Archived Events October 2012-May 2013

LWVNJ Convention 2013

Calling All Delegates! First Call to Convention

The 60th Biennial Convention of the League of Women Voters of New Jersey

Saturday, May 4, 2013

8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Conference Center at Mercer

1200 Old Trenton Road

West Windsor, New Jersey 08550

for a special cocktail reception honoring “Hurricane Heroes” - the individuals and organizations who worked tirelessly to make Election Day run as smoothly as possible in the midst of Superstorm Sandy.

Delegates and Voting

Composition: Delegates are chosen by the local Leagues, MAL units or ILOs and shall include the President/Leader or other duly authorized representative(s).

Qualifications of delegates: Each shall be a voting member of the LWV of New Jersey and the League he/she represents must have met its PMP responsibilities.

Representation: In addition to the President/Leader, or the authorized representative, each local League, MAL unit or ILO in good standing is allotted one more voting member up to the first 25, each additional 25 voting members entitles the group to one additional delegate, according to the count on January 1, 2013.

NOTE: This is the official First Call to Convention. You will be receiving a substantial amount of additional information in the coming days and weeks regarding agenda, program, registration and so on - So stay tuned!

Learn to Lobby

The League of Women Voters of New Jersey will hold a training session for members interested in joining the League Lobby Corps. Lobby Corps members visit their legislators in their district offices and in Trenton to discuss issues of importance to the League.

Having relationships with elected officials is a huge positive step towards strengthening our advocacy efforts. We need you - local League members - to help establish better relationships and make the League of Women Voters a more powerful voice.

This training session will provide you will all the tools needed to be an effective lobbyist. We will also review legislation the League is watching and the specific details of how the League Lobby Corps operates.

The training session will go until 1 pm, but we encourage attendees to stay and visit the State House to take a tour and see the state committees in action.

Roe at 40: Looking Ahead

A forum on reproductive rights. It's time to stand up for reproductive justice!

Sunday, January 27, 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Rutgers University, Douglass Campus, Trayes Hall A, 100 George Street, New Brunswick, NJ

Please join NJAAF, along with the League of Women Voters of New Jersey and other co-sponsoring organizations, for a conversation on abortion rights and access in New Jersey and beyond.

January 2013 Meeting

December 2012 Meeting

Monthly meetings are held the second Tuesday evening of each month, from 7 to 9 PM.

Upcoming meetings:

January 8

February 12

March 12

April 9

May 14

June 11

Princeton Rocks the Vote Concert

Workshop for New Citizens and New Voters

Join the YWCA Princeton and the League of Women Voters

for the information you need to cast your vote!

A non-partisan workshop for new citizens and new voters

Register to Vote Now!

When / Where / How to Vote

What you can learn from the political hype

Why it's important to choose a candidate who represents you and your ideals

Monday, September 24, 2012 or

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

10:30 - 11:30 AM

Bramwell House, YWCA Princeton

59 Paul Robeson Place

Princeton, NJ 08540

Princeton Mayoral Candidates Forum 2012

On Thursday, October 11 at 7:30 PM.

The Jewish Center of Princeton

will host a forum for the candidates for mayor of the newly consolidated Princeton.

The forum is sponsored by the LWV-Princeton Area and Princeton Community TV.

Questions will be taken from the audience.

Women's Equality Day 2012

Armed with a full palette and range of vocal colors, Sue Giles swings, scats, and woos with a lush, playful, sweet, and heartfelt voice in the tradition of Ella, Sarah, and Dinah.

Ms. Giles will unveil a special jazz program and performance piece in celebration of Alice Paul's lifelong work on behalf of women. Her performance will also honor other phenomenal women such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony.

More about Sue Giles and This Performance

Sue Giles, has been making a strong impression in New York and New Jersey area as a solid jazz and blues vocalist turning heads and winning fans. She will headline a special performance and benefit 3:00 pm on Sunday afternoon August 26, 2012, in the YWCA Princeton’s new Black Box Theater, in celebration of Women’s Equality Day.

Sue Giles will honor our nation’s foremothers: Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony and New Jersey’s own Alice Paul, who were triumphant in their pursuit of the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote. She will honor them via a musical presentation of selections from some of our leading musical foremothers – written by female composers of music from the 1800’s through today’s popular artists.

