As I approach the holiday season, even at my senior age, I do so with almost a childlike fashion, enjoying with great delight the yard decorations that others put up, the attempts that people make to bring joy into others’ lives by simple gestures at this time of year, and I look forward to my family’s traditions such as sewing on a jingle bell on our stocking each Christmas eve (mine is very heavy now!) and saying “Christmas gift” to each other first on Christmas day.

Time has taught me that the holiday season may also bring feelings associated with sadness, especially in cases where a member has faced loss this year. North Harris County lost a 50-year member-Kati Woodward on November 9. Other branches may have had a loss than is similar. So as you celebrate, please be aware that others may be facing the loss of a family member or close friend, loss of employment, or loss of health or independence and look for ways to be supportive and empathetic.

As 2023 draws to a close, we have much to celebrate, but we also have a lot to monitor for continued participation. The Texas House of Representatives has sent a clear message, over multiple special sessions, that they are not supportive of any type of voucher legislation. For the moment, state leadership is not calling another special session. So, we have won this battle. When the curtain rises on 2024, we will need to renew our attention to activity in the public policy arena that may negatively impact the success of women and girls. Our advocacy can and does indeed make a difference.

At this season of gratitude, we can be thankful that some propositions of interest and importance to AAUW goals PASSED. 

Of the fourteen Texas propositions, all but one that would have changed the mandatory retirement age for judges passed. Of particular note, Proposition 9 passed granting many retired teachers a long overdue cost of living increase to their pensions.

As 2023 comes to a close, your Public Policy team thanks you for being informed and involved advocates of women and girls and the many issues that affect our lives.

Continuing in the spirit of Thanksgiving am grateful for the opportunity to serve as your president. Through the Share grants we have offered state members the opportunity to learn together about ways to advance our mission by attending the Regional Conference in St. Louis. All of them returned with new ideas about ways to enhance what we are doing at the state and local level. In a separate article I have shared with you how appreciative the young ladies at A&M were of the funds we gave them to attend the NCCWSL conference in Maryland in June. Thank you for your generosity. It was money well spent. I feel as if it will help us grow for years to come.

Wishing you every happiness as you observe the particular end-of-year traditions that bring joy to you and your family.

Mary Smith

AAUW Texas President

SHARED EXPERIENCES AT NCCWSL

By Mary Smith

As many of you know, the A&M campus does not have a branch of women and therefore the young ladies attending A&M came to AAUW Texas and to NHC AAUW for funds to help pay for their way to NCCWSL, a conference in College Park, Maryland. Both groups agreed but had restrictions on the group of girls. AAUW Texas paid the registration direct and NHC AAUW required them to not only turn in the expense accounting, but to write a letter describing what they had learned at NCCWSL. These excerpts are from those letters. I think you will enjoy them and agree that it was money well spent. I’m not attaching their names to their specific responses.

I am writing to you today to first thank you so much for sponsoring me and Texas A&M AAUW to attend NCCWSL this year. Thank you, thank you! Second, I wanted to tell you about my experience at NCCWSL. I was able to attend multiple workshops that stuck with me. The first one that I went to talked about conquering self-doubt. This is something I struggle with a lot, and I learned so much from this workshop. The speaker was very interactive with the participants, and it felt like such a safe space to share and grow in. She had an activity where you would talk about different things with your table group, then out loud, and then she would share her experience. I met some amazing women in this workshop as well, that I am still connected with to this day! I share what I learned from this workshop with women in my personal life as well as women I know on campus and in the organization.

Another important workshop I attended was about financial literacy. There was a panel of women that worked in the financial sector and would answer questions the audience had. They would tell their personal stories about financial struggles and how they were able to become financially secure. This was very powerful for me to hear, as I come from a family of poverty, and I lack financial literacy. I have worked hard throughout the years to try to learn, grow, and do better than what I learned (more so did not learn) from my family.

This was the first conference I’ve ever attended, and it most definitely will not be my last. I loved that their main goal was to help us all succeed, which was evident with the amount of care and effort the speakers put into their sessions and creating connections. I began the conference with a session that discussed STEM women in graduate school. That truly opened my eyes to all the possibilities that are available for me. It also made me realize that I need to push through my schooling and get the advanced education I want to, not only for me, but for all the other women who aspire to be in my same future position. It showed me the importance of striving for the best and fulfilling it even when I feel discouraged with a hard workload. If these strong and powerful women can do it, I know I can too! During the medical career panel, there were various medical professionals that were able to provide me with beneficial information to help me reach my goals. They showed me options I wasn’t aware of were possible. Their advice and experiences were so helpful in solidifying my passion for the pathway I am currently on. I was even able to make a personal connection with the nurse practitioner speaker after the panel. She shared her amazing experience of beginning as a Certified Nurse Aide and how it was the perfect way for her to begin working in the healthcare field, as well as giving her so much great experience that helped her throughout school and her career. As a result, I’m proud to announce that I completed my CNA certification and am officially a Certified Nurse Aide. It has been such an amazing accomplishment and I’m so thankful I got to learn about the career from the NCCWSL conference. This is the first great step to my future in the medical field. Overall, I am very grateful for the experience I received from attending the NCCWSL conference. Not only did it push me to have greater independence, more involvement in AAUW, and stronger connections to the women around me, but it also showed me that what I dream of is possible. I learned so much and have newfound motivation towards completing my degree and continuing a further education. I want to become one of those women who had the opportunity to inspire me and many others. I hope I get the opportunity to attend the conference next year.

