ABC7 Unite: NYC's League of Women Voters restructures with focus on diversity, inclusion

NEW YORK (WABC) -- One nonprofit in New York City has been around for more than 100 years, but is now admitting it needs to change.

The League of Women Voters of the City of New York says their upper ranks need more diversity -- especially for a grassroots organization that speaks to the diversity of the electorate.

Crystal Jospeh, VP of Communications, says that means asking some tough questions.

"Why are we very much white and female and not representing more people of color," Jospeh said about NYC being one of the most diverse cities in the world.

Ashmi Sheth started volunteering with the League two years ago.

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"There are several nonprofit organizations in the city where demographics are skewed and so how do we make nonprofits representative of the NYC city population," Sheth said.

It has resulted in a top-to-bottom reset at a critical time politically in the country.

The League is nonpartisan, and for more than a century, has armed voters with a wealth of information and resources.

Jospeh believes the League's internal restructuring will have a domino effect -- particularly in communities of color.

"That would actually give some people an ease to say, 'hey there's someone who looks like me at this organization, I feel confident with them providing me the tools necessary for me to go out and vote,'" Jospeh said.

The League is working closely with community-based organizations in all five boroughs and focusing on timely, relevant issues like affordable housing, digital literacy or even climate change.

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We are also publishing resources in a range of areas, which will grow and can be found below:

Ways to Help

Black Lives Matter

Black Voters Matter Fund

NAACP

National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform

Voices of Community Activists & Leaders (VOCAL-NY)

Black LGBTQIA + Migrants Project

Teaching the Next Generation

Black Lives Matter at School

Creating Space To Talk About Racism At Your School

Teaching for Black Lives - Rethinking Schools

Black-Owned Bookstores in New York and New Jersey

Cafe con Libros (Brooklyn)

Grandma's Place (Harlem)

Sister's Uptown (Manhattan)

Source of Knowledge (Newark)

The Lit. Bar (Bronx)

The Little Boho Bookshop (Bayonne)

Books

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

Raising White Kids: Bringing Up Children In A Racially Unjust America by Jennifer Harvey

So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander

White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism

Podcasts

1619

Black Wall Street 1921

Jemele Hill is Unbothered

Still Processing:

Movies

American Son: Available on Netflix

If Beale Street Could Talk: Available on Hulu

Just Mercy: Available on Amazon Prime

Selma: Available on Amazon Prime

The Hate U Give: Available on Amazon Prime

When They See Us: Available on Netflix

Documentaries

13th: Available on Netflix

America Inside Out with Katie Couric: Available on National Geographic

Becoming: Available on Netflix

I am Not Your Negro: Available on YouTube