LEAD South Dakota board looks ahead, plans new events

“Highly competent people working well in chaos,” said Taneeza Islam, a LEAD board member, at the first LEAD board planning session. Her words got to the core of LEAD’s existence. As the LEAD board held their first official planning session after forming five months ago, one thing was clear: we had pulled together and got a lot of things done in a very short time frame. It was time to take a deep breath and plan what comes next.

When LEAD founders, Carrie, Carmen and Susan, held the first LEAD meeting on November 12, 2016, at Icon, it was a purely emotional reaction. The success of the first meeting led to a new community—one where motivated volunteers, passionate members and highly competent people stepped forward to make this group a real grassroots force.

Graphic courtesy of Nikki Gronli

One of the major themes of this discussion was gratitude. Thanks to all the volunteers that have worked so hard and all of the people who have supported us by attending events. LEAD has put together a legislative committee, panel discussions, legislative debriefings, community meetings, book club, training sessions, letter writing sessions, happy hours, Women’s March…Did I miss anything?

Congratulations and thanks for all your hard work during the legislative session. Your letters, your calls and your time have made a difference.

So, what’s next? Here is a preview of our upcoming events. Make sure to follow us on Facebook or subscribe to our newsletter to be notified when these are happening.

Training
LEAD is working to bring a national organization to South Dakota for first-class candidate training. Stay tuned.

Candidate Recruitment
Thanks to those who have filled out our survey, where several members indicated an interest in running for office. We will be in touch soon to help potential candidates plan and put those plans in motion. We have great support from the Media who would like to follow us on this journey. If you missed the survey, you can still contact us to tell us about your commitment.

Monthly Happy Hours
We will continue to plan monthly happy hours. We’ll try to find events to tie them into like, “Equal Pay Day.” Happy hours are a great way to continue to build our community and deepen member relationships.

Legislator Panel Discussions
Now that the 2017 legislative session has come to an end, we’ll plan more panel discussions with current legislators. Look for an announcement on the first one very soon.

LEAD Connect with Agriculture Day
LEAD has the opportunity to work with several farming organizations to build an event that is both educational and social. Living in an ag state we all need to understand this vital industry. Bridge building with the agriculture community can go a long way towards building a South Dakota that meets the needs of rural and urban communities.

More Chapters
Brookings, SD is our first official chapter under the LEAD name and we are happy to welcome them. Look for more to form across the state as we continue to grow. If you are interested in starting a chapter in your community, get in touch.

Blogs
We are working on adding to our list of blog contributors. You’ll start to see regular activity at our website, as we grow the content and improve the site at www.leadsouthdakota.org

LEAD Branded Clothing
We are working on sources for LEAD branded clothing so you can show your LEAD pride.

Now that the session is over, we have taken a moment to get a strategic plan in place to provide our members with valuable, inspiring programs. Our planning included three- and five-year plans, but we’ll start with making 2017 a great year. We look forward to working with you all and making South Dakota a better plan for all residents.

ABOUT LEAD SOUTH DAKOTA

LEAD South Dakota is a registered 501c(4) nonprofit.  LEAD (Leaders Engaged And Determined) is a grassroots organization aimed at bringing awareness to issues facing South Dakota, the United States, and abroad. LEAD exists to foster a community of individuals who empower and encourage women to be actively involved in all stages of the political process in order to effect positive change for women and families in South Dakota.

LEAD is not affiliated with any political party or organization. We are welcoming and inclusive of all people, regardless of race, age, religion, ethnicity, national origin, color, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, or citizenship.