the arrest of community members exercising their First Amendment rights to observe and protest. These tactics, along with the federal activation of the California National Guard and the deployment of U.S. Marines, weaponize fear to terrorize not just undocumented residents, but anyone who would stand with their neighbors or participate in democratic discourse. See https://lwvc.org/ice-activity-escalating-resources-protect-communities.
LWVUS and LWVC issued a joint statement on June 8, 2025, stating in part:
The President villainizing protestors is nothing but a performance to direct violence against the American people. By deploying the National Guard, against the wishes of state officials, the administration intends to cause fear and distract from their inhumane immigration raids [and] silence voices of dissent. The President's overreach signals a larger crackdown on protests across the country meant to intimidate us from speaking out…The League of Women Voters condemns these actions. … We will not be intimidated into silence. See www.lwv.org/press-releases.
The League urges everyone who is concerned about ongoing ICE activity to learn about the resources listed below.
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Join or Renew Your LWVP Membership!
Continue your commitment to empowering voters and defending democracy by joining or renewing your membership with the League. The new system, through LWVUS, allows you to pay what you want (with a minimum of $20), and to set up auto-renewal. Membership lasts for one year after joining or renewal (on a rolling basis). To renew, please click here: https://portal.lwv.org/membership?state=CA&league=0012E00001usOAhQAM
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Weekly Virtual “Lunch with the League”
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Join us for a weekly virtual lunch date with LWV of Piedmont, President Lisa Gardner. Come learn about our plans, discover opportunities to get involved, share your ideas for events, activities, or projects, or chat local, state, national or global politics!
Registration is required.
Drop in for a bit or stay for the whole hour. Tuesdays, 12-1pm. Zoom registration HERE
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We're social. Connect with us!
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Not yet a member of LWVP?
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