For the second time this month, the Weston League joined with other area Leagues and libraries in promoting the LWV of Redding and Mark Twain Library's ongoing series, "Conversations on Truth, Myth & Democracy". The event featured a virtual discussion between series moderator Dr. Daniel Barrett and author, culture critic, historian, and professor of English and American Studies at Wesleyan University Richard Slotkin.

View more information in the Mark Twain Library's event flyer, here.

View a video recording of this event, here .

The LWV of Westport with the support of several co-sponsoring local groups, organized candidate debates for the 136th State House District and the 26th State Senate District, The event took place in the evening on Thursday October 10th at Westport Town Hall. View the online news resource "Westport Journal" coverage of the two candidate debates. here.

The Westport/Weston Chamber of Commerce and the Westport Public Library presented Candidate Debates at the Library at noon on October 22, 2024. For a video recording of the event, see the library website here.

The online news resource "Weston Today" featured election season coverage including Editor Ted Craft's candidate interviews, video recordings of candidate debates/forums for State House District 135 (co-sponsored by the LWV of Weston and the Redding League) and State Senate District 26 (co-sponsored by the Wilton League, Good Morning Wilton and the Wilton Public Library), and more.

View "Weston Today" election news here.

The Weston League again joined with other area Leagues and libraries in promoting the LWV of Redding and Mark Twain Library's ongoing series, "Conversations on Truth, Myth & Democracy". This event featured a virtual discussion between series moderator Dr. Daniel Barrett and Fairfield University professor emeritus of Judaic Studies Dr. Ellen M. Umansky.

View more information through the Mark Twain Library registration flyer here .

View the video recording of this Conversation series event, here.

The League of Women Voters of Weston, regional Leagues, and the State League (LWVCT) work collaboratively to present nonpartisan candidate debates and other voter services throughout each election season.

To facilitate voter access to Information and links about election-related events and activities (including video recordings of candidate debates/forums held in Weston and surrounding towns) listings were maintained under CALENDAR > Coming Events & Activities. until after November 5th.

More election-related information and links to the Connecticut Secretary of the State's office, the Weston Registrars of Voters, and the National League's Vote411.org site we're/are also available under VOTING.

In addition to organizing a 135th State House District candidates debate on October 6th, other 2024 LWV of Weston voter service activities included distribution of nonpartisan voting-related information to Town Hall, the Weston Public Library and Weston's Senior Activities Center. And as in the past, weather permitting, League member-volunteers distributed these materials and answered questions at information tables throughout the election season, including at the Lachat Town Farm in September (at the final Farmers Market of 2024) and at Weston Town Center in October.

Volunteers also gave brief presentations and answered questions on voting, registration, and ballot-related matters at the Senior Center and in several classes at Weston High School. And on Wednesdays preceding the election, they set up tables where they distributed voting and other nonpartisan information – especially helpful for students eligible to vote for the first time in the November 2024 election. Booklets containing the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence were also distributed – while the supply lasted.

The LWV of Wilton, the Wilton Public Library and the online news resource Good Morning Wilton co-sponsored two candidate debates moderated by Kay Maxwell (former president of both the LWVCT and LWVUS) at the Library. Note that Weston is represented by the 26th State Senate District and that this event began with a debate between candidates for the 42nd State House District that, while of interest, does not represent Weston voters.

View the Good Morning Wilton website featuring the 26th State Senate Candidate Debate (26th debate segment recording beginning at ~ 1:05.55 here.

Note that the Westport League held two candidate debates, including for the 26th State Senatorial District which is shared by Weston, on October 10th and that the Westport/Weston Chamber of Commerce and Westport Public Library co-sponsored another debate event on October 22nd. See the red heading: "2024 Election News, Westport" below for more information.

The LWV of Weston and the Redding League co-sponsored a Candidates Debate/Forum with incumbent Anne Hughes and challenger Christopher Peritore for the 135th State House District seat representing Easton, Redding, and Weston. The event, moderated by long-time LWVCT moderator/trainer Jean Rabinow, took place at the Weston Town Hall Meeting Room beginning at 12:00 noon. The standing-room only crowd was invited to submit questions which were reviewed for duplication, fairness and civility by League members of the two major parties before being posed to the candidates. Nonpartisan 2024 election/voting materials were available at the door and light refreshments were served.

