Join us for our next general meeting next Thursday, February 22, at 7pm! We invite our members and friends to meet our 2024 Board and weigh in on future meetings, events, and happenings. We are also putting out a call for vacant board positions. And we'll have a conversation with longtime Monroe County NOW member Shruti Rana! We want to thank Shruti for her work with our organization and show appreciation for her time and expertise.

Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEqdOygpzooHtNOe7kR-slE9lzehLoodmsD 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. See you next Thursday!

Indiana NOW is pleased to announce its 2023 annual conference! Join us on Saturday, November 11, at the Monroe County History Center in Bloomington. Speakers include Indiana gubernatorial candidate Jennifer McCormick, State Senator Shelli Yoder, State Representative Carolyn B. Jackson, and Bloomington's next mayor Kerry Thomson.

Registration begins at 9:45am and the conference will conclude by 3pm. For those attending in person, IN NOW will provide coffee, water, snacks, and lunch from Hive Bloomington. The planning committee has secured a block of rooms at the Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Bloomington, only a few blocks away from the conference. There is also a Zoom option on the registration page. For those who wish to Zoom, the Planning Committee will email information out before the conference.

The Indiana NOW 2023 State Conference is a must-attend event for all advocates of gender equality and women's rights! Join us for a day filled with inspiring discussions, empowering speeches, and networking opportunities. The Monroe County History Center is located at 202 E. 6th St. in Bloomington. Register NOW, as tickets will sell out! See you there!

Indiana Period Action Day is Wednesday, October 18, from 11am to 2pm at the Statehouse in Indianapolis. Legislators from the House and Senate will be speaking on period poverty, healthcare access, and menstrual stigmatization, as well as legislation that will be introducedin January. Join MADVoters for this day of action!

Monroe County NOW is excited to once again table at the Spencer Pride Festival on Saturday, October 7. We need volunteers for our table set up, shifts, and tear down. Please review the available slots at SignUpGenius and click on the button to sign up. We will reach out to our volunteers with any updates as we receive final details. Thank you for your help!

Please join Hoosier Jews for Choice and Monroe County NOW for a vigil and call to action at the Monroe County Courthouse on Monday, July 31, at 5:30pm. WE ARE NOT DONE!

Confirmed speakers include State Senator Shelli Yoder, County Councilwoman Jennifer Crossley, City Councilwoman Sue Sgambelluri, City COS Josefa Madrigal, Bloomington Latino Outreach Coordinator Ximena Martinez Ruiz, Jessica Marchbank of All-Options, and Haddie Katz from Tandem Birthing Services.

Join us to grieve, hold space for one another, and fight for the future of reproductive justice in Indiana.

Monroe County NOW is delighted to host its first in-person chapter meeting in more than three years! Join us Thursday, June 22, from 7:30 to 9pm at the Monroe County Public Library's Downtown Branch (Meeting Room 1C). We have updates on our GOTV efforts, the July 4 Parade, Pride festival plans, and a special guest update from the Monroe County Women's Commission! Two MCNOW Board members are on the MCWC (Susan Hingle and Julie Hardesty) and they will be joined by other commission members to share the latest work from this newly-energized community group. It is a good time to gather and we hope we'll see you there!

For those who need a Zoom option, we are offering a hybrid meeting. For Zoom, advance registration is required for this meeting. Register at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEsc-qvqToqHdDGG-dV_ERGfKeT1GJWh-Ov.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Join us this year for Bloomington’s annual Pridefest! Stop by anytime 2-8pm, grab some swag, and get registered to vote. Have more time to hang out? Help us table! You can sign up to volunteer at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0e44a8a828a5f49-volunteer2. See you there!

Join us for our August MCNOW chapter meeting. We will be joined by Monroe County Task Force Leader Margie Rice, County Council Representatives Jennifer Crossley and Kate Wiltz, and City Council Representative Sue Sgambelluri.

Topic - Criminal Justice Reform and Policing in Bloomington and Monroe County: A Discussion with Elected and Community Leaders.

ZOOM.

Pre-registration required.

When: Aug 25, 2022 07:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Register in advance for this meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0ocu2rqjsjHtO7RCJb7L1XNNn3hL_5QGyO?fbclid=IwAR2Hsuj1Xs0rTyQAaePxwR16xEQabNAL_Orks_F3kJEygG6M_MN5lCvIERY.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

After staying silent on SB1 – a near total abortion ban that puts Hoosier lives at risk – the Greater Bloomington Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch at a private luncheon at the Graduate Hotel on Tuesday, August 9 at 11:30am. Lt. Gov. Crouch will be giving a talk on “Empowering Women Leaders IN Indiana.” This talk is a slap in the face of all Hoosier women after the Indiana State House voted on Saturday to take away access to safe, compassionate, and evidence-based reproductive healthcare. We call on the Chamber to rescind this invitation, sponsors to pull out of the event, invitees to decline to show up, and we ask Bloomington business owners to stand up in support of women and girls’ basic rights.

