October Book Club - Tuesday: We're Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation
2025-10-21 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Zoom Meeting
Join us for our October book club meeting on Tuesday 21st, at 7pm.
Author: Eric Garcia
From GoodReads:
Autistic person and journalist Eric Garcia brings an insider’s perspective and a reporter’s eye to show that autism is a vital part of his community’s humanity, not a disease that needs to be cured.

SNAP-Ed: A Vital Investment in Illinois Families and Communities
2025-11-11 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York)
Join us on November 11th at 7:00 pm via Zoom for this month’s Ideas Forum, “SNAP-Ed: A Vital Investment in Illinois Families and Communities.”
This event is free, but please register at https://rebrand.ly/nov11-ideasforum.
There is more to SNAP than the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. SNAP-Ed teaches SNAP participants how to use their food resources wisely to strengthen the health and well-being of their families. With the government shutdown still in effect at the time of this posting, and with SNAP funds unavailable, this is more important than ever.

In this Forum, you will hear how SNAP-Ed helps families make nutritious food choices, stretch their food dollars, and increase physical activity.

The session also explores partnerships with schools, food pantries and community organizations that create lasting, healthy changes—and demonstrates the strong return on investment SNAP-Ed provides to Illinois communities.
Our speaker, Christine Birns, is a SNAP-Ed educator with the University of Illinois Extension. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Development & Family Sciences from Northern Illinois University and a master’s degree in Social Work from University of Illinois at Chicago with an emphasis in child and family services.

Birns works with food pantries, K-12 schools, adult and youth community programs, and early childcare centers providing technical assistance at the systems and environmental levels. She provides assistance on nutrition education and obesity prevention to help make the healthy choice the easy choice.

November Book Club - Friday: Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine
2025-11-21 12:30 - 13:30 (America/New_York)
Join us for our November book club meeting on Friday 21st, at 12:30pm.
Author: Uché Blackstock
From GoodReads:
Growing up in Brooklyn, New York, it never occurred to Uché Blackstock and her twin sister, Oni, that they would be anything but physicians. In the 1980s, their mother headed an organization of Black women physicians, and for years the girls watched these fiercely intelligent women in white coats tend to their patients and neighbors, host community health fairs, cure ills, and save lives. As an ER physician, and later as a professor in academic medicine, Dr. Blackstock became profoundly aware of the systemic barriers that Black patients and physicians continue to face. Legacy is a journey through the critical intersection of racism and healthcare. At once a searing indictment of our healthcare system, a generational family memoir, and a call to action, Legacy is Dr. Blackstock’s odyssey from child to medical student to practicing physician—to finally seizing her own power as a health equity advocate against the backdrop of the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement.

November Book Club - Tuesday: Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine
2025-11-25 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York)
Join us for our November book club meeting on Tuesday 25th, at 7pm.
Author: Uché Blackstock
From GoodReads:
Growing up in Brooklyn, New York, it never occurred to Uché Blackstock and her twin sister, Oni, that they would be anything but physicians. In the 1980s, their mother headed an organization of Black women physicians, and for years the girls watched these fiercely intelligent women in white coats tend to their patients and neighbors, host community health fairs, cure ills, and save lives. As an ER physician, and later as a professor in academic medicine, Dr. Blackstock became profoundly aware of the systemic barriers that Black patients and physicians continue to face. Legacy is a journey through the critical intersection of racism and healthcare. At once a searing indictment of our healthcare system, a generational family memoir, and a call to action, Legacy is Dr. Blackstock’s odyssey from child to medical student to practicing physician—to finally seizing her own power as a health equity advocate against the backdrop of the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement.

