Ka Leo Hana - April 2008 - Local League Report - Maui
Ka Leo Hana - Winter 2006 Chapter Report - Maui
Ka Leo Hana - Winter 2006 LWV Maui Co-Chair Attends UN Council
Ka Leo Hana - Spring 2006 Chapter Report
Ka Leo Hana - Winter 2005 Chapter Report
Ka Leo Hana - Fall 2005 Maui Will Get Out the Vote
Ka Leo Hana - Winter 2004 Catchy Slogan for the Next Election Campaign
Ka Leo Hana - Winter 2002 League Local News - Maui
Ka Leo Hana - Summer 2002 At Last, a Maui League
Ka Leo Hana - Summer 2002 Leaguer Josh Cooper Honored
Ka Leo Hana - Fall 2002 Chapter Report

The Maui League of Women Voters and the Society of Professional Journalists at Maui Community College volunteered to review the Freedom of Information Act with citizens. Volunteers from the two groups went around the Island talking with citizens about the provisions of the law and their ramifications.

The Maui League was also one of six groups sponsoring the sixth annual "Women's Rights Are Human Rights" Gender Justice Summit Conference, held March 6-8 at Maui Community College. The conference focused on the eradication of poverty, achieving universal primary education, promoting gender equity and empowering women, reducing child mortality, improving women�s health, and developing a global partnership for development.

Josh Cooper,
Co-Director

The Maui League of Women Voters has been focusing on history of women's movements to promote positive social change through film festivals, having nationally recognized women leaders give keynote community addresses, and sponsoring a women's speak out to bring important issues forward in Maui county.

In November, Maui LWV sponsored a film festival featuring Jeanette Rankin's having become the first woman elected to the U.S. Congress, the women's suffragette movement in "Iron Jawed Angels," and also "In the Time of Butterflies" focusing on women's leadership in standing up for human rights. All three films brought students, faculty, and community members together. There was also a voter registration drive at each film signing up eligible voters to become active participants in politics.

The keynote address was given at the MCC student lounge by Medea Benjamin, speaking on Peace is a Passion and Globalization and Human Rights. A world leader of the women's movement, she provided inspiration that another world is possible and offered examples of empowerment and engagement to illustrate the power of every individual to be a peacemaker, and the strength of solidarity when people unite in passion for peace.

Medea Benjamin has been a catalyst for positive social change to promote fundamental freedoms and human rights in the United States and around the world. Her latest movement for justice is CODEPINK with colleague Jodie Evans. CODEPINK follows in the footsteps of the suffragette movement in America and is a dynamic women-led grassroots peace and global justice movement where political savvy joins creative protest and nonviolent direct action. Benjamin has been on the frontline of the passionate displays of democratic participation from vigils at the White House to visits to conflict areas from Afghanistan to Baghdad.

Benjamin has also authored eight books and numerous articles building on her expertise in public health and economics, in which she has two masters degrees. Benjamin's talk also addressed themes of the chapters of her latest text, STOP THE NEXT WAR NOW, printed on Maui by Inner Ocean Publishing.

It was a great opportunity to see an individual at the forefront of many causes today here on Maui.

The final event was a community forum for women to speak up about issues that should be addressed.

Joshua Cooper, Co-Chair

The Maui At Large Unit has been busy, having hosted our fifth annual Women's Rights and Human Rights all-day conference in March, bringing together several different women's associations. There were six panels, plus videos on women's right to vote, and on domestic violence. In August we sponsored a Women's Health Fair.

We are sponsoring a 1 + 1 Campaign that we plan to use for the next election. The graphics are shown below, with the "1" registered voter getting "1" non-registered voter registered, and later, one voter getting another to vote.

"be silent no more"

Our "At Large" Unit. which we hope soon to convert to a state chapter of the League, meets the first Tuesday of each month. Plans for the next several months are as follows:

• September 7, Jan Roberts of Earth Charter USA will speak at Maui Community College. The League will have membership and informational materials available.
• October (date and place to be announced), Kevin Martin, Peace Action, will speak on peace and women's movements for justice
• November (date to be announced) Maui Community College will host a forum on different political parties and how young people can get involved. League will have membership and informational material available.
• November 19. Hawaii Social Forum. Joshua Cooper is coordinating this event for Maui County. The Maui at Large Unit will be assisting.

Joshua Cooper
Tamara Horcajo

At the recent state Board meeting, Maui Co-chair Tamara Horcajo provided a written report of their 1 + 1 Campaign. If you're interested in getting more information, contact JoAnn Maruoka, Board Secretary, at MaruokaJ@hawaii.rr.com to ask her to send you a copy of the full written report.

PURPOSE: To use this simple analogy as a means to get additional registered voters and get all registered voters to vote this coming election. The first idea is to have I registered voter help register 1 non-registered voter. The second part is to have 1 registered voter get 1 registered voter – new or old – to vote. In other words, each one reaches one and each one teaches one.

GOALS:

1. Use 1 + 1 in all media sources – newsprint, radio, presentations, Internet, political forums, etc.

2. Use 1 + 1 in all demographics venues – schools, service organizations, non-profits groups, community groups, business groups, etc.

3. Enlist support from the political parties by having them encourage their party members to use the promotion.

4. Enlist support from aspiring political holders by asking them to use the promotion in all facets of their campaigns – signs, banners, political forums, ads.

5. Enlist support from past and current political holders by asking them to support the 1 + 1 campaign in all media outlets

6. Enlist support from schools, service organizations, non-profits, community groups, business groups, and business organizations.

The new Maui MAL Unit has successfully survived its first election season! We produced a great Voter Information Guide for the Primary & General Elections. The guide included general voting information and candidates' replies to six questions. It was published in the Haleakala Times and distributed to 15,000 households and businesses before each election. The same information was posted on Dnet (www.dnet.org) which was publicized on the radio and in local newspapers.

Post-election plans included a "Democracy Workshop" in December, a Presidents Day movie, "The War Room," in February, and a movie night film, "Journey with George," in March. Business meetings will precede all of the events. By combining what we hope will prove interest-drawing films with business meetings, we hope to get more people to engage in Maui League activities.

Andrea Dean

The newly formed Maui MAL Unit is excited to be gearing up by sinking our teeth into some intense voter education efforts.

The Maui MAL Unit is spearheading the League's DemocracyNet project for Hawaii, the League's nonpartisan voter education website that offers election coverage across the country at the federal, state, and local levels. DemocracyNet or Dnet () is a revolutionary tool for both voters and candidates. It gives all candidates for office a forum to express their positions to the voters, and it gives voters unprecedented access to unedited and uncut candidate statements.

Invitation letters were sent to almost every candidate in the state (except Hawaii & Kauai councils). The response from candidates has been beyond our wildest dreams!

The Maui MAL Unit encouraged all Maui candidates to respond to its candidate questionnaire on-line. Responses will also be published in a voter guide in the Haleakala Times. The response from candidates has been very positive -- and think of all the re-typing that does NOT have to be done! Having candidates respond on-line also increases the number of people who can access that information throughout the election season.

The Maui MAL will soon be generating press releases to advertise to voters statewide. Stay tuned and most importantly LOG ON! We need citizens to utilize the site and encourage candidates to input information on issues that are important to them. The interface between the users and candidates is what makes this a rich resource. If you see that a candidate in your district is not on-line, send an email through dnet to let that individual know you would like him or her to participate.

Since Maui is handling Dnet for the whole state, help is definitely needed. If you are good on the computer and have a fast internet connection, please email Andrea Dean at Mauilwv@hawaii.rr.com.

Andrea Dean

A Maui League is in the process of forming. How we wish Marion and Allan Saunders were here to see this day. Thanks to the work of member Joshua Cooper, a lecturer in political science at Maui Community College, and Andrea Dean, who has already formed a group interested in politics, we will soon have a Maui Unit, which is the first stage to becoming a full fledged League.

Virginia Isbell, former state President, went to Maui early in May to discuss this and encourage the group to join as soon as possible. There is more political clout in something proposed by the League of Women Voters, than by a local discussion group.

The Unit will first study their Island's local political organization. They are already working on registration of voters. State League will help by returning part of their dues to the Unit and applying for a new unit grant from National. This essential funding will ease the process. Jackie Parnell will be the liaison between State and Maui.

Grace Furukawa

League member and co-leader of the Maui group Josh Cooper has recently received accolades from three independent sources! According to the Star Bulletin (May 2, 2002), he was named the W. Alton Jones Fellow by the Center on Violence and Human Survival, for his research and teaching on Nonviolent Responses to Human Rights Violations through Conventions, Committees and Courts.

He was also elected to the national board of directors for Peace Action, the largest grassroots peace and disarmament organization.

And he was selected by Amnesty International for training in Washington, D.C., to help organize the Just Earth project, which has been recognized for its linking of human, environmental, and labor rights as an effective partnership for promoting and protecting people and rights.