As previously noted, though past, this event will remain posted at Coming Events & Activities until after the November election to facilitate voters finding information about the candidates seeking their votes.

Please note that the League's nonpartisan, unedited, debate/forum video recordings should not be copied and/or otherwise used – in whole or in part – by any individual, group, or organization for any campaign/partisan purpose. See the video recording of the 135th State House District debate/forum here.

A range of LVW Voter Services to inform and engage voters were organized and presented by the League at the national, state, regional, and local level throughout the election season. For details on some of these events and activities, see entries below.

Note that in the lead up to the elections, voting, registration, and other 2024 election-related information from such sources as the Connecticut Secretary of the State's Office, Weston's Registrars of Voters, the League of Women Voters of Connecticut (LWVCT), and the LWVUS' nation-wide Vote411 Voters Guide was available on our Voting page.

Now in its third year, "Politics & Pie" brought constituents together with their Connecticut State Senator Ceci Maher (Senate District 26) and Assembly House member Anne Hughes (House District 135). Our representatives provided an overview of the latest legislative session – its accomplishments, challenges, and ongoing issues – and the public had an opportunity to share their concerns and ask questions. The event was organized and moderated by League Steering Committee member Carol Baldwin and took place outdoors on the Weston Public Library lawn.

Georgetown's Old Mill Market & Cafe owner Christina Mattinson was on hand offering sweet and savory hand & full-size pies and beverages for sale at the event.

"Politics & Pie: A Conversation with Our State Legislators" announcement flyer, here.

View the video recording of this year's "Politics & Pie: A Conversation with Our State Legislators", here .

The League's Annual Meeting, reception, luncheon, and Betty Hill Forum on International Affairs was held at the Aspetuck Valley Country Club in Weston. The members-only Annual Meeting began at 10:00 a.m. and the public reception, which began at 11:30, was followed by lunch, the Forum presentation, and discussion.

This year's Betty Hill Forum guest speaker was Anne-Marie Grey. Her presentation, "Dispelling Myths, Embracing Humanity: a Positive Perspective on the Refugee Crisis", delved into the complexities of the refugee crisis offering a fresh perspective, dispelling misconceptions, and celebrating our shared humanity. Through analysis and storytelling, she addressed common myths surrounding refugees – emphasizing their resilience, contributions, and the potential for positive change they bring to communities in which they settle.

Anne-Marie Grey has a long history of service in the international sphere including as a former Executive Director & Chief Operating Officer USA for UNHCR–the UN Refugee Agency. She is currently the interim Director of Women for Afghan Women and a board member of Refugees International and SNOMED International.

View the 2024 event invitation, for League members and non-members alike, here.

View the 2024 Betty Hill Forum video recording, here.

The Weston League, along with the Sustainable Weston Committee and other groups, participated in Weston's first “Green on The Green” Earth Day celebration at Town Hall. League members distributed early voting-related and other information, wildflower seed packets in honor of the occasion, and were joined by Weston’s a Registrar of Voters to register eligible voters, help explain Connecticut's new voting procedures, and answer questions.

The event featured a range of activities related to sustainability and "Reducing our Footprint" and included an awards ceremony honoring grassroots initiatives, local sustainability organizations, and other groups and individuals who are 'making a difference'. Live music, vendors, and food trucks added to the family-friendly atmosphere.

The League joined the Weston History & Culture Center and the Friends of Weston Public Library in co-sponsoring a community conversation: "Stand Up to Antisemitism and Hate: What It Is and What We Can Do About it Together". The program at the Library Community Room featured Stacey Sobel, Director of the Anti-Defamation League's Connecticut office. Her presentation was followed by a series of thoughtful comments and questions – and an exploration of how best to answer them. More than 50 people participated.

For more background ,information click here.

View an event flyer here.

