New Member Profile: Jeanette Leehr

By VOTER team member, Bonnie Hough, MPAff, CFRE LinkedIn | Website

Meet Jeanette Leehr, a new member of the League of Women Voters of the St Petersburg Area. Even though she is new to St. Pete’s League, Jeanette has an amazing story of the power of the League’s work. Jeanette’s introduction to the League of Women Voters began in the late 1980s when she became a member of the League chapter in Hong Kong. At the time, this was the only international chapter of the League of Women Voters. Jeanette shared that when she joined, she expected it to be a way to build community while living overseas, but did not have many expectations for the work she may be involved with. Looking back though, Jeanette is proud of the things she and the other members of the Hong Kong League made possible. 

During her time with the Hong Kong League, Jeanette had the opportunity to advocate for the resettlement of thousands of Vietnamese refugees, who at the time were living in refugee camps in Hong Kong. To accomplish this, the Hong Kong League worked with the US, Canadian, and Australian governments, and the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR. Thanks to advocacy from the League and many others, most of the refugees were resettled soon after. 

The other major issue of the time in Hong Kong was the extreme pollution of the area, especially in the waterways surrounding the area. To bring light to this issue, the League hosted a forum that brought together government officials from the UK and Hong Kong, and scientists and diplomats from several key areas globally. At the forum, a marine biologist shared how many species had gone extinct or were at risk of extinction due to pollution. After the forum, the League learned this was the first time so many different parties were convened on the issue of pollution in Hong Kong. 

This milestone on its own is one that is worth celebrating. But what’s perhaps even more exciting is the long-term impact this first convening may have had. Jeanette learned last summer, after a conversation with an acquaintance sparked her curiosity about her work from that time, that the pollution in Hong Kong has been much improved in her time since her work with the Hong Kong League. It has become so much better, in fact, that it is now a significant point of pride. Recently, a Chinese Olympic swimmer volunteered to prove the health of the waterways by swimming around the island. This effort by the Hong Kong government to improve pollution in the area is traced back to activism and academic work that began in the late 80s. While Jeanette doesn’t know for sure, she is proud to know that the work has continued, and created lasting change, from her time with the Hong Kong League.