The League of Women Voters of Washington is launching Democracy Power-Up!, a workshop series designed to sharpen members’ skills for defending democracy.

From crafting persuasive letters to the editor to mastering media and news literacy, these virtual sessions offer practical tools for speaking out and thinking critically in today’s challenging information environment.

Join us to strengthen your voice, build your knowledge, and take action. Democracy works best when we all power up.

Register Now: The Power of Critical Thinking Media Workshop

League members can now register for the Power of Critical Thinking, the first of four Media & News Literacy Workshops offered by the LWVWA as part of the Democracy Power-Up! series. This first workshop will be held virtually Sept. 9, from 6:30-8 pm. 

Register Today

This online, interactive session will teach tips and strategies you can use to be a critical thinker and an active media and news consumer. You'll learn how to build your skills through real-life examples and group challenges. 

Before Attending
To get the most out of Workshop experience, we ask you to do two things before attending: 

• Get familiar with basic definitions by watching this eight-minute video: Introduction to Media & News Literacy.
• Watch this 90-second video for tips on using your computer while staying on Zoom. 

More About the Media & News Literacy Educational Workshops
These workshops are designed to teach League members skills to help them discern what is true at a time when it is becoming increasingly harder to know the real facts. 

Attendees will be presented with news examples, group challenges, individual skill development and links to additional resources. Each workshop will be led by League members with decades of experience in teaching media and news literacy. 

Workshop Schedule and Registration Links
All of the workshops will be held virtually on Tuesday evenings, from 6:30-8 pm.

Registration for the workshops is restricted to League members only. Each session will be recorded and prepared to be shared publicly. The workshop schedule is: 

• Sept. 9, 2025: The Power of Critical Thinking;
• Oct. 28, 2025: Mis-Dis-and Mal-information;
• Jan. 20, 2026: Techniques Used to Sway Opinion;
• Febr. 24, 2026: Get to Know Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Further Information
Additional details about the workshops and the Media Literacy and News Education Project can be found HERE. The LWVWA's Local News and Democracy Advocacy and Education Committee is coordinating these projects. 

Contact
Have questions? Send an email to the Committee! Contact MediaNewsED@lwvwa.org. Please allow 48 hours for a response.

Learn to Craft an Effective Letter to the Editor

Join members of the LWVWA Local News and Democracy Team for a 90-minute hands-on, virtual workshop on writing an effective letter to the editor. 

Register Today

"A Democracy Power-Up: Crafting a Winning Letter to the Editor" will be offered free to all members on Tuesday, Sept. 16 from 6:30-8 pm. It's part of the LWVWA Resisting Threats to Democracy effort and the Democracy Power-Up! series. 

Your voice is your power—and particularly during the constitutional crisis we face—the League encourages members to speak up and out about threats to our democracy.

Whether your local news outlet is the Seattle Times, the JOLT, the Yakima Herald-Republic, the Cheney Free Press or the Columbian, take this opportunity to refine your skills. 

The workshop will offer tools and techniques on organization, clearer and more precise writing, and other topics. Register in advance.

For questions, contact Dee Anne Finken, Local News and Democracy Chair.

Join members of the LWVWA Local News and Democracy Team for a 90-minute hands-on, virtual workshop on writing an effective letter to the editor. 

"A Democracy Power-Up: Crafting a Winning Letter to the Editor" will be offered free to all members on Tuesday, Sept. 16 from 6:30-8 pm. It's part of the LWVWA Resisting Threats to Democracy effort and the Democracy Power-Up! series. 

Your voice is your power—and particularly during the constitutional crisis we face—the League encourages members to speak up and out about threats to our democracy.

Whether your local news outlet is the Seattle Times, the JOLT, the Yakima Herald-Republic, the Cheney Free Press or the Columbian, take this opportunity to refine your skills. 

The workshop will offer tools and techniques on organization, clearer and more precise writing, and other topics. Register in advance.

For questions, contact Dee Anne Finken, Local News and Democracy Chair.

The Resisting Threats to Democracy project, underway since April, is seeking member feedback: Is the information we provide in the newsletter sufficient to guide you during this crisis? What additional information would you like? Please take a moment and contact Cynthia Stewart, with questions, feedback or for more information. 

