Leader Reinforces Ways to Stay Safe and Civically Engaged
(Houston, Texas – March 19, 2020) – It’s a sign of recent times. MaryJane Mudd, President, League of Women Voters of Houston recently taped and distributed a video to members in which she is sitting alone – with her dog – among the bluebonnets at Houston’s Terry Hershey Park. Her message in the short address is two-fold: 1) Please follow guidelines to flatten the COVID-19 curve; and 2) We can remain civically engaged while doing so.
“This is a time of tremendous stress for so many. I wanted our members, partners and friends to know they are cared about, and that we cannot realize our mission of empowering voters and defending democracy if we are not healthy, both physically and emotionally,” said Mudd. “From a standpoint of the physical health of ourselves, those we love and others, it is critical we follow the guidance we are receiving around social distancing. Emotionally, a 24/7 news cycle and nonstop social media can inform, but it can also lead to misinformation and confusion.”
Mudd pointed to reputable sources for daily novel coronavirus updates, including web sites for the Centers for Disease Control, the City of Houston and Ready Harris. For up-to-date voting information that may evolve as COVID-19 news unfolds, she suggested the Harris County Clerk’s Office.
Mudd also reminded viewers they can remain civically engaged in an online world. An important way is to participate in the US Census, the invitations for which are being distributed right now. “It takes only 10 minutes to complete and it will impact so much,” she added. She pointed to Teach Me How to Texas as a way to learn how government works. Finally, in celebration of the League’s Centennial Year, she listed books associated with the struggle, strength and empowerment of women, including Why They Marched: Untold Stories of the Women Who Fought for the Right to Vote, The Highest Glass Ceiling: Women’s Quest for the American Presidency , and Lead from the Outside: How to Build Your Future and Make Real Change.
“We don’t know how long this will go on,” she concluded while observing the stillness around her. “But by following CDC guidelines, learning as we go along and taking care of each other, we can make a difference.”
Mudd finished with a quote from Maya Angelou: “We may encounter many defeats, but we must not be defeated.”