How Are Federal Funding Cuts and Policies Affecting Research In Higher Education?
2025-12-10 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York)
Join us for our December Ideas Forum on Wednesday, December 10th, at 7:00 pm via Zoom.
In February, the government announced cuts to funding and grants to research institutions across the U.S. Around the same time, immigration raids in the Chicago metro area began in earnest. What happens to research and lab experiments when funding is revoked? How are student relations affected by the active presence of federal immigration agents in the community?
Dr. Timothy Koh, professor of kinesiology and nutrition at the University of Illinois at Chicago’s College of Applied Health Sciences, and Dr. Jeni Hebert-Beirne, professor of community health sciences at UIC’s School of Public Health, have both been dealing with the impacts of these and other federal actions, including DEI mandates. They will discuss how they’re navigating the changes to their research, classes, and institution.
This event is free and open to the public.
Dr. Koh has been focused on the mechanisms that regulate tissue inflammation and healing, in the context of diabetes, where impaired healing can lead to amputation or death. Dr. Koh is also passionate about training students for their own research careers.

Dr. Hebert-Beirne is a community-based participatory researcher, doing qualitative research to promote health equity and justice, particularly in Chicago. Her scholarship focuses on people most impacted by health inequities.

How Secure ARE Your Voting Rights?
2026-01-14 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York)
Join us on January 14th at 7:00 pm via Zoom for our Monthly Ideas Forum.
Current pending legislation, such as the SAVE Act (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act), executive orders, and court cases, could negatively impact your ability to vote and for your vote to be counted. During this discussion, you’ll learn about what changes are being proposed, the burdens they would place on voters, and how to advocate for free and fair elections.
This event is free, but please register: https://rebrand.ly/Jan14-IdeasForum.
Our speakers:
Dr. David Goldberg is a Professor of Political Science at the College of DuPage, teaching international relations, comparative politics, and American politics. He earned his Ph.D. in Political Science from Northern Illinois University in 2003. Dr. Goldberg has an interest in democracy and democratic norms in Latin America and the Caribbean Community, U.S. foreign policies, and international relations.

Brandy Johnson is a decorated and widely published Assistant Professor with Southern Illinois University Simmons Law School. While in private practice, Professor Johnson specialized in Illinois and Missouri workers’ compensation law and appellate advocacy, and gained experience in premises liability, personal injury, products liability, and other areas of insurance defense. She serves on the board for the Illinois Chapter of the United Spinal Association.

This event is co-hosted with AAUW – Naperville.

January Book Club - Friday: Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class
2026-01-16 13:30 - 14:30 (America/New_York)
Join us for our January Book Club meeting on Friday, January 16th, at 12:30 pm via Zoom. Please register.
Title: Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class
Author: Rob Henderson
Good Reads Description:
In this raw coming-of-age memoir, Rob Henderson vividly recounts growing up in foster care, enlisting in the US Air Force, attending elite universities, and pioneering the concept of “luxury beliefs”—ideas and opinions that confer status on the upper class while inflicting costs on the less fortunate.

January Book Club - Tuesday: Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class
2026-01-20 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
Join us on January 20th at 7 pm for our January Book Club! Please register.
Title: Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class
Author: Rob Henderson
Good Reads Description:
In this raw coming-of-age memoir, Rob Henderson vividly recounts growing up in foster care, enlisting in the US Air Force, attending elite universities, and pioneering the concept of “luxury beliefs”—ideas and opinions that confer status on the upper class while inflicting costs on the less fortunate.

Candidate Forum - DuPage County Board District 5 Primary
2026-02-10 18:30 - 19:30 (America/Chicago)
Learn more about the candidates running for the DuPage County Board District 5 Primary and their views and answers to questions from the community. This Zoom event is on February 10th at 6:30 pm.
Sadia Covert (D)
Marylee Leu (D)
Ian Holzhauer (D)
** All candidates have been invited **
This event is sponsored by The League of Women Voters of Naperville.
This event is free, but you must register: https://rebrand.ly/District5-forum.

