IN CONVERSATION is a series of free community events, serving as a platform to pass the mic and invite artists from around the Bay to be in conversation with the work we are presenting on stage. Come by and join the conversation!

Conversations are free and open to the public—you do not have to have a ticket to the performance that day to attend.

IN CONVERSATION events for FANNIE

• March 18
• March 25

MAKING YOUR VOICE COUNT!

Can you pass the literacy test required to vote prior to the 1965 Voting Rights Act? Come learn about the League of Women Voters and the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters and the work that they do to protect and ensure your right to fair and accurate elections. Do you have questions about: How to vote? Where to vote? Your rights as a voter? And how to advocate on the pressing issues that affect our democracy? Join us as we unpack these questions and prepare you to exercise your right to vote. It is never too early to activate your civic duty. Snacks will be provided.

OUR PARTNERS:

Leagues of Women Voters of Santa Clara County

The League of Women Voters was founded in 1920, after women got the right to vote in the U.S., for the purpose of educating women to be informed on issues and candidates before voting. It is a nonpartisan and nonprofit organization for men and women which encourages informed and active participation in government and influences public policy through education and advocacy.  They never support or oppose any political party or candidate.

Kemi A. Oyewole is a PhD candidate in education policy and organization studies at the Stanford Graduate School of Education. Her collaborative research explores the ways K12 school districts cultivate leaders and create structures in support of equitable education systems. Beyond her scholarship, Kemi enacts her commitment to community uplift by mentoring young people, volunteering with civic organizations, and building her faith community. The Spelman College alumna believes in the power of diverse coalitions, workers' rights, and radical imaginings.

Carol Watts is the Vice President of the League of Women Voters of San Jose/Santa Clara which supports San Jose, Santa Clara, Milpitas, Morgan Hill, and Gilroy. 

Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters

The Registrar of Voters is the County of Santa Clara's elections official responsible for conducting all federal, state, and local elections. Services include: voter registration and education, candidate and measure filing, ballot creation, setting up and staffing polling places, conducting voting by mail, and counting and reporting election results.

Shannon Bushey is the Registrar of Voters for the County of Santa Clara. A 33-year veteran with the County, working over 27 years in the Registrar of Voters Office. Shannon has been instrumental in implementing the state’s first satellite voting locations using Ballot on Demand technology, implementation of Remote Accessible Vote-by-Mail technology, expanding language assistance and voting opportunities, ensuring best practices in elections and security, developing in-house employee training programs, and establishing a “Just Culture” in the department.

Shannon has a Bachelor of Public Administration degree from National University and she holds the elections profession’s highest designation as a Certified Elections and Registration Administrator. She was born and has lived in Santa Clara County her entire life. She has an adult son and a 11-year-old granddaughter.

Natalie Goolsby works as the Outreach Coordinator for the County of Santa Clara Registrar of Voters and wants to create a more dynamic presence in the community. She believes that voter education needs to be supplemented by ongoing civic education efforts in order to achieve democratic participation. In other words, the more civically engage one is, the more likely they are to vote. At every opportunity she has to provide outreach to the community she stresses the importance of learning how local government works, volunteerism, serving on boards and commissions, and most importantly voting in all elections, especially local government.

Mark your calendar! In Conversation events for the remainder of the 2022/23 season are scheduled for the following Saturdays:

• A Distinct Society: 4/22
• Steel Magnolias: 6/17 and 6/24
• Alice Bliss: 7/29

All In Conversation events take place following the 2pm performance on that day.