Email Your Feedback

Feedback on Newsletter Ideas
At the Resisting Threats to Democracy workshop at the LWVWA Convention in June, we heard what those present would like to read in the weekly newsletter. Below is what was suggested. We'd value your feedback:

• How to participate in rallies and other events and still be nonpartisan (especially for new members)
• Guidance on partnering, co-sponsoring and collaborating with organizations like Indivisible
• Safety training for rallies and events
• Liability coverage needed for local Leagues sponsoring an event
• Appropriate messaging for demanding change while remaining nonpartisan

Crowd-Sourced Ideas For Action
Here are ideas local Leagues shared, which you are welcome to use:

• Table at demonstrations and other events: Set up a civics/voter registration table and feature civics books, pocket-size Constitutions, voter registration forms, TRY brochures and other materials.
  
  
• Work with partners: Identify local partners to work with, especially expanding to include organizations with people of color. What can the LWVWA do to support you with this? (*Note the importance of maintaining our nonpartisan position while collaborating with other organizations.)
  
  
• Focus on ideas, not people.
  
  
• Use the Unite and Rise 8.5 advocacy materials, including the current Power Playbook.
  
  
• Adhere League labels to pocket Constitutions: We're seeking advice and permission from the ACLU to do this. If we can do this, it will be announced.
  
  
• Be nimble and able to respond quickly: The current administration issues new orders every day. We need to be able to respond with short notice to threats to democracy.
  
  
• Thank elected and other officials: The WA Attorney General's speech at Convention drew attention to the need for elected officials to speak out against threats and sue when necessary to preserve democracy. We should encourage and thank them when they do what's right for democracy.
  
  
• Double down on League policies and positions.
  
  
• Write an op-ed: As your local League, write an op-ed to re-introduce yourselves to the community. Explain what nonpartisanship means, and why what is happening is problematic. Focus on the rule of law and upholding the Constitution. (Attend the upcoming LWVWA workshop on this topic!)
  
  
• Have conversations across differences: Connect with organizations like Braver Angels, Urban Rural Action, and others to facilitate this. (*Note: To connect with Urban Rural Action, contact Kate Castenson.)
  
  
• Connect with people in your community who are moderates: Reach out to both elected officials and other who can be allies.
  
  
• Send physical letters to elected officials: These are often seen as more effective than electronic communication in persuading—handwritten letters and personal stories are also particularly effective.
  
  
• Use the guidelines and guidance from LWVUS: There are a number of resources available on the members-only League Management website, including resources on communication.
  
  
• Calculate the numbers needed in your community to make a difference: LWVUS notes that 3.5% of folks are needed to engage in nonviolent protest and civic activism to create meaningful change. What is 3.5% of your community? What does your local League represent relative to that number? Once you know, reach out to that many people to get more involved and engaged!
  
  
• Create signs: Use the signs at demonstrations or hold them up in high traffic areas. Set up a multi-day stand with quotes from the Constitution.
  
  
• Hold sign-painting parties: Get together and create effective signs/merch for events or to raise awareness of the League! Suggested messages and ideas are:
• • "My grandmother was an immigrant. How about yours?"
  • "We are the daughters of the witches they could not burn"
  • "Team human rights"
  • "Make USAID great again"
  • Create signs or t-shirts with Ruth Bader Ginsburg's photo
  • Create LWV stickers for signs to give the League more exposure
  • Bring extra signs to hand out at rallies
  • Bring LWV buttons and stickers to hand out at events
  • Include a QR code that directs folks to League info
  • Use "Be a Voter" buttons and stickers
• Appoint a local League point person for the LWVWA Resisting Threats to Democracy Team.
  
  
• Form affinity committees or other statewide collaborations.
  
  
• Build and establish partnerships with local media: This includes establishing a media liaison and setting up meetings with local media (Suggested messaging for the meetings: "We partner with you" in the fight for democracy.)
  
  
• Be more vocal in local media:
• • Write stories from the community;
  • Send news releases with League quotes and photos. Emphasize the issue is NOT partisan, it's about "right and wrong."
    
• Set up public webinars and programs and consider doing so monthly.
  
  
• Send postcards to voters in other parts of the country urging them to vote in upcoming elections.
  
  
• Use Constitution Day (Sept. 17): Celebrate our First Amendment rights! Identify potential partners; create a build-up with events and activities; note that immigrant rights are denied—they don't have freedom of speech now.
  
  
• Gather stories about how people are affected by the threats to democracy (especially from those who are immigrants). 
  
  
• Engage more actively with communities of color: Go to them, rather than asking them to join us. 
  