Concerned Hoosiers will assemble outside the Graduate Hotel on Tuesday, August 9, at 11am to discuss what it means to empower women leaders and to make our voices heard.

Speakers include City Councilwoman Isabel Piedmont-Smith, Erin Tobey from Hopscotch Coffee, and Mary Catherine Carmichael. Stay tuned to our social media for any updates!

Women's History Month: We Cannot Go Backwards

What are our options if Roe is overturned?

Join us for our March chapter meeting on Thursday, March 31, at 7:30pm for an important panel discussion.

This month we are excited to welcome Evelyn Smith, State Programs Manager for All-Options Pregnancy Resource Center. Evelyn will talk with us about what All-Options is, what services they provide, and what is on the horizon in Indiana and for abortion rights access. There will be time for questions from the audience.

Zoom pre-registration is required. Register in advance for this meeting at MC NOW March Chapter Meeting.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Join us for our February chapter meeting on Thursday, February 24, at 7:30pm: Celebrating Incredible Black Women Leaders Working for Change!

This month we are celebrating the accomplishments of amazing local Black women who are working for a better community year round. Our panelists will be Bloomington City Clerk Nicole Bolden, County Councilperson (District 4) Jennifer Crossley, Maqube Reese, and Jacinda Townsend.

Zoom pre-registration is required. Register in advance for this meeting at
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIldO2qrjguGtKhURPiHIpeZwJZDMIlYrRr.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Please join us for our first general meeting (via Zoom) of 2022 on Thursday, January 27, at 7:30pm - “Our Fight for Reproductive Rights in the Indiana Statehouse and What is Next.” We will be joined by State Senator Shelli Yoder and State Representative Matt Pierce, a legal expert who will talk about reproductive rights cases to watch around the county, and a local provider who will speak on how things might change locally.

Zoom information will be added as we get closer to the date; please follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MonroeCountyNOW.

Join Monroe County NOW members and friends for our October chapter meeting! We are excited to let you know what we are working on this month and beyond. Have ideas to share? Please bring them to the meeting!

This month's panel discussion will be on menstrual equity in our community and in our state. Panelists are Professor Deborah Widiss from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law and a representative from the Dignity Project, a local nonprofit that provides women in need with the hygiene products necessary to lead a healthy and successful life.

We ask that you consider making a donation to the Dignity Project's current Coronavirus Protection Fundraiser (https://www.gofundme.com/.../coronavirus-protection...).

Our meeting will be held via Zoom. Please use the Zoom information provided below.

October Chapter Meeting Agenda: https://docs.google.com/.../1_S0MbHyYOChKUa1a0.../edit...

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88697288049...

Meeting ID: 886 9728 8049

Passcode: 382900

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Monroe County NOW is a proud vendor for the 2021 Spencer Pride Festival! Spencer Pride welcomes everyone to their 100% family-friendly, admission free, fabulous, rural LGBTQ+ pride festival!

We’re super excited to table at this event. We still need volunteers to help. Check out our sign up sheet and take a shift at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0E44A8A828A5F49-mcnowat.

Event information can be found at https://www.facebook.com/events/663029750830600.

Monroe County NOW is proud to support Students Against Reproductive Restraints. SARR will be a peaceful, sign holding, student-led protest in support of the fight against abortion restrictions. SARR welcomes everyone to join them at Indiana University’s Sample Gates. More event information can be found at https://www.facebook.com/events/531810951453226.

Join us for El Mercado! on Sunday, September 19, from 1 to 5pm! MC NOW is proud to partner with the Monroe County NAACP, Count Us IN, and League of Women Voters Bloomington-Monroe for this special event, which will include speakers on the importance of voting. Register to vote in Monroe County! More information can be found at https://www.facebook.com/events/2991037024509081.

Join Monroe County NOW members and friends for our June chapter meeting! We are excited to let you know what we are working on this month and beyond. Have ideas to share? Please bring them to the meeting!

For this meeting, we are hosting the League of Women Voters Bloomington-Monroe County, who will share their presentation, "Working for Fair Voting Maps in Indiana." This presentation is about redistricting reform for federal elections. We will also hear from Bloomington City Councilmember Steve Volan (District 6) about the formation of the local Citizens' Redistricting Advisory Commission regarding redistricting on the local level and what that means for us locally in 2023. Learn how to get involved with that process. Bring your questions for an informative Q & A.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we will conduct our meeting via Zoom. Register in advance for this meeting at https://iu.zoom.us/.../tZcufuytqzgiGtO9Godhq_M6stKZDZrviZva. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. See you there!