Accompanying Giles is Scott Trent, son of legendary local Barbara Trent. A brilliant, multi-faceted pianist in his own right, Trent’s contributions to the performance promise to shine just as bright.

A gifted voice combined with an improvisational approach, Sue Giles’ performances are powerful and memorable. Audiences young and old should be prepared to be transfixed as she takes them from soulful and smooth, to lively, heartfelt and funky as she chronicles the history of the women’s movement through the fresh versions of classics and modern day selections.

Giles, a former director of the Trenton Community Music School, engages young and old in this multicultural, multi-generational event sure to delight. “The universality of music brings people together,” states Giles. “I enjoy creating an appreciation of the arts beyond music.”

In her jazz performance, Giles’ will share glimpses of women throughout the decades through her musical selections and stories. She will share how melodies, stories, and time are fused to create music that bind women and history.

When asked about the connection she sees between women today and of yesteryear, Giles feels that many of the same struggles still exist. She believes women continue to be nurturers by instinct, even in the workplace, although access to education has served to empower women in new ways.

“We are pleased to commemorate this special day in history and celebrate all women,” shares Diane Hasili, YWCA Princeton spokesperson. “As part of a global movement, the YWCA stands alongside millions of women around world every day.”

The Homewood Suites of Princeton has created a specially priced package which includes two tickets to the jazz performance in addition to deluxe accommodations all weekend long in honor of YWCA Princeton’s Women’s Equality Day. For additional information, contact the Homewood Suites sales office at (609) 720-0550 ext. 6007 and mention "equality".

80th Anniversary Party

Help celebrate the 80th anniversary of the League of Women Voters of the Princeton Area with a portrayal of Alice Paul, by Taylor Williams of the American Historical Theatre.

Join usMonday, October 15th at 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM

Unitarian Universalist Church

50 Cherry Hill Road, Princeton

Portrayed by Taylor Williams, blunt-speaking, no-nonsense Alice Paul was born into a Quaker family in New Jersey. She earned a BA in Biology from Swarthmore, studied social work at the New York School of Philanthropy (now the Columbia University Graduate School of Social Work) and the University of Birmingham. At the London School of Economics She received an MA in Sociology and a PhD in economics, from the University of Pennsylvania. Paul earned a Bachelor of Legal Letters, a Master of Legal Letters, and, finally, a Doctor of Civil Law, all from American University.

Inspired by Britain’s Christabel Pankhurst to speak out for women’s right to vote, Paul joined the fight for suffrage in Great Britain and returned home to work with the National American Woman Suffrage Association in order to help secure the 19th Amendment. When that passed, in 1920, Alice Paul wrote and worked for the Equal Rights Amendment, introducing the bill in 1923. The ERA has been introduced to Congress every session since 1982, but has never gotten out of committee.

Taylor Williams takes up the standard of Alice Paul. Both studied extensively, studied law, and have dedicated their lives to protecting civil rights. Williams explains the simple idea behind the Equal Rights Amendment: “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.” Ms. Williams demystifies the concept, as well as its non-ratification. Williams brings to life the all-too-human woman willing to be classified a political prisoner and endure force feedings in order to convince a nation that women deserve the vote.

When Alice Paul was asked why she persevered so single-mindedly, Paul quoted her father, “When you put your hand to the plow, you can’t set it down until you get to the end of the row.” Taylor Williams would remind us that we haven’t yet finished the row. Taylor Williams has a BS in Education and an MA in Writing and Editing, from Penn State, as well as an MA in Theater Arts from Villanova University. Ms. Williams’ studied acting in England at the Royal National Theater. A practicing lawyer for 30+ years, with a J.D. degree from Temple University, Ms. Williams heads the litigation unit for Pennsylvania’s Unified Judiciary, representing Pennsylvania’s justices, judges and court systems, predominately in cases of constitutional scope, and largely in federal court. An acting teacher for many years, Taylor has taught at the Walnut Street Theater, and developed and teaches a course in theatre skills for lawyers for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute. Williams has performed in venues that include the University of Iowa, University of Pennsylvania’s Law School, a tour of colleges in the southern states, and the Frazier Museum. She is especially proud of recreating Alice Paul’s speech introducing the ERA at Seneca Falls, with Hillary Clinton and other notable politicos present at the ERA Summit.