In this issue...
President's Message
June Featured Program
- First Annual Leadership Workshop - June 5th
State News:
- Why Do You Donate to AAUW, June edition
- Join the Communications Team
- National Election Results
National News:
- NJ State: Preventing the Next "She-cession" - June 4th
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Save the date - September 11th
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Share your mission-related events and news with us!
Email aauwnj@gmail.com
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Have a wonderful summer, we will be back in September!
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It’s June – pass it on!
It’s time for celebrating the successes of the past year, tying up loose ends, and passing the baton to next year’s leaders.
Thanks to the initiative and perseverance of our Program VP, Jacqueline McGuinness and the support of Communications VP, Mariel Kolker, we have had an amazing twenty-one programs, workshops and meetings shared statewide this year! Many of these events involved coordination with another organization or non-AAUW panelists, bringing AAUW awareness to a wider audience.
Many of the shared branch events this year had a strong, topical emphasis on anti-racism, diversity and inclusion, and the attendance demonstrated that many AAUW NJ members want to work for social justice and equity for all. Other programs, often coordinated with other organizations, focused on our AAUW mission of women’s economic security, including AAUW WorkSmart presentations and the screening of the film “Like a Woman,” including a discussion with the director, Gail Mooney.
But not everything was successful… despite the best efforts of many AAUW leaders, the proposal to drop all pre-requisites for AAUW membership failed. A 67% majority of voting members is needed for a bylaws change and only 63% of voters approved open membership (FYI, in NJ it was 62%). I strongly believe in the mission of AAUW to empower women, and, frankly, I was very disappointed in this result. Despite that, I will continue to work to assure we are supportive of and embrace all women who care about our mission. As you know, this is my last year as president, so I look forward to the next generation of leaders taking up the cause of making AAUW truly an inclusive organization.
Now it’s time to tie up the loose ends of our work so that we can start fresh for program year 2021-22. First of all, I want to say a giant “thanks for a job well done” to our Webmaster and previous Communications VP, who was really more of an Executive Assistant to the board with her trove of both institutional and technical knowledge, she kept us all on our toes and looking good – Batsheva (Shevi) Salberg. We couldn’t have done it without you, but thanks to your coaching we’ll carry on well prepared. Thanks also to Communications VP, Mariel Kolker who recruited a Communications Committee to share the crucial work of connecting AAUW NJ members with each other and with the community.
We want to help all of our leaders prepare for success, whether you’re a long-time AAUW leader or new to your position, we hope you will participate in our June 5th Leadership Transition Workshop (see below). Hopefully, this this will lead to even more successful collaborations across the state for next year.
Karen Brown, President
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AAUW NJ First Annual
Leadership Workshop
For incoming, outgoing and potential leaders!
June 5, 2021 @10:00 AM
Have you accepted or are you considering accepting a position? Want to learn more about how AAUW works to serve our mission? If you are on an AAUW board or committee, we want you! Experienced leaders, share your wisdom! New leaders, bring your questions! Not-yet leaders, come be a fly on the wall! Let’s celebrate, share and put our heads together to figure out how to lighten the load for incoming and future leaders.
Whether you’re newly elected,
leaving your board position, continuing on,
or even just interested in learning about how AAUW works to serve our mission, please join us.
Think of it as a massive share-out of tools-of-the-trade and tips for success.
Presidents
Finance
Membership
Communications
Programs
Public Policy
Other
Please register ASAP so we can match you up with your peers!
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If you are interested but unable to attend, email us at aauwnj@gmail.com BEFORE the meeting so participants can connect with you afterward.
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Why Do You Donate to
AAUW?
June Edition
This month I interviewed a member who joined AAUW in 1988 because she wanted to be part of an organization that promoted economic security, gender equality, and leadership opportunities for women. But education was and still is one of the main reasons she gives. She feels that all women need a solid “educational foundation”, and it was also her “way of giving back”. As a college student she received much needed scholarships and always felt grateful for receiving that financial help. She encouraged her daughter, and now her granddaughter, to enter a STEM field of study because of the successes she experienced.