In honor of Black and Women's History Months, the League co-sponsored a family-friendly event with the Weston History & Culture Center and Friends of the Weston Public Library. The program, featuring storyteller/educator Tammy Denease portraying Bessie Coleman, the first African American woman to ever become an internationally licensed pilot, is suitable for all ages and took place at the History & Culture Center in Weston.

View the event flyer here.

For more information about the program and the presenter Tammy Denease, click here.

The League's SPEAK UP! took place in person at the Weston Public Library on Saturday, March 2nd from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon. This annual tradition, begun in 1992, is a moderated event that brings together town residents and town leaders, including members of the Board of Selectmen, chairs of other elected as well as appointed town boards, commissions, and committees, Weston's Police Chief, Superintendent of Schools, and other officials. This unique program provides an opportunity for the public to ask questions and hear answers from their town leaders in a respectful, civil community conversation.

View the recording of Speak Up 2024 here.

The League’s Voter Service work for the 2023 municipal election included presentation of three candidate debates and the preparation/coordination of our Voter’s Guide.

Video recordings of each of the three debates are available below: View the First Selectman/Board of Selectmen Candidates Debate here.
View the Board of Police Commissioners debate here.
View the Board of Education debate here.

Note: The links above to the League's candidate debates are as directly recorded and posted without edits or commentary. If re-posted by any organization or individual, any accompanying edits and/or comments do not have League approval and are not sanctioned by the Weston League.

The League's online Voter's Guide provided information – including a brief biographical statement and answers to three League questions – from each of the candidates listed on the November 7th ballot. This same information was also available on the LWVUS Vote411 website.

View the 2023 Voter's Guide here.

The League-members-only Annual Meeting began at 10:00 a.m. and was followed at 11:30 by a reception, luncheon, and the Betty Hill Forum – all open to the public. The day's activities took place at the Aspetuck Valley Country Club, 67 Old Redding Road, Weston.

The Forum was established in honor of the 100th birthday of Weston resident and devoted life-long League member Betty Hill. She was passionate about women's rights and women's responsibility to be informed and engaged citizens at all levels of government – from the local to the international – and she believed deeply in our obligations to the global community.

This year's featured speaker was Tatiana Serafin. She is a Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs, co-host of the Council's U.S. Global Engagement Initiative's The Doorstep podcast, and a professor of journalism at Marymount Manhattan College.

Learn more about Tatiana Serafin here.

View the 2023 Betty Hill Forum presentation here.

Learn more about Betty Hill and the League's Betty Hill Forum at our Programs page.

This program, instituted in 2022 and moderated by event coordinator Carol Baldwin, provided an opportunity to hear about the ongoing legislative session from Weston's State Senator Ceci Maher and House of Representatives member Anne Hughes. They briefed us on a range of key legislative issues and addressed audience questions.

As last year, the weather was beautiful and the event was held outdoors on the Weston Public Library lawn. Sweet and savory pies provided by Georgetown's Old Mill Market were available for purchase – and sold out!

View the event recording on the LWVCT YouTube channel here.

The Weston League again joined with other area Leagues and libraries in promoting the LWV of Redding and Mark Twain Library's ongoing series, Conversations on Truth, Myth & Democracy. This event featured a virtual discussion between series moderator Dr. Daniel Barrett and Dr. Jeff Miller, Chairman, Department of Political Science and International Relations at State University of New York, New Paltz, and author of Democracy in Crisis: Lessons from Ancient Athens.

View the event flyer here.

A recording of the event will be available here soon.

The Weston League joined The Weston History & Culture Center in co-sponsoring this traveling exhibit developed by the Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame. It tells the story of a diverse group of Connecticut women who were instrumental in the movements for social reform and women's rights. It chronicles the stories of many who spoke up about injustices against women and helped to spark others to push for fundamental change. Just some of the featured stories include those of the Smith sisters, Maria Miller Stewart, Mary Hall, and others such as Alice Paul and Mary Townsend Seymour who led the way in securing women's right to vote.

The exhibit, featuring free standing informational banners, was on view at The Weston History & Culture Center, 104 Weston Road, Weston on Sundays and Thursdays 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. from April 16th through May 7th.

