Monthly Archives: October 2018

Midterm Election “Debriefing” and Tools for Civic Engagement by Cathy Locke and Deborah Dunn

Did the polls and pundits get it right?

Mindy Romero

Join us Thursday, Nov. 15, for a post-election presentation by Mindy Romero, founder and director of the California Civic Engagement Project.

Romero will discuss recent research, including the effects of vote-by-mail and voting centers on voter turnout, as well as how to ensure access to and accountability of ballots in California and nationwide. A question-and-answer period will follow the presentation.

We will meet at 7 p.m. in the Arcade Branch Library Community Room, 2443 Marconi Ave.

The non-partisan California Civic Engagement Project, affiliated with the USC Price School of Public Policy in Sacramento, conducts research aimed at promoting participation of youth ages 18 to 24 and historically underrepresented communities in the election process.

Romero, who earned her Ph.D. at UC Davis, formally launched the project in 2012 to provide research that could have an impact in the hands of those who seek to inform policymakers and elected officials, and for use by grassroots groups in promoting discussion of social and economic issues.

Romero and CCEP’s research is frequently featured in the media. She is a participant in The Sacramento Bee’s “The Influencer Series”

as well as interviews with Beth Ruyak on Capital Public Radio’s “Insight.” Her Tedx talk on “The Power of the Youth Vote” is available on YouTube.

The CCEP’s recent policy briefs include the impact of the Latino vote on the political landscape and how the public is using the Ballot Initiative Transparency Act. An election series covers California Latino and Asian voter registration rates, how future demographic shifts could affect the makeup of the electorate, and the use of online voter registration across the state by geography, race, age, income level and party affiliation.

In partnership with the Yolo County Assessor/Clerk-Recorder/ Registrar of Voters and Yolo County Office of Education, the CCEP developed a new high school class unit called “The Power of the Youth Vote” to help high school students understand how voting affects them and their communities.

The November program is free of charge. You may register here via Eventbrite. Click This Link to Register on Eventbrite

We ask only for your name, email and whether you are an AAUW member. Alternatively, you may register by emailing Dawn Boyd at darnone1@att.net.

Presidents’ Message by Donna Holmes and Liz Jordan

Donna Holmes

Our branch outdid itself in October by hosting or co-hosting three programs! The first was Oct. 6, our IBC leadership training, and Liz has written an article on that.

Then we did back-to-back programs on Saturday, Oct. 13. First was the propositions meeting with CHAR. Professor Mary-Beth Moylan and her students from the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law presented all 11 propositions to over 100 attendees. They made a booklet with a summary of each, plus summaries of the pro and con positions. This is one of the best programs I have ever attended. The propositions were grouped into three categories. A category was presented, and then all the presenters came up and questions were taken. This kept the meeting flowing well, and we did not forget our questions from Proposition 1 when we got to Proposition 10. Everyone left feeling like an informed voter, and we will be doing this in future elections.

As you may know, Sacramento is part of the trial for a new voting system in California. Want to know how it is working? Sign up for our November branch meeting on Thursday, Nov. 15.

On the evening of Oct. 13, for the fourth year in a row, we tabled and co-sponsored Take Back the Night. Nancy McCabe coordinated and set up the evening with our CSUS Branch. Some of the comments on our #StandUptoSexism board included: “If I don’t, then who will?”, “Everyone should be heard”, “cuz it makes me feel icky and I don’t like it”, “to be an example for those who follow” and many more.

As to this year’s theme, I have started the process to become a Start Smart Ambassador and Facilitator. After going to https://salary.aauw.org/Facilitate/ and watching a 15-minute video, I was able to register for the training webinar. Mine is Nov. 7. Let’s meet our goal of 12 trained members by 12/31/18. The training is free.

