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Two League Events on Saturday, August 23

North Regional Library, Coconut Creek

Florida girls face alarming pressures: League of Women Voters and Girl Scouts host community workshop to address crisis

The Girl Scouts, a nationwide partner with the League, released an 80-page peer-reviewed research report called the State of the Florida Girl that tells the story of the pressure Florida girls feel, and the toll it takes on them.

The Broward League is presenting a community workshop with the Girl Scouts to address the issues. Elle Harrigan, chief advancement officer for the Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida, will be keynote speaker followed by a panel of community leaders, including Broward School Board Member Sarah Leonardi and Emilia Vilaire-Monchery, United Way senior director of Community Impact Education Initiatives.

The program is Saturday, Aug. 23. starting at 10 a.m.at North Regional/Broward College Library (Building 62), 1100 Coconut Creek Blvd., Coconut Creek, FL 33066. Contact Bonnie Gross with questions.

The program is FREE and open to all. REGISTER NOW

Free Screening & Discussion of Film "Phosfate"

Join us for a FREE screening of the film “Phosfate”, a documentary about phosphate mining in Florida and the link to cancer rates. A panel discussion after the film will include investigators and producers of the documentary.

Saturday, August 23rd

3:00 to 5:30 PM (Doors open at 2:30 PM)

North Broward Library, Coconut Creek, FL

FREE and open to the public. Register with this link:
https://broward.libnet.info/event/13292609

Women's Equality Day is Aug. 26

Voting is the cornerstone of democracy. It is one way to voice your opinion to our elected officials, at all levels of government. But, did you know that women across the U.S. didn't have the right to vote until August 26, 1920?

That was the day when the 19th Amendment was certified by U.S. Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby, making this amendment part of the U.S. Constitution. The amendment had passed Congress in 1919 and been ratified by 3/4 (36) of the states, with Tennessee being the last on August 18, 1920, but it needed Colby's signature for certification.

While we know that passage of the 19th amendment did not bring equal voting rights to all women, it was the culmination of a 72-year struggle to obtain this initial right to vote. The passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (60 years ago on August 6) finally provided more protections for historically excluded groups in the United States, such as Black and Hispanic voters.

In 1971, fifty years after women obtained the right to vote, New York Rep. Bella Abzug introduced a resolution to proclaim August 26 as Women’s Equality Day. But, as with most things related to women’s rights, it wasn’t until two years later that Congress passed the resolution stating August 26 would be designated as Women's Equality Day.

Rep. Abzug’s push for this day was not just about voting rights but also about continuing the fight for women’s equality overall. A fight that women must continue even today, over 50 years later, as we watch women’s rights being eroded away one law or one court decision at a time!

Again, voting is the cornerstone of democracy! The 2026 elections may seem a long way off, but it is never too early to encourage people to register to vote, update their current voter registration and request their vote-by-mail ballot.

Voter turnout for the 2022 mid-term elections in Broward County was only 47.97%. Why is it that we care less about who is Florida’s governor than we do about who is U.S. President? And, what about the other elected officials that we elect in these mid-term elections: all of the U.S. House of Representatives and one U.S. Senator plus all of the Florida House of Representatives and half of the Florida Senate.

Be prepared to use your vote, so your voice can be heard!

Join us at a Women's Equality Day celebration

Women's Equality Day | Tuesday, Aug 26, 7 to 9 p.m. |Hollywood Central Performing Arts Center

Make no mistake, America’s Suffragettes had a sense of humor, plenty of talent, and big plans to effect change. In Thinking Cap Theatre's special lineup, audiences will experience live performances of suffragette comedies and songs written between 1900-1920.

LWVBC is a community partner for this event. Enjoy a celebratory reception! We will have many of our suffragist posters on display, BUY TICKETS NOW

The Broward League has created a gallery of fascinating profiles of suffragists. Visit our page and meet them. Suffragist gallery

margie rohrbach and sign 2

Margaret (Margie) Rohrbach: Join us Aug. 23

Our beloved League member Margie Rohrbach passed away suddenly on July 23. League members knew her as a joyful person who was extremely active in our League as past Co-President, Membership Chair, Education Chair and Co-Chair of the Centennial Committee. Margie always had a project in the works. Her latest project was the "State of the Florida Girl Report" event, of which she was co-chair.

Help us celebrate Margie's life by joining us for a light lunch after the "State of the Florida Girl Report" event and before the viewing of the movie "Phosfate." We hope you will also join us for one or both of these events, which have separate registration links. Both are on Aug. 23 at North Regional Library.

To help us plan for food and drinks, please register using this LINK.

Here are places the family asked for contributions in honor of Margie:

League of Women Voters of Broward County P. O. Box 15952, Plantation, Florida 33318

Leukemia and Lymphoma Society PO Box 22324, New York, New York 10087

Help plan an important workshop on affordable housing and homelessness

The Affordable Housing Committee has been hard at work organizing “Crisis: Homelessness and the Lack of Affordable Housing in South Florida.” This is a PUBLIC workshop scheduled for Saturday, September 6 from 12–3 PM at the West Regional Library.

This event is being co-hosted with our partners at the Coalition to End Homelessness, and will include a panel, breakout sessions, and opportunities for civic engagement. EVERYONE is welcome to attend and provide input.

