Candidate Forum: County Clerk

Where: Tri-North Middle School Presentation Center, 1000 W 15th St, Bloomington, IN
Moderator: Ilana Stonebraker
Confirmed participants: Tanner Dale Branham, (D), Tree Martin-Lucas (D)
Hosted by: League of Women Voters of Bloomington-Monroe County
Cosponsors: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.-Kappa Tau Omega Chapter, Big Ten Voting Challenge, IU PACE, Monroe County NOW, Monroe County Branch NAACP, South Central Indiana Citizens’ Climate Lobby

Candidate Forum: County Prosecutor

Where: Tri-North Middle School Presentation Center, 1000 W 15th St, Bloomington, IN
Moderator: Ilana Stonebraker
Confirmed participants: Benjamin Tyron Arrington, (D), Erika Oliphant (D)
Hosted by: League of Women Voters of Bloomington-Monroe County
Cosponsors: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.-Kappa Tau Omega Chapter, Big Ten Voting Challenge, IU PACE, Monroe County NOW, Monroe County Branch NAACP, South Central Indiana Citizens’ Climate Lobby

Candidate Forum: Indiana House 61

Where: Tri-North Middle School Presentation Center, 1000 W 15th St, Bloomington, IN
Moderator: Pearl Vinard
Confirmed participants: Matt Pierce (D), Lilliana Young (D)
Hosted by: League of Women Voters of Bloomington-Monroe County
Cosponsors: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.-Kappa Tau Omega Chapter, Big Ten Voting Challenge, IU PACE, Monroe County NOW, Monroe County Branch NAACP, South Central Indiana Citizens’ Climate Lobby

Candidate Forum: County Commissioner District 1

Where: Tri-North Middle School Presentation Center, 1000 W 15th St, Bloomington, IN
Moderator: Steve Hinnefeld
Confirmed participants: Trent Deckard (D), David Henry (D)
Hosted by: League of Women Voters of Bloomington-Monroe County
Cosponsors: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.-Kappa Tau Omega Chapter, Big Ten Voting Challenge, IU PACE, Monroe County NOW, Monroe County Branch NAACP, South Central Indiana Citizens’ Climate Lobby

The Monroe County NOW Election Committee has recently sent members in good standing information about our upcoming annual meeting and board election. If you are a dues paying member in good standing and have not received any information about the election, please email the committee at election.mcnow@gmail.com.

Indiana NOW is pleased to announce the 2025 annual conference, hosted by Indianapolis NOW. Please join us on Saturday, September 20, at the All Souls Unitarian Church, located at 5805 E. 56th St. in Indianapolis. Our welcoming address will be given by the Indianapolis City-County Council Vice President Ali Brown. Our keynote speaker will be Sheila Suess Kennedy. Indiana House Representatives Sue Errington, Carey Hamilton, and Renee Peck will host a panel discussion on the state of Indiana politics.

 Check in/registration on September 20 begins at 9:45am, the conference begins at 10am, and programming will conclude by 3pm. Lunch (vegetarian option available), coffee, tea, and water will be provided. There is a Zoom option on the advanced registration page. For those who wish to Zoom, we will email information prior to the conference. NOW members are eligible for a sliding scale conference fee. Pay what you can afford. Choose the "Donation" option to do sliding scale and/or to sponsor another individual to attend. Credentialing for active members will be done on site. For those looking for overnight accommodations, we recommend the nearby Fort Harrison Inn (10 minute drive). Join us for some lively discussions, empowering speeches, and networking opportunities.

If you have any questions, please contact Indinapolis NOW at now.indianapolis@gmail.com and allow 48 hours for a response. Register at the link below and we’ll see you there!

Come join Monroe County NOW in the cool AC of the downtown public library (in person) as we march through this Hot Labor Summer. We will be spending our July chapter meeting sitting down with organizers from the Indiana Graduate Workers Coalition and Monroe County Education Association. Let's discuss the ongoing attacks on education, the labor movement, and working people! A feminist future with a just economy and education for all can only happen when we act together in our schools and workplaces. See below for more details and join us! Light refreshments will be available.

 Date: Thursday, July 24

Time: 7pm

Location: Monroe County Public Library Downtown Branch, Meeting Room 1B

 Please note: We are working on a Zoom option for those who prefer to join us from home. Click below to register for the Zoom link.

