Breaking the silence: Telling stories to seek change

Featuring Kim Bergman and Lesa Patterson-Kinsey

Every person's story has the power to spark meaningful change. Just ask our featured speakers, Kim Bergman and Lesa Patterson-Kinsey, who spearheaded the movement to pass the Statute of Limitation (SOL) Reform bill in Kansas for child sexual abuse. These advocates and survivors played a pivotal role in driving the legislation forward, and sharing their stories and encouraging others to do so was pivotal in their achievement. Learn firsthand from those who championed change and discover how their efforts have reshaped the landscape of child protection. 

Spring is in the air and officially arrives on March 19 which is the Presidential Preference Primary. Those who attended or watched our February program on our YouTube channel better understand the significance of this primary. We challenge you to share that information with 5 people and encourage them to vote!

As spring arrives, my third term on the LWVJoCo Board of Directors comes to an end. I remember feeling so honored when I was asked to serve as Vice President 3 years ago. And what a great year that was! My network of friends grew exponentially as we planned programs and my understanding of the community expanded as well. It was gratifying to work with knowledgeable leaders on topics of importance to our community. 

Being elected president was the thrill of a lifetime! Empowered to speak on behalf of our members on issues of importance to the League was energizing and fun. Interviews with TV broadcasters, radio personalities and blogs were humbling because sometimes I hit the mark and sometimes I didn’t, but either way I conveyed the message that our League exists to empower voters and defend democracy. Collaborating with board members was enlightening!

This second year of my presidency I had the pleasure of sharing responsibilities with Connie Taylor. She is such a great encourager and support, and she has a laser focus on the issues. Trust me, she is primed and ready to lead LWVJoCo for the next term!

I am very proud of the work we accomplished together these past three years. One of the biggest lessons I learned was that League members are in the trenches, volunteering rain or shine, encouraging citizens to register to vote and to cast a ballot. Teaching them about the issues and what is on the ballot. Giving them opportunities to meet the candidates and elected officials and establish relationships with them. Hopefully the Kansas Supreme Court will soon rule that it is legal for League members to once again register people to vote and we will be out in force doing just that!

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to each League member and board member for allowing me to be at the helm of an organization as passionate and powerful as this one. It has been a pleasure.

Gratefully,

Janet Milkovich

I was sad to hear the news of Dr. Deborah Turner’s passing, and I know all in our community share the sentiment. While I did not have the honor to meet her, she and I shared something special: we were both alumna of Iowa State University. Without making this a commercial for Iowa State, it is astute to note that Iowa State has a special relationship with the League of Women Voters. Both Carrie Chapman Catt and Dr. Turner were leaders of the League of Women Voters and Iowa State alums, as well as citizens of Mason City, IA.

In the spirit of Women’s History Month, I would like to honor these women by reflecting on their lives and bring light to these cherished lives and distinguished alumna. Carrie Chapman Catt was one of six women in her first year class at Iowa State in 1876. She worked in education upon graduation in Mason City, IA, later turning to journalism that sent her out West. Her involvement with the ratification of the 19th Amendment began in the late 1880s. In 1892, she addressed Congress proposing the case for women’s right to vote.

Catt founded the League in 1920, six months before the ratification of the 19th Amendment with these principles (Wikipedia):

1. To use its utmost influence to secure the final enfranchisement of the women of every state in our own Republic and to reach out across the seas in aid of the women's struggle for her own in every land.

2. To remove the remaining legal discriminations against women in the codes and constitutions of the several states in order that the feet of coming women may find these stumbling blocks removed.

3. To make our democracy so safe for the Nation and so safe for the world, that every citizen may feel secure and great men will acknowledge the worthiness of the American Republic to lead. 

Dr. Deborah Turner was the first Black woman in the Pi Beta Phi sorority in 1969. She was also the first Black doctor to be certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology – specializing in gynecologic oncology in 1985. She also taught at various medical colleges within the state of Iowa and Wisconsin. Dr. Turner matriculated from Drake Law School and joined the League in 2011, becoming the national president in 2020 (Globe Gazette).

The intersections of these women’s lives are truly amazing. Their lives in Mason City, 50 years apart, educating students in Iowa and their commitment to democracy and women’s roles in that civic duty are an inspiration to us all, one that is worth cherishing and remembering. As an Iowa State Alum, I am incredibly proud of their legacies. As an active voter and volunteer, I am grateful for their sacrifices to our republic. As a woman, I am inspired and in awe of their passion to leave the world better than they found it. Being the “first” is never easy, the path least walked, and these women created the path so that we may follow or change it.

My challenge this month to all of you—dream. Say a thank you to the legacy these two women have left, but take their stories and allow it to fuel what YOU are able to do. For many hands make light work, and a world population heading toward seven billion needs all of us to mold it into the place we can share with generations to come.