'Big Beautiful Bill' Public Town Hall Meeting
Organized by Indivisible NWA
Fayetteville, AR. August 16, 2025
Town Hall Meetings are opportunities for constituents to share their concerns with their elected officials, and for the elected officials
to listen to the constituents. This event was organized by Indivisible NWA because our elected officials are not organizing their own
townhall events. Congress Rep. Steve Womack, Senator Tom Cotton, and Senator John Boozman were invited, but they declined the opportunity
to be there or they simply ignored the invitation.
Diana Lawrence was there and spoke for 90 seconds, following the excellent presentations.
The presentation speakers were: Laura Kellams about Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families.
Kathy Grisham about local health care. Joanna Krause of Canopy NWA. Hershey Garner for Arkansas ACLU.
And Irvin Camacho of the Alliance for Immigrant Respect and Education (AIRE). Our elected legislators should have been present to hear these messages.
Diana introduced herself and what she is running for. She thanked the program speakers for their messages and for the work they have been doing.
And she borrowed the "I have a dream" statement made by MLK, Jr. to state her own dreams. Diana dreams that these things will someday not be needed.
That someday we won't need people to help the downtrodden or the immigrant.
That someday we won't need to have such battles about health care. There are more important things we could be working on.
We need to just solve these problems ASAP.
The room had been setup with empty chairs on stage. These were meant for Womack, Cotton and Boozman. In their absense, these men
were represented by their coardboard cutout images. The full 106-minute video of the event is available
here on Youtube thanks to Indivisable NWA.
This event was not an endorsement, actual or implied, for any candidate running for election in 2026.
On May 14 and May 15 (2025) Diana Lawrence hosted public Congressional Town Hall Meetings in Van Buren and Fort Smith. Others will be
scheduled across the district over the coming months. If you want one scheduled near you, and you have ideas about affordable locations,
please let me know.
Town Hall Meetings are opportunities for constituents to share their concerns with their elected officials,
and for the elected officials to listen to the constituents. The incumbent Congressional Representative, Steve Womack,
does not hold in-person meetings. These meetings were organized by Diana Lawrence for the benefit of all who show up.
On April 5, 2025 demonstrators in about 1,300 "Hands Off" rallies across the country protested against President Trump
and the administration's plans and policies. Part of everyone's frustration is the absence of most Republican Congressmen
and Senators, including ours in Arkansas.
Diana Lawrence used this opportunity in front of a large crowd, on a cold, windy, rainy day,
to announce her campaign. She is running for US Congress for Arkansas District 3.
Incumbent Representative Steve Womack is no longer assured of winning reelection in 2026.
If our elected representatives will not exercise their responsibility to control Trump then they will face challengers in their elections.
Our incumbent is famous for avoiding meeting with his constituents. During my campaign it is my
intent to organize my own visits with you, across our district. Somebody should hear your thoughts,
and I want to do that.
I'll tell you a bit about my campaign, but I also want to hear from you.
Between meetings (at any time) please contact Diana directly with your thoughts.
Diana can be reached by email, phone or text (dianalawrencecongress@yahoo.com, 479-235-0246).
I am a graduate from the Emerge Wisconsin program. Emerge, a national program with divisions in most states, aims to help delect Democratic women.
When I participated in the program this was a competitive program to enter, with an application, reference letters, interviews and a fee.
There were 25 students in my class.
I also completed the Camp Wellstone training program.