We can and have implemented these valuable lessons while back on campus by creating strategies that complement the SHINE framework. For example, we can set up designated spaces for relaxation and creativity, create routines that prioritize self-care, and encourage each other to pursue hobbies and passions outside of our academic commitments. Through our AAUW socials, we often are creating a space for girls to chat and craft (we recently have done candle painting and friendship bracelet making). Another way we help all our members is with study sessions to feel supported in their academic pursuits, and we have an upcoming meeting partnered with Patriot Paws- an organization that trains service dogs. This meeting will be a great way for members to de-stress by petting some sweet, well-mannered dogs.

Additionally, we can engage in discussions about our values and motivations, as inspired by Sarah Urech's session on "Do Power Differently: Aligning your Voice, Values, and Vision." Sarah provided a thought-provoking exploration of power dynamics and personal values. Reflecting on the historic struggles of women in Congress and early suffragettes, Sarah encouraged attendees to prioritize 'power with' rather than 'power over.' She highlighted the interplay between personal, relational, and structural facets of power, emphasizing the importance of empathy, integrity, authenticity, and respect for all life as guiding values.

By integrating these lessons from the NCCWSL conference, we can foster a more supportive, empowered, and balanced environment for women's leadership on our campus.

Legislative Report

by Pat Rehm

The 88^th Texas Legislature's Fourth Called Special Session began on November 7, 2023, and it can proceed for up to 30 days.  Governor Greg Abbott continued to prioritize “education freedom' in the form of education savings accounts for all Texas schoolchildren.  According to the Texas Tribune, Abbott threatened to politically target fellow Republicans who opposed it, when the legislators recently rejected his plan by striping a voucher provision from an education bill. On November 29 it was announced that Rep. Hugh Shine (R – Temple), his first targeted legislator, would be challenged by Hillary Hickland, an advocate for empowering parents and a strong supporter of school choice and education savings accounts. Public opposition to voucher programs continues, while support for teacher pay and school funding remain unaddressed by current bills.

HillCo Partners has reported an updated list of Texas House and Senate members retiring or seeking other offices based on media reports, and the filing deadline for candidates to be listed on the 2024 ballot is December 11, 2023:

HD006 - Matt Schaefer (R-Tyler), HD014 - John Raney (R-College Station), HD029 - Ed Thompson (R-Pearland), HD030 - Geanie Morrison (R-Victoria), HD034 - Abel Herrero (D-Robstown), HD053 - Andrew Murr (R-Junction), HD056 - Doc Anderson (R-Lorena), HD077 - Lina Ortega (D-El Paso), HD080 - Tracy King (D-Uvalde), HD087 - Four Price (R-Amarillo), HD097 - Craig Goldman (R-Fort Worth), running for CD12, HD109 - Carl Sherman (D-DeSoto), running for US Senate, HD115 - Julie Johnson (D-Farmers Branch), running for CD32, HD139 - Jarvis Johnson (D-Houston) , running for SD15, SD15 - John Whitmire (D-Houston), running for Mayor of Houston,  SD30 - Drew Springer (R-Muenster).

Regarding state health and human services news, a report in the Texas Tribune on November 22, 2023, states that there is finally “an oasis in sight” for organizations and nonprofits that have fought for decades to increase mental health access in the Texas Panhandle, including Potter County and the county seat of Amarillo: “This year, state lawmakers earmarked $2.26 billion to aid state hospitals and increase mental health care access. The funds approved include the construction of hospitals in Lubbock, the Permian Basin, and in Amarillo, worth $159 million. It’s an investment officials hope will boost the state’s offerings after consistently being for mental health care by advocacy organizations such as Mental Health America.”

Please contact Pat Rehm at rooster.rock11@gmail.com for more information. 

Funding Update for Year-End Giving

by Margie Poole

It is the season for giving, and AAUW hopes they are on your gift list! Besides supporting an organization that you believe in, there are practical benefits to your generosity as well.

