This story was originally shared by WDIO.
The Duluth League of Women Voters held their 25th annual Citizens in Action workshop. This event helps educate citizens in the Duluth area understand the process of government. It also allows community non-profit and advocacy groups to teach workshops on positively affecting change at different levels of government.
The theme of this year’s Citizens in Action was “Answering the Call: Step up to Lead”. Organizations like the Sierra Club, and Moms Demand Action then held workshops to increase citizen involvement in the political process.
Rosie Loeffler-Kemp, the Committee Chair of Citizens in Action for the Duluth League of Women Voters talked about the event. “I’ve chaired this event in the all of the last 25 years. It’s an event where we bring people together to teach them how to be more effective advocates. How to get more engaged in the community, how to get more involved in organizations at the local, state and national level.” Loeffler-Kemp said. “Duluth has many organizations that work in the community on a range of issues like homelessness, like protecting our safe gun laws, like public school funding issues.”
Mary Faulkner, The Duluth League of Women Voters’ President, talked more about the league’s positions on issues at Citizens in Action. “The league takes positions on issues that we study, and then by consensus we come to a position. So while we’re nonpartisan in terms of not endorsing candidates, there aren’t issues that we support. And then we take action to see those issues through and hopefully not only at the local level, but at the state and national level too.” Faulkner said.
Some of the issues that voters at the Citizens in Action workshop were also concerned about include public transportation, supporting the VA, and even gun control. “We know that if there’s something you care about that sometimes it’s easier to take action. If you can do that within a group and if you can build partnerships. So there’s a lot of different organizations that co-sponsor this event.” Faulkner said. “If you just look at some of the races in the past few years, some of them are decided by very narrow margins. And, you know, these are issues that you care about. So I would say educate yourself on the different candidates. Think about the issues you care about.”
For more information about Citizens in Action you can look here https://www.lwvduluth.org/uploads/6/4/8/0/6480315/cia_2017_flyer.pdf
For another story you can read more here https://www.wdio.com/front-page/top-stories/protect-reproductive-options-pro-act-approved-by-mn-senate/.