Monthly Archives: February 2024

Civil Rights and the Right to Fight for Them

Sacramento Branch of AAUW Presents

“The Rights Stuff” Episode Seven

Civil Rights and the Right to Fight for Them

Lights, Camera, Action!!

                 Saturday March 16, 2024 – 11a.m               

Please join us at the Roberts Family Development Center (RFDC) to learn how this organization fulfills its mission: To provide services to the Greater Sacramento area that meet the individual needs of each family member. The services provide a holistic approach, focusing on Pre K-12th-grade academic support and enrichment, parent education and engagement, and community involvement and advocacy.

RFDC has been lifting up and supporting families living in the predominately black area of Del Paso and North Sacramento for 23 years.  The center provides afterschool care as well as mentorship at multiple underserved schools. It also runs the largest Freedom School program in the Sacramento area during the summer.  RFDC connects community members to programs such as the Black Child Legacy Program, which provides practical resources such as diapers and mental health services, and opportunities for expression such as parent groups and poetry jams.  RFDC offers mentorship and work experience to young people from the community as part of their staffing model for programs.

Join us in a conversation with the women who run RFDC programs about how their programs are designed to support the women and families in Del Paso.

Here are the details:

  • Address: 766 Darina Ave., Sacramento, CA 95815
  • Register on Eventbrite <here> no later than Thursday, March 14
  • Organizer: Lisa Howard
  • Want to add some extra fellowship and adventure? Colo’s Southern Cafe is right across the parking lot from RFDC and opens at 1:00 if you would like to continue fellowship and get a bite to eat – think soul food and seafood. The address is 2326 Del Paso Blvd.

Here are some ideas for more ACTION:

  • Explore more about the center by logging on to robertsfdc.org.
  • Sign up for the newsletter by providing your email address on their website.
  • Check out “How the Other Half Eats” and/or “Something Inside So Strong Lyrics” and/or “The California Reparation Report” with your internet search engine.

President’s Message

President’s Message By Nancy McCabe

The Jan. 31 email from AAUW California Public Policy News outlined the basic tenets of the new School Board Project. This involves monitoring local school board meetings to determine whether they are adhering to the state’s 2016 framework in history and social sciences, which requires schools to strongly emphasize student inquiry and reflects on the contributions of many diverse groups.

“Effective school boards are equity driven, making intentional governance decisions that combat institutional discrimination and bias (both explicit and implicit) and eliminate disparities in educational outcomes based on socioeconomic status, gender orientation, disability or family background.” These are a lot of governmental words that spell out problems that you basically “know them when you see them.”

We are being asked to monitor school board meetings in our area for adherence to these policies, which in common parlance are banning books, and gender or racial discrimination. We share with CHAR seven school districts in our county — Elk Grove, Folsom-Cordova, Natomas, Robla, Sacramento City, San Juan and Twin Rivers. We need a member to pick a district where you have an interest — where you live or have a child or grandchild — and attend their meetings and report issues to our contact person Sue Miller, a member of the Roseville branch.

Anne Just, who has a lot of knowledge of school boards, has agreed to chair this project, but she needs a co-chair, as she is a traveler. If you are concerned about the direction that some groups are attempting to take public schools, please read the above referenced article and contact Anne with your interest. Be assured that California AAUW has assembled a toolkit for us to use — we aren’t reinventing the wheel! You can find the latest AAUW California Public Policy News <here>.

Thank you for your interest and involvement in the education of our children. Let’s give them an equal start in their educational journey.

Interest Group Happenings

Interest Group Happenings By Vicki  Nicholson

  • Art & Architecture:  Friday, March 1, 11 a.m.: tour of Crocker Art Museum; contact Deborah Dunn.
  • Great Decisions I:  Monday, March 18, 7 p.m. on Zoom; topic–U.S.-China Trade Rivalry; contact Cathy Locke.
  • Great Decisions II:  Thursday, March 14, 7 p.m. on Zoom; topic–Climate Technology; contact Lynn Wood.
  • Great Decisions III:  Monday, March 18, 1 p.m.; topic–Climate Technology; contact Margaret McCarthy.
  • Healthy Heart:  Friday, March 15, 11:30 a.m.;  Seasons 52 (Arden Fair Shopping Center), contact Jane Cooley.
  • Reader’s Theater:  Tuesday, March 12, 1 p.m., home of Mary Williams; contact Diane Petersen.
  • Scrabble:  Monday, March 25; 1 p.m.; Eskaton Village game room; contact Vivian Counts.
  • Singles Dining:  Sunday, March 3, 6 p.m.. Chaat Bistro, 8128 Delta Shores Circle, Sacramento.  Contact Nancy McCabe.