You may save on taxes. If you are 73 or older as of January 1, 2024, and do not itemize, you may reduce your taxable income by making a Qualified Charitable Donation from your retirement fund to a qualified 501(c)(3) and even count it as part of your Required Minimum Distribution. To donate to National AAUW (contact planned-giving@aauw.org), be sure the donation is paid directly from the IRA to the charity and that the Fund number is specifically mentioned.

You get to choose what your dollars do. Here is a list of current funds which will allow you to pinpoint exactly where you want your gift to go and what you want it to do.

9110-AAUW Greatest Needs Fund

• Allows AAUW to quickly respond, in our communications and advocacy, to critical issues affecting women as they emerge — be it a new threat to Title IX, a partnership opportunity with employers, or the emergence of a social justice movement like #MeToo. Most importantly; when donations are not restricted to fellowships or specific projects, AAUW has the dollars on hand to pivot as the national dialogue shifts — and get our efforts covered by such major media outlets as the New York Times, CNN and Fortune.
• Other vital beneficiaries of the Greatest Needs Fund are our groundbreaking research and effective advocacy work to pass fair-pay laws and other key equity legislation.

4450-Education & Training Fund

• Addresses the barriers that prevent women from succeeding in school and pursuing the career paths of their choice. Two key focus points are championing equal access to education and ensuring that women can learn in environments free from harassment and discrimination.

4449-Economic Security Fund

• Promotes women's livelihoods through advocacy for fair-pay, legislation, researching the pay gap, training women to negotiate for the salaries they deserve, and advising employers on fostering fair cultures.

4452-Leadership Fund

• Works to support AAUW's efforts to bolster the number of women in top roles across all industries by addressing systematic biases and giving women the skills and resources they need to lead.

4451-Governance & Sustainability Fund

• Enables AAUW to function as effectively and efficiently as possible following the latest best practices for hiring and governance while incorporating state-of-the-art technology into our member database and other systems.

4229-Mooneen Lecce Giving Circle Special Projects Fund

• Honors the memory of longtime AAUW member, Mooneen Lecce who believed deeply in volunteerism and charitable giving. Should you join this trailblazing group of philanthropists, you will participate in selecting strategic, innovative gender equity projects where your gift will have the greatest impact.
• To join the Giving Circle, or to renew your support, simply commit to give $500 or more annually with the goal of increasing your contributions by 10 percent each year.
• If you would like to contribute a smaller amount to the Mooneen Lecce Giving Circle, you are welcome to do so without becoming a member.

2504-National Conference for College Women Student Leaders Scholarships

• Provides access for a broader and more diverse audience to be a part of the leadership training, inspiration and networking opportunities provided during this event. For The more donations received, the more students can attend the conference.

AAUW Legacy Circle

Using a different approach, your gifts — or bequests — are donations that you can designate in a will, estate, or trust.

There is no minimum gift requirement to join the Legacy Circle, and the benefits are many. For example:

• Planned gifts afford you flexibility to provide for your family and support AAUW.
• Certain planned gifts may reduce estate or capital gains taxes.
• Planned gifts need not affect your cash flow during your lifetime.
• Certain types of planned gifts allow you to support AAUW while also providing income for the rest of your life — or a fixed income for a loved one.
• The joy of knowing that your legacy gift will sustain AAUW’s programs for years to come is the ultimate benefit!

Some final steps to ensure your donation makes your holidays merry and bright - check with your tax advisor. Check with your IRA custodian for the right procedures and paperwork.

AAUW TEXAS MEMBERSHIP

Nominations are now open for Outstanding Member and

Outstanding New Member

The AAUW Texas virtual conference, Charting a Course Through the Challenge of Change, scheduled for April 6, 2024, will be here before you know it.  Branches are now able to nominate members for the Outstanding Member and Outstanding New Member awards, which will be announced at the conference.

Every branch has an exceptional member that dedicates herself to ensuring that branch activities are successful. She is generous with her time and willing to help out wherever necessary. A nomination by your branch for the AAUW Texas Outstanding Member award is a wonderful way to show appreciation and recognition for her hard work.

In addition, we will also be recognizing an AAUW Texas Outstanding New Member. This award is for a special member who has been with your branch for three years or less and has jumped right in to participate and make her mark.

Every Texas branch can make one nomination for each of these awards. Please submit a narrative of 1,000 words or less, describing the accomplishments of the nominee and why she qualifies to be named the AAUW Texas Outstanding Member or AAUW Texas Outstanding New Member.

Nominations should be submitted to Sara Wood, rwrolls@aol.com by February 15, 2024.

