When Congress passed the 19th Amendment in 1920, women celebrated getting the vote by forming a league of their own. This month local chapters of the League of Women Voters are celebrating the 100 anniversaries of both achievements with various events around the South Bay.
As part of the Los Gatos Art in Chambers program, the Southwest Santa Clara Valley chapter has produced an historical photo exhibit highlighting the league’s activities over the past 100 years. The exhibit will be in the Los Gatos Town Council Chambers until April 23 and then will be transferred to the Campbell Heritage Theatre for display until the end of June.
On March 6 the Campbell Historical Museum is hosting a History Happy Hour, where Aisha Piracha-Zakariya from the League of Women Voters of California will discuss the history of the league and detail current league activities, such as the 2020 Census.
History Happy Hour runs 5:30 -7:30 p.m. at the museum, 51 N. Central Ave. Tickets are $15 at https://www.campbellmuseums.com/product-page/history-happy-hour.
The League of Women Voters of Cupertino-Sunnyvale is hosting a celebration of the League’s centennial on March 29 at 5 p.m. at the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors Chambers, 70 W. Hedding Street, San Jose. Special guest speakers start at 6 p.m., including Supervisor Cindy Chavez. The event will also highlight what exactly the league does in local communities.
The main thrust of the league is influencing public policy through education and advocacy. “We always do a detailed study that precedes any position on public policy,” says Los Gatos resident Meg Giberson, co-president with her husband Alan of the league’s Southwest Santa Clara Valley chapter. “We try to help people learn about government, become active participants, and try to encourage transparency and teach people to look for that.”
League volunteers staff the voter registration tables at the ceremonies to swear in new citizens held regularly at Campbell’s Heritage Theatre. “It is very uplifting work,” Giberson says. “People are excited about becoming citizens and love learning how to vote in this country.
“We also do candidate forums, pros and cons presentations, informational presentations, in addition to registering voters.”
On an ongoing basis, the league holds voter registration drives at high schools in Saratoga, Los Gatos and Campbell as well as area community colleges.
According to Kerry Perkins, museum supervisor for the city of Campbell, the league has proved its worth in helping shape public policy throughout the last 100 years while managing to stay nonpartisan.
“The Campbell Museum is thrilled to host a member of the state board of the league to educate our event visitors on history, advocacy, and current activities,” she says of the upcoming History Happy Hour. “In an election year, this type of presentation can help inform communities of ways to become engaged and active in issues that matter locally, statewide and nationally.”