We are currently seeking volunteers to support this event through flyer distribution, outreach to elected officials and potential sponsors, and social media promotion. Anyone interested can contact Agustina Sklar at agustina.sklar@gmail.com for more information.

League wins two grants

Our League has been awarded two grants. One is a Women's Economic Advancement Grant for $2,000 fromThe Skirt Foundationto continue with our successful Margaret McGrath Leadership Program.

The second grant award is from the American Legion for $5,000 to support ourLock It Up!program, which is included in the work by ourGun Violence PreventionCommittee. The check was presented at local American Legion Post #36. This program provides free cable gun locks to anyone who makes a request togunsafety@lwvbroward.org.

League members celebrating the $500 grant from American Legion Post #36.

In difficult times, we work and hold on to hope

We are living in a time that is testing all of us. Two recent reports: the State of the Florida Girl and the 2025 Status of Women in Broward County make it painfully clear that women and girls in our communities are facing mounting pressures and unacceptable gaps in support. The Girl Scouts’ new State of the Florida Girl report confirms what many families, educators, and advocates already know: our girls are under incredible pressure, and it’s taking a toll on their mental health, safety, and dreams.

That’s why the League of Women Voters of Broward County is proud to partner with the Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida for a free, in-person community workshop on Saturday, August 23 at 10 a.m. at the North Regional/Broward College Library. You’ll hear from youth advocates and community leaders committed to change, including Elle Harrigan from the Girl Scouts and School Board Member Sarah Leonardi.Join us—and invite the young people in your life, and those who care about the future of this generation. This conversation is urgent, and your presence matters.

The urgency isn’t just local. The devastating floods in Texas, which claimed the lives of children at a summer camp, remind us just how vulnerable our communities are when prevention systems are ignored and science is underfunded. Climate change is happening. Delayed action and ignored warnings don’t just cost money, they cost lives. These tragedies demand more than sympathy; they require action, advocacy, and accountability.

In the face of so much loss and uncertainty, we also see hope rising. Jessica Lowe-Minor, recently elected as the youngest president of the League of Women Voters of Florida, is a living reminder that passion and purpose, not age or position, are what define meaningful leadership. Whether it’s advocating for youth, protecting our environment, or strengthening our democracy, one thing is clear: now is not the time to sit on the sidelines. Now is the time to show up—and shape the future together!

With gratitude,

Ally and Suzette

Mini-grants from Education Fund help fuel League action teams

In 2025, the Education Fund began a new program to make mini-grants to support League projects led by the action teams. The following grants were made on July 22, 2025:

$500 to the Social Media team to boost and promote the major activities of the League to reach the community beyond League members.

$500 to the Gun Violence Prevention team to print rack cards and educational materials in three languages for displays in child care centers where we are encouraging families to take and use our free gun locks.

$500 to the Education team to hold a community workshop Aug. 23 with the Girls Scouts of Southeast Florida on the State of Florida Girl, an 80-page report the Scouts produced.

$350 to the Affordable Housing team to support the community workshop Sept. 6 with the Coalition to End Homelessness on the affordable housing crisis.

When you donate to the Education Fund of the League of Women Voters, you are supporting grass roots efforts like these, designed to educate our community about issues.

Issues like affordable housing, our children's welfare and gun violence are all decided at the ballot box, and our voters need information to make wise choices.

Support the League's education work. DONATE NOW

Find your people.

Fight for our future.

When you join the League of Women Voters Broward County, you're showing up for democracy with a community that shares your values.

Where is all the public money for schools going?

At the July 9 General Meeting, Damaris Allen and Ami Welch from Families for Strong Public Schools, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, shared information about public education budget changes, advocacy efforts, cuts to early childhood education, and concerns regarding the expansion of charter schools and voucher programs. Charter School Expansion Bills were explained, and it was pointed out that vouchers now consume nearly one in every four dollars of education funds. Concerns about accountability and misuse of voucher funds were also discussed.

At the federal level, passage of the reconciliation package, which includes a voucher bill, allows a tax credit for Federal voucher programs in states like Florida who have scholarship organizations. An extensive list of educational programs will be “zeroed out” by the President’s impoundment of Federal funds. Florida will lose approximately $400 million; Broward County will suffer a $20 million loss of federal funds.

Overall, the budget prioritizes private education over public education equity. It’s important for everyone to stay informed and advocate for public education. You can learn about recent developments and sign up for “Take Action Tuesday” updates at the Families for Strong Public Schools’ website https://strongflschools.com/.

Watch a recording of the meeting on our YouTube Channel at https://youtu.be/b3wor6EDEYY

Noticias de nuestro socio, Factchequeado

Factchequeado is a partner of the Broward League that promotes media literacy and combats mis- and disinformation circulating in Spanish.

Por qué los latinos están más expuestos al calor extremo en el trabajo y cómo protegerse

No, no se ha anunciado que la plataforma de videojuegos Roblox será eliminada a nivel mundial

Sharenting: los peligros de compartir información personal de menores en redes sociales

Cómo se usa la inteligencia artificial (IA) en ‘deepfakes’ para estafar y cómo puedes protegerte

La privacidad de nuestros archivos de WeTransfer: ¿dónde se almacenan? ¿Quién tiene acceso a ellos? ¿Se pueden usar para entrenar modelos de IA?

No, Donald Trump no anunció la cancelación de las redadas de inmigrantes en Estados Unidos