View the Rise Up Sisters! exhibit flyer here.

This program, presented by the Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame (CWHF), was the second in a two part series celebrating Black and Women's History Months, which began on February 28th, and was again co-sponsored by the LWV of Weston, Friends of the Weston Public Library, and the Weston History & Culture Center.

CWHF Executive Director Sarah Smith Lubarsky presented the stories of some of our state's most powerful female voices for change, including suffrage advocates Alice Paul and Isabella Beecher Hooker, prominent elected state government female firsts such as Ella Grasso and Denise Nappier, and social activists like Helen Keller, Anne Stanback and Estelle Griswold.

This program was presented in-person only at the Weston Public Library Community Room and was not recorded.

View the event flyer here.

Members of the Weston League will be hosting a booth at the Lachat Town Farm's annual Earth Day celebration. We will be joined by Weston registrars of voters who will register new residents and help us answer questions about how Weston government works and how to make your voice heard.

Printed materials including the League's handy Know Your Town Directory will be distributed and, in honor of Earth Day, native-plant seed packets will also be available for enhancing your home landscape – and sustaining the environment.

View parking and other event details on the Lachat Town Farm website here.

During the past few years the LWV of Weston and the Weston Public Library have been partnering with other regional Leagues and Libraries in promoting the LWV of Redding/Mark Twain Library's 'Conversations on Truth, Myth & Democracy' ongoing series of programs.

This conversation with Marc Lamont Hill and Todd Brewster, co-authors of Seen and Unseen: Technology, Social Media, and the Fight for Racial Justice, explored the impact of changes in technology and how they have been used to impact public understanding of social justice – from the era of Fredrick Douglas' life, to Ida B. Wells' time, to a individual's iphone recording of the recent George Floyd murder. The discussion focused on the changes, how they were used and how experienced by people around the country, and what's different about – and perhaps what change is possible in – the current historical context. The event was moderated by Dr. Daniel Barrett, professor of social psychology at Western Connecticut State University (WCSU).

View the event flyer here

View the virtual event recording here.

The Weston League, Friends of the Weston Public Library, and The Weston History & Culture Center are co-sponsoring a celebration of Black and Women's History Months with presentations in February and March. Both programs are being presented by the Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame (CWHF).

The February 28th event shared the stories of women inducted into the Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame such as Fidelia Hoscott Fielding, who preserved the Mohegan-Pequot language for future generations, Ann Petry, who gave a voice to black writers, and Maria Sanchez, a strong advocate for the Puerto Rican community and the initiator of bilingual education in Hartford.

This first event in the two part series was presented virtually via Zoom by CWHF Interim Educational Manager Louisa Iacuci and was not recorded.

View the event flyer here.

Speak Up, an annual League event since 1992, brings together elected town officials, chairs of appointed boards, committees and commissions, and other key town and school officials to answer questions from the public about community and government issues.

Speak Up 2023 featured all three members of the Board of Selectmen, Town Administrator Jonathan Luiz, Chairs of the Board of Education, Finance, and the P&Z Commission, other Board, Commission and Committee chairs, Police Chief Ed Henion, Mark Cooper from the Health District, and School Superintendent Lisa Wolak Barbiero.

The morning event was presented live at the Weston Publlc Library Community Room, as well as virtually, and was moderated by League of Women Voters of Connecticut President Laura Smits.

View a video recording of Speak Up 2023 here.

View Weston Today coverage of Speak Up here.

The Weston League again joined with a few other regional Leagues and libraries in promoting the LWV of Redding and Mark Twain Library's ongoing Conversation series. The virtual event featured David Zucchino, journalist and Pulitzer Prize winning author of Wilmington's Lie: The Murderous Coup of 1898 and the Rise of White Supremacy and was moderated by Western Connecticut State University Professor Daniel Barrett. A Youtube recording of the event will be available here soon.

View the event flyer here.

View the event video recording here.

CANDIDATE DEBATES: The League of Women Voters of Weston, regional Leagues, and the State League (LWVCT) in partnership with Connecticut Public Media, each presented candidate debates during the run-up to the November 8th 2022 election. To view recordings of the debates hosted by the Weston, Redding, Ridgefield, Westport, and Wilton Leagues, simply click on the event below.