If registration for the event exceeds the Zoom capacity, you can watch it live on our Facebook page. After the event, a video will be available on our YouTube channel.
How a Candidate Forum Works
All candidate forums are run by trained, nonpartisan, and out-of-district moderators. Candidates are given equal time to answer each question.
Each candidate will have two minutes to present an opening statement alphabetically.
Questions will be chosen in advance by the League for appropriateness and relevance from those solicited from League members and community members. Questions are not shared with the candidates before the forum.
The moderator will ask questions in rotation so that a different candidate will have the opportunity to be the first to answer. Candidates will each have up to two minutes to answer each question.
After the questions are completed, each candidate will have two minutes to provide a closing statement.
No surrogates are permitted to participate. An uncontested forum, that is, one with only one candidate, is not permitted. Should a candidate be legally disqualified from vote tabulation prior to our forum (as determined by their status on the State Board of Election Website or the result of legal action), that candidate will not appear in our forum per our forum ground rules.
For non-partisan election information, visit VOTE411.

Candidate Forum - IL 11th Congressional District Primary
2026-02-10 20:00 - 21:00 (America/Chicago)
Learn more about the candidates running for the IL 11th Congressional District Primary and their views and answers to questions from the community. This Zoom event is on February 10th at 8:00 pm.
Tedora Brown (R)- Objection Pending
Charlie Kim (R)
Mike Pierce (R)
Jeff Walter (R)
** All candidates have been invited **
This event is sponsored by The League of Women Voters of Naperville.
This event is free, but you must register: https://rebrand.ly/11thcongress-forum.

If registration for the event exceeds the Zoom capacity, you can watch it live on our Facebook page. After the event, a video will be available on our YouTube channel.
How a Candidate Forum Works
All candidate forums are run by trained, nonpartisan, and out-of-district moderators. Candidates are given equal time to answer each question.
Each candidate will have two minutes to present an opening statement alphabetically.
Questions will be chosen in advance by the League for appropriateness and relevance from those solicited from League members and community members. Questions are not shared with the candidates before the forum.
The moderator will ask questions in rotation so that a different candidate will have the opportunity to be the first to answer. Candidates will each have up to two minutes to answer each question.
After the questions are completed, each candidate will have two minutes to provide a closing statement.
No surrogates are permitted to participate. An uncontested forum, that is, one with only one candidate, is not permitted. Should a candidate be legally disqualified from vote tabulation prior to our forum (as determined by their status on the State Board of Election Website or the result of legal action), that candidate will not appear in our forum per our forum ground rules.
For non-partisan election information, visit VOTE411.

February Book Group - Friday: A Minor Revolution: How Prioritizing Kids Benefits Us All
2026-02-20 12:30 - 13:30 (America/Chicago)
Join us on February 20th at 12:30 pm for our Book Group event. Please register!
A Minor Revolution: How Prioritizing Kids Benefits Us All
Author: Adam Benforado
Good Reads Description:
A revelatory investigation into how America is failing its children, and an urgent manifesto on why helping them is the best way to improve all of our lives. Drawing on the latest scientific research into the remarkable capabilities and crucial needs of young people, A Minor Revolution offers a bold vision for the future.

February Book Group - Tuesday: A Minor Revolution: How Prioritizing Kids Benefits Us All
2026-02-24 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
Join us for our February Book Group event on Tuesday, February 24th, at 7 pm. Please register!
A Minor Revolution: How Prioritizing Kids Benefits Us All
Author: Adam Benforado
GoodReads Description:
A revelatory investigation into how America is failing its children, and an urgent manifesto on
why helping them is the best way to improve all of our lives. Drawing on the latest scientific
research into the remarkable capabilities and crucial needs of young people, A Minor
Revolution offers a bold vision for the future.

March Book Group - Friday: The Confidante: The Untold Story of The Woman Who Helped Win WWII and Shape Modern America
2026-03-20 12:30 - 13:30 (America/Chicago)
Join us on Friday, March 20th, at 12:30 pm for our Book Group Event. Please register!
The Confidante: The Untold Story of The Woman Who Helped Win WWII and Shape
Modern America
Author: Christopher C. Gorham
GoodReads Description:
The first-ever biography of Anna Marie Rosenberg, the Hungarian Jewish immigrant who
became FDR’s closest advisor during World War II. Though she was not quite a hidden figure,
Rosenberg’s position as “the power behind,” combined with her status as an immigrant and a
Jewish woman, served to diminish her importance. In this inspiring, impeccably researched, and
revelatory book, Christopher C. Gorham at last affords Anna Rosenberg the recognition she so
richly deserves.

