Category Archives: AAUW Mission

Campaign to Publish the Equal Rights Amendment

Campaign to Publish the Equal Rights Amendment By Liz Jordan

Our sister branch Nevada County AAUW has launched a grass roots campaign to get the Equal Rights Amendment published in the Constitution before the new Presidential Administration takes office on Jan. 20, 2025.

Additionally, if you want to encourage President Biden to ask the Archivist to publish the 28th Amendment, the White House phone numbers are:
1 (202) 456-1111
1 (202) 456-1414 Alternate Phone

Write out your script before calling, keeping your message direct and to the point. The Senate Joint Resolution 4 removes the deadline for ratification of the ERA.  State your request and a few words about why you make this request.  To send a message to the President, you may try the following online method:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/share/

Once we have a published constitutional amendment, the Supreme Court is obligated to consider gender as a protected class: statistically, positive outcomes to gender discrimination lawsuits increase significantly. Examples of potential positive outcomes are increased pay equity, greater access to leadership positions, reduced gender-based harassment and improved access to healthcare.

Sample Script:  Please pass Senate Joint Resolution 4 to remove the deadline for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment.  No other amendment has had such a deadline, and we have waited for 52 years for this 28th Amendment.  We need gender protection spelled out in the Constitution.

Book Groups Update

Book Groups Update By Sharon Anderson

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

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.

December Book Groups

Book Group 1:
No meeting in December; coordinator is Joy Clous

Book Group 3: 
No meeting in December; coordinator is Carolyn Meeker

Book Group 4: 
Lessons in Chemistry, by Bonnie Garmus, on Dec. 11; coordinator is Pat Morehead

Book Group 6:
Bad Mexicans: Race, Empire, and Revolution in the Borderlands, by Kelly Lytle Hernandez, on Dec. 16; coordinator is Susana Mullen

Book Group 8:
No meeting in December; coordinator is Diana Squire

Book Group 10: 
Holiday party on Dec. 19; coordinator is Sandi Schoenman

Book Group 12: 
Holiday party on Dec. 5; coordinator is Linda Cook

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 PM 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, Subversive Southerner: Anne Braden and the Struggle for Racial Justice in the Cold War South, on Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. We will discuss the Intro through chapter 4. If you have questions and to RSVP, please email Charmen at charminme@yahoo.com.

November Program-Celebrate 50th Anniversary of Title IX

AAUW Sacramento  Branch Presents

“The Rights Stuff”

Lights, Camera, Action!

The Right to Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Title IX

Saturday, November 16, 10:30 AM to 1:00 PM
Eskaton Village, 3939 Walnut Avenue, Carmichael
South Auditorium

This year we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of Title IX, which was enacted into law by Richard M. Nixon on June 23, 1972. Title IX changed the Federal Education Amendments to “prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”

Join us as we continue our mission of equity for women and girls by learning the history of Title IX in U.S. schools. What started this legislation? How has it changed? What protections have been expanded? What outside forces threaten its future?

Tickets are available only on Eventbrite until Wednesday, Nov. 13. Please click <here> for tickets.

Our program guest speaker is Aileen Rizo, associate director of the AIMS Center for Math and Science, a graduate math/science education professor and is currently pursuing a PhD in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education.

In 2012 Aileen began a fight for pay equity and became an advocate for the economic security of women in our state and throughout the country, working with legislators to pass some of the strongest pay equity bills in the nation.

This program should be very informative. We encourage you to invite friends to accompany you. The Membership Committee will have AAUW membership applications available for interested attendees. Seats may be limited, so please act soon. Refreshments will be provided. Wear your name tag if you have one.

President’s Message

President’s Message By Nancy McCabe

We are deeply saddened by the news of Lilly Ledbetter’s passing on Oct. 12th at the age of 86. Lilly was a courageous champion for wage equality, whose fight for fair pay transformed workplaces across the nation.

As the driving force behind the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, she opened doors for countless women and workers to seek justice for wage discrimination. Her grace, grit, and unwavering dedication to wage equity will continue to inspire us all.

Our thoughts are with her family and all who knew and loved her.

Rest in power, Lilly. Few women embody the AAUW Mission better than Lilly Ledbetter.
[Courtesy of AnitaB.org]

AAUW Priorities

AAUW Priorities By Kathy Papst

First, I want to thank Karen Burley for stepping up to be the chairperson of Funds. This is
especially great with all the other jobs she oversees in our branch. Thank you for your selfless
commitment to our branch mission.

