Where she’s from
Amanda grew up in San Antonio, Texas with her parents and two sisters. She attended Wellesley College in Boston, Massachusetts and spent 10 years there before moving to the Kansas City area in 2008. Amanda’s husband, Ethan, is from Olathe, and they have a 9-year-old daughter.
Why she joined the League
Amanda has been a member of the League of Women Voters of Johnson County for four years. Her parents always emphasized being civically engaged and stressed the importance of always voting. She knew about the League in San Antonio and that, coupled with the recruitment efforts of LWVJoCo DEI co-chair Mary Lou Jaramillo, resulted in her becoming a member.
What she thinks the League does well
League efforts at providing information about the importance of voting both locally and nationally are in Amanda’s estimation very significant. At first, she wasn’t aware of the in-depth voting and issue information the League provides through forums and other community education events. As a member she appreciates the focus on a broad range of information and education, which the League regularly provides on a variety of voting issues and other civic concerns.
Where she would like to see the League focus in the future
Amanda feels that continuing and increasing LWVJoCo’s focus on Diversity, Education and Inclusion (DEI) is important both now and in the future. Through this effort, she works to ensure that all eligible voters have their voices heard and their votes counted. As a member of the DEI Committee, she hopes to help create a more diverse membership.
What she does to strengthen our democracy
Through her outreach efforts, Amanda works regularly with a group of 15 mostly Latina individuals on voter issues. Encouraging individuals to develop a voting plan, providing postcard reminders and knocking on doors to provide information have been successful techniques Amanda has used to increase voter registration and participation.
Fun Fact
Amanda ran for city council in 2021. Although she did not win, the experience strengthened her commitment to supporting the democratic process.