March Book Group - Tuesday: The Confidante: The Untold Story of The Woman Who Helped Win WWII and Shape Modern America
2026-03-24 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
Join us on Tuesday, March 24th, at 7 pm for our Book Group Event. Please register!
The Confidante: The Untold Story of The Woman Who Helped Win WWII and Shape
Modern America
Author: Christopher C. Gorham
GoodReads Description:
The first-ever biography of Anna Marie Rosenberg, the Hungarian Jewish immigrant who
became FDR’s closest advisor during World War II. Though she was not quite a hidden figure,
Rosenberg’s position as “the power behind,” combined with her status as an immigrant and a
Jewish woman, served to diminish her importance. In this inspiring, impeccably researched, and
revelatory book, Christopher C. Gorham at last affords Anna Rosenberg the recognition she so
richly deserves.

April Book Group - Friday: Give Her Credit: The Untold Account of a Women's Bank That Empowered a Generation
2026-04-14 12:30 - 13:30 (America/Chicago)
Join us on Friday, April 17th, at 12:30 pm for our Book Group Event. Please register!
Give Her Credit: The Untold Account of a Women’s Bank That Empowered a Generation
Author: Grace L. Williams
GoodReads Description:
In the 1970s, a new wave of feminism was sweeping America. But in the boys’ club of banking
and finance, women were still infantilized—no credit without a male cosigner, and their income
was dismissed as unreliable. Give Her Credit follows the challenges, uphill battles, and
achievements of some of the enterprising women of Denver who broke boundaries, inspired
millions, and afforded opportunities for every marginalized citizen in the country.

April Book Group - Tuesday: Give Her Credit: The Untold Account of a Women's Bank That Empowered a Generation
2026-04-21 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
Join us on Tuesday, April 21st, at 7 pm for our Book Group Event. Please register!
Give Her Credit: The Untold Account of a Women’s Bank That Empowered a Generation
Author: Grace L. Williams
GoodReads Description:
In the 1970s, a new wave of feminism was sweeping America. But in the boys’ club of banking
and finance, women were still infantilized—no credit without a male cosigner, and their income
was dismissed as unreliable. Give Her Credit follows the challenges, uphill battles, and
achievements of some of the enterprising women of Denver who broke boundaries, inspired
millions, and afforded opportunities for every marginalized citizen in the country.

May Book Group - Friday: Unbearable: Five Women and the Perils of Pregnancy in America
2026-05-15 12:30 - 13:30 (America/Chicago)
Join us on Friday, May 15th, at 12:30 pm for our Book Group Event. Please register!
Give Her Credit: The Untold Account of a Women’s Bank That Empowered a Generation
Author: Grace L. Williams
GoodReads Description:
An ambitious and passionate exploration of what’s gone wrong with pregnancy in America,
through the lens of history, politics, and the searing experiences of five women. Unbearable
introduces us to five women navigating pregnancy care—from that first positive pregnancy test
through joy, loss, and the unforeseen—in a country that is at best indifferent and at worst
willfully cruel, and to brave, outnumbered people fighting to make it better.

May Book Group - Tuesday: Unbearable: Five Women and the Perils of Pregnancy in America
2026-05-19 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
Join us on Friday, May 19th, at 7 pm for our Book Group Event. Please register!
Give Her Credit: The Untold Account of a Women’s Bank That Empowered a Generation
Author: Grace L. Williams
GoodReads Description:
An ambitious and passionate exploration of what’s gone wrong with pregnancy in America,
through the lens of history, politics, and the searing experiences of five women. Unbearable
introduces us to five women navigating pregnancy care—from that first positive pregnancy test
through joy, loss, and the unforeseen—in a country that is at best indifferent and at worst
willfully cruel, and to brave, outnumbered people fighting to make it better.

