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September 12, 2017
Dear Local LWVIL Leader,
We're sending an SOS about the
2017 State of the State! We need your help to make our annual LWVIL Ed Fund fundraiser a success.
Chicago Emmy Award winning investigative reporter Renee Ferguson and Illinois' Senior U.S. Senator, the Honorable Dick Durbin, will make this year's program,
"Shining the Light of Truth" a compelling and timely one.
From the diary pages of African American suffragist and publisher Ida B. Wells, Renee will share how Ida's life inspired her own to give voice to women and marginalized people throughout her career. To quote Ida: "The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them." Not only did Renee "shine the light of truth" on wrongs but she kept the heat on, too, to correct those wrongs when and where she found them.
In 1999, after Renee uncovered racial discrimination by immigration agents at O'Hare, she worked with Senator Dick Durbin for a federal review of customs practices nationwide.
Senator Durbin will join Renee in a discussion of how we ensure that racially discriminatory policies are uncovered and corrected in our communities, our state, and our nation.
We know this comes to you within a rather "tight" timeframe. Senator Durbin was unable to confirm his participation until August 26th. All materials for the event then had to be vetted by his staff and, of course, Labor Day complicated matters even more.
What can you and your local LWV do to make this event on October 11th, 11:30 AM, at the Union League Club in Chicago a success?
- Purchase an ad, announcement, or memorial space in the "Shining the Light of Truth" State of the State Program. Local LWVs have discounted rates. Ad copy is due September 28. May we suggest that if you need board discussion/approval and your board meeting schedule is a problem, consider emailing your board members and voting "electronically" on the ad content and price. Remember: this is an LWVIL Ed Fund event so your league may use education fund dollars to purchase an ad.
- Encourage your members to purchase tickets or sponsor tables. Invite nonmembers, too, to purchase tickets or be table sponsors. All the information you need about purchasing ads, buying tickets, or being a table sponsor can be found at this link:
- Share the "Shining the Light of Truth" Evite (e-mailed to all League members on Monday, September 11th) in your newsletters, on your Facebook pages, and Twitter accounts.
- One last thing! Illinois is a very large state and some of your local LWV members may want to come the night before. We have generous LWV members in the city who have offered their homes to provide you with overnight accommodations.
- Mary Schaafsma (312.939.5935 x33; marys@lwvil.org), Executive Director, is the staff point person for this event so please do not hesitate to contact her with questions.
I look forward to seeing and hearing from you. I know that together we can make this the best State of the State event yet!
Thank you!
Yours in League,
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