Happy Valentine’s Day.

As I celebrate the upcoming Valentine’s Day, I think of all the people who are near and dear to my heart. During the month of February, I also celebrate Black history. Frankly, I have so many thoughts about it. What I will share with you is this, I am a product of parents who grew up in the segregated south. Ironically, I was born and reared in a town named after a lost explorer. I say that to say this, it is important to remember our past so we do not allow the same mistakes our ancestors allowed. Remain vigilant and let’s endure this time together as we acknowledge and celebrate our differences. 

Claudia L. Walker, Ed.D.

President

AAUW San Antonio

2024-2025 Branch Leaders

Executive Committee

President

Claudia L. Walker, Ed.D.      

President Elect

Vacant  

Vice President Membership

Debbi Sochia                        

Vice President Programs

Martha Steele             

Secretary

Debbi Sochia    

Treasurer

Kathy Dicke

Parliamentarian

Vacant

Standing Committees

Public Policy

Pat Sanford

Finance/Budget

Kathy Dicke

Scholarships/NCCWSL/CU

Jeanette Pierce

AAUW Funds

Vacant

DEI

Dre Andrepoint

STEM

Vacant

Governance

Jeanette Pierce

Appointed Positions

Membership Outreach

Claudia L. Walker, Ed.D.

Community Coordinator

Claudia L. Walker, Ed.D.

Reservations

Martha Steele

Publicity

Michelle Burk

Historian

Rachel Skelley

Communications

Malinda Gaul

March Branch Meeting

Women’s History Month

Title IX and Equal Educational Equality for Women

March is Women’s History Month, a very important observance for AAUW, which has been working since 1881 to empower women’s potential.

At our March meeting, on March 1, 2025, at 11:30 a.m., we’ll continue our traditional Champagne and Chocolate fundraiser for textbook scholarships for women in college or university.

Our March speaker is Betsy Gerhardt Pasley, and her topic will be Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. In case you have forgotten, that amendment begins: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”

Here is Ms. Pasley’s biographical sketch, in her own words:

I am a San Antonio native, Trinity University graduate, former sportswriter, and survivor of more than 30 years of corporate life, including the last two decades in the role of supporting employee communications for firms Clarke American and USAA.

I retired in 2011, and in addition to traveling and volunteering for the National Park Service, I became an amateur historian, first working on family ancestry, then on conducting oral history interviews for my 75-year-old church, and finally as a member of a small team compiling records and stories from the undocumented days of Trinity women’s sports.

The project morphed into a book that highlights Trinity since its founding in 1869 and until 2000, when the women’s sports landscape had become level with their male colleagues and – as one of my she-roes said, “we didn’t have to fight anymore."

As a writer who used to participate in sports, I am curious about history, and I relish engaging in conversations. It was a perfect project for me. From the Sidelines to the Headlines: The Legacy of Women’s Sports at Trinity University was published by Trinity University Press in spring of 2023.

Copies of Ms. Pasley’s book may be purchased at the meeting.

Our refreshments for this meeting, arranged by Patricia Tucker, will be a light, inexpensive brunch, expressly planned to be easy on the budget.* And, as always, you may bring your own snacks, instead of paying for refreshments.

The meeting will be held at Brook Hollow Library, a venue that is both convenient for many members and inexpensive to rent. Library contracts specify that we cannot charge admission to events in their meeting rooms, so we will ask for a small donation to cover the room fee.

*Also in recognition of Women’s History Month, we are encouraging our members to use money saved on this event to attend Can We Talk? Find the flyer in this newsletter. In the panel discussion this March there will be a presentation on the late Emma Gutzeit, who, as Assistant Director of the Witte Museum, advanced archaeological studies in Texas. She was also president of AAUW San Antonio when our organization stepped forward to guarantee funds to continue the experimental San Antonio College.

March Meeting Details

Date and time: March 1, 11:30 A.M.

Speaker: Betsy Gerhardt Pasley

Topic: Title IX and Equal Educational Opportunity for Women

Location: Brook Hollow Branch Library

530 Heimer Rd., San Antonio, TX 78232

Cost: $10 for brunch (optional)

Donation for room fee: $2 or $3, depending upon attendance

RSVP to Martha Steele, steelemar@gmail.com.

Pay for refreshments at the door with cash or check.

(Exact change requested.)

Or pay online using Zelle, to aauwsatx@gmail.com.  

We are receiving applications for textbook

scholarships and we need your support.

Chocolate and Champagne Fundraiser

$25 Chocolate

$50 Chocolate and Champagne

$100 Chocolate, Champagne, and Cut Crystal Champagne Glasses

(Donated by Patricia Tucker)

You may participate at the March 1 luncheon

or

by mailing your check

made payable to AAUW SA to:

AAUW San Antonio

P.O. Box 460825  

San Antonio, TX 78246-0825

or

 by Zelle payment: Click the bill pay tab in your bank account and select Zelle. 

