Dear Friends of the League,
At the end of this fiscal year in May, I will be stepping down as your president. Seven years ago, when I was entrusted with the responsibility to lead this great organization, I entered upon it with diligence as my tool and positivity as my beacon.
I had just come to San Antonio and was distressed to see voter turnout in single digits even though 73 per cent of the voting age population was registered to vote. I could think of no other organization than the League that was better positioned and better equipped to address this.
Together, we started our voter education and community outreach campaign in the community. Our purpose was clear, our objectives sharply defined. Experienced past presidents and seasoned League members guided us. Community leaders along with many new faces embarked on this journey along the way. A few League Leaders who played an important role are, however, no longer with us: Evelyn Bonavita, Elaine Talarski and Nancy Price. It is the efforts and contributions of past League members and leaders that created the reservoir of public trust that we continue to enjoy and preserve to this day.
To help educate voters so they can make informed choices and encourage them to get to the polls, we collaborated with the city of San Antonio, Bexar County Commissioners Court, San Antonio public libraries, many community organizations -- NAACP, LULAC, Esperanza Peace and Justice Center, AAUW, Food Bank and more -- San Antonio Express-News and KLRN, to name a few. These collaborations helped us empower voters and defend democracy right here in Bexar County.
The one of its kind Youth Initiative that the League launched along with our focused effort to engage new citizens at the naturalization ceremonies are initiatives that we can all feel proud about.
Needless to say, the League’s influence in the community, its vitality and its members’ unfailing commitment to making democracy work for ALL is being valued and respected. The San Antonio League has been recognized by the City Council, NAACP, the First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Antonio and will be recognized by the Bexar County Commissioners Court next month. For an all-volunteer organization to last for over 100 years, create an impact and keep going strong is no easy feat.
I thank my stellar team: all the board members who served during the past seven years, members of all the committees, all the League member and non-member volunteers helping our community outreach efforts.
I wish the San Antonio League continued success as it continues to lead the way in making democracy work. Serving this organization for the past seven years has been my privilege.
Please join us at the Annual Meeting on May 18th so that I can thank you personally.