Since 1888, AAUW has been one of the largest funders of women’s graduate education, investing in women who go on to change the world. The American Fellowships Program began at a time when women were discouraged from pursuing an education. It is AAUW’s largest fellowship program and the oldest non-institutional source of graduate funding for women in the United States.
If you have strong feelings about helping women achieve their optimum potential, maybe you would consider donating to the Greatest Needs Fund of AAUW. It’s so easy to do! Just go to https://ww2.aauw.org/donate-gift-new/.
If you would like to share the story of why you donate, please send us an email at aauwnj@gmail.com.
Nina R. Del Collo
Funds Director
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A Note from Jacqueline McGuinness, Program Chair,
How well did we do in hosting programs or showcasing local level programming to AAUW NJ members this past year? Using the Zoom platform, I believe that we have grown from all of the interactions at the local, state, and national AAUW levels. I won’t list all of the programs that were highlighted this year, but I think we were successful in our goal to promote or host a variety of programs to encourage much needed conversations about Race, Equity, Public Policy, and Voting.
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Now that we are able to use this platform more effectively, (kudos to the communications team!), what are our next steps? The May 22nd program, Post Pandemic Outlook, could be an example of a first step. By adding our voice with other organizations on critical issues affecting women and girls, we may be able to grow and diversify our organization.
Here are a couple of key takeaways regarding how we could address women’s concerns in the workplace:
- We need to be policy watchdogs. Look at the policies currently out there concerning women and childcare in order to ensure they are implemented correctly.
- Open a dialogue with women in the local communities to find out their needs, especially in regards to childcare.
- Develop community mentor/accountability/networking groups to help women navigate their careers/ job market.
- Encourage companies to commit to diversity and inclusion and to have policies that are more inclusive.
Thank you to all of the panelists and participants. Overall, it was a wonderful opportunity to meet and connect with other women who are just as passionate about empowering women.
Be sure to check out the Post Pandemic Outlook video to hear more about the many insights, suggested resources and legislative areas where action is needed.
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Join our Team!
AAUW NJ is an organization of amazing women doing important work, but sometimes there is more to do than we volunteers have time for. If you have ever used Gmail or if you are on social media, you have the skills we need!
We need help with this newsletter. Constant Contact is quite easy, and the entire thing only takes ~2 hours per month. Please consider joining our team.
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AAUW National Election Results 2021
AAUW’s public policy priorities were approved by 92% of voters.
The ballot initiative to eliminate the membership requirement got 63% of the vote, which was just below the two-thirds majority needed to enact a bylaw change. In New Jersey, only 62.39% voted in the affirmative.
To see the election results go to:
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Branch News and Other Events
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State of New Jersey
Treasurer’s Symposium on COVID,
Women and the Economy:
Avoiding the Next “She-cession"
Friday, June 4th at 9am-1pm (you are welcome to join at any time and are not required to stay on the entire time)
The half-day, virtual event will bring together leading economists, academics, business professionals, and policy movers and shakers on two separate panels designed to size up the landscape and present solutions on what New Jersey – and the nation – can do to better support women in the workforce in order to build a stronger economy for all.
The event will also feature appearances by Governor Phil Murphy and First Lady Tammy Murphy; welcome remarks from Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver; featured remarks by Reshma Saujani, Founder and CEO of Girls Who Code and the driving force behind the Marshall Plan for Moms; as well as stories from real women in New Jersey who have been impacted by the pandemic, produced by Jessica Gonzalez, Founder & CEO of InCharged, VendX, and Lux-UVC, and a member of the Governor’s Restart and Recovery Commission.
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Save the Date
AAUW of New Jersey Goes to Allaire State Park
Saturday, September 11
11:00 AM
A portion of the registration fee will be given as a donation to the AAUW National Greater Needs Fund. Questions? Email aauwnj@gmail.com.
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If your branch is forwarding the AAUW mission in some way, please share your activities with aauwnj@gmail.com. We want to celebrate you!
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See what's happening on our social sites
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