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Convention 2023 Better Together: Building an Inclusive Electorate

 

 

Where:  Clark University,  950 Main Street, Worcester, MA, & on Zoom

When:  Saturday, June 10, 2023

  • 8:30 am to 4:00 pm (in-person) 
  • 9:30 am* to 4:00 pm (on Zoom)
    *Virtual attendees are encouraged to login at 9:15 am for a technical check and for delegate registration.  

Why:

  • Plan the program and pass the budget for the next biennium
  • Participate in interactive break-out sessions on important topics
  • Elect LWVMA Officers and Directors

Convention At-a-Glance:   

8:30 to 9:00

  • Doors Open/Registration (in-person only)

8:45 to 9:30

  • Breakfast/motivational activity (in-person only)

9:30 to 9:45

  • Welcome to Worcester!, LWV Worcester Area President Linda Yates

9:45 to 10:15

  • Plenary Session 1

10:25 to 11:40

  • State of the State League
  • Local League Panel on Building an Inclusive Electorate

11:45 to 12:30

  • Break for lunch (outside patio available for in-person attendees!)

12:35 to 1:30

  • Keynote Speaker: Danielle Allen, professor of public policy, politics, and ethics at Harvard University.

1:30 to 2:30 

  •  Facilitated breakout sessions for small group discussion 

2:30 to 4:00

  • Plenary Session 2

Registration

Please click here to register now! In-person registration is now sold out. The deadline for virtual registration is Thursday, June 8th. 

Pre-Convention Materials* 

Meet Our Speaker

Danielle Allen is a professor of public policy, politics, and ethics at Harvard University, Director of the Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Ethics, and James Bryant Conant University Professor, one of Harvard’s highest honors. She is also Founder and President of Partners In Democracy. She is a seasoned nonprofit leader, democracy advocate, national voice on pandemic response, distinguished author, and mom. Danielle’s work to make the world better for young people has taken her from teaching college and leading a $60 million university division to driving change at the helm of a $6 billion foundation, writing for the Washington Post, advocating for cannabis legalization, democracy reform, and civic education, and most recently, to running for governor of Massachusetts. During the height of COVID in 2020, Danielle’s leadership in rallying coalitions and building solutions resulted in the country’s first-ever Roadmap to Pandemic Resilience; her policies were adopted in federal legislation and a Biden executive order. Danielle made history as the first Black woman ever to run for statewide office in Massachusetts. In her role as board chair for Partners In Democracy, she continues to advocate for democracy reform to create greater voice and access in our democracy, and drive progress towards a new social contract that serves and includes us all. Her many books include the widely acclaimed Our Declaration: a reading of the Declaration of Independence in defense of equality; Cuz: The Life and Times of Michael A.; Democracy in the Time of Coronavirus; and Justice by Means of Democracy.

Delegate Information

All LWV members are welcome to attend Convention, but only delegates can vote. We hope every League will send delegates to Convention. The bylaws specify the number of delegates based on each League’s Feb. 1, 2023 membership total. A local League delegate count information sheet is available here. 

Local League Showcase

We will create a slideshow to showcase the work of all local Leagues at Convention. If your League would like to participate, please email Brynne Gorman  1-2 photos and a short caption describing your League’s top project or activity from the past two years. The deadline to submit photos and a caption is Friday, May 26th. 

Reserving a Caucus

We are reserving time during the week of June 5  in the LWVMA Zoom account for anyone who is interested in holding a caucus. Please contact Lily Sweeterman (lsweeterman@lwvma.org) to schedule a caucus during your preferred time slot that week.  Anyone who wants to hold a caucus will be responsible for promoting it as well as running it on Zoom.

Submitting Resolution to the LWVMA Convention

Local Leagues, Local League Units and Members-at-Large can submit resolutions expressing the will of the Convention for a vote at the LWVMA Convention on June 10. Given the constraints of a one-day, hybrid Convention, the resolutions process is the same as it was in 2021 when our Convention was virtual. Those wishing to submit a resolution must send it to the Resolutions Committee in advance, no later than 5 p.m. Friday, June 2nd.

See the RESOLUTIONS SUBMISSION FORM and the GUIDELINES FOR RESOLUTIONS for more information. 

Local League Gifts

Local League Gifts to LWVMA: This is the final year LWVMA will ask local Leagues to make a gift. As you know, it has been our practice to ask local Leagues to make a gift to LWVMA at the time of Convention and Council. We have appreciated the generosity of local Leagues in making these gifts over many years – thank you so much for your consistent and generous support of the League’s state-wide work. This decision was made with the understanding that local Leagues have their own fundraising challenges, so rather than add to those challenges, LWVMA’s development work is shifting toward focusing on growing our individual giving, foundation grants and corporate sponsorships. As is our usual practice, any local League making a gift to LWVMA this year —or at any future time, should you chose to continue your gifts–will be recognized at Convention. You can find the local League gift form HERE.  Thank you!

Recommendation for an overnight accommodation near Worcester

Due to an international robotics convention happening in Worcester at the same time as the LWVMA Convention, many Worcester hotels are sold out.  Hampton Inn, Westboro, MA (~ 25 minute drive from Worcester) is offering a room with a king bed for a rate of $189 or a room with two queen beds at a rate of $199 plus tax for 06/09/23  through 06/11/23 per room per night.  Please call the hotel directly to make a reservation. 

“League Night” at Polar Park

Please join us for some pre-Convention fun at Polar Park to watch the WooSox play – there will be fireworks at the conclusion of the game! Our seats are on the first-base line and the cost per ticket is $25. Please feel free to bring friends and family along! Click HERE to buy your tickets.

Questions about Convention? Please contact the LWVMA Office at (857) 452-1715.