Join Monroe County NOW for our April chapter meeting on Sunday, the 18th, at noon! This month, LeNée Carroll, Chief of Staff of the Indiana Senate Democrats, will recap what has happened during Indiana's 2021 legislative session, and let us know what she thinks this summer and the 2022 session may look like.

For the remainder of our meeting, we will go into breakout rooms to start forming statewide coalition building strategies for this summer and beyond. Let's pool our resources and be prepared for the next session. Register in advance for this meeting below.

When: Apr 18, 2021 12:00 PM Indiana (East)

Register in advance for this meeting:
https://iu.zoom.us/.../tZ0qf-CqpjItH90EJAD6Fl_dTEfM-C77u8LC

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. See you there!

Join Monroe County NOW members and friends for our March chapter meeting! We are excited to let you know what we are working on this month and beyond. Have ideas to share? Please bring them to the meeting! For this meeting, we are hosting a panel of local elected women talking about local issues important to our organization. Panelists are Nicole Bolden, Bloomington City Clerk; Isabel Piedmont-Smith, City Councilmember for District 5; Jacinda Townsend, MCCSC School Board Member for District 6; and Shelli Yoder, State Senator for District 40. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we will conduct our meeting via Zoom; the information to register is below. We will record the meeting, so if you are uncomfortable being on a recording, please mute yourself and turn the camera option off. See you then! Register in advance for this meeting:

https://iu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYrdOqsrjspHtH4WwjdeqLlxFZBMJIGCSIL

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

For our February meeting, Monroe County NOW is proud to have representatives from the Rainbow Coalition at IU come to discuss their recent work empowering and advocating for the representation of underrepresented voices on Indiana University's campus. Come hear how the Rainbow Coalition brought together different multicultural groups as they continue their successful work in giving students of color a seat at the table.

Zoom meeting link

Topic: Monroe County NOW February Meeting
Time: Feb 21, 2021 12:00 PM Indiana (East)

Join from computer or mobile:
https://iu.zoom.us/j/87357583256...

Meeting ID: 873 5758 3256
Password: rainbow

One tap mobile
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Join Monroe County NOW for our January chapter meeting. We have assembled a panel of amazing local women who work to help people facing poverty, especially those who work at organizations and agencies that do not often get highlighted. Come learn about the new challenges that have arisen due to COVID-19, the different ways these women have worked to meet these challenges, and ways community members can plug into these opportunities and fight poverty.

Our Vice President, Abby Ang, who is also an organizer of the Monroe County Area Mutual Aid network, will moderate the panel.

Panelists:
Emily Pike, Executive Director, New Hope Family Shelter
Ashley Beeler, Little Free Pantry Bloomington
Kim Alexander, Bloomington Township
Eveline Bogdanski and Jordan Plunkett, Helping Hands at Civic Champs

Topic: Monroe County NOW January Meeting
Time: Jan 17, 2021 12:00 PM Indiana (East)

Join from computer or mobile:
https://iu.zoom.us/j/89554880459?pwd=YnFTS0xDNGNJL2tLV3JFTFJvUExGQT09

Meeting ID: 895 5488 0459
Password: nopoverty

One tap mobile
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We are encouraging members and guests to donate to the organizations represented. Links can be found below.

https://www.newhope4families.org/donate
https://lfpbloomington.org/donate

Members are Invited to Our Biggest Party of the Year!
 

Theme: We Must Thrive

What: MC NOW Annual General Meeting & Election

Date: Sunday, November 15, 2020

Time: Noon to 2pm EST

Where: ZOOM so you can join us safely from anywhere you have access to a screen, a microphone, and a camera.

Show Off Your Power Outfit - Come dressed in that t-shirt that inspires you, that top that makes you feel strong, put on that hat that shows you mean business, or wear whatever gives you a can-do attitude.

Meeting Agenda:

Welcome and Check-in with Everyone

Show Off Your Power Outfit - Come dressed in that t-shirt that inspires you, that top that makes you feel strong, put on that hat that shows you mean business, or wear whatever gives you a can-do attitude.

By-Laws & Operating Rules Vote - You should have received copies of those documents and their changes and we'll share them again before voting on them.

Q & A with Laura Collins, one of our founders

Call Out of Last Minute Nominations

Meet the Candidates for Offices

Election

Fun! - Join in our Trivia games to test your knowledge of powerful women who thrived and helped others thrive to win some of MC NOW's t-shirts and buttons. Plus get bragging rights about all you know or cheer for others participating in the Trivia rounds.

More than ever, we here in Monroe County must stand up for NOW's core issues of Constitutional Equality, Ending Violence Against Women, Economic Justice, LGBTQ+ Rights, Racial Justice, and Reproductive Rights and Justice. Join us at our Annual General Meeting and Election to help us all thrive and advance our goals in 2021.

