A UH Mānoa RIO and Office of Civic and Community Engagement Program |
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September 2021 Newsletter |
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The American Association of University Women at UH Mānoa (AAUW-UHM) is and will continue to be active for the 2021-22 academic school year.
The mission of our Registered Independent Organization (RIO) is to promote the values of AAUW on the UHM campus and in the community; we are working towards equality in society by providing the tools necessary for women to gain economic security, to pursue their education, and advocate for women's rights.
To become a member, please email aauw.uhmanoa@gmail.com expressing your interest. We will ask follow up questions at that time. In order to have an active-status in our RIO, we ask that you attend at least one event every semester. We have no membership fees. Our RIO is open to everyone!
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Ronja Steinbach
Student Branch Coordinator
Hello! My name is Ronja Steinbach and I am a junior at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa where I am studying marine biology and botany. My current research is focused on fungi’s ability to degrade plastic pollution in our oceans. I am a native New Mexican and I grew up in a bicultural German/American household. I love being outdoors and spend much of my free time hiking, snorkeling, scuba diving, reading, and doing yoga, among other activities.
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I have been an AAUW Intern since my freshman year and most of my work has been focused on Title IX, Women in STEM, women’s empowerment, and community building. Through AAUW, I have been afforded the opportunity to work with a passionate team of people to create positive change in our community. I am confident that we can build a stronger, more equitable, and just society. I look forward to making climate justice, with a focus on women’s issues, a central focus of my work, throughout my academic journey and professional career. |
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Hello! My name is Susannah Lee Kandikatti and I am currently a post-baccalaureate student parent studying philosophy at UH Mānoa. I received my BA in chemistry from UH Mānoa in 2009. After graduating from college, I was involved in humanitarian work overseas in Switzerland, Mexico, China, and India. Becoming a mother brought me back home to Hawaiʻi. I am grateful for the opportunity to advocate for women’s equity through the AAUW UH Mānoa branch with a special focus on mothers and parents. As a parent, I believe it is vital to first become educated so that we can then educate our keiki on topics of race, class, gender, etc. to work towards creating a more equitable society. I look forward to continuing programming on antiracism and collaborating with my fellow team members to bring relevant and helpful content this upcoming semester. |
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Susannah Lee Kandikatti
Intern
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Samantha Larson
Communications Intern
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Hi everyone, my name is Samantha Larson, but I go by "Sammi." I’m currently a second-year student in the Communication MA program at UH Mānoa, where I also received my BA in Political Science in the spring of 2020. This is my second year as a communications intern with AAUW UH Mānoa, and I also work with the AAUW Honolulu Branch on their monthly newsletter. I love being a part of the AAUW UHM team because it’s such an encouraging and uplifting environment. This semester, I hope that we can expand our reach both on and off-campus, and create safe spaces for personal and professional growth, support, and meaningful connection despite the ongoing challenges of the pandemic. |
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Aloha! My name is Jaela, and I am so excited to be joining the AAUW-UHM team for a second-year, this time as a communications intern. In the upcoming semesters, I will be supporting the intern team through monthly newsletters, and working with the AAUW Honolulu branch on social media communications.
I was raised in Kailua, Oʻahu, and currently reside in ʻEwa. This year, I am a senior in Ethnic Studies and Political Science, and am participating in the Educational Administration B.A. to M.Ed. pathway. My research interests include gender-equity and transformative justice. In my free time, I enjoy playing with my 2-year-old puppy, Kahiʻukā!
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Jaela Henderson
Communications Intern
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Welcome Kristina Estrada, the newest addition to AAUW-UHM's intern program. Kristina is a first year Masters student in the NREM department originally from Virginia. After completing her B.S. in Crop and Soil Sciences, she served both in the Peace Corps (Paraguay) and as an AmeriCorps VISTA (Lac Courtes Oreilles, WI). In both positions she embraced building meaningful partnerships with community members to promote sustainable agriculture practices and environmental appreciation. In her free time, she enjoys gardening/taking care of her plants, hiking, cooking, going to the beach with friends, and making art. |
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Upcoming Events - September |
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Let's Talk Title IX - Focus Group Participants Wanted |
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If you want to help make Hawaii’s college
campuses safer and supportive of students, sign-up TODAY!
