SemDems Activist of the Month
May 2022
Progressive Women’s Alliance (PWA)
For May 2022, the SemDems Activist of the Month is actually a group—the Progressive Women’s Alliance (PWA). The group’s purpose is to educate voters about the voting process, the election(s), constitutional amendments, participation opportunities, and candidates. The priority is to get progressive candidates elected. The PWA is an outgrowth of the informal Liberal Ladies group. Currently, there are about 60 members, most residing in NW Seminole County. The PWA is independent, but they support and collaborate with other like-minded organizations, such as the SemDems.
The group’s membership is primarily female progressives and they are accepting new members. They meet the first Thursday morning of every month, usually in a member’s home. They often invite outside speakers to participate in meetings like representatives from the League of Women Voters, Planned Parenthood, the SemDems, and of course, local candidates. The PWA works to educate its members on important issues of the day so that they may educate others. There are no membership dues; but they do raise money for specific activities, and donations are collected on a volunteer/participant basis.
The PWA became active in 2018 and continues to work to get Democrats elected, up and down the ballot. Some of the activities that the PWA supports, directly or through other like-minded groups, include:
- Voter Registration & Petition Solicitation
- Tabling to register voters—opportunistic through SemDems
- Lake Mary or Sanford Farmer’s Market once a month
- Seminole State College (Main Campus)
- Vote By Mail instruction hand out cards
- Mailings to registered Democrats and NPAs in selected Precincts
- Public education at early voting locations
- Literature drops with SemDems and Candidates
- Candidates’ and SemDems’ postcard writing and distribution
- PWA-developed omnibus candidates’ postcard design, printing and distribution
- SemDems’ and Candidates’ phone/text banks
- SemDems’ & Candidates’ yard sign distribution
- Sign waving on the Lake Mary pedestrian bridge & other locations
- Car parades
- Charity partner donation collection
- SemDems’ mail-in ballot cure effort
- Support for 2022 SemDems Gala fundraiser (4 tables and 8 silent auction baskets, day of event set up)
They also have a Book Club that meets quarterly that reads books with political or issue interests. The PWA looks forward to campaigning in 2022 to keep Seminole County Blue!!