June Book Group - Friday: Unbearable: Five Women and the Perils of Pregnancy in America
2026-06-19 12:30 - 13:30 (America/Chicago)
Join us on Friday, June 19th, at 12:30 pm for our Book Group Event. Please register!
All Boys Aren’t Blue
Author: George M. Johnson
GoodReads Description:
In a series of personal essays, prominent journalist and LGBTQIA+ activist George M. Johnson
explores his childhood, adolescence, and college years in New Jersey and Virginia. From the
memories of getting his teeth kicked out by bullies at age five, to flea marketing with his loving
grandmother, to his first sexual relationships, this young-adult memoir weaves together the
trials and triumphs faced by Black queer boys.

June Book Group - Tuesday: Unbearable: Five Women and the Perils of Pregnancy in America
2026-06-23 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
Join us on Friday, June 23rd, at 7 pm for our Book Group Event. Please register!
All Boys Aren’t Blue
Author: George M. Johnson
GoodReads Description:
In a series of personal essays, prominent journalist and LGBTQIA+ activist George M. Johnson
explores his childhood, adolescence, and college years in New Jersey and Virginia. From the
memories of getting his teeth kicked out by bullies at age five, to flea marketing with his loving
grandmother, to his first sexual relationships, this young-adult memoir weaves together the
trials and triumphs faced by Black queer boys.

July Book Group - Friday: We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution
2026-07-17 12:30 - 13:30 (America/Chicago)
Join us on Friday, July 17th, at 12:30 pm for our Book Group Event. Please register!
We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution
Author: Jill Lepore
GoodReads Description:
In this landmark, lavishly illustrated book, Harvard professor of history and law Jill Lepore
argues that the philosophy of amendment is foundational to American constitutionalism.
Lepore offers a sweeping, lyrical, and democratic constitutional history, telling the stories of
generations of Americans who have attempted everything from abolishing the Electoral College
to guaranteeing environmental rights, hoping to mend America by amending its constitution.

July Book Group - Tuesday: We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution
2026-07-21 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
Join us on Tuesday, July 21st, at 7 pm for our Book Group Event. Please register!
We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution
Author: Jill Lepore
GoodReads Description:
In this landmark, lavishly illustrated book, Harvard professor of history and law Jill Lepore
argues that the philosophy of amendment is foundational to American constitutionalism.
Lepore offers a sweeping, lyrical, and democratic constitutional history, telling the stories of
generations of Americans who have attempted everything from abolishing the Electoral College
to guaranteeing environmental rights, hoping to mend America by amending its constitution.

Poll Watcher Training - Virtual
2026-08-08 08:00 (America/Chicago)
Become a League Poll Watcher
If you are a League of Women Voters member, you can help protect voters’ rights by serving as a League poll watcher. Poll watchers play an important role in supporting a fair, safe, and accessible voting process. With the upcoming midterm elections and future elections ahead, now is the perfect time to get trained.
Training Dates (Virtual):

Saturday, August 8 | 8:00 a.m. | Register
Tuesday, September 8 | 6:30 p.m. | Register

If you register for either training, please email lwvnaperville.voterservice@gmail.com to let us know you’ll be attending. After completing the state training, you’ll receive a brief follow-up session covering Naperville-specific poll watching procedures.

August Book Group - Friday: Articulate: A Deaf Memoir of Voice
2026-08-21 12:30 - 13:30 (America/Chicago)
Join us on Friday, August 21st at 12:30 pm for our Book Group Event. Please register!
Articulate: A Deaf Memoir of Voice
Author: Rachel Kolb
GoodReads Description:
Rachel Kolb was born profoundly deaf the same year that the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA) was passed, and she grew up as part of the first generation of deaf people with legal
rights to accessibility services. Part memoir, part cultural exploration, Kolb details a life lived
among words in varied sensory forms and considers why and how those words matter. Told
through rich storytelling, analysis, and humor, Articulate is a linguistic coming-of-age in both
deaf and hearing worlds, challenging us to consider how language expresses our
humanity—and offering more ways we might exist together.