Message from Liz on IBC Leadership Training

Liz Jordan

On Saturday, Oct. 8, Angela Scarlett and I attended the Nonprofit Board Certificate workshop presented by Ann Davis East. The workshop was a result of Ann’s membership on this year’s Inter-Branch Council board and in lieu of the standard IBC leadership training. We took away the following from this very informative meeting:

We learned about State and Federal laws pertaining to nonprofits and the responsibilities of their board members.
Our entire branch was invited because we wanted to offer a very low cost ($20 per person) educational program to our membership. Members from other branches in the region were also in attendance.
This topic is the subject of AAUW’s new annual national study, “Broken Ladders: Barriers to Women’s Representation in Nonprofit Leadership” (2018).
In addition to laws, we fully discussed the best board characteristics of accountability, transparency, responsiveness, inclusiveness, and efficiency. Some of what we learned will be suggested to the committee to review and revise our Policies & Procedures.
The workshop concluded with a discussion about branch member participation and how to increase our members interest in the activities and goals of AAUW.
One aspect of participation we discussed was the need to account for volunteer hours and member dollar donations because big donors and corporations that offer grants often ask for a picture of a non-profit’s rate of member participation.

Board Briefs and Speech Trek Save the Date by Liz Jordan and Shari Beck

Here are the highlights of the October 1 AAUW Sacramento Branch Board meeting:

Tech Trek Director J. Reiken introduced Tech Trek Door Mom Ebony Benzing, who has joined the Tech Trek Committee and is working on recruiting girls from a new school to increase diversity among the applicants.
Program Co-Director D. Dunn gave a recap of the Showcase meeting and updated the board on plans for upcoming meetings, including the October Ballot Measure Forum and Take Back the Night rally and march, both on Oct. 13. The Nov. 15 branch meeting will be a post-election presentation by Mindy Romero, founder and director of the California Civic Engagement Project, who will talk about recent research about the effects of the new voting process on voter turnout and how citizens can ensure voting rights and accountability in California and nationwide.
Scholarship Co-Director A. Storey reported that the committee met and agreed to give four scholarships for the 2019-20 academic year, three unrestricted and one art scholarship funded by a branch member. A subcommittee has been set up to develop some written policies regarding memorial gifts.
Goehring introduced a proposal to have the branch act as the temporary fiscal agent for the ad hoc community group that is working to establish a county commission on the status of women. The proposal was not approved because of anticipated complications concerning the branch tax filings, but members suggested other possible options to take back to the group.

Speech Trek – Save the Date!

When: Feb. 16
Where: Cosumnes River College Room—Winn 150 Entrance on Bruceville Road
Topic: How can we—students, parents, faculty, our communities, and organizations—eliminate violence aimed at our schools? What actions can we take to prevent another tragedy from taking place?

Interest Groups & Book Group Updates by Cherril Peabody

Since most of you weren’t able to attend our Showcase meeting in September to sign up for an interest group, I thought I would review the groups that would be the most pleased to see a new member or two or maybe even three.

Healthy Heart meets in members’ homes on the first Sunday evening of the month for a healthy and delicious potluck meal. They have one opening in their group right now. Contact Jane Cooley for more information at 916-483-0302 or janecooley1@gmail.com.
Board Games meets the last Friday evening of the month to relax and have fun playing a variety of card and board games. Contact Anne Rhodes at 916-692-5075 or rhodesmicasa@yahoo.com.
Cultural History studies a few books each year that give insights about cultural innovations that have changed society. They meet the first Thursday of the month at 1 p.m. Contact Diane Preece at 916-696-8077 or dpreece@mcn.org.
Readers’ Theater meets the second Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. to read plays aloud. Here’s your chance to connect with your inner actress! Contact Diane Petersen at 916-685-5060 or ladypetersen@earthlink.net.
Scrabble Just for Fun meets on the last Monday afternoon of the month at 1 p.m. Players play two or three to a board and have a great time! Contact Vivian Counts at 916-483-8827 or viviancounts@yahoo.com.

Attention South Sacramento and Elk Grove readers: We have many members who live in South Sacramento and Elk Grove, including one who has suggested starting a new book group for those who live in that area and no longer relish driving across town for a group meeting. If you live in the area and would be interested in belonging to such a group, please contact Linda Cook, the Book Groups Coordinator, at 916-962-0653 or lindacook5833@comcast.net. Please also consider offering to chair the new group, since it won’t be approved by the Branch Board without a leader.

Please let me know if you have suggestions about potential or current interest groups or book groups. I can’t guarantee they will be implemented, but I will certainly listen. You can contact me at 916-973-0821 or capeabody@comacast.net.

