AAUW MARIN JUNE 2022

MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL DUE NOW

Last week you should have received emails from both National AAUW and our Membership Chair, Chris O’Neill, about the ways to renew your membership for the 2022-2023 year that starts July 1. Don’t miss out on anything AAUW has to offer, from the interesting National webinars to our Zoom and in-person monthly branch meetings. The total dues are $107 for branch members ($67 for National, with $64 being tax-deductible, $20 for California and $20 for Marin.) Honorary Lifetime Members pay nothing and Lifetime Members pay only California and Marin dues. 

You can access the Dues Renewal Form from the branch website or contact Chris at coneill514@comcast.net or 415-457-0862 and she’ll email the form that you can print, complete and send along with a check to our branch Treasurer, Sue Torres,  Don’t delay and get your renewal in today!

SUPPORT THE FIGHT FOR EQUITY FOR GIRLS AND WOMEN. STILL TIME FOR YOUR DONATION TO BE MATCHED.

Our Marin Branch is only at 25% of the goal to match $5000 from the Branch Angels. This is the perfect time to double your impact with the match! This special match for the “Greatest Needs Fund” ends June 30^th.

The lives of women have been dramatically impacted by these pandemic years. Now more than ever, AAUW needs to continue to fight for equity for women and girls. And even though these past few years have been challenging, AAUW has continued to make an impact through its policy, research, and advocacy work. You can be very proud to say that you are an AAUW member. 

To continue AAUW’s important work on behalf of women and girls, your support is needed now. Here are two ways to donate -

DONATING ONLINE - Please  CLICK HERE donate safely on the AAUW website. The “Greatest Needs Fund” is the first fund listed. FYI - For those of you who have not logged in since the software change a couple of months ago, you will be asked to update your password first before donating. This will ensure that your donation is credited to the Marin Branch. The system gives you some simple prompts.

DONATING BY CHECK – Please send your check made to “AAUW Fund” to Marin’s Funds Chair – Dale Satake, 46 Parkview Circle, Corte Madera, CA 94925. She will contact you upon receipt of your check. If you have any questions, please contact Dale at dsatake@comcast.net. 

Please support AAUW’s efforts to ensure that everyone gets the same opportunity to learn, earn and lead!  

AAUW Marin sponsored five women leaders to attend AAUW's virtual National College Conference for Women Student Leaders (NCCWSL) May 24-26, 2022. Four Dominican University of California and one College of Marin female leader attended.

The program includes having the students complete a project when they return to campus; we look forward to hearing about their NCCWSL experience at our October branch meeting.

Here’s what the students said in their application to attend NCCWSL.

Priscilla Sitorus: I am a first-generation Indonesian American student majoring in Nursing (and hope to minor in Psychology and Graphic Design). In my second year studying at Dominican University, I am a Marketing and Media Coordinator for both CAB (Campus Activities Board) and DNSA (Dominican Nursing Students Association). Through these opportunities, I am not only able to grow my network and my leadership skills, but I can implement my passion for Graphic Design and Photography with community engagement and advocacy. I hope to become a Nurse (and ultimately a Nurse Practitioner), where I hope to work to provide my patients the proper health care they need and strive to decrease health inequity within the healthcare system in place. 

Juliette Ingram: I am a rising Junior majoring in Business Administration with concentrations in Management and Marketing. During my second year studying at Dominican University, I have had the opportunity to be a teaching and administrative assistant for one of my previous professors in the business school, Dr. Denise Lucy. I also work for the Institute for Leadership Studies program at Dominican University as a Program and Events Assistant. With these opportunities, I have been able to develop my communication skills, leadership skills, and most importantly, my networking skills. In the future, I hope to become a successful business woman who has all of the skills necessary to lead a company and I would also like to work towards increasing the number of women in the business world, specifically in leadership positions. 

Jessica Ramirez: I am a first-generation third-year student at Dominican University of California pursuing a major in Education. In college, I serve on the executive board for the Penguin Ideals Club, a club that practices the four ideals of Dominican University, and a student leader in the Sienna Leadership Team in which I help serve the school community. This year I had the great opportunity to be a mentor for the freshmen in the TORCH Success Program, a program that helps new students navigate college. I am passionate about becoming an elementary school teacher and believe in classroom equity. I'm looking forward to attending the National Conference for College Women Student Leaders!  

Carmen Hurtado Aragon: I was born and raised in El Salvador but currently live in Oakland. I'm a Sophomore Psychology major with a minor in Clinical and Counseling Psychology at Dominican University. I plan to graduate with a B.A. in Psychology in 2024. I'm also a Civic Action Fellow and an Honor's program student.

Branch liaison to CoM, Nancy Major, worked with our CoM liaison, Stormy Miller Sabia, who managed the selection process of the first CoM student to attend NCCWSL. Emma Neal wrote in her application, Emma said

"As a first generation immigrant and college student, I used to feel so naive, isolated, and overwhelmed about navigating my education and career path. However, since attending College of Marin I’ve been extremely grateful for its many resources and opportunities that support me and my peers in this ever-evolving process. I am currently planning on transferring to a UC to earn a bachelor’s degree in communications along with my associate’s degree in Spanish from College of Marin.

