by Angela Gyurko, Secretary, LWV of Washington
Want to learn how to build graphics that pop? Grab your computer and register for Council 2026 in Lacey, Washington, where Carolyn Stewart will lead a hands-on Canva workshop for any member wanting to learn the software.
Stewart was a student at Whatcom Community College in 2019 when she first encountered LWV Bellingham-Whatcom members registering voters on campus and cheering them on as they put their ballots in a nearby ballot box. “As time went on and I started talking with more of the volunteers, they asked if I’d be willing to help with their social media posts,” Stewart told me. “I definitely wanted to help, and I’d been using computers since I was ten, so I sat down to teach myself Canva. I had friends who used it, and in addition to the support available through the program, I was able to find blogs and YouTube videos to help me learn.”
Her volunteer work that year with Bellingham-Whatcom led to an internship with the LWVWA in 2021 working on the push to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. “My biggest struggle with graphics design was figuring out what graphics are both interesting and effective,” Stewart said. “I decided to start collecting graphics that looked effective to me, then I compared those to the graphics LWVUS was providing for the campaign. That’s still how I do it.”
Stewart has worked with other graphics software, but she finds Canva very approachable. “Canva has a brand standards kit, where you can plug in the League’s specific colors and fonts, then create editable templates. This is how LWVUS does their graphics support to state and local leagues,” she explained. “It keeps the branding consistent, and the local Leagues just need to fill in their specific details.”
She’s excited to work with League members across the state to get them comfortable with the software. “Opening Canva for the first time can feel overwhelming, and the help options within the program don’t always feel helpful at first.”
Stewart recommended that workshop participants bring whatever device they will use for Canva at home. The software is available for computers, tablets, and even phones. “Canva on a tablet or phone is a little more challenging, so early users might feel more comfortable starting with a computer.”
Council 2026 opens on June 6 in Lacey, giving budding graphic artists time to think about what they want out of the Canva workshop. “Think about what you’re trying to accomplish for your League with Canva,” Stewart advised. “Open up the software. Watch some videos about the software. We can work on the rest together when we all get to Council.”
