You're Invited!
Annual Meeting
Thursday, May 4, 2023
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Duluth
835 W. College St. Duluth, MN 55811
6:00 p.m. Business Meeting
See details, below.
6:30 p.m. Speaker, Janet Kennedy
See more information, below.
7:00 p.m. Dessert Social
RSVP Required by Saturday, April 29, if you plan to attend. Use the form below.
You can also RSVP by calling Gwen Thorson at (218)624-4756.
We need to have a quorum to conduct our business and to vote on the 2023-2024 budget and
the nominating slate.
If you have questions about the budget or the nominating slate, email lwvduluth@lwvmn.org
Annual Meeting
Thursday, May 4, 2023
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Duluth
835 W. College St. Duluth, MN 55811
6:00 p.m. Business Meeting
See details, below.
6:30 p.m. Speaker, Janet Kennedy
See more information, below.
7:00 p.m. Dessert Social
RSVP Required by Saturday, April 29, if you plan to attend. Use the form below.
You can also RSVP by calling Gwen Thorson at (218)624-4756.
We need to have a quorum to conduct our business and to vote on the 2023-2024 budget and
the nominating slate.
If you have questions about the budget or the nominating slate, email lwvduluth@lwvmn.org
RSVP Form: Please respond by April 29.
SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER
Janet Kennedy
"Unexpected Journey: Pathway from Poverty to Prosperity and Policies that are Making a Difference"
Janet Kennedy was raised by her mother Annie Kennedy to be a servant leader. She stands on the shoulders of her familial and community elders. She is the first African American woman to serve on Duluth
City Council, the current President and proud to serve the City of Duluth and her community in District Five. Her vision is to develop effective public policy rooted in citizen engagement that results in excellent municipal
services, creating equitable neighborhoods and building communities prepared for challenges of today and into
the future.
Janet is a member of the League of Women Voters of Duluth and served with LWV Duluth as First Vice President, co-chair of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee that developed the local league diversity statement. She also served on the LWVMN Nominations Committee. Janet is caring for her mother Annie who is a longstanding LWV Duluth member who dedicated herself to serving the community and modeled ways in how to break the chains of generational poverty within her own family and supporting the community in spiritual, social-mental
health and well-being.
Janet serves on the steward board leadership for St. Mark AME Church in collaboration with the Arrowhead
Parish Nurse Association. Directing community and congregational health and wellness, strategies for improved quality of life, social-mental health, centering African Heritage diaspora and Black joy. As the founder of Healthy Alliances Matter for All doing business as Health Equity Northland (HEN) is one of the local organizations
leading community response and recovery for COVID-19 along with collaborative community health partners
providing access, education, and navigation for overall health in communities of focus, with the mission to serve Janet Kennedy
everyone in need.
Janet has co-founded and developed several initiatives alongside African heritage women leaders in building the Giving Garden community programming, and St Mark Giving Garden Sport Court Phase 2 proposal. Other work and projects include the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation Unity Fund, Spirit Valley Center for Youth and Community Wellness, Duluth African Heritage Commission, Green New Deal Housing non-profit, the Ain’t I a WoMN Too? movement, and the Call to Reparative Action campaign. Her business, Health Alliances Matter LLC Company, is building community through social impact development that centers the social determinants of health. Key factors of health, well-being and life expectancy are determined by where you live, work, play, educate and which ethnic heritage you are born into.
The more diverse the leadership when building policies, practices, programs and procedures the better the outcomes for everyone. She believes that a community will prosper when everyone is walking on even ground. That is how we can make a difference.
Janet Kennedy
"Unexpected Journey: Pathway from Poverty to Prosperity and Policies that are Making a Difference"
Janet Kennedy was raised by her mother Annie Kennedy to be a servant leader. She stands on the shoulders of her familial and community elders. She is the first African American woman to serve on Duluth
City Council, the current President and proud to serve the City of Duluth and her community in District Five. Her vision is to develop effective public policy rooted in citizen engagement that results in excellent municipal
services, creating equitable neighborhoods and building communities prepared for challenges of today and into
the future.
Janet is a member of the League of Women Voters of Duluth and served with LWV Duluth as First Vice President, co-chair of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee that developed the local league diversity statement. She also served on the LWVMN Nominations Committee. Janet is caring for her mother Annie who is a longstanding LWV Duluth member who dedicated herself to serving the community and modeled ways in how to break the chains of generational poverty within her own family and supporting the community in spiritual, social-mental
health and well-being.
Janet serves on the steward board leadership for St. Mark AME Church in collaboration with the Arrowhead
Parish Nurse Association. Directing community and congregational health and wellness, strategies for improved quality of life, social-mental health, centering African Heritage diaspora and Black joy. As the founder of Healthy Alliances Matter for All doing business as Health Equity Northland (HEN) is one of the local organizations
leading community response and recovery for COVID-19 along with collaborative community health partners
providing access, education, and navigation for overall health in communities of focus, with the mission to serve Janet Kennedy
everyone in need.
Janet has co-founded and developed several initiatives alongside African heritage women leaders in building the Giving Garden community programming, and St Mark Giving Garden Sport Court Phase 2 proposal. Other work and projects include the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation Unity Fund, Spirit Valley Center for Youth and Community Wellness, Duluth African Heritage Commission, Green New Deal Housing non-profit, the Ain’t I a WoMN Too? movement, and the Call to Reparative Action campaign. Her business, Health Alliances Matter LLC Company, is building community through social impact development that centers the social determinants of health. Key factors of health, well-being and life expectancy are determined by where you live, work, play, educate and which ethnic heritage you are born into.
The more diverse the leadership when building policies, practices, programs and procedures the better the outcomes for everyone. She believes that a community will prosper when everyone is walking on even ground. That is how we can make a difference.
BUSINESS MEETING DETAILS
League of Women Voters of Duluth Board of Directors slate
Officers Elected Directors The following do not have to be voted on
or published, but have agreed to
President Sue DeNio 2023-2025 continue with their terms:
Jane Hovland 2023-2024 Pam Kramer 2023-2025
Ellen Wiss 2023-2025 2nd Vice President
Vice President Anita Gille 2022-2024
Mary Faulkner 2023-2024 Nominating Committee 2023-24
Nancy Aldridge Elected Directors
Secretary Susie Darley-Hill Katherine Rasley 2022-2024
Gwen Thorson 2023-2025 Anita Gille Jeri Quest 2022-2024
Theresa O'Gara (chair) Lori Dando 2022-2024
Treasurer Sally Munger
Nancy Aldridge 2023-2025 Gay Trachsel Appointed Directors
Sandy Grandmaison
Theresa O'Gara
Emeritus
Portia Johnson
Gail Shoenfelder
or published, but have agreed to
President Sue DeNio 2023-2025 continue with their terms:
Jane Hovland 2023-2024 Pam Kramer 2023-2025
Ellen Wiss 2023-2025 2nd Vice President
Vice President Anita Gille 2022-2024
Mary Faulkner 2023-2024 Nominating Committee 2023-24
Nancy Aldridge Elected Directors
Secretary Susie Darley-Hill Katherine Rasley 2022-2024
Gwen Thorson 2023-2025 Anita Gille Jeri Quest 2022-2024
Theresa O'Gara (chair) Lori Dando 2022-2024
Treasurer Sally Munger
Nancy Aldridge 2023-2025 Gay Trachsel Appointed Directors
Sandy Grandmaison
Theresa O'Gara
Emeritus
Portia Johnson
Gail Shoenfelder
