Pre-Convention Program 2015
|
|
Friday, June 5th, Hilton Lisle/Naperville 1:45 - 5:00 pm
Sessions are designed help you develop and implement new ideas for meaningful League work in these days of personalized politics, polarized constituencies, scattered audiences, and rapidly changing media. These are not lectures, not infomercials. Be ready for lots of interaction, ideas and inspiration.
Pre-Convention Program
Please select ONE topic from each Group
Group I 1:45 - 3:15 pm
We Told Them All About It. Why Didn’t They Vote?
Our panel of new and old media experts will help attendees cut through the cynicism in today’s political climate and find new ways to reach and inspire the public.
League members and many news reporters share a common concern: Despite our best efforts to keep the public informed, eligible voters fail to turn up at the polls on election day and tune out completely once the elections are over. Meanwhile, political discussions turn toxic on Facebook and lead to mass un-friendings and bad feelings. The public follows politics, but it does not act on it in a way that matters. Why? What can we do about it? Our panel of journalists and bloggers will explore the current cynical mood and help us get past it in a way that matters to people in their lives today. The discussion will help attendees explore this common concern and get inspired to use new outlets and techniques to reach voters, partners, and potential new members. This will be a free-form discussion to allow for lots of idea generation.
Young People Fighting for Social Justice
Young area activists will share their methods for civic engagement and for building community networks in these days of blogs, tweets, pins and vining.
Across the country, young people are active advocates for social justice. They are working on immigration, increasing the minimum wage, economic equality, women’s rights, criminal justice and a long list of other concerns that are also important League issues. How do they approach advocacy in the electronic age? As a multi-issue organization, how can LWV find and reach out to these potential allies? Young advocates from the area will share their insights on their work and then will be available for hands-on technical assistance for those who want it. As attendees become aware of our common interest we can open new doors to youth involvement in League and new collaboration opportunities.
Identity and Belonging: Young Women, the Media and Political Participation
As we consider the many barriers to full political participation thrown up by the media today, our panel will guide us to seeing new ways we can encourage young, engaged citizens and nurture future leaders.
Across the media spectrum everyone is bombarded by messages intended to influence our views and actions. How does the "mainstream" media help or hinder young women as they enter into adulthood and become politically aware? Are young minority women particularly vulnerable to political exclusion because of the media’s influence? As we discuss these issues with our guest panel, we will explore ways Leagues can support young voters and foster new leaders. We will also consider ways League can join their efforts to counteract harmful media messages.
Group II 3:30 - 5:00 pm
Lobbying Today: Are We Preaching to the Choir or Achieving Our Goals?
In these days of political polarization and greater personalized politics, why should anyone bother reaching out to policy makers from “the other side”?
League members know full well that partisan identity can prevent both voters and elected officials from receiving or hearing messages that are contrary to their points of view. At the same time, politicians have told us - and new research confirms - that contact from citizens can affect politicians’ stances and priorities. But how it’s done matters. How can LWV use this knowledge to optimize our advocacy efforts at all levels of government? We will look at the ways elected officials use various communications tools and the importance of matching our messages to those channels. By coming to a better understanding of what they do with the information they receive, League members can develop new strategies for penetrating the partisan barriers to contrary points of view.
Bringing Hungarian Pandas and Skeptical Science to Illinois
Climate Change mitigation continues to be one of the biggest challenges facing Illinois. How can Leagues invigorate their local Climate Change advocacy efforts? Which messages are most effective now?
This strategy session will explore ways Illinois can work for policies to reduce carbon emissions and, in particular, some of the ways local Leagues can strengthen their own efforts. Climate Change is a big issue for young people and offers many opportunities for community outreach and forging alliances with other groups. This session will consider some specific frustrations of Climate Change advocacy such as ways to address municipalities that not motivated to enact strong public policy. We will also look at a variety of messages and how they impact various audiences.
Following a brief introduction, attendees will meet with several experts on the topics of their choice. This is an opportunity for local Leagues to develop ideas for environmental advocacy, activities and outreach for your community. The stations are:
Where is Everybody? Making a Real Impact with Our Community Programs
How warm cookies, and other alternatives to lectures and panel discussions can bring more people to League and better engage the public.
Our members spend hours planning and organizing community programs on important issues only to have a handful of “regulars” show up. What will get the public off the couch and in the door? How can we evaluate our activities during the planning process for maximum impact? We will look at why variety of activity is so important today and explore ideas to stimulate our own creativity and willingness to experiment with League programming in our communities.
Sessions are designed help you develop and implement new ideas for meaningful League work in these days of personalized politics, polarized constituencies, scattered audiences, and rapidly changing media. These are not lectures, not infomercials. Be ready for lots of interaction, ideas and inspiration.
Pre-Convention Program
Please select ONE topic from each Group
Group I 1:45 - 3:15 pm
We Told Them All About It. Why Didn’t They Vote?
Our panel of new and old media experts will help attendees cut through the cynicism in today’s political climate and find new ways to reach and inspire the public.