October 2018 Art and Architecture Outing

Eleven AAUW members of the Art and Architecture Interest Group, along with two guests, spent a lovely autumn day visiting the Sacramento Zoo to discover 20 pieces of sculpture crafted by artists with a Sacramento area connection. In this photo, taken by guest Chuck Hines, are (from left): Anne Rhodes, Ruth Ann Hines, Vivian Counts, Hazar Bazargan, Karen Smith, Linda Whitney, Bernardette Nunes, Carol Finney with guest Morgan, Ellynrose Sheehan, May Ruth Lynch, and Jennifer Stanley. The group is standing in front of “The Snake in the Grass,” a mosaic cement sculpture created by Donna Billick, who is the co-founder of the Davis Art and Science Fusion program and has a studio in Davis.

The Fabulous Fifties by Anna Storey

Following World War II, both dynamism and growth characterized AAUW Sacramento. By 1950, the branch had grown to 1,047 members. As it grew, its agenda and activities expanded to reflect the concerns and needs both global and local of the post-war world. Donations of boxes of clothing and food for Europe continued as the post-war reconstruction effort continued. In addition, the branch was donating money to The Stanford Home for Girls, The Sacramento Boys’ Club, The County Hospital, The Children’s Orphanage, and to various projects focusing on mental hygiene and child and family welfare.

Committees and interest groups reflected both post-war concerns and the local and personal interests of the members. In addition to groups that still meet today were groups and committees interested in International Relations, The Red Cross and Civil Defense, The Volunteer Service Bureau, Muscular Dystrophy, Motion Pictures and Radio, Child Study, Arts and Crafts (one morning, one evening) Drama, Weaving, Creative Writing, Music Appreciation, Folk Dancing, Gardening—enough committees and groups to satisfy a robust and vibrant membership! By 1950, the 10 members of the Marionette Group (started in 1946-47 as a Drama Group project) had entertained thousands of children with numerous puppet shows.

Branch meeting topics reflected the decade’s issues of concern and often featured prominent figures as speakers. Topics such as “Living in the Atomic Age,” “Japan: Bulwark Against Asian Communism,” “The US Looks to the Americas,” “The Red Man in the White Man’s World,” “Whither Higher Education?,” and “Mental Health in a Confused World” suggest both breadth and depth of interest and featured prominent local speakers. Internationally renowned photographer Margaret Bourke-White addressed members at the Jan. 17, 1953, meeting on the topic “Behind the Lenses.” On Oct. 16, 1954, Frank Gibney, news analyst and former editor of Time magazine, was a guest speaker.

The AAUW Bulletin (now Capital Ideas) was mailed to members and contained the calendar of events for the month and articles about current activities. The Nov. 1, 1953, bulletin announced that two $150 scholarships had been awarded to graduates of Sacramento Junior College. One winner went on to San Jose State College and the other went to the University of California. On the back cover of the branch Directory was a full- page ad for Weinstock—Lubin & Co., the department store at K and 12^th streets. While the ad may seem to present a halcyon picture of the 1950s, clearly AAUW Sacramento also understood that serious problems continued to exist and strove to address them vigorously.

Public Policy Updates on SB 826 by Ashley Anglesey

Public Policy Director Ashley Anglesey

On Sept. 30, Governor Brown signed SB 826 into law, which requires all publicly held, domestic or foreign corporations with principal executive offices in California to have at least one female director on the board, commencing Dec. 31, 2019. It also requires boards containing more than four board members to increase the number of female directors on the board no later than the end of 2021. If the board has five directors, the corporation must have at least two female directors. If the board has six or more directors, the corporation must have at least three female directors on its board.

This bill intends to promote equitable and diverse gender representation on every corporate board. One-fourth of California’s publicly held corporations have no female directors on their boards. Additionally, California’s public corporations have fewer female directors than public corporations elsewhere in the United States. In California, only 15.5% of board seats are held by women, relative to 16.5% of board seats held by women in Russell 3000 companies, 19.8% of board seats held by women in Fortune 1000 firms, and 21.3% of S&P 500 boards.

This is the first law of its kind in the United States, though similar laws have been enacted in Europe. As California is the fifth largest economy in the world, this bill has the potential to set an example for the rest of the nation and the world. The National Association of Women Business Owners-California, which sponsored the bill, states that “women business owners are CEOs who bring a diversity of thought, represent the majority of consumer purchasing power, and understand supplier/vendor relationships. As directors, we would be role models for aspiring women leaders inside corporations.”