The Benicia-Vallejo branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) will host a free, public Zoom program “We Demand the Right to Vote” – 100 years since the 19th Amendment.
Participants may sign in starting at 1:30 pm; the program starts at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020.
Individuals may join the Zoom meeting by using this link. The Meeting ID is 875 9561 2490.
Cultivating a celebration spirit, attendees are also encouraged to dress in the colors of the Suffrage movement, white, purple and gold, and wear period costumes. A salutatory toast will be made; attendees may join in as they please. Cynthia Seguin, moderator, will share a video interview with Meneese Wall discussing the author’s path to write and illustrate her book, “We Demand the Right to Vote.” You may purchase the book, or contact the author via her website.
Juanita Martin, member and former poet laureate of Fairfield, will speak about Ida B Wells, an African-American investigative journalist and leader of the suffragist and civil rights movements. Martin noted the importance to give credit to this woman and others for paving the way, for being outspoken, and willingly and knowingly putting their lives in danger.
Various AAUW members will describe other suffragist moments. These include stories of women who each acted to claim their social and political power to change their circumstances.
I will bring the topic to present day. I will address the need to continue to demand social justice. I will speak about recent activities to counter voter suppression, specifically volunteering with the national Reclaim our Vote campaign. Several resources will be shared for individuals to increase voter registration in the upcoming Nov. 3 national elections.
The Solano County Registrar of Voter website indicates that Vote by Mail ballots will be mailed to military/overseas voters no later than Sept. 15th (mail and e-mail) and all other county voters no later than Oct. 3. Individuals may look up their Vote by Mail Status by going to the county registrar of voters website.