  
• Use high school contests: Create essay, poster, video, and other contests to engage students and the public.

"Focus is your friend" is a mantra a close colleague often shared. It was a guide star for her, and I feel it is a fitting reminder for all of us seeking to accomplish worthy work of any kinds. 

The LWVWA Board of Directors took this advice to heart at our July retreat in a facilitated work session, focusing on this question: How can we best meet the demands of the moment and build the capacity and resilience needed for a sustainable future?

We paid close attention to the resolutions passed at the LWVWA Convention, considered the myriad accomplishments over the years, and dreamed about the possible. 

Conversations were candid and thoughtful. We  came to consensus on these priorities: 

• Strengthen Operational Infrastructure: Review staffing and technology needs. Commit to adding capacity to grow the League's impact statewide. 
  
  
• Grow Financial Resources: New financial resources must be generated to support both LWVWA infrastructure and services to local Leagues. 
  
  
• Enhance Internal and External Communications: Tell a clear, powerful, ongoing story of effective civic education, engagement, and advocacy to League members and residents across Washington State.
   
• Increase Statewide Community Outreach and Engagement: Build deep, true, sustainable partnerships with democracy allies across Washington State

Now, with our focus, we take on the challenge of setting specific goals, timelines, deliverables and measurements. As board president I will convene a short-term team and invite three or four local League presidents to four meetings in September and October to craft the plan for the first two focus areas. I want to learn what's important for local leaders and learn what investments you would support. Please email me if you would like to participate.

Other board members will develop plans for the remaining focus areas, based on their portfolio responsibilities. Expect to hear more. We are committed to building appropriate capacity and delivering value for League members and the many communities we serve. The board invites your input on any of our five focus areas. We look forward to reporting on our progress over the next two years.

Karen Crowley, LWVWA President

By Deb Carstens, LWV Seattle-King County

The LWVWA is honored to be a co-sponsor of "Changing Our Futures: Rethinking Education, Justice and Youth," a conversation devoted to exploring strategies for building school communities rooted in belonging, connection and care. 

The event features a panel discussion addressing policy and practice changes that can disrupt harmful trajectories by building strong relationships, personalized support and a culture of belonging for young people—especially those who have faced trauma or instability. 

Claudia Rowe, a journalist with the Seattle Times, will lead the discussion—which centers around her recent book Wards of the State: The Long Shadow of American Foster Care. Through stories of six former foster youth, Rowe exposes the haunting reality of the foster care-to-prison pipeline, and asks: Why do so many foster kids end up incarcerated?

Fellow panelists for this event include Dr. Ben Danielson, a clinical professor of pediatrics at UW Medicine and longtime community leader in health equity; Karen Andrews, executive director of the Center for High School Success (CHSS) at Stand for Children; and Henterson Carlisle, Northwest Regional CHSS Director. 

Please join us Sep. 30, from 5-7 pm at Town Hall Seattle (the Downstairs Forum). Register for the event. 

League members can now register for the Power of Critical Thinking, the first of four Media & News Literacy Workshops offered by the LWVWA as part of the Democracy Power-Up! series. This first workshop will be held virtually Sept. 9, from 6:30-8 pm. 

This online, interactive session will teach tips and strategies you can use to be a critical thinker and an active media and news consumer. You'll learn how to build your skills through real-life examples and group challenges. 

Before Attending
To get the most out of Workshop experience, we ask you to do two things before attending: 

• Get familiar with basic definitions by watching this eight-minute video: Introduction to Media & News Literacy.
• Watch this 90-second video for tips on using your computer while staying on Zoom. 

More About the Media & News Literacy Educational Workshops
These workshops are designed to teach League members skills to help them discern what is true at a time when it is becoming increasingly harder to know the real facts. 

Attendees will be presented with news examples, group challenges, individual skill development and links to additional resources. Each workshop will be led by League members with decades of experience in teaching media and news literacy. 

Workshop Schedule and Registration Links
All of the workshops will be held virtually on Tuesday evenings, from 6:30-8 pm.

Registration for the workshops is restricted to League members only. Each session will be recorded and prepared to be shared publicly. The workshop schedule is: 

• Sept. 9, 2025: The Power of Critical Thinking;
• Oct. 28, 2025: Mis-Dis-and Mal-information;
• Jan. 20, 2026: Techniques Used to Sway Opinion;
• Febr. 24, 2026: Get to Know Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Further Information
Additional details about the workshops and the Media Literacy and News Education Project can be found HERE. The LWVWA's Local News and Democracy Advocacy and Education Committee is coordinating these projects. 

