Come enjoy the company of League members and fellow Chicagoans! We'll hear Fair Vote Illinois’ progress in getting Ranked Choice Voting for Chicago’s municipal elections, learn how we can help make it happen, socialize, pay happy hour prices, and see fabulous Lake Michigan. 

No RSVP necessary. For more information, contact Abigail Nichols at league@lwvchicago.org.

Join us at the Siskel Film Center for a screening of the new award-winning film LILLY, followed by a Q&A with the film’s director, Rachel Feldman, moderated by LWV Chicago President Jane Ruby.

Based on the true story of Lilly Ledbetter, LILLY stars Academy Award nominee Patricia Clarkson as the Alabama tire factory supervisor who, after working 20 years in an environment plagued by harassment for the sake of the best paycheck in the county, discovers she’s been paid half of what the men with the same job have been earning. Outraged, Lilly takes her fight for equal pay all to the Supreme Court, Congress, and eventually The White House. A testament to resilience, with Clarkson’s powerful performance at its core, LILLY illuminates the impact a single person can have on a nation.

We’re headed to Springfield!

League of Women Voters members are invited to join LWVIL for Lobby Day at the Illinois State Capitol during the 2025 spring legislative session.

You can make a difference! During Lobby Day, you’ll meet with your legislators and advocate for the issues you care about. Never lobbied in Springfield before? No worries, we will provide assistance.

We will meet up in Springfield on Wednesday, May 7 at 9:00 am. The day will wrap around 1:30 pm.

All LWV Chicago members are automatically members of LWV Cook County. Attend their Annual Meeting and hear from featured speaker Dr. Michael Adkesson, Brookfield Zoo Chicago President and CEO.

Cost is $40, includes breakfast, lunch, parking, and zoo entry. Register. 

Federal authorities are not only targeting international students for their activism but are now increasingly going after U.S. citizens as well—especially those engaged in political and social justice work. The recent revocation of student visas for speaking out is a direct attack on free speech and the rights of all Americans to organize and protest. This is a dangerous precedent that threatens the very core of our democracy, where every person must be free to express their views without fear of retaliation. Come join us to learn from experts on how we can protect ourselves.

The program begins at 11:00 am. Join us at the LWV Chicago office beginning at 10:30 am for social time. This program is hosted by the LWV Chicago Emerging Threats to Democracy Working Group, Chicago Salon Club, and Chicago Women Take Action.

Featured Speaker

Wesam Shahed is a first-generation Palestinian-American from Chicago, Illinois. He serves as the Senior Legislative Counsel at the Illinois Attorney General’s Office (he will not be speaking in his official capacity or on behalf of the AG Office for this event). Previously, he was a prosecutor and Policy Advisor with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office (CCSAO), the second-largest in the U.S. Named among the Arab American Foundation’s “30 Under 30,” Wesam recently gave a TEDx Talk on criminal justice reform, “Does Justice Always Require a Conviction?” 

He also served as Finance Director for the first Muslim and Palestinian American elected to the Illinois House Legislature in 2023 and has held executive roles with the ACLU of Illinois, the Arab American Bar Association, the Muslim Bar Association, the Arab Business Professional Association, and the AB Korkor Mental Health Foundation.

Emerging Threats to Democracy Working Group 

This group works to capitalize on LWV Chicago’s robust network of policy experts to keep tabs on what the current presidential administration is working on and ensure we have actionable ways to protect our democracy here in Chicago

Chicago Women Take Action

Chicago Women Take Action (CWTA), formed in 2013, is a diverse group of women united in the commitment to achieve women’s leadership and economic and social equity. We are activists of all ages (many of us belong to several organizations) working on the local and national level to promote women leaders and secure the health and well being of women, their families, and their communities.

Chicago Salon Club

We need more opportunities to gather together, share thoughts and ideas, and build community. The Chicago Salon Club was started by Nick Uniejewski in 2024, and we’ve grown by collaborating with each other and partner organizations that share our values.

“Salons” are old-school types of parties centered on listening to each other and sharing thoughts or ideas. Since our first event in 2024, we've covered Hot Topics like equity in housing, modernizing transit, the role of nonprofits, some fun ones like queer literature and gay icons, and so much more. And while we can talk about the issues for hours, we always tie our events to an action we can take, whether it’s at the federal state, or local levels.

Join Alders Matt Martin, Ruth Cruz, Andre Vasquez, and grassroots organizations for a town hall about the Chicago Fair Elections Ordinance, a small dollar matching program that aims to increase participation in local elections and empower people from all walks of life to run for elected office.

Chicago is currently the largest US city without publicly financed elections. This town hall is an opportunity to learn about the ordinance and discuss what Fair Elections would mean for you and your community.

RSVP is highly recommended but not required. Program begins at noon.

Join us for a Chicago City Council hearing on the environmental and health damage caused by single-use plastics!

LWV Chicago will be there with a coalition of organizations. Help us fill the chambers to let lawmakers know we care about limiting single-use plastics.

Sponsored by Alderpersons:
Matt Martin, Chair, Ethics and Government Oversight
Maria Hadden, Chair, Environmental Protection & Energy
Rosanna Rodriguez-Sanchez, Chair, Committee on Health and Human Relations

Join LWVIL for a presentation from League members who participated in the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. This worldwide movement is as important today in the US as ever before.

This meeting is open only to League of Women Voters members. Register.

Join LWV Upper Mississippi River Region to learn about recommendations for local governments when dealing with water-intensive industries like data centers and beverage companies. Register.