Sara Wood

AAUW Texas Membership VP

Save the Date for the April 2024 AAUW Texas Conference

It’s time to start planning to attend the virtual April 6, 2024 AAUW Texas Conference. The committee has selected the theme for the meeting: Charting a Course through the Challenge of Change. We are excited to announce our two speakers, both former AAUW Fellowship recipients: Dr. Elena Bottazzi from Baylor College of Medicine, and Dr. Malinee Neelamegam from the University of North Texas. 

Their keynotes will be separated by three “mini-sessions” on Networking and Advocacy; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; and Sustainability. We will also have our annual business meeting to announce the new state board, the funds report, and outstanding member announcements. It will be a very informative and motivational half day conference.

We need your help to identify leaders for the mini-sessions and a technical support person to help Zoom management. If your branch has a member who would be willing to participate, please contact Terry Whaley, VP Programs: whaleyterry@gmail.com.

Please plan to join AAUW Texas to participate in the conference. You will receive a Zoom link to join the meeting with no charge. The state board hopes all Texas members will join in this opportunity to be challenged to deal with the changes that will shape the future of AAUW. 

Regional Conference

A personal reflection on the importance of AAUW Texas making it possible for members to attend the Regional Conference in St. Louis, Missouri in October 2023.

On this Monday morning, I'm finding it hard to realize it's been only a week since we returned from St. Louis! I dropped immediately back into a busy campaign to pass a November 7 local school district bond referendum of $997,300,000 to rebuild six existing schools in dire need of attention. It is, however, a joy to share my experiences from the conference with you. 

Other than our AAUW Texas virtual convening in April of 2022, the Regional Conference in St. Louis was my first real experience with a gathering of AAUW members outside our local branch. And what a grand experience it was! The planning committee brilliantly chose a venue that afforded attendees the opportunity to be together during both structured and serendipitous parts of our day. Meeting friends for breakfast before the day's agenda started and gathering after meetings for happy hour and dinner allowed for interaction with conference speakers in a casual context to continue conversations that sprang from presentations [Getting to have a few minutes with AAUW CEO Gloria Blackwell was an unexpected joy!]. It also gave us the opportunity to widen our circle of friends to include members from different geographies still focused on the same mission and issues. And - and this was truly impactful - it saved attendees the time and money we would have otherwise needed to pour into efforts to go outside the hotel to find food! 

In reviewing my notes from the conference, I'm struck by the strong focus on DEI, which has been a focal point for us as a local branch as well. Topics addressed in St. Louis ran the gamut from a discussion about how Native American tribes were forced off their ancestral lands to a personal testimony about a mother's experience supporting her transgender son. N'Kenge Gonzalez from Michigan shared the acronym ABIDE: Access, Belonging, Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity. Another mentioned that diversity is being invited to the party, inclusion is being asked to dance, and equity is getting to help choose the music. All of these conversations provided great food for thought as we move back into our local environments with the ability to see things differently. Several from our branch just saw "Killers of the Flower Moon" together, and my experience was heightened by what I'd learned at the regional conference.

For me, the other major conference theme was advocacy. The HERstory presentation brought to life the efforts of historical activists Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Sojourner Truth, and Susan B. Anthony. Then AAUW Senior Public Policy Director Meghan Kissell reviewed the status of the ERA - ratified but languishing on the archivist's desk, waiting to be published; that conversation created a ready-made advocacy opportunity for all attendees to use in approaching their own congressmen/women about getting this across the finish line. Our local branch Public Policy Officer, Jerrilyn Woodard-Entrekin, and I had the great good fortune to wait for a flight home with Meghan, during which time we learned that AAUW national leadership is very much aware of Texas legislation and political landscape. 

I retired from a fulfilling career with United Way of Tarrant County last December, so I am especially grateful to AAUW Texas for making it possible for me to attend the Central States Regional Conference in St. Louis on a "tried and true" member SHARE grant. Listening to presidents from other local branches during the Counterpart Presidents' Session, along with the Key Issues Panel's advice to "get rid of some stuff" and "do something impactful" will help me do a better job in my final months as a local branch president and will help me work with incoming leadership as they plan their own governance strategies. The conversations at the conference as a whole will help me frame my ongoing perspective as a local branch member of 30+ years.

Many thanks for your kind support,

Dr. Faye Beaulieu

Texas Members with

AAUW CEO Gloria Blackwell

AAUW National Committee Chairs and Members

HERStory

Elected Officers  

Mary Smith

Terry Whaley

Sara Wood

Margie Poole

Margaret Carlson

Lucy Barrington

Elected District Representatives

Betsy Calabro

Cheryl Fuller

Cheri Butler

Standing Committees

Brenda Van Derbur

Pat Rehm

Appointed Positions

Shirley Selz

Margo Johnson

Chasity Crawford

Communications Team

Malinda Gaul

Janani Janakiraman

Jerrilyn Woodard-Entrekin

Contact at:https://aauw-tx.aauw.net/about/leadership/

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