Join Monroe County NOW for our June Chapter meeting on Thursday, June 19, at 7pm via Zoom! During Pride Month we will feature the Bloomington LGBTIQ+ Community Center. This brand new organization exists "to support and enhance the lives of our diverse queer Family through the development of: safe and sober spaces for all, community engagement and education opportunities, programs and services that elevate and empower one another to lead healthy and fulfilling lives, and advocacy work for social equity and civil rights locally and beyond." MC NOW will welcome guest speaker Melanie Davis, who will give us information on the formation of the LGBTIQ+ Community Center and the board's goals. There will be time for a Q&A with Melanie. Stay tuned to next month's newsletter, our website and social media for any additional guest speakers. Let's learn about this important community resource and find ways we can help get the word out.

Learn more about the Bloomington LGBTIQ+ Community Center at https://www.facebook.com/LGBTIQCommunityCenter.

Participants must register in advance for this meeting at
https://us02web.zoom.us/.../register/3_UfH6yoSl6BxH-eJAjeuw.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. See you there!

Join Monroe County NOW, IU Cinema, Girls Inc. of Monroe County, Girls Rock Bloomington, and the League of Women Voters-Bloomington/Monroe County on Thursday, March 13 for a special film screening event. Take a look at what American democracy would be like in the hands of teenage girls as part of an immersive experiment to build a government from the ground up. See Girls State!

From the Emmy Award winners behind Boys State, Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine, comes the Emmy Award-winning film Girls State. Set against the backdrop of a nation grappling with a deepening democratic crisis and heightened political polarization, this compelling documentary delves into the experiences of 500 teenage girls participating in a week-long program where they construct their own state government. It underscores the significance of civic engagement, the intricacies of democracy, and the influence of female voices in political leadership.

A Q&A with Tochi Ihekona and Emily Worthmore, two of the film's subjects, will follow the screening.

Our hope is that in this off year in the Indiana election cycle, we can encourage women and girls to get involved in politics by showing them how a diverse group of young women in Missouri proved the value our voices and experiences can bring to government. All of us do so much to try and get out the vote and hold our elected officials accountable. Now imagine the impact we could have if even one or two more percent of the girls today were inspired to get involved after watching Girls State? This is a free but ticketed event. Get your free tickets at https://am.ticketmaster.com/iucinema/buy/MarchMay25.

Come meet and greet candidates for Indiana Senate, Indiana House of Representatives, and Monroe County County Commissioner. Candidates will respond briefly to questions, then meet and converse with voters.

Co-sponsors: Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce, League of Women Voters of Bloomiongton-Monroe County, League of Women Voters of Brown County, Monroe County Branch NAACP, and Monroe County NOW

Where: This is an online Zoom event
Moderator: Sonia Leerkamp
Candidates: Russell Brooksbank (L) and Tim Peck (D); Erin Houchin declined
Hosted by: League of Women Voters of Bloomington-Monroe County
Cosponsors: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. - Kappa Tau Omega Chapter, Big Ten Voting Challenge, Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce, IU PACE, League of Women Voters Bloomington-Monroe County, League of Women Voters Brown County, League of Women Voters Southern Indiana Monroe County NOW, Monroe County Branch NAACP, South Central Indiana Citizens’ Climate Lobby, Citizens’ Climate Lobby - New Albany

Where: Bloomington City Hall Council Chambers
Moderator: Beverly Calender-Anderson
Candidates: Joe Davis (write-in), Trent Deckard (D), David Henry (D), Cheryl Munson (D)

Hosted by: League of Women Voters of Bloomington-Monroe County
Cosponsors: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. - Kappa Tau Omega Chapter, Big Ten Voting Challenge, IU PACE, League of Women Voters Bloomington-Monroe County, Monroe County NOW, Monroe County Branch NAACP, South Central Indiana Citizens’ Climate Lobby

Mark your calendars! The Indiana NOW 2024 State Conference will be held Saturday, August 24, from 9:30am to 4pm at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne. Our Northeast Indiana NOW chapter is hosting this year's conference.

Fort Wayne Mayor Sharon Tucker will welcome attendees. Join us for amazing speakers (others will be announced soon), motivational handouts, planning for the year ahead, and to vote for our next slate of State Council members. There will also be a PAC fundraising event on Friday, August 23. More information will follow.