Use the email aauwsatx@gmail.com to send money.

In the memo field identify the payment: Chocolate and Champagne.

Include Your Address For Delivery



OR

IF YOU DO NOT WANT THE ITEMS

INCLUDE THAT INFORMATION WITH YOUR CHECK

Painting With A Twist in February

Our February get-together at Painting With A Twist was a fun experience and turned up a few budding artists. With an artist to teach us, attendees learned how to create a sunset and it’s reflection on a body of water. Then, in the foreground, we proceeded to draw flowering trees, kissed by the fading light. Each task allowed for plenty of conversations between instructions. All along the way, the artist assisted us in achieving the desired effects, and then (in my case) just fixed our mistakes.

As we painted, we took breaks for wine and snacks. In my opinion, my painting was greatly improved by the wine.

Martha Steele

Program Vice President

Choices

“There is always a choice to do nothing or to do something,” a famous American historian said recently. I think these words can serve as a mantra to inspire us in difficult times.

The flurry of executive orders since the inauguration seek to blur the distinction between the legislative, judiciary, and executive branches of our government. The balance of power between them is a cornerstone of our democracy. An imbalance of power would erode freedom, individual rights, even society as we know it, and as the founders of the Constitution envisioned it. We can do something.

The 89^th Texas Legislative Session is underway. Vouchers are one of the seven priorities the governor has deemed as emergencies allowing representatives to begin voting on bills now instead of the usual timeframe in mid-March. And, he tied vouchers to teacher pay raises again. Teachers haven’t had a pay raise since 2019, and will not get one this year unless vouchers are made into law. Placing the Ten Commandments in schools is among Lt. Governor Dan Patrick’s first 25 priorities. So much for separation of school and state. We can do something.

Advocacy is a step we can take:

• write a letter(s) to the editor of a paper
• write letters to legislators
• write letters to committee members
• write a script for testifying in person or online
• visit legislators
• create bullet points and stick to them
• bring a one-page information sheet to give legislators on what you are interested in
• make in person visits, phone, email, or use social media to contact legislators

Tips for making strong arguments:

• state the reason you are writing
• tell why the issue matters to you; include a story if you can – 2-3 sentences
• tell why you’re qualified – for example the number of years you were a teacher, worked in a government agency
• provide a solution to what you propose
• make a request – what do you want the legislator to do
• make your first sentence a hook

Attend AAUW TX Legislative Day

• Monday, March 17, 2:00 - 6:00 pm
• 2:00 - 2:30 pm Meet with Kate Kuhlmann
• Divide into groups of 2-3. Each group includes one “experienced member"
• Appointments will be scheduled between 3:00 pm and 4:30 pm
• Meet at 5:00 after the meetings to compare notes and confirm what elected officials committed to do

Resources:

• Texas Freedom Network
• Every Texan
• Texas Tribune
• LWV website
• Texas Legislature Online

Far too many things are happening for us to be uninvolved. Remember the historian’s words, “There is always a choice between doing nothing and doing something.” Choose to support your beliefs and do something.

Pat Sanford

AAUW San Antonio Public Policy Chair

AAUW TX Public Policy Committee

The Two-Minute Activist

The Two-Minute Activist is a source of information on topics relating to women’s issues. It also enhances our ability to send emails and texts to legislators to fight for equal pay, family leave, stopping sexual harassment, equality in education and more. Sign up on the AAUW webpage to get regular alerts to be able to take timely action.

You can also text “AAUW” to 21333 to get AAUW action alerts via text. 

If you want to attend Can We Talk? with other AAUW members, please let Malinda Gaul know at mgaul@satx.rr.com, by February 14, 2025, so she can make a reservation and pay the cost for you.

You can then pay $30 to Malinda Gaul at the door.

The cost goes up after February 14, 2025.

Separation of Church and State in Texas:

Drawing the Line for Our Public Schools

The National Council of Jewish Women, San Antonio (NCJW) is partnering with Trinity University to present a symposium addressing the alarming attempts by Christian Nationalists to impose their agenda in Texas Public Schools.

The event will be held on Sunday, March 30, 2025 from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm at Trinity University and is free and open to the public.

The symposium will be moderated by Texas Public Radio’s, David Martin Davies. The distinguished panel includes State Representative James Talarico, Rachel Laser, President and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AU), and David Brockman, Ph.D., a noted scholar of religion and public policy.