August Book Group - Tuesday: Articulate: A Deaf Memoir of Voice
2026-08-25 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
Join us on Tuesday, August 25th at 7 pm for our Book Group Event. Please register!
Articulate: A Deaf Memoir of Voice
Author: Rachel Kolb
GoodReads Description:
Rachel Kolb was born profoundly deaf the same year that the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA) was passed, and she grew up as part of the first generation of deaf people with legal
rights to accessibility services. Part memoir, part cultural exploration, Kolb details a life lived
among words in varied sensory forms and considers why and how those words matter. Told
through rich storytelling, analysis, and humor, Articulate is a linguistic coming-of-age in both
deaf and hearing worlds, challenging us to consider how language expresses our
humanity—and offering more ways we might exist together.

Poll Watcher Training - (Virtual)
2026-09-08 18:30 - 19:30 (America/Chicago)

September Book Group - Friday: Latinoland: A Portrait of America's Largest and Least Understood Minority
2026-09-18 12:30 - 13:30 (America/Chicago)
Join us on Friday, September 18th at 12:30 pm for our Book Group Event. Please register!
Latinoland: A Portrait of America’s Largest and Least Understood Minority
Author: Marie Arana
GoodReads Description:
A sweeping yet personal overview of the Latino population of America, drawn from hundreds of
interviews and prodigious research that emphasizes the diversity and little-known history of our
largest and fastest-growing minority. LatinoLand is an exceptional, all-encompassing overview
of Hispanic America based on personal interviews, deep research, and Marie Arana’s life
experience as a Latina.

September Book Group - Tuesday: Latinoland: A Portrait of America's Largest and Least Understood Minority
2026-09-22 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
Join us on Tuesday, September 22nd at 7 pm for our Book Group Event. Please register!
Latinoland: A Portrait of America’s Largest and Least Understood Minority
Author: Marie Arana
GoodReads Description:
A sweeping yet personal overview of the Latino population of America, drawn from hundreds of
interviews and prodigious research that emphasizes the diversity and little-known history of our
largest and fastest-growing minority. LatinoLand is an exceptional, all-encompassing overview
of Hispanic America based on personal interviews, deep research, and Marie Arana’s life
experience as a Latina.

October Book Group - Friday: Life on the Outside: The Prison Odyssey of Elaine Bartlett
2026-10-16 12:30 - 13:30 (America/Chicago)
Join us on Friday, October 16th at 12:30 pm for our Book Group Event. Please register!
Life on the Outside: The Prison Odyssey of Elaine Bartlett
Author: Jennifer Gonnerman
GoodReads Description:
Life on the Outside tells the story of Elaine Bartlett, who spent sixteen years in Bedford Hills
prison for selling cocaine–a first offense–under New York's Rockefeller drug laws. The book
opens on the morning of January 26, 2000, when Bartlett is set free and returns to New York
City. Over the next months, she clashes with her daughters, hunts for a job, visits her son and
husband in prison, negotiates the rules of parole, and campaigns for the repeal of the laws that
led to her long prison term.

October Book Group - Tuesday: Life on the Outside: The Prison Odyssey of Elaine Bartlett
2026-10-20 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
Join us on Tuesday, October 20th at 7 pm for our Book Group Event. Please register!
Life on the Outside: The Prison Odyssey of Elaine Bartlett
Author: Jennifer Gonnerman
GoodReads Description:
Life on the Outside tells the story of Elaine Bartlett, who spent sixteen years in Bedford Hills
prison for selling cocaine–a first offense–under New York's Rockefeller drug laws. The book
opens on the morning of January 26, 2000, when Bartlett is set free and returns to New York
City. Over the next months, she clashes with her daughters, hunts for a job, visits her son and
husband in prison, negotiates the rules of parole, and campaigns for the repeal of the laws that
led to her long prison term.