There is so much happening with the state organization to further our goals for equity for women in many ways. It is easy to think that we have made so much progress that we can all rest and think that the mission has been accomplished. That is not the case, and we need to continue to work toward moving forward and to keep outside forces from trying to erase all of the work that AAUW has fought hard to enact.

Some interesting news from the state website: If you wish to find out what is new, take a few
minutes to read what is happening in Public Policy, Equal Rights, Title IX, Pay Equity, and
Discrimination issues. The Sept. Public Policy newsletter can be found <here>.

In 2024, even though the federal government has laws in effect regarding pay equity, women still make 84 cents for every dollar that men make. The state website has a 2024 voter issue guide available to download.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed into law AB 1078, which prevents school districts from banning
books and censoring curriculum.

The Nobel Prize in Economics has been awarded to 77-year-old Claudia Goldin without men as
collaborators. Claudia is a professor of economics at Harvard University.

We have some very exciting programs coming up this year, and I strongly encourage all branch
members to consider attending these mission-based programs. Remember that we can make great friends and get together for book discussion groups, dining groups, Art & Architecture, etc. because of our involvement with AAUW.

The Oct. 19 program will feature a discussion of ballot measures in the 2024 election. This will
be led by law students from McGeorge Law School.

On Nov. 16, I will host a meeting regarding the 50th anniversary of the passage of Title IX into law. I am working on having a speaker(s) talk about pay-equity cases that went to the higher courts for deliberation in California. I am crossing my fingers to schedule a very prominent
speaker on this issue. Please put these dates on your calendar.

Once again, if you would like to help work on any part of Priorities, please contact me and we can find some way to contribute to this important cause.

Happy Autumn,
Kathy

From the CA AAUW President:

This is a reminder of the critical impact school board races have on our communities.

Though they may seem small, school boards make vital decisions about what students learn, how resources are allocated, and the policies affecting the health, safety, and equity of our schools. They also influence essential issues like sex education, mental health services, and inclusion, while managing key decisions about land use and school closures that directly affect neighborhoods.

With the upcoming election, it’s important that we all participate. These elections determine the quality of education and fairness in our communities, and often serve as stepping stones for future political leaders. Please be sure to research your local school district, review your sample ballot, and learn about the candidates.

In some parts of California, school boards may challenge the state’s pro-choice and health equity values, which makes your vote even more urgent.

Your involvement ensures that all students receive the education and resources they deserve in a supportive and inclusive environment. Voting in these elections helps shape not just our schools, but the future of leadership in our communities.

Your vote matters!

 ***
This message was sent to you from the Capital Women’s Campaign (CWC).  Chaired by former Sacramento Mayor Heather Fargo, CWC is an alliance of pro-choice activists from the greater Sacramento region determined to flex our collective power. If you have information to share, especially regarding bringing more pro-choice women into the political process, please send to info@capitalwomenscampaign.com  Note that if you prefer not to receive information/calls to action from CWC, simply reply to this email with a request to be removed from our mailing list. 

 

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.

May Book Groups

Book Group 1:
Master Slave Husband Wife, by Illyon Woo, on May 9; coordinator is Joy Clous

Book Group 2:
Brave Companions, by Ash Davidson, on May 7; coordinator is Carol Hayes

Book Group 3: 
Lila, by Marilynne Robinson, on May 22; coordinator is Carolyn Meeker

Book Group 4: 
Astor, the Rise and Fall of an American Fortune, by Anderson Cooper, on May 8; coordinator is Pat Morehead

Book Group 6: 
We Could Have Been Friends, My Father and I, by Raja Shehadeh, on May 20; coordinator is Susana Mullen

Book Group 8: 
The Personal Librarian, by Marie Benedict, Victoria Murray, on May 27; coordinator is Diana Squire

Book Group 10: 
Dinners with Ruth: a Memoir of the Power of Friendship, by Nina Totenberg, on May 16; coordinator is Sandi Schoenman

Book Group 12: 
Killers of the Flower Moon, by David Grann, on May 2; 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, The Four Pivots: Reimaging Justice, Reimaging Ourselves, by Shawn Ginwright, PhD., on May 1st at 7 p.m. We will discuss Pivot 2 (pages91-150). If you have questions and to RSVP, please email Charmen at charminme@yahoo