The bible-infused Texas Bluebonnet Curriculum, created by the State of Texas for English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR) is just the latest step the legislature has taken to bring Christian Nationalist values into taxpayer-funded public schools. A 2023 law requires public schools to display donated “In God We Trust” posters. Another 2023 law allows unlicensed religious chaplains to offer mental health counseling at public schools. And Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick continues to push for legislation in 2025 that would require the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every public-school classroom.

American Association of University Women

San Antonio Branch

2024-2025 Programs

Theme for 2024-2025:

Celebrating our Differences As We Advocate for All Women

April 5, 2025 - Scholarship Luncheon

Master of Ceremonies: Jeanette Pierce, Scholarship Committee Chair.

Topic: Announcement of our scholarship winners and introduction of those winners who can attend.

Location: Restaurant TBA

Remember: The more money that is donated to the Champagne and Chocolate Fundraiser, the more textbook scholarships we can fund.

May 3, 2025

Speaker: Brian Thompson, Edward Jones Financial Management

Topic: Management of AAUW Endowments, which fund our graduate student scholarships.

Location: Restaurant TBA

AAUW Moviegoers (Let’s All Go to the Movies!)



Moviegoers! I would like to schedule our movie day the last Saturday or Sunday of each month. We have a wide range of movies to choose from that are from all genres.  I will be sending out an email with a list of movies for you to vote on, the week before our outing. You would pick 2 and email me dsochia@att.net with your choices. You will receive notification the next Friday of the movie, time, and place for our next Moviegoers outing. Hope to see you there!

Book Club

Deep discussion, a delightful diagram, and delicious food were abundant at book club on January 18^th. Hostess Debbi Sochia’s India-inspired food, English-inspired food, fruit, meat and cheese as well as India-inspired beverages were delicious. The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese, a novel spanning 70 years and three generations of a family, covered medical, social, and economic conditions that transpired in a slice of India from 1900 to 1970. Lyrical prose with layers of detail made this a compelling and memorable book. Pat Sanford led the discussion with participants who were lively and insightful. Debbi shared a diagram she made to help keep characters and the timeline straight. So cute and most helpful. Book club meets on the third Saturday of the month. Check the monthly newsletter for details.

Book discussion participants. Debbi Sochia and Rachel Skelley are not pictured. 

What Does AAUW National Do?

Policy Advocacy: Focuses on national issues affecting women and girls, such as education, equity, pay equity, and reproductive rights.

o   We coordinate our Public Policy Committees, participate in coalition work and partner with other prominent National organizations to raise awareness about our policy priorities (such as the YWCA for our Gen Z Town Hall in Philadelphia).

Subject Matter Expertise: We have historically produced in-depth studies on topics like the gender pay gap and women in leadership roles.

o   While we haven't produced reports recently due to limited funding - we have done high level analysis of pay gap data recently released. We are frequently asked to comment on topics related to pay equity, student loan debt and other issues related to gender equity. You can see our recently updated page on Latinas and the pay gap for example here: https://www.aauw.org/resources/article/latinas-and-the-pay-gap/

o   We have tens of thousands of social media followers across all platforms and have well over 1 million website viewers - ensuring that our brand remains prominent and relevant. CEO Gloria Blackwell has been invited to White House events on at least three occasions recently.

o   On a Global level - Gloria is AAUW's representative to the UN - and our work in this capacity provides great reputational value related to global gender equity work.

Salary Negotiation and Financial Literacy Training: Offers training and resources for women to develop skills to be financially empowered.

o   In particular our Work Smart, Start Smart and Money Smart trainings provide valuable resources and tools for women to become economically empowered. Nationally we work with organizations such as the HBCU Career Center, Tri Delta, Coca Cola Foundation, Finra Foundation, SAGE and others to bring these trainings to thousands of women across the country. These trainings were developed and are updated and managed by the National office. They have been independently evaluated by two separate entitles and continually receive very high ratings from participants.

Fellowships & Grants: We award and administer over $6 million in fellowships and grants each year to hundreds of women in the US and Internationally. 

o   We also connect our members and branches to these awardees and alumnae and have an Alumnae Relations team charged with growing and maintaining relationships with our thousands of distinguished Alumnae.

Membership Services: Provides support and resources for local branches and members, including access to national networks and events.

o   We host all aauw.net websites, process dues, support 990 filings, and maintain our history and globally recognized brand. Without AAUW National - AAUW branches would instead be independently organized entities who would not be networked with one another or have the ability to utilize the AAUW name. 

In essence, while AAUW National sets the strategic direction and focuses on broader issues, local branches implement programs and initiatives that directly benefit their local communities. Together, our aim is to work towards the common goal of advancing gender equity.

Follow AAUW San Antonio on:

Facebook www.facebook.com/aauw.sanantonio