Women Defending Democracy: Unite & Rise 8.5 (WDD) is an initiative launched by LWVMpls on June 11, 2025, to mobilize collective action in defense of our democracy, our rights, and our democratic institutions. We invite Leagues from across the state to join us in this united effort. Our group meets bi-weekly on Wednesdays at 5 PM via Zoom. Each session focuses on a single issue, discusses concrete actions we can take, and how we track them. New participants are welcome to join us at any time.
“We are in a constitutional crisis.”
—League of Women Voters of the U.S., April 2025
“When the executive, the legislative, or judiciary branches cannot or will not adequately protect the US Constitution, when there are explicit attempts to dismantle a functional democracy within any of the three branches, or when any level of federal government takes action to destroy democratic institutions in a manner that intentionally or purposefully jeopardizes the US Constitution.”
Threat to Democracy: We acknowledge that our democracy is facing unprecedented, existential threats.
Commitment to the U.S. Constitution: We believe in upholding the rule of law, ensuring equal rights for all, and protecting the due process guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.
Empowering Women as Leaders: As women and leaders within the League of Women Voters (LWV), we are committed to actively defending our democracy.
Community Mobilization: we aim to mobilize our community to encourage active participation through education and grassroots collective action.
Building Resilience: We seek to build resilience to strengthen community bonds and safeguard our democratic rights
Protecting Our Rights: We are committed to defending our rights and ensuring tha they are respected and upheld for all.
Join our bi-weekly WDD sessions every other Wednesday at 5 PM via Zoom to deepen your understanding of the urgent issues threatening our democracy. Each session highlights one topic—chosen by participants—outlines specific action steps we take together, and explains how to track our collective impact.
Each week, we’ll post a WDD Action Sheet with concrete actions you can take to raise your voice on the issues we are addressing. These include calling your legislators, sending emails, writing postcards and letters to the editor, and joining protests, rallies, and other public actions.
We are measuring our collective impact letter by letter, call by call. As you take action on the issues we highlight, fill out the WDD Tracking Form below. Together, our small actions over time can change the world.
Our actions are open to everyone committed to defending our democracy. We can be the change, especially when we bring others with us. Ask your neighbors, friends, and family to join us. Together, we’ll stand up for our rights and democracy.