You don’t want to miss this!

ARE YOU READY TO GO?

Need a place to stay? Reserve your room today! There is a reserved hotel block at the Hilton Hotel at the Grand Wayne Convention Center, located at 1020 S. Calhoun Street. The block is for Friday and/or Saturday night at $129 per night. Be sure to ask for the NOW rate if you call (260-420-1100). You can also make your reservation online at https://www.hilton.com/en/attend-my-event/fwafhhf-now-b5941977-ec6f-4fb4-856e-c384f5c84c12/.

Mark your calendars! Our next chapter meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 25, at 7pm via Zoom. This meeting is all about housing equity and the impact on local women and marginalized communities. We are excited to have JaneAnn Gifford, CJAM (Community Justice And Mediation Center) Landlord-Tenant Case Manager and Senior Mediator and Erika Fotsch with the Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana. We will hear from our guest speakers about the challenges women in our community face regarding affordable housing; Q&A will directly follow. Join us and ask your questions!

You must register in advance for this meeting at

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEqdOygpzooHtNOe7kR-slE9lzehLoodmsD.

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

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.

In lieu of a traditional July chapter meeting, Monroe County NOW is participating in a day of action. We are joining and supporting MC NOW board members Jennifer Crossley and Shruti Rana, as they host a community listening session with Kerry Thomson, Nicole Bolden, and Isak Isare.

Join us Thursday, July 27, at 7pm at the Steve & Connie Ferguson Crestmont Boys & Girls Club. We are tabling, registering people to vote, and will have water and swag to hand out. Let's show up and chat about issues that affect our community! All community members are welcome.

We are also asking people donate to the Crestmont Food Pantry, as the pantry needs the following:

• toilet paper

• dish soap

• trash bags

• ziplock bags

• deodorant

• body wash

• cleaning supplies

• wipes

• anything else people cannot purchase with SNAP benefits

Donate these items and we will get the donations to the pantry.

Please note, Monroe County NOW is a 501(c)4 organization. Tabling at this event is not an endorsement of any candidates.

Join Monroe County NOW, the University Alliance for Racial Justice, IU PACE, ICPE Monroe County, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Monroe County NAACP, NAPAWF Indiana, and IU Student Government for a municipal debate forum on Saturday, April 1, from 2 to 5pm. This event will be held in person at the Monroe County Public Library Auditorium, as well as live-streamed on CATS. The debate forums will feature candidates in all contested municipal races in Monroe County. Submit your questions by filling out this form.

Monroe County NOW is a proud sponsor of the 2022 Candidate Forums! In lieu of a chapter meeting this month, we are encouraging our members and friends to attend these forums beginning next Wednesday, September 28. You must register for the forums via the QR code or at https://www.lwv-bmc.org/content.aspx?page_id=22....

The debate committee is looking questions! Please email voterservice@lwv-bmc.org with your suggestions. Please identify the forum(s) for which a question is recommended. See you there!

Monroe County NOW is a proud sponsor of the 2022 Candidate Forums! In lieu of a chapter meeting this month, we are encouraging our members and friends to attend these forums beginning next Wednesday, September 28. You must register for the forums via the QR code or at https://www.lwv-bmc.org/content.aspx?page_id=22....

The debate committee is looking questions! Please email voterservice@lwv-bmc.org with your suggestions. Please identify the forum(s) for which a question is recommended. See you there!

Monroe County NOW is a proud sponsor of the 2022 Candidate Forums! In lieu of a chapter meeting this month, we are encouraging our members and friends to attend these forums beginning next Wednesday, September 28. You must register for the forums via the QR code or at https://www.lwv-bmc.org/content.aspx?page_id=22....

The debate committee is looking questions! Please email voterservice@lwv-bmc.org with your suggestions. Please identify the forum(s) for which a question is recommended. See you there!

Monroe County NOW is a proud sponsor of the 2022 Candidate Forums! In lieu of a chapter meeting this month, we are encouraging our members and friends to attend these forums beginning next Wednesday, September 28. You must register for the forums via the QR code or at https://www.lwv-bmc.org/content.aspx?page_id=22....

The debate committee is looking questions! Please email voterservice@lwv-bmc.org with your suggestions. Please identify the forum(s) for which a question is recommended. See you there!

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.