At moments of uncertainty, I always turn to history for guidance. Not because history hands us easy, perfect answers, but because it shows us the story of imperfect humans. History offers perspective. It reminds us that democracy is not self-sustaining and promised. Democracy must be taught, practiced and defended. At times, it must even be reformed, reconstructed and rebuilt.
This is why the time has come to reboot a League of Women Voters in the Santa Clarita Valley.
The League of Women Voters was established in 1920, when American women were finishing their fight to win the right to vote. The LWV founders understood that winning the vote was only the first step. They saw that democracy required education, participation and an organized commitment to an informed citizenship.
A century later, that insight feels more urgent than ever.
We are living through an era when voter participation is uneven and threatened. Civic trust is fragile, and misinformation travels faster than facts. We read a headline and immediately take a partisan side. I hear from many people who feel disconnected from the political process or uncertain about how to engage beyond casting a ballot. Others feel overwhelmed or disillusioned, unsure whether their voices matter. Like the suffragists who fought for the right to vote in the 19th and 20th centuries, history tells us that moments like this are not signs of democracy’s failure but rather signals calling us to action.
American women have always been at the heart of civic renewal, even when their voices were subordinated. From suffrage activists to grassroots organizers, women across the political spectrum have built movements that educate voters, demand accountability, and expand participation.
The LWV stands firmly in that tradition as a nonpartisan, fact-driven organization. The league is grounded in the belief that democracy works best when voters are informed and empowered. The league is truly dedicated to nonpartisanship. We want to encourage civic curiosity and remind people that participation does not begin or end on Election Day.
Santa Clarita is a community filled with engaged parents, students, retirees, professionals and volunteers. We pride ourselves on strong schools, vibrant neighborhoods, and a sense of shared responsibility. A renewed LWV in the SCV builds on those strengths, offering a local, trusted hub for civic engagement at a time when national politics feels polarized and remote.
As a historian and an educator, I see every day how powerful civic literacy can be. When people understand how history informs the present and how ordinary, brave citizens shaped our democracy, they are more likely to participate. They stop seeing democracy as something distant or broken and start seeing it as something human, imperfect and worth the effort.
I tell my students to connect the history we are learning to their lives today because history is not about dusty, nostalgic ideals, but rather human perseverance. The LWV stands for that connection. Education and engagement are two practical necessities to sustain our democracy.
Why shouldn’t the conversation begin locally, with us?
Julie Johnson
Valencia