League members and many news reporters share a common concern: Despite our best efforts to keep the public informed, eligible voters fail to turn up at the polls on election day and tune out completely once the elections are over. Meanwhile, political discussions turn toxic on Facebook and lead to mass un-friendings and bad feelings. The public follows politics, but it does not act on it in a way that matters. Why? What can we do about it? Our panel of journalists and bloggers will explore the current cynical mood and help us get past it in a way that matters to people in their lives today. The discussion will help attendees explore this common concern and get inspired to use new outlets and techniques to reach voters, partners, and potential new members. This will be a free-form discussion to allow for lots of idea generation.
- Ben Joravsky, columnist for the Chicago Reader
- Sean Healy, Civic Learning and Engagement Scholar, McCormick Foundation
- John Kraft and Kirk Allen, authors, Illinois Leaks - Edgar County Watchdogs blog
Young People Fighting for Social Justice
Young area activists will share their methods for civic engagement and for building community networks in these days of blogs, tweets, pins and vining.
Across the country, young people are active advocates for social justice. They are working on immigration, increasing the minimum wage, economic equality, women’s rights, criminal justice and a long list of other concerns that are also important League issues. How do they approach advocacy in the electronic age? As a multi-issue organization, how can LWV find and reach out to these potential allies? Young advocates from the area will share their insights on their work and then will be available for hands-on technical assistance for those who want it. As attendees become aware of our common interest we can open new doors to youth involvement in League and new collaboration opportunities.
Identity and Belonging: Young Women, the Media and Political Participation
As we consider the many barriers to full political participation thrown up by the media today, our panel will guide us to seeing new ways we can encourage young, engaged citizens and nurture future leaders.
Across the media spectrum everyone is bombarded by messages intended to influence our views and actions. How does the "mainstream" media help or hinder young women as they enter into adulthood and become politically aware? Are young minority women particularly vulnerable to political exclusion because of the media’s influence? As we discuss these issues with our guest panel, we will explore ways Leagues can support young voters and foster new leaders. We will also consider ways League can join their efforts to counteract harmful media messages.
- Rummana Hussein, Editor and Court Reporter Chicago Tribune
- Tehera Rahman, Radio Islam
Group II 3:30 - 5:00 pm
Lobbying Today: Are We Preaching to the Choir or Achieving Our Goals?
In these days of political polarization and greater personalized politics, why should anyone bother reaching out to policy makers from “the other side”?
League members know full well that partisan identity can prevent both voters and elected officials from receiving or hearing messages that are contrary to their points of view. At the same time, politicians have told us - and new research confirms - that contact from citizens can affect politicians’ stances and priorities. But how it’s done matters. How can LWV use this knowledge to optimize our advocacy efforts at all levels of government? We will look at the ways elected officials use various communications tools and the importance of matching our messages to those channels. By coming to a better understanding of what they do with the information they receive, League members can develop new strategies for penetrating the partisan barriers to contrary points of view.
- Emily Miller, Director of Policy and Advocacy,Voices for Illinois Children
- Peg Agnos, Executive Director, Legislative Education Network DuPage County (LEND)
- Patti Bellock, 47th District State Representative
Bringing Hungarian Pandas and Skeptical Science to Illinois
Climate Change mitigation continues to be one of the biggest challenges facing Illinois. How can Leagues invigorate their local Climate Change advocacy efforts? Which messages are most effective now?
This strategy session will explore ways Illinois can work for policies to reduce carbon emissions and, in particular, some of the ways local Leagues can strengthen their own efforts. Climate Change is a big issue for young people and offers many opportunities for community outreach and forging alliances with other groups. This session will consider some specific frustrations of Climate Change advocacy such as ways to address municipalities that not motivated to enact strong public policy. We will also look at a variety of messages and how they impact various audiences.
Following a brief introduction, attendees will meet with several experts on the topics of their choice. This is an opportunity for local Leagues to develop ideas for environmental advocacy, activities and outreach for your community. The stations are:
- Kay McKeen, founder and director of SCARCE - environmental project opportunities for local Leagues
- Megan Visk, Regional Lead Field Organizer, Elevate Energy - Illinois Smart Grid rollout
- John Cox, corporate counsel for Jo Carroll Energy, Inc. - rural electric cooperatives and opportunities for collaboration with local Leagues
- Henrietta Saunders and Krista Grimm, LWV of the Lake Michigan Region - understanding storm water issues
- An expert on rail transport of oil through Illinois is also being invited.
Where is Everybody? Making a Real Impact with Our Community Programs
How warm cookies, and other alternatives to lectures and panel discussions can bring more people to League and better engage the public.
Our members spend hours planning and organizing community programs on important issues only to have a handful of “regulars” show up. What will get the public off the couch and in the door? How can we evaluate our activities during the planning process for maximum impact? We will look at why variety of activity is so important today and explore ideas to stimulate our own creativity and willingness to experiment with League programming in our communities.
- Denise Raleigh, Division Chief of Communications, Gail Borden Public Library, Elgin
