In Star Trek, a “mind meld” is a kind of telepathic touch that enables the rapid sharing of knowledge and experience. Unfortunately for (at least most of) us, we are neither telepathic nor within touching distance of each other, so we have created a MELD Network* to provide a mechanism to better share tools, methods, practices, and accomplishments across the state with each other.

The “League Mind MELD” column is a way to share even more information to all our members across the state. This column will run each month and will include the responses we receive to the questions posed at the end of the previous month’s column.

The letters in MELD stand for Membership, Engagement, and Leadership Development. But what is MELD? 

MELD is a virtual gathering where members from across the state can come together to learn about the League. The goal is to develop the skills, knowledge, and confidence that enables members to discover how they would like to participate in League work, locally and statewide. 

It is a place for members who are not generally in leadership positions to meet others from across the state to learn about other local League programs and what resources are available. MELD meets in small groups (MELD Pods) for one hour a month. It is a time to ask questions, brainstorm solutions, develop leadership skills, build confidence in your place in the League, and learn about possibilities to move into other roles. MELD is a place to grow!

We are gearing up for fall 2025. Look for discussions on welcoming and engaging new members; nonpartisanship in this political climate; the issues in your local area; important considerations when our work is in the voter services or civics realm—as well as when advocacy is our focus; and proposed webinars on different aspects of League membership. 

We are also looking for those who would like more information on becoming a MELD Pod leader. 

**A note to League presidents: It is always a good idea to rotate MELD representatives. This allows more members to further develop their own place in the League. Does your League have a system in place for the MELD representative to report back to your board and/or your membership?

Question for the month: What was your favorite takeaway from the 2025 LWVWA Convention? 

For more information on when MELD Pods meet, becoming a pod leader, or anything else that comes to mind, contact Nancy Halvorson. 

*In the context of the League, MELD actually has zero connection to Star Trek; it is an acronym for Membership, Engagement, Leadership, and Development. MELD pods meet each month to serve as platforms for sharing successes, addressing challenges, and exchanging ideas among local Leagues. Are you interested in learning more about MELD? Talk to your Local League Leadership about becoming involved in MELD.