Kathy Gill

Snohomish County League member Kathy Gill earlier this month interviewed American historian Heather Cox Richardson, author of the highly acclaimed newsletter “Letters from An America.”  A Boston College professor, Richardson is the first author to be featured in a series of book club-like conversations the LWVWA is conducting to commemorate this year’s 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. That virtual conversation, open only to League members, will take place at noon July 29, when Richardson discusses “How the South Won the Civil War,” published in 2020.

Gill, who arranged for Richardson to participate in the book club conversation, said registration is required to attend. Unlike school, though, members can attend without completing the book, Gill added.

Here are a few questions Gill posed to Richardson in advance:

1. What are your goals/hopes when you accept invitations like the League’s to discuss your books and current events?
   
   I want people to feel like they're part of a larger community talking about ideas and figuring out how to make the world a better place. And for me, it's always fun to meet the people on the other side of the laptop screen.
   
   
2.  Please share some coping strategies for remaining grounded in such tumultuous times.
   
   Be with other people. That's huge. And do things you love. It really doesn't matter what that is, so long as you love it. Now, if you can combine both people and doing something you love, you're strengthening your community directly, and that's good for you, your friends, your community, and the nation. Remember that it's always okay to take breaks from the craziness. Recharge and come back.
   
   
3. What can we do outside of our work with the League of Women Voters to course correct the country?
   
   Find something you care about and work with people to move that ball forward. Think about what kind of a world you want to live in, and work for it. Even if it's just one little thing a day, if you do it every day, you'll make a difference. It helps to take stock of what you've done every month, rather than every day, so you can see how much you've accomplished.
   
   
4. We live in a very progressive state that votes by mail. How can we help others ensure free and fair elections in states hobbled by the current redistricting craze?
   
   Find the organizations doing that work and ask them how you can help.
   
   
5. Repairing the institutions tattered and torn by this administration will take years. Where do you think we should start?
   
   By bringing your skills to a cause you care about, first of all, but also by demanding that your representatives stand firm on the rule of law. Speak up, speak up, speak up... against the slush fund, Trump's arch, the impoundment of funds, the Iran War, the corruption... all the places where Trump and his loyalists are ignoring the law and the Constitution.

“Letters from an American,” which contextualizes modern political news within American history, has amassed more than 6 million subscribers. To mark the country’s 250th birthday, Richardson has launched 250 to 250, a series of one-minute videos “to make real the belief that we are all created equal and have a right to have a say in our democracy. “– by Kathy Gill.