• Connecticut State House District 135 candidates debate hosted by the Weston League
• CT House District 135 and Senate District 26 candidates debates hosted by the LWV of Redding
• Connecticut State Senate District 26 candidates debate plus other district debates, hosted by the Ridgefield League
• State Senate District 26, plus other district debates, hosted by the LWV of Westport
• State Senate District 26 candidate debate, plus other district debates, co-sponsored by the LWV of Wilton and Good Morning Wilton

The LWVCT/Connecticut Public media series, included candidate debates for the statewide offices of Governor and Secretary of the State as well as U.S. Senate and Connecticut's five U.S. Congressional districts. The series was live-streamed and ran beginning in September and ending with the Gubernatorial Debate at Fairfield University on October 27, 2022.

LWVUS VOTE411 VOTERS GUIDE – During the 2022 election season the Weston League and the LWV of Redding collaborated in developing questions for Connecticut General Assembly House District 135 candidates, which the candidates answered directly – and in their own words – in the LWVUS Nationwide Vote411 Voters Guide. Candidate questions for candidates for other Connecticut and U.S. Congressional offices were also developed by various Connecticut local/regional Leagues and the State League. View the Vote411 Voters Guide here.

League members, joined in their booth by Weston registrars of voters, attended the Lachat Town Farm 2022 Earth Day Celebration and September 30th Farmers Market.

Members and registrars shared information with residents–especially new residents–about their town (including the Town Meeting form of government and Weston's Annual Town Budget Meeting), registering to vote, and more. In September, the League booth offered timely handouts about voting in the November election, a ballot question on early voting, upcoming LWV candidate debates and forums, and the current print edition of the Know Your Town Directory. The League hopes to continue participating in future Lachat Town Farm special events throughout the year.

The Weston League, other League's and libraries, and WSHU again partnered with the Redding League and Mark Twain Library in bringing their Conversations on Truth, Myth & Democracy series to our communities. The event involved a Banned Book Week Case Study on the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and included an exchange between two academic experts discussing the merits and challenges of teaching this literary classic. The Conversation between Harvard Professor and Twain Scholar Dr. Jocelyn Chadwick and Co-Chair of the Connecticut Library Association's Intellectual Freedom Committee Samantha Lee was moderated by Mark Twain Library Director Erin Shea Dummeyer.

View Conversation recording here.

View the original event flyer here.

The Annual Meeting is a member-only event and was held virtually via Zoom again this year. (Background materials were sent to members two weeks prior to the meeting.) All members were invited and encouraged to participate.

No recording of the meeting is available.

Note that with the exception of the past three years, the Weston League's Annual Meeting has been followed by a reception, luncheon, and the Betty Hill Forum on International Affairs – all open to the public.

The inauguration of the Betty Hill Forum was announced in 1999 at a celebration in honor of life-long League member and Weston resident Betty Hill on the occasion of her 100th birthday. Since its inception in 2000, the Forum has featured speakers addressing a wide range of international and, occasionally, national and state focused issues. Due to the ongoing pandemic, it was postponed again in 2022 and will be brought back when we can safely get together again in person for our traditional gathering and another timely presentation.

This special open forum and community Q and A with State Senators Will Haskell and Tony Hwang and State Representative Anne Hughes was moderated by League Steering Committee member and event organizer Carol Baldwin. It was a hybrid event, held 'live' on the lawn of the Weston Public Library and was hosted on Zoom by Library Director Karen Tatarka.

An array of hand-size sweet and savory pies from Old Mill Market & Cafe in Georgetown were available at the event.

View the event recording here.

View the League's Onion Barn event banner here.

In honor of Women's History Month, the League of Women Voters of Weston joined with the Friends of the Weston Public Library in co-sponsoring a theatrical presentation featuring stories from the past about three remarkable New England women.

