Advancing Gender Equity for Women and Girls

FEBRUARY 2024 NEWSLETTER

edited by Dottie Burk, Jeanne Lese, Cherie Sorokin and Ann Vercoutere

Let's Open Up AAUW

Between April 3 and May 15, 2024, AAUW members are being asked to vote on eliminating the college degree requirement for membership in AAUW. The sole requirement for joining AAUW would then become support for our purpose of advancing equity for women and girls. Neither our name nor our mission will change, just the degree barrier to joining us.

As noted on the AAUW website:

This change will align our membership practices with our purpose and enable us to include members with the diverse backgrounds and perspectives needed to achieve our purpose in today's world.
AAUW's commitment to higher education for women is not changing. Higher education remains one path to eliminating barriers holding women back and helps to enhance leadership skills.
In today's world, professional certifications, career technical training and life experience are additional, alternative paths to obtaining education and skills needed to become leaders and advocates for eliminating discrimination.
Eliminating the degree requirement for members will open more opportunities for us to address the needs of all women.

Please make sure your email is registered with AAUW National so you receive the email inviting you to vote electronically. If you have "unsubscribed" to emails from AAUW national, you won't receive an electronic link to vote. If you are in doubt about whether AAUW National has your email, you can log in to your record in the Membership section of the AAUW website to double check, or contact Chris O'Neill for assistance.

For more information on this proposed change, check out the AAUW website, and the website of Open Up AAUW.

AAUW CA News

Join AAUW CA members on Sunday, February 4th at 3:00 pm for this enlightening program on ZOOM about AAUW's first Black member, Mary Church Terrell. A co-founder of the NAACP, Ms. Terrell was able to join AAUW only after winning an anti-discrimination lawsuit. Dr. Alison Parker, author of Unceasing Militant: The Life of Mary Church Terrell, will discuss Terrell's work for women's suffrage and racial equality, as well as her activism making it possible for Black women to join AAUW. Advance Registration is required. Register using this link.

AAUW Marin News

Chat with Leslie

Good morning!

California Lobby Days Are Coming Up!

LOBBY DAYS 2024 WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2 AND 3. All AAUW California members are encouraged to participate in this act of advocacy that is essential for the achievement of our legislative priorities. Again, this year, it will be a hybrid event with team meetings with legislators scheduled virtually over Zoom, as well as a few in person meetings at the Capitol.

For more information and to register CLICK HERE. Deadline to register is February 15. Training materials on the bills will be posted on the state website in mid-March, and a mandatory training webinar will be held on March 25.

Participation in Lobby Days is a wonderful opportunity to meet with your legislators and advocate for legislation to promote gender equity and improve the lives of women and girls. Let our Public Policy Chair Nancy Major know, if you register.

Nominate a Named Gift Honoree

Every year the AAUW California Fund Committee honors AAUW California members who have done outstanding work in supporting the programs and goals of the AAUW Fund and/or AAUW California. For branches, in particular, a Named Gift is a special way to pay tribute to an individual, a group, or an organization giving extraordinary service to AAUW.

Do you know a member of the Marin Branch who deserves this honor? Send your nomination(s) (with details, please) to Chris O'Neill or Dottie Burk. As last year's honorees, they will serve as the selection committee. The deadline is February 29. Honorees will be announced at our May meeting.

For our branch, the Named Gift tradition dates back to 1955! To see a list of previous honorees CLICK HERE.

Meet Tech Trek Alumna Samantha Andow

"Tech Trek showed me that I belonged in advanced science and math classes and encouraged me to be proud of my nerdiness!"

Samantha attended Tech Trek camp in 2009, graduated from University High School in San Francisco, and then Harvey Mudd College with a degree in Computer Science, along with a summer internship at Microsoft. After graduation she worked for Facebook/Meta for 4 years, developing machine learning tools including PyTorch. Samantha is currently a Software Engineer at Jane Street Capital in NYC, where she works enhancing trading software.

Tech Trek Needs Volunteers

Tech Trek Alumnae Group (TTAG):

Volunteer to reach out to past campers/parents to update our alumnae contact list.
Be an adult advisor, mentor our newly organized TTAG student board.

Camp Franklin at Sonoma State University- June 24-28:

Be a Dorm Mom.
Monitor a core class, workshop or field trip.
Are you a STEM professional or know one? Share your experience, be a panelist.

Interested? Need more information? Just ask me, Angela Knuckles, TT Coordinator

Member Corner

Welcome New Members

Laurie Nardone

Laurie is a financial planner and mother of two adult sons (and one daughter-in-law). She is on the board of the League of Women Voters and Marin Shakespeare and an avid SF Giants fan. Even with this busy life she finds time to hike all over Marin. Previously, she hiked Kilimanjaro and the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. She has traveled to such exotic places as Sudan and Bhutan and is heading to Ireland in June. She might be our only member who has attended some 30 Bruce Springsteen concerts!

Dianne Garcia

Dianne attended the Senior Fair last September, stopped by our booth, liked what she heard and decided to join us. She is a retired corporate trainer and lives in Novato. She spent her junior year in Madrid and has been back about 20 times. She loves travel, as well as reading and walking. We'll hope she joins one of our many book groups.

Jennifer Northridge

Jennifer was introduced to AAUW Marin by Laura O'Malley. She is a retired civil servant. In retirement she loves to swim, travel and play Mah Jongg and pickleball. Maybe she'll start a pickleball interest group for us! Welcome Jennifer.

Interest Group News

Ready to join a new interest group?

All groups welcome new members. Just contact the group leader for information or to be added to the group email list. For a list of all Marin branch interest groups with leader contact information, click HERE . Note: Interest Groups are just for members of AAUW Marin, but guests who may be thinking of joining are welcome to visit an interest group twice before being asked join.