Book Groups Update

Book Groups Update By Sharon Anderson

Reminder there is a “books” page under “Activities” on our branch website (https://sacramento-ca.aauw.net/bookgroups/).  If you wish to see what others are reading, or get ideas for your book group or yourself, please find the books page and take a look.

Each book group has its own tab, by book group number.  (These book group numbers correlate with page 6 of the branch Membership Directory.)  On each list, the meeting days, times and coordinator are listed.  Feel free to call me if you have trouble locating it.

March Book Groups

Book Group 1:
Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley, on March 14; coordinator is Joy Clous

Book Group 2:
Untold Powers, by Rebecca Roberts, on March 5; coordinator is Carol Hayes

Book Group 3: 
Lost in Shangri-La, by Mitchell Zuckoff, on March 27; coordinator is Carolyn Meeker

Book Group 4: 
Five Days at Memorial, by Sherri Fink on March 13; coordinator is Pat Morehead

Book Group 6: 
The Family Roe: An American Story, by Joshua Praeger on March 18; coordinator is Susana Mullen

Book Group 8: 
Lost and Found Bookshop, by Susan Wiggs, on March 25; coordinator is Diana Squire

Book Group 10: 
The Gondola Maker: a Novel of 16th Century Venice, by Laura Morelli, on March 21; coordinator is Sandi Schoenman

Book Group 12: 
Lady Tan’s Circle of Women, by Lisa See, on March 7; coordinator is Linda Cook

Looking for Readers!

The Tahoe Park Book Group (Group 1) is looking for new members, whether they live in the Tahoe Park area or anywhere, meeting the 2nd Thursday at 1:30.  Contact coordinator Joy Clous for more information.

Living Our Mission of Equity By Charmen Goehring

We hope you will join us in a monthly equity conversation where we look at our own biases, seek actions we can take to attract diversity to our branch and become better people in the process. Each month, we read a section of our selected book then meet to discuss what we have learned, along with exploring other issues related to race and equity. We meet the first Wednesday of each month from 7 to 8 p.m. on Zoom.

The Zoom meeting code is 737 420 3780 or you can join using this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7374203780  We will discuss our current book, Just Action: How to Challenge Segregation Enacted Under The Color Of Law by Richard and Leah Rothstein, on March 6th at 7 p.m. We will discuss Part Four (page 169 to the end). If you have questions and to RSVP, please email Charmen at charminme@yahoo.com.

Our next book, starting in April, is The Four Pivots: Reimaging Justice, Reimaging Ourselves, by Shawn Ginwright, PhD.

Speech Trek and Tech Trek News

17th Annual Speech Trek Contest Celebrates Its Winner By Ann Arneill

On Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, the Speech Trek Committee held its Speech Trek contest via Zoom, with great success.  An audience listened to three high school students from three Elk Grove Unified School District high schools speak on the topic: If an educated population is essential to a nation’s prosperity, then how can we ensure a robust public school curriculum that is accessible to all and teaches historically accurate information?  In these times when states and school boards are censoring the content of school curriculum, this topic is very timely.

First-place winner was Alyssa Wong, from Laguna Creek High School, receiving $500.  Second-place winner, Nandi Moyo from Cosumnes High School, received $300.  The third-place winner was Maryluz Sandig from Laguna Creek High School, who received $100.

The Sacramento Branch’s winning speaker is entered in the AAUW CA Speech Trek Semi-finals.   If Alyssa Wong makes it to into the top three, she will be invited to compete in the finals for $1,500.  She will also present her speech at the May branch meeting.

