Daily Archives: February 4, 2017

10th Annual Speech Trek Contest and February Branch Meeting Saturday, Feb. 18 by Liz Jordan

Southgate Library Community Room
6132 66th Avenue
9 a.m. to Noon

  • February Branch Meeting is open to the public
  • Members and public, please register here for free on Eventbrite

Please join the Speech Trek Committee of AAUW Sacramento in welcoming approximately 10 students from the Elk Grove Unified School District to compete at the annual Speech Trek Contest developed by AAUW California in 2006.

The Committee has given nine informational workshops in district high schools and is now receiving applications and rough drafts from aspiring contestants from all nine schools. We look forward to hearing what these young people think about the issues surrounding the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment, which dates back to 1923 and was most recently part of the political life of the United States during late from 1978 to 1982. It has been proposed in each new Congress since it missed passage by three states in 1982. This year, however, there is renewed energy for its passage, and these young students have been researching and writing about the possibilities of its passage.

  • First Place $500; Second Place $250; Third Place $100; 4th Place $50
  • All students are video-recorded
  • Our winning speech is submitted to AAUW CA Speech Trek for the Semi-finals, which is judged by a diverse panel that views the speeches on YouTube.
  • AAUW CA invites the top three speakers to deliver their speeches at the Annual meeting where 1st Place wins $1,500, 2nd Place wins $1,000, and 3rd Place takes home $500.

Speech Trek is a mission-based program that is part of our educational outreach efforts. For more information, please contact

President’s Message by Nancy McCabe

President Nancy McCabe

The Women’s March resonated with AAUW members and friends as evidenced by our participation. In spite of questionable weather and minimal organizing, at least 30 branch members say they participated on Jan. 21. Some marched with family and friends. Some marched with other organizations that are concerned with the status of women, including a Girl Scout troop, churches, and the Crocker Museum. Husbands, daughters and their families joined marchers. One of our 80-year-old members proudly came with her family. We were joined by several of our CSUS students and members of other branches, including a member of Modesto AAUW who came with a friend from a small mountain community.

I believe that we all came for our own reasons. Probably few are passionate about all of the concerns expressed, but all of the issues can affect women and girls — health care, reproductive rights, K-12 education, access to higher education, equal pay, gender rights, voter rights, immigrant’s rights, discrimination, climate change, environmental protection, among others.

The atmosphere was open and accepting like none I can remember. We talked to strangers. Hopefully this feeling of goodwill among concerned individuals will carry over to mobilizing for the results we hope to achieve. We need to pay attention to the articles from our public policy team and use the 2-Minute Activist to contact our representatives. Respond when we have training for lobbying our state legislature, and come out to lend your voices. Know who your state and national representatives are and be in touch. Reports say that 1 in 100 Americans marched and 1 in 45 in California did. Our branch was closer 1 in 8. To paraphrase Gloria Steinem, we put our bodies where our beliefs are! I wouldn’t have missed it.

Check out your neighborhood newspaper for Leigh Stevens’ article on the march. Three of us are quoted — it helps to know the author!

Check out this site for marches around the world.