Meeting This Month

Art Tours

Tues., Feb. 20 at 10:30 am, de Young Museum. Carpooling encouraged. Fashioning SF: A Century of Style. Tickets are required; Free for Museum members. See www.famsf.org. Over one hundred fashions from the most famous couturiers to current avant-garde designers. This is an opportunity to look at fashion in art terms: creativity, composition and satisfying beauty.

Meet at Westamerica Bank at Strawberry Village at 9:30 to carpool. Lunch at the museum. RSVP to Julia Geist. Her phone number for that day only is 415 203 6457.

Hiking Group

Our next hike is planned for February 6, weather permitting. We plan to go to Carson Falls in Fairfax. The hike will be about 4 1/2 miles. Please contact Ann Vercoutere if you are interested in joining us.

LitWits Reading Group

In February LitWits will read and discuss The Siege of Krishnapur by English author J.G. Farrell. This is the second novel in his “Empire Trilogy” about the collapse of British colonial rule. Siege of Krishnapur concerns the siege of a fictional town under the control of the East India Company during the Indian rebellion of 1857. LitWits meets 3rd Wednesday at 10 AM, in person or on Zoom. New members always welcome. Info: Ann Thomas.

What Are You Reading?

What Are You Reading book group will meet on February 12 from 10-11 on Zoom. Members share what they are reading. You always come away with a list of great books to read! Contact Cherie Sorokin or 415 730-0204 if you wish to join the group.

Nonfiction Reading Group

The AAUW Marin Nonfiction Reading Group is meeting February 12 at 1:00 on Zoom to discuss A Wicked War: Polk, Clay, Lincoln, and the 1846 U.S. Invasion of Mexico.

Author: Amy S. Greenberg. If you would like to be on the group’s email list and join us, email either co-leader for the Zoom link: Phyllis Kuehn or Olivia Ruel . We always welcome new members! The AAUW Marin Nonfiction Reading Group meets the second Monday of the month at 1:00 on Zoom.

Behind the Headlines

The second Wednesday in February is Valentine's Day. So as not to interrupt any of cupid's activities, the meeting date for Behind the Headlines for this month only will change to a date and time yet to be determined. The topic will be the gender pay gap. Economist Jan Haverman is the planned the speaker. This will be a zoom meeting Contact Cherie Sorokin or 415 730-0204 if you are interested in attending or joining the group. Those on the email list will be notified of the date and time once it is settled.

Happy Hour Group

Our next Happy Hour is Thursday, February 1 at 4:30 pm at Floodwater Mill Valley in Tam Junction. Contact Dottie Burk if you would like to attend and/or be added to our email list.

Meet Me at the Movies!

The Movie Group will meet February 13. In January we saw Boys in the Boat, which everyone enjoyed and had a dinner discussion at the new Larkspur Landing Greek restaurant, Souvla. You will hear from Freddie Greene with the February movie selection when the time gets closer. Contact Freddie Greene or Mary Mossteller if you would like to be added to the group roster.

Handcraft Circle

Handcraft Circle will meet February 20 at Dianne Sheridan’s home in San Rafael. She will send out a notice to interest group members closer to the date. Please contact

Mary Mossteller if you are interested in learning more about or joining the craft group.

Play Mah Jongg?

Join us for our weekly games on Wednesdays in members' homes 1:30 to 3:30. If you are interested in joining or would like to get on the list, email the group leader Chris O'Neill. We play American Mah Jongg. You need the card to play and should have a basic knowledge of the game. Chris can also give you information on where to take lessons, if you'd like to learn to play. Come join us!

Members enjoy a tasty dinner and support a worthy cause at the January Homeward Bound Fresh Starts Chef Event. L to R: Leslie Murphy, Dianne Sheridan, Cherie Sorokin, Sue Torres, Freddie Greene, Dottie Burk, Susan Whittom. Not shown: Nancy Major. If you would like to join an AAUW Marin table at a future Chef Evente, contact Dianne Sheridan.

So Much to Do, So Little Time

Voter Info. "In a democracy, being a citizen is essential work" -- great quote by writer George Packer. This year's essential work is all about voting! The Marin League of Women Voters website has a lot of great info about the upcoming March 5 primary. In addition to general election info, the League also hosts candidate nights for local elections and recently held two for the Board of Supervisor races in District 2 and 4 in Marin. If you missed them, you can still watch the recordings via the link to be posted on the league website .

Save The Date

March 25: Mandatory Training Seminar for those wanting to participate in AAUW CA Lobby Days
April 2-3: AAUW Lobby Days in Sacramento and on Zoom.
April 3: Voting opens on the proposal to eliminate the degree requirement for membership in AAUW
April 13: Tea and Empathy--Branch meeting up at Homeward Bound
April 27: AAUW-CA Annual Event on Zoom

Know Someone Who'd Like to Join AAUW?

AAUW women make an impact on women and girls.

Word of mouth is the best way to recruit new members!

Why Join? AAUW offers multiple ways to stay engaged with our mission of advancing equity for women and girls, as well as to develop friendship with others who understand that the fight for equality is still critical! Excellent national webinars! Engaging monthly branch programs! A wide variety of interest group meetings! Energetic, intellectually curious friends! A mission that is more important than ever!

CONTACT Chris O'Neill for membership information.

FOLLOW AAUW Marin on FACEBOOK

DONATE TO AAUW

AAUW is a top-rated 501(c)(3) charity. Donations are tax deductible.

PLEASE NOTE IF YOU HIT THE UNSUBSCRIBE BUTTON BELOW YOU WILL NO LONGER RECEIVE AAUW MARIN NEWSLETTERS.