I was recently elected as President of the Associated Students of College of Marin (ASCOM) for the 2022-2023 academic year. I believe the COM student experience can be greatly improved in terms of sense of community, ensuring equity, and transparent communication amongst the student body. I look forward to the workshops and panels at the NCCWSL conference in order to further develop my leadership skills so I can effectively represent the values and overall desires of COM students."

SAVE THE DATE of July 31 for our annual Summer Fling. Noon to 2:00 pm in Chris O’Neill’s lovely backyard! Watch for the invitation in early July.

Four New Members!!!!

GREETINGS TO OUR NEWEST MEMBERS

March and April brought us four new members, all referred by current members. We are thrilled to have them join us. Here is a little bit about them:

CAROL LORENZ

Carol has been playing piano since age 5, plays every day and is a retired piano teacher. She is an avid reader and is in the Booklovers interest group. She moved to San Rafael from Wisconsin many years ago but still holds her Midwest fascination with tornadoes. In the 1980s, she smuggled Bibles into Russia and had the KGB after her. She certainly is a woman with many stories to tell.

GAY KUNZ

Gay is a retired science teacher who moved to Marin three years ago from the Peninsula. Her love of gardening and flower arranging led her to become a volunteer at Filoli House. She is an avid cook, having been shaped by Julia Child’s approach to great food and good life. She too is a member of Booklovers. She enjoys tending to her San Rafael garden and using its flowers in arrangements. Surely a visit to her home will include delicious food and beautiful flower arrangements.

CHARLOTTE MONTGOMERY

Charlotte is another member of Booklovers. Charlotte and her husband moved to San Rafael a few years ago from western Washington state to be closer to children and grandchildren. She is a retired nurse whose over-40-year career included specialty roles in psychosocial nursing. She felt most rewarded when working in Home Health Care and Hospice and she continues to volunteer at her church and at Hospice. You can find her taking walks in her Peacock Gap neighborhood and cheering on her grandchildren at their sports events.

ELLEN WHITE

Ellen has been a member for many years of National AAUW but just became a member of the Marin branch through the suggestion of Sarah Pruden. She and her husband and children have been residents of Terra Linda for many years, and she has been very involved in volunteering in that community, especially in the schools. She is a self-employed college admission essays advisor. She hasn’t joined any interest groups yet but is interested in checking out many of them and getting to know our members.

Welcome to all of you and we are looking forward to getting to know you better. 

GROUP ANNOUNCEMENTS:

The New Yorker Reading Group. This month we are reading articles on a wide variety of topics, including: timber skyscrapers(!), phone surveillance, damage from the English monarchy, a pop song that unites India and Pakistan, a movie review, a really interesting short story (fiction), American obsession with genealogy, and other short articles. We will send you the links if you would like to read or listen to the articles online.  All are welcome to join us. If you would like to be on the email list and receive the list of articles we are reading and discussing at the June 13 meeting, please email either co-leader for the Zoom link: Phyllis Kuehn phyllisk@sonic.net or Olivia Ruel oliviacelello@icloud.com . The New Yorker reading group meets on the second Monday of the month at 1:00 via zoom.

The Nonfiction Reading Group. We are meeting on June 27 at 1:00 on Zoom to discuss  Caste by Isabel Wilkerson.  If you would like to be on the group’s email list and join us, please email either co-leader for the Zoom link: Phyllis Kuehn phyllisk@sonic.net or Olivia Ruel oliviacelello@icloud.com . The nonfiction reading group meets on the 4th Monday of the month at 1:00 via Zoom and discusses nonfiction books selected by the group members.  

No Behind the Headlines  for June.

No Art Tour for June.

July will be fabulous....at the Legion with the outrageous Chinese fashion designer, Guo Pei. Check her out on the web and at the Legion of Honor website. Way beyond "just clothes!"

SOME LANDMARKS TO MAKE YOU PROUD TO BE AN AAUW MEMBER

AAUW is the oldest women’s empowerment organization in the US.

AAUW is a pioneer. It helped raise money to fund a gram of radium for Madame Curie in 1920.

AAUW was given special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council in 2008.

AAUW helped pass the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act in 2009. AAUW was in the room when President Obama signed the bill.

AAUW has provided salary negotiation training to more than 188,000 participants.

AAUW is one of the largest funders of graduate education for women - $130M to 13K recipients in 145 countries.

The leak of a draft opinion in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case suggests that the Supreme Court may overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. It’s a move that would take away fundamental reproductive rights that have helped women control their lives and economic security for nearly 50 years. As we await the Court’s official ruling, here’s what you can do to fight for reproductive freedom.

• Contact your elected officials: Direct constituent interactions have more influence on lawmakers’ decisions than other advocacy strategies. You can hold a virtual meeting in your district to remind everyone to urge members of Congress to support the Women’s Health Protection Act!
• Write a letter to the editor: Writing a letter to the editor or an op-ed is a great way to energize branch members, promote AAUW visibility in the community and spread the word about important issues.
• Build community: Educating friends and family and enlisting their support is a valuable contribution to the cause. Have a conversation with loved ones or host a community forum to discus the importance of defending reproductive health and freedom for all. (Read more in Where We Stand: Reproductive Rights.)