Contact
Have questions? Send an email to the Committee! Contact MediaNewsED@lwvwa.org. Please allow 48 hours for a response.

In Star Trek, a “mind meld” is a kind of telepathic touch that enables the rapid sharing of knowledge and experience. Unfortunately for (at least most of) us, we are neither telepathic nor within touching distance of each other, so we have created a MELD Network* to better share tools, methods, practices and accomplishments across the state with each other.

The “League Mind MELD” column is a way to share even more information with members across the state.

The letters in MELD stand for Membership, Engagement, and Leadership Development. But what is MELD? 

MELD is a virtual gathering where members from across the state can come together to learn about the League. "Possibility Thinking" guides MELD work. We aim to empower members by helping them develop the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to participate in League work, locally and statewide. It is a place for members who are not generally in leadership to come together and learn about other League programs and resources—including resources from the national, state and local League levels.

MELD Pods are small groups ("pods") that meet monthly for an hour. They are a time to ask questions, brainstorm, develop leadership skills and build confidence. They're also a place to discover new roles and possibilities within the League. MELD is a place to grow!

This fall, MELD will address: 

• Nonpartisanship in this political climate
• How you can respond to local issues
• What to consider when our work is in the voter services/civics education realm 
• What to consider when advocacy is our focus

To allow us to welcome members to the MELD Pods, please confirm your representative with Nancy Halvorson (by providing their name and contact information—which will ONLY be shared with their pod leader). 

**A note to local League Presidents: It's a good idea to rotate MELD representatives. This allows more members to develop their own place in the League. Does your League have a system for MELD representatives to report back to your board and membership? 

*In the context of the League, MELD actually has zero connection to Star Trek; it is an acronym for Membership, Engagement, Leadership, and Development. MELD pods meet each month to serve as platforms for sharing successes, addressing challenges, and exchanging ideas among local Leagues. Are you interested in learning more about MELD? Talk to your Local League Leadership about becoming involved in MELD.

Do you have an intense interest in the political topics of today? If so, have you considered joining the LWVWA Lobby Team? 

You could be an advocate, providing research and writing for one or more Issue Chairs; or you could be appointed as an Issue Chair for a topic you really care about. Issue Chairs work directly with coalitions and WA’s Legislature, speaking for the League in support of our adopted positions. 

We provide training and mentoring, so if you choose that role, you will not have to figure everything out yourself. 

Issue Chairs are needed for Elections, Money in Politics, Eldercare, and to succeed current Issue Chairs next year in other categories.  If you are interested in being either an Issue Chair or Advocate, please contact Cynthia Stewart. 

By Carolyn Byerly, LWV Thurston County

Our Washington State Housing Study, approved at the LWVWA convention in June, is off and running!

But we need additional members. 

Members from the Thurston, Pierce and Bellingham-Whatcom Leagues currently make up the team, but we are seeking members from elsewhere in the state, particularly in eastern, central and southern regions. 

The study will cover both housing for sale and for rent, public policy and other issues, and  will focus on availability, affordability, and instability. Our first meeting considered some basic definitions of terms, the scope of the study, a regular meeting schedule and other logistics.  

The team will meet on Zoom at 11 am. on the first and third Mondays each month between August and April 2026. 

Please contact study chair Carolyn Byerly if you are interested in participating. 

By the Media & News Literacy Team

If you want to be a savvy consumer of media and news, plan to participate in the League's Media & News Literacy Educational Workshops starting in September. 

These online, interactive educational workshops on media and news literacy will offer news examples, group challenges, individual skill development, and links to additional resources. 

Mark your calendars for the following workshop dates. Each session will be on a Tuesday from 6:30-8:00 pm:

• September 9: Strategies you can use to be an active media and news consumer and critical thinker;
• October 28: Tips to identify mis-,dis-and mal-information;
• January 20, 2026: Techniques used to sway opinion;
• February 24, 2026: Understanding artificial intelligence (AI) and how it's used.

In the next In League newsletter, look for: 

• Information on how to register;
• A new video introducing media and news literacy, including different ways information is delivered and how that can influence our perception of the message. The  video will also discuss why journalism is important and why we need media and news literacy now.