Virginia Kidd, Ph.D., communications professor emeritus at CSUS, and our very own members Liz Jordan and Linda Patterson judged the event.  AAUW member Kathleen Deaver served as timekeeper for the contest.  Thanks to branch member Karen Burley for technical assistance.

The Speech Trek Committee would like to expand its membership.  Working on Speech Trek is very gratifying.  You are helping high school students develop a skill that is no longer taught in public high schools. Public speaking will help them in their future schooling and their careers. Committee members can choose from a variety of tasks with varying degrees of responsibility.  Please consider volunteering for this committee.  Contact Shari Beck at gsbeck@surewest.net or Ann Arneill at ann_arneill@comcast.net.

TECH TREK has TREKERS! By Marlys Huez

The Tech Trek Committee is making great progress in preparing to send campers from our branch to the July 14-20 Tech Trek Camp at UC Davis.

Thanks to the diligent work of our wonderful Tech Trek committee recruiters, Gloria Yost and Kathleen Deaver, the applications for the July UC Davis camp are starting to arrive.  Gloria and Kathleen have done a great job with contacting principals/counselors and teachers, and working with parents to produce completed applications for another quality class of young women with interests in STEM fields.

We are becoming expert with the application and tracking software, CampDoc.  Chair Marlys Huez has proactively worked with the state and camp coordinators to keep our process and data responsibilities moving forward. Also, Lori Franz and Mary Miller co-chairs from last year, have happily rejoined the Tech Trek Committee along with Monique Stovall and Joyce Humphrey.  We are excited to be able to meet the applicants soon.

For those members who would like some limited, but very fun, interaction with the camps and campers, we have been asked to recruit volunteers, including a dorm mom, to help out during the Davis camp week.  Volunteers for a day are also welcome!  Please consider!

Membership Happenings and International Women’s Day

Membership Happenings By Gloria Yost and Vicky Lovell

Strengthening our AAUW Sacramento connections and friendships

We’re still waiting for spring to fully burst forth in Sacramento, but at least we have some new members waiting with us!  Invite them to our spring meetings.

Meet our New AAUW Sacramento Members!

We now have 20 new members who have joined this year so far.  If you meet them at an event or a book group or interest group, let them know what you enjoy and appreciate most about our branch — after telling them how glad you are they joined.  Our two newest members are:

  • Zarah Bronstein
  • Rebecca Stone

Welcome all to AAUW Sacramento!

New members were invited to an orientation meeting on Jan. 27, 2024.  They were able to meet members of AAUW Sacramento’s board, the membership team and other active members. If you would like to be part of these special meetings to introduce new members to all our activities and learn what they’re interested in, please let Gloria and Vicky know.

International Women’s Day Event – March 9th

On March 9th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  there will be a women’s festival as Sacramento City College, 3835 Freeport Blvd, Sacramento. Together we will celebrate International Women’s Day and support the wonderful women and girls in our midst with music, art, resources and inspiration.

 

  • Education
  • Health
  • Employment
  • County Services
  • Entertainment – multicultural
  • Financial Literacy
  • Housing
  • Kids Activities and More

Click <here> for the flyer. Contact Charmen Goehring if interested in volunteering.

Celebrating March Birthdays! 

Happy Birthday to All!

  • PJ Missman                                     3/1
  • Patricia Morgan                             3/5
  • Sharon Norris                                3/6
  • Marjorie Patzer                              3/6
  • Julia Maclay                                    3/8
  • Vicky Lovell                                     3/9
  • Andrea Woelfle                              3/11
  • Alice Bauer                                     3/14
  • Mary Lou Lentz                              3/17
  • Carolyn Meeker                             3/17
  • Tracy Ramondini                           3/17
  • Janice Chung                                  3/19
  • Cecilia Delury                                 3/25
  • Elizabeth Jordan                            3/28

AAUW PRIORITIES

AAUW PRIORITIES By Kathy Papst

As Director of Priorities, I have a responsibility to make sure that our branch members really understand the mission for AAUW. Unfortunately, we have not been able to find more members to volunteer for the committees under the umbrella of PRIORITIES. I hope that some of you will take the opportunity to investigate why we are still here after 100-plus years. We can be a force for change for women and girls in California, and even the nation.

The website for AAUW California has a tremendous amount of information regarding the 2023- 25 gender equity through advocacy platform. There are four areas of interest that are priorities for change.

  • Social and Racial Justice for All Members of Society
  • Equal Access to Quality Public Education for All Students
  • Increased Representation of Women in Leadership Roles
  • Economic Security for All Women

These and other issues are on an informational card available on the website by emailing office@aauw.ca.org or you can download them <here> and print them on your home printer.

Legislation supported by AAUW is divided into four levels:

  • A LEVEL Priority
  • B LEVEL
  • C LEVEL
  • WATCH BILLS

In 2023, 19 out of 22 supported bills made it to the Governor’s desk and were SIGNED, which is an 86.3% success rate.

There are so many opportunities to become involved without going to a lot of meetings or becoming a chairperson. I want to encourage our members to keep abreast of what is going on in the branch and in California. If you have any questions about legislation or the mission, please do not hesitate to call or email. If you want to get involved, but are worried about the time involved or what you would need to do, think about pairing up with someone else and taking turns to report to the members. Please get involved, especially in this election year. Thank you.

April Program – Authors Luncheon

April Program by Hedda Smithson

Sacramento Branch of AAUW Presents
“The Rights Stuff” Episode Eight
Banned Books and the Right to Read Anything!
Lights, Camera, Action!!
Coming Attraction!  Save the date!  Saturday, April 20, 2024 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Reservations due April 12th!
North Ridge Country Club, 7600 Madison Ave, Fair Oaks

Plans for the fabulous April joint luncheon with the Citrus Heights American River Branch of AAUW, fondly known as CHAR, are coming along. We are looking at some fun quizzes and mixers along with a panel discussion featuring some of our favorite local experts.

We have invited Brenna Bellavance from Underground Books on 35th Street, as well as Justin Azeveda and Christy Aguirre, who work for the Sacramento Public Library. There will be a chance to listen to each one, and then we will ask for your questions and comments.

Our meal is being provided by the talented chefs at North Ridge Country Club and promises to be delicious!!  Menu options: Thai Chicken Salad, Chicken Piccata with oven-roasted sweet potatoes and grilled vegetables, or angel hair pasta primavera with marinara sauce and grilled vegetables. Dessert will be limoncello cake with whipped cream or a fruit cup. Estimated cost: $35. Stay tuned for more information on how to register via eblasts and the next issue of Capital Ideas.

Meanwhile – think about your own reading journey. Do you remember the first time you realized there were stories in those funny looking symbols on the pages of books? And how about the day when you discovered the adult section of your local library. Who helped you choose what to read? Did you read a banned book on purpose?

Enjoy whatever you are reading now – and see you at North Ridge in April.

Did You Know?

Sacramento Branch Interns!! By Liz Jordan and Gloria Yost

In December of 2023, the Board approved a pilot program of Internship with Professor Alina Rincon at CSUS.  In January, we looked over applications and two young women were hired to work along with Professor Rincon to reestablish an affiliate branch on the CSUS campus.

This month we want to introduce you to one of the interns, Renee Walters, who plans to complete a BA degree in Sociology at the end of this Spring Semester 2024.  Renee added a Minor emphasis on Non-Profit Management and Hospitality and Tourism.  Renee is from the inland Empire Region of California and is hoping to secure employment post-graduation in a position using her skills in event planning, volunteer management, philanthropy and/or non-profit.  Sounds like she fits right into AAUW and our goal to bring back our mission to empower women and girls to Cal State Sacramento!

From the IBC Fund Luncheon

Last month we highlighted one of our speakers, Krystal Lau. Here are photos, courtesy of Donna Holmes, of our other speakers: Joyce Weaver, Stephanie DeGraff-Hunt, and Tracy Ramondini. And, of course, our members listening to these wonderful speakers!

Sunshine Chair

Pat Winkle is our Sunshine Chair and needs to hear from you if you know members who might appreciate a get well, sympathy or “thinking of you” card. As she doesn’t know everyone, she needs your help in remembering our friends. Her contact information is in the directory.

Printable Newsletter Articles

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