If you are a dues paying member as of May 15, 2020, and you have not received information regarding the election, please contact our Election Committee.

The results of the election are now conclusive - Joe Biden is the legitimate president-elect of the United States. Yet, as feared and expected, President Trump is working to undermine the legitimacy of this election, using legal and extra-legal methods to overturn the will of American voters.

We invite all members of our community to gather peacefully on the courthouse square to provide strength and solidarity for the work ahead, to demonstrate our confidence in and respect for the election results, and to celebrate the many grassroots organizations and individuals who tirelessly served the community during the election cycle. This rally will include speakers, student activists, and organizers who were instrumental in ensuring voters were informed and well-fed at the polls during election day, and who fought voter suppression and registered voters from underrepresented communities.

-Jennifer Crossley, Chairwoman of the Monroe County Democratic Party
-Allyson McBride, IU Dems
-Shruti Rana, Monroe County National Organization for Women
-Lindsey Batteast, Rising Rainbow Coalition

Please read the following information carefully to keep you and our entire community safe:

1. The non-violent, peaceful rally will take place on Sunday, November 8 from 12-12:30 on the square.
2. The rally will be kept short to ensure the safety of all participants. Please be on time and disband at the end of the rally.
3. Be COVID safe: wear a mask, maintain distance as feasible, and stay home if you are experiencing symptoms.
4. Wear bright clothing.
5. Feel free to bring signs.
6 We expect counter protestors. Do not engage them. In all interactions, work to de-escalate tensions and prevent violence.

We encourage participants to sign up at the following link because it allows us to communicate quickly if necessary: https://www.mobilize.us/ptr/event/362239/

Join Monroe County NOW members and friends for our October chapter meeting! We will discuss what we are working on. Have ideas to share? Please bring them to the meeting!

We welcome Bloomington activist Selena Drake, co-founder of Enough is Enough: Bloomington. Selena will discuss EiE and the importance of getting out the vote to marginalized populations, especially Black and brown voters who face the brunt of voter suppression. To learn about and donate to Enough is Enough, please visit https://enoughbtown.com/....

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we will conduct our meeting via Zoom. See the information below. Please note we will record the meeting, so if you are uncomfortable being on a recording, please mute yourself and turn the camera option off. See you then!

Topic: MCNOW October General Meeting
Time: Oct 11, 2020 12:00 PM Indiana (East)

Join from computer or mobile:  
https://iu.zoom.us/j/94822440498...

Meeting ID: 948 2244 0498
Password: enough

One tap mobile
+13017158592,,94822440498# US (Germantown)
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Join Monroe County NOW members and friends for our September chapter meeting! We will discuss what we are working on. Have ideas to share? Please bring them to the meeting!

We are excited to have Rima Shahid, Executive Director of Women4Change Indiana. Rima will talk about the Clothesline Project. We will also learn about the advocacy work of W4C and discuss ways to collaborate. To learn about W4C, please visit https://www.women4changeindiana.org.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we will conduct our meeting via Zoom. Please note we will record the meeting, so if you are uncomfortable being on a recording, please mute yourself and turn the camera option off. See you then!

Join from computer or mobile:  

https://iu.zoom.us/j/95564601287?pwd=WFZFNEg2UXlEdE1BbXFyM0VQUkFDdz09

Meeting ID: 955 6460 1287

Password: mcNOW

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Join Monroe County NOW for our February chapter meeting! Our meeting will be 12-1:30pm at the MCPL, Room 2A. We are thrilled to have Celia Meredith of the Indiana University Maurer School of Law LGBTQ+ Project. We will have a discussion of identities, power and privilege, intersectionality, and LGBTQ+ realities. There will be time for audience participation and questions.

We will begin the meeting with our chapter business and Celia will then facilitate a discussion with our members and friends about the LGBTQ+ Project. The Project's mission is to provide "pro bono legal research and advocacy services to Indiana LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations and LGBTQ+ Hoosiers. The Project engages law students, attorneys, scholars, and LGBTQ+ advocates to address the unmet legal needs of Indiana’s LGBTQ+ community and support equality efforts of Indiana LGBTQ+ organizations." For more information on the LGBTQ+ Project, please visit https://www.law.indiana.edu/academics/experiential-education/projects/lgbt.shtml. And check out their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/lgbtcp/.

See what we have going on this month and beyond. We will provide snacks. This meeting is kid friendly and the MCPL is accessible for those with mobility issues or physical disabilities.

Join Monroe County NOW for our next Contact Your Reps Party from 5-6:30pm at Cup & Kettle Tea Company! We will have postcards, scripts, and postage to contact our legislators.

Cup & Kettle is located at 208 N. Walnut Street #100 in downtown Bloomington.