ONLINE: Centennial Challenges

press release: Join us for a celebration of LWV of Dane County’s 100-year anniversary and for lively conversations about the challenges ahead. Dr. Carolyn Jefferson-Jenkins, the first LWVUS president of African-American descent and author of The Untold Story of Women of Color in the League of Women Voters, will share her thoughts on “Finishing the Fight: Now?” Madison poet laureate Fabu will share her tribute in honor of the LWVDC Centennial.

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Speakers:

Carolyn Jefferson-Jenkins, Ph.D., is an educator, activist, advocate, author, historian, and a national and international speaker on women’s history, women’s suffrage, elections, African-American history. She served as the 15th President of the League of Women Voters of the United States and Chair of the League of Women Voters Education Fund, 1998-2002. A native of Ohio, Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins has been a League member since 1982 and is the first woman of African-American descent to head the organization, established in 1920 in its first 100 years.  Prior to be elected President, she served as a member of the national Board of Directors of the League from 1994-2002 and was Second Vice-President, 1996-1998. She is author of The Untold Story of Women of Color in the League of Women Voters which honors the contributions of women of color in the suffrage movement and its legacy organization, the League of Women Voters.

As a two-term president, Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins led the education and advocacy work of this grassroots organization on a wide range of public policy issues.  During her years of service at the national level, Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins oversaw several comprehensive League initiatives.  These included the 1996 Get Out the Vote campaign, which registered more than 50,000 voters nationally; the Wired for Democracy project, which increased voter education and participation via the Web; and the League’s strategic plan, “The Future Plan” which emphasized keeping the League relevant through diversity, equity and inclusion.

Throughout her presidency, Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins placed a high priority on campaign finance reform, election reform, education reform and health care, particularly for underrepresented populations. Much of her tenure focused on the League’s initiative “Vision for the 21st Century,” which emphasized League impact, visibility, and organizational development.  She encouraged enhanced communications, as reflected in the new League website established in 2000 and the redesigned quarterly magazine, The National Voter. Forward-thinking outreach under her leadership was exemplified by the Take a Friend to Vote campaign and Democracy Net (DNet), a nonpartisan voter information website. Through these efforts Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins worked to increase participation in the electoral process and encourage women and ethnic minorities to run for public office.

Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Urban Education from Cleveland State University, Ohio; an Education Specialist (EdS) from Kent State University, Ohio; a Master of Education (MEd) from John Carroll University, Ohio; and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Education/Political Science from Western College, Ohio.

A recipient of numerous awards for her volunteerism and civic involvement, on March 12, 2020, Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins received the Miami University Freedom Summer of ’64 Award which recognizes the spirit of the 800 students who gathered on the campus of Western College for Women to change the country during Freedom Summer in Mississippi. Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins has been recognized in Notable Black American Women, Volume III; Who’s Who Among Successful African-Americans; and Who’s Who in American Education. She has been the recipient of the Women of Distinction Award from the Girl Scouts of Colorado, the Distinguished Alumni Award in Civic Leadership from Cleveland State University, the Making a Difference Award from John Carroll University, and the National Coalition of Black Civic Achievement Civic Leadership Award. She recently received the 2020 Trailblazer Award from the League of Women Voters of Ohio.

Fabu Phillis Carter, Ph.D., professionally known as Fabu, was appointed Madison’s Poet Laureate in 2008 and served in that position until 2011. She was chosen for this honorary position by Mayor Dave Cieslewicz and voted into office by The Madison Arts Commission in recognition of her years as a major figure in Madison’s literary arts movement. Fabu was also selected because of the inspiration she has provided for more than 20 years in poetry, reading and writing to school children, women and the African American communities. She is multicultural in perspective and encourages adults and children to write in many languages.

In Fabu’s presentations to schoolchildren, she encourages their creativity, supports their efforts to write and has specifically designed innovative curriculum to strengthen their learning abilities. Through her work with children over the years, she realized there were many age-related themes that might be used to help inspire all children to begin writing about their own thoughts and dreams.

Because of those experiences, Fabu recently published her new children’s book, Poems, Dreams and Roses, a compilation of poems. Fabu began writing at the age of 11 and has continued to create poetry throughout her adult life. The poems for the book were chosen because they are both relevant and inspirational to children and youth as they go through their own stages of growing up.

Fabu obtained her doctorate from the University of Nairobi and she holds a double Masters from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in African Languages and Literature and African-American Studies. The University of Nairobi Press published her book In Our Own Tongues in 2011.

She is a guest lecturer, leads workshops, provides enchanting storytelling for children and poetry readings, participates in community and international celebrations, writes guest poetry columns for local publications and upon requests, creates commissioned poems. Fabu is also a founding member of The Hibiscus Collective, a group of Madison women writers from multi-cultures who write from their own unique perspectives in order for their particular voices to be heard. Finally, she is also a guest columnist for The Capital Times and The Capital City Hues.

Note: Several copies of Dr. Carolyn Jefferson-Jenkins’ book, The Untold Story of Women of Color in the League of Women Voters, can be checked out from the LWVDC office. Send an email to: office@lwvdanecounty.org to reserve and arrange to pick up a copy.