Date:
Friday, September 10th 12PM – 2PM or Friday, September 17th 3PM – 5PM
The Perks:
Participants will choose and receive $10 gift card from Zippy’s or Starbucks or Amazon
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September Movie Nights
Streaming on Zoom
RSVP to get your FREE Movie Kit, available for contactless pickup on-campus at QLC 209.
Film 1: Suffragette
Wednesday, September 15th
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Film 2: TBD!
Wednesday, September 29th
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
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Virtual Meditation Workshops |
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Feeling stressed by online class or work, like there's never enough time in the day? Take a break and feed
your mind and body with us!
This semester we will be starting a new series of workshops and sessions which will allow us to incorporate healthy living practices into our often busy and stressful lives. Taking a moment to relax, breathe, and share time with others may be able to help us reset ourselves and give us the motivation we need to keep going.
This month we will be offering an online meditation session led by Dr. Rosemarie V. Woodruff, who will share a simple self-healing technique that can be applied in all aspects of our lives, including physical, emotional, mental, and relationship issues.
Friday, September 24th | 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
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September is National Suicide Prevention Month
Meditation and other mindfulness practices can be great for your mental health, but it's vital to seek professional support if you need it.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among people aged 10-34 and the 10th leading cause of death overall in the U.S.
Key resources to share:
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DOH Hawaii CARES | 1-808-832-3100 or toll-free 1-800-753-6879 | Hawaii CARES is a free mental health and substance abuse call center.
#BeThe1To | #BeThe1To is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline's message for National Suicide Prevention Month and beyond, which helps spread the word about actions we can all take to prevent suicide.
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#ClosetheGap for Native American Women |
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September 8th is Native Women's Equal Pay Day.
Did you know – Native American women are paid 60 cents for every dollar paid to white men? AAUW National's 2020 report, The Simple Truth About the Gender Pay Gap, found that
"Native American women who earned a high school diploma earned 66.7% of what their white, non-Hispanic male counterparts earned. That number fell to 59.2% for Native American women with a bachelor’s degree."
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Tips on Making Friends in Virtual Environments |
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After being online for nearly three full semesters, we're getting used to working, learning, and collaborating virtually. Here are our five tips for continuing to build friendships and make connections while on a virtual academic journey:
1. "Encourage a fellow classmate by sending a private message over Zoom chat or an email after class to tell them how stellar their presentation was or how profound their comments/questions were. Maybe even mention how you were encouraged by what they shared!" – Susannah
2. "Start a class Discord channel and chat more informally with your friends. Try to organize virtual games to play with friends that you connect with in class." – Ronja
3. "During Zoom, message a classmate if they tell a story about something you are also interested in. And maybe even suggest you talk about it after class." – Kristina
4. "Compliment Zoom backgrounds! Use the chat, or breakout rooms, to appreciate creative backgrounds, room decor, or shared style choices." – Jaela
5. "If you're shy about speaking in front of the entire class, really take advantage of breakout rooms or smaller group activities/discussions to get to know your classmates better. And don't be afraid to exchange phone numbers with your classmates! I know I appreciate having someone to ask questions about classes and assignments." – Sammi
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AAUW Honolulu Branch Updates |
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AAUW Honolulu was founded in 1905 as the College Club. Created to promote “the higher ideals of education among women” it became an official branch of the American Association of University Women in 1922.
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The Fall 2021 Career and Leadership Development Grant application cycle is open!
Grants of up to $4,000 each are available to women who are currently living and/or working and/or studying in Hawai‘i.
Applications are due on October 15, 2021
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Featured Social Change Ambassador:
Autumn-Raine Kahōkū Hesia
Former AAUW-UHM student coordinator, and current AAUW Honolulu board member, Autumn-Raine Kahōkū was a featured Social Change Ambassador in the August newsletter. One of her biggest takeaways from AAUW’s Social Change Ambassador Certification program was the importance of viewing our workplaces through an intersectional lens. Read more about Autumn on the AAUW Honolulu newsletters and social media.
“The Social Ambassador Program has taught me to advocate for marginalized groups while also being overly conscious of gender, race, class, etc. within the workplace,” she said.
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