Storyteller Monica Peterson captured the bravery of three amazing women: Sybil Ludington, the teen-aged Paul Revere, Margaret Lamberton, wife of the captain of 'The Ghost Ship of New Haven," and Hannah Handy, who rescued her son and other young children during the Revolutionary War. Through these stories, we learned about the burning of Danbury, the founding of the New Haven colony, and a surprise attack on the frontier town of Royalton, Vermont.

This event was presented in person in the Library's Community Room and was available via Zoom; it was not recorded.

View storyteller Monica Peterson here

In honor of Women’s History Month, the League of Women Voters of Weston partnered with the Weston Historical Society, and the Weston Public Library to host a presentation, 'The Triumph of Tanaquil Le Clercq, Balanchine Ballerina', with author Orel Protopopescu.

Tanaquil “Tanny” Le Clercq, George Balanchine’s muse and last wife was a longtime summer resident of Weston.... Hers was a unique fusion of comical wit and dramatic allure and she never lost her sense of fun, even after contracting polio, when she could only dance with her hands and voice, while seated in a wheelchair, to demonstrate steps to her students at the Dance Theatre of Harlem.

This hybrid event was presented in person before an audience in the Library's Community Room and simultaneously via Zoom. Following her presentation, Protopopescu signed copies of her new biography, Dancing Past the Light: The Life of Tanaquil Le Clercq (University Press of Florida, 2021), which were available for sale at the Library. The program was not recorded.

As a follow-up to the March event, a documentary film showing of Afternoon of a Faun: Tanaquil LeClerq was presented live to an audience in the Library's Community Room at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 2nd; this program could not be recorded.

View author photo and book cover here (photo credits: Orel Protopopescu and Tanaquil Le Clercq, backstage at City Center, CA. 1954, ©Anton Alterman/Harold Roth Photography)

The League of Women Voters of Weston and the Weston Public Library partnered with other regional Leagues and public libraries in promoting the LWV of Redding and Mark Twain Library's latest 'Continuing Conversation on Truth, Myth & Democracy' featuring two experts on conflict resolution.

This fifth Conversation in the series brought together Dr. Peter Coleman, Professor of Psychology and Education at Columbia University who studies polarizing, intractable conflict, and sustainable peace and has recently published, The Way Out: How to Overcome Toxic Polarization, and Dr. R. Averell Manes, Professor Emeritus of Political Science, Conflict Resolution and Peace Studies at Western Connecticut State University.

View the event recording here.

View the event flyer here.

In honor of Black History Month, the Weston Historical Society and the League of Women Voters of Weston co-hosted, 'Connecticut's African American Heroines', a virtual program produced by the Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame (CWHF).

African Americans have played a major role in the development of our state, our nation, and our world. African American women from Connecticut are no exception. The program, presented by CWHF Education Manager Liz Krebs, focused on some of Connecticut's most remarkable heroines including women's rights advocate Maria Miller Stewart, legendary contralto and Civil Rights catalyst Marian Anderson, pioneering journalist Adrianne Baughns-Wallace, and former State Treasurer Denise L. Nappier.

The Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame honors the achievements of women by celebrating their legacies and telling their powerful stories, inspiring women and girls to realize their own potential and goals. Founded in 1994 in Hartford, Connecticut, the Hall fills the void that traditional curricula still fails to address and, today, stands as a premier source for Connecticut women’s history with 136 Inductees. These women’s lives and accomplishments are celebrated and documented through a wide spectrum of statewide programs. This virtual program was not recorded.

View Marian Anderson as featured in the Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame program poster here

The Weston League's annual Speak Up brings together elected town leaders, chairs of appointed boards, committees and commissions, and key town and school officials to answer questions from the public about community and government issues. The event was moderated by LWVCT President Laura Smits and, due to the ongoing pandemic, was again presented virtually via Zoom.

View Speak Up 2022 here.

The LWV of Weston and the Weston Public Library are partnering with the LWV of Redding and the Mark Twain Library in promoting this series of timely conversations. This fourth virtual event in the series featured Dr. Anthea Butler, Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Africana Studies at the University of Pennsylvania discussing her recent book, White Evangelical Racism: The Politics of Morality in America, with Dr. Daniel Barrett, Professor of Psychology at Western Connecticut State University.

View the event recording here.

The Weston League organized three consecutive Saturdays of candidate debates this election season. To view recordings of the three events, featuring five debates in total, click on the entries below.

October 9th, Candidate Debates: First Selectman & Board of Selectmen

October 16th, Candidate Debates: Board of Education and Board of Finance

October 23rd, Candidate Debate: Planning and Zoning Commission

The Weston League also compiled a 2021 Voter's Guide that provided a brief description of each board/commission and featured each candidate's photo, a brief biographical statement, and their answers to three League questions.

View the 2021 League's Voter's Guide

This third program in the series brought together two noted social and political thinkers: Dr. Yuval Levin of the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) and Dr. William Galston of the Brookings Institution. Moderated by Western Connecticut State University's Dr. Daniel Barrett, the virtual discussion examined the causes and consequences of a divided America and explored how a revival of some of the principles of our political tradition can contribute to solving our national challenges.

The Conversations series focuses on the meaning of our democracy, on difficult issues of truth telling and myth busting, and promotes education, informed dialogue and civil discourse. It is organized by the LWV of Redding and Redding's Mark Twain Library and is presented in association with the Weston, Easton, Newtown, and Ridgefield libraries and the League of Women Voters of Weston, the LWV of Ridgefield, and the LWV of Northern Fairfield County.

View the vent recording here.

The Annual Meeting of members of the League of Women Voters of Weston was a virtual event in 2020 due to the pandemic and was again held virtually via Zoom in 2021.

In this LWVCT program, Laura Smits discussed how the election process actually works in Connecticut, the roles of local election officials, and the system that makes our elections some of the most secure in the nation.

View the event recording here.

The LWV of Weston and the Weston Public Library are partnering with the LWV of Redding and the Mark Twain Library in promoting their ongoing series of thoughtful conversations. This second virtual event in the series featured a discussion between two acclaimed Civil War historians who grew up in the South and whose research took them both to some very personal revelations about their own beliefs. The conversation was moderated by WCSU Psychology Professor Dr. Daniel Barrett.

This conversation was part of an ongoing series developed by the Redding League and the Mark Twain Library devoted to exploring how, through informed dialogue and civil discourse, caring citizens can find common ground at a time when the tenets of American democracy have been challenged by the questioning of truth and the fostering of myth.

View the event recording here.

View the event flyer here.

The LWV of Weston and the Weston Public Library joined the Weston Historical Society in co-sponsoring this Connecticut Historical Society program originally developed to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th amendment.

Historically, research about the fight for women's right to vote focused on the white women who were both for and against suffrage. This program significantly broadened our historical perspective by including the history and stories of women of color who were active leaders in developing their own associations, both nationwide and in Connecticut, to achieve social and political reforms and the right to vote.

For more information about 'The Work Must be Done', visit the CT Historical Society website

The LWV of Weston and the Weston Public Library partnered with the LWV of Redding and the Mark Twain Library in promoting this timely virtual discussion between an acclaimed historian and writer, and a renowned philosopher about our country's current divisions.

This evening program was part of an on-going series developed by the Redding League and the Mark Twain Library devoted to exploring how caring citizens from disparate groups can find common ground at a time when the tenets of American democracy have been challenged by the questioning of truth and the fostering of myth. Through informed dialogue and civil discourse the series explores the underlying meaning of our democracy and how it matters even when we have very different ideas about what it should look like.

View the virtual event recording here.

View event flyer here.

Did you know that the United States' first black elected official took office in New Hampshire in 1776, and that the first black college graduates matriculated at Bowdoin, Middlebury, and Amherst? Although long-ignored or actively denied, slavery existed in all of the New England colonies. Emancipation, immediate or gradual, began during the Revolution, and the region's free people of color rapidly gained economic independence and political standing, especially in Massachusetts and the states to its north, more slowly in Connecticut and Rhode Island.

The Friends of the Weston Library and the League of Women Voters of Weston presented this second of two programs with Dr. Van Gosse in honor of Black History Month. In this talk, Professor Gosse draws on his new book, The First Reconstruction: Black Politics in America from the Revolution to the Civil War.

View virtual event

This year's first-ever virtual Speak Up brought together elected town officials, chairs of appointed boards, committees and commissions, town and school officials, and state legislators to update residents on town business, hear their concerns and answer their questions. The event, with more than 145 participants, was moderated by LWVCT Voter Service Vice President Laura Smits via Zoom.

View virtual Speak Up 2021

This program, co-sponsored by the Friends of the Weston Library and the League of Women Voters of Weston, was the first of two with Dr. Van Gosse being presented in honor of Black History Month in 2021. (See February 24th for information on the second event in the series.)

Starting in 1916 and into the 1970s, six million African Americans left the rural South and moved to cities in the Northeast, Midwest and West. Dr. Van Gosse discusses what the “migrants” left behind, what they faced and how they fared in their new urban-industrial lives and incorporates the powerful visuals of artist Jacob Lawrence's Migration Series in his presentation.

Van Gosse, PhD, is Professor of History and Chair of Africana Studies at Franklin and Marshall College. His latest book, The First Reconstruction: Black Politics in America from the Revolution to the Civil War will be published in late February.

View virtual event

The Weston League joined with other local Leagues and the LWVCT to help keep voters well informed. We posted a 'VOTE' banner on the Onion Barn (Weston’s ‘community bulletin board’) and distributed information about absentee balloting and other changes brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic at the library and on social media.

View LWV Voter Services

The League hosted its first-ever virtual candidates debate. The debate, for the 135th CT General Assembly House District seat, featured Anne Hughes (D) and John Shaban (R) and was moderated by LWVCT Voter Service Vice President Laura Smits.

View virtual debate

Kay J. Maxwell, past president of the League of Women Voters of the United States and former executive director of the World Affairs Forum, presented this year’s program entitled The League in the World: A Personal Perspective.

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This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the members-only Annual Meeting was held virtually via Zoom for the first time.

The LWV of Weston and the Friends of the Weston Public Library, in celebration of Women’s History Month, co-sponsored Kimberly Wilson’s presentation of her acclaimed one-woman musical show ‘A Journey’, telling the stories of Black womanhood as an integral part of American history.

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The Weston League and Friends of the Weston Public Library co-sponsored a film screening and discussion with Director/Producer Gavin Guerra tracing the history of the struggle for voting rights in the United States from 1960 through the present day.

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Annual Speak Up at the Weston Public Library.

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A distinguished panel of three long-time League members having extensive professional journalism and communications experience presented and discussed results of recent research on the state of independent local news coverage and its future.

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View photo of members-only Annual Meeting at Weston Town Hall’s Commission Room.

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Annual Speak Up at the Weston Public Library.

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“Connecticut’s Fiscal Challenges, Decades in the Making: A Look Back, A Look Forward” with CT Mirror investigative reporter Keith Phaneuf.

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Annual Speak Up at the Weston Public Library.

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The Weston League presented a Legislative Wrap-Up featuring an in-depth discussion with state legislators about major developments at the Capitol regarding the state budget. Panelists included State Senator Toni Boucher, State Representative Adam Dunsby, State Senator Tony Hwang, and State Representative Jonathan Steinberg. The event, moderated by League member Laura Smits, took place and was recorded within 24 hours of the Legislature's passage of a Biennial Budget, subject to subsequent approval or veto by the Governor.

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Annual Speak Up at the Weston Public Library.

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Betty Hill Forum on International Affairs with award-winning journalist and news anchor John Seigenthaler discussing "The Media Revolution and its Impact on Foreign Policy and American Politics."

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Annual Speak Up at the Weston Public Library.

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This next in a series of Community Conversations: Asset's Beyond Our Schools featured leaders from the Weston Historical Society and The Lachat Town Farm.

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A Community Conversation – Assets Beyond our Schools: Weston's Natural Resources featured presentations by leaders of the Nature Conservancy's Devil's Den Preserve, the Aspetuck Land Trust, and Weston's Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee.

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For more archived events including videos, picture stories, and in depth information from around town and around the state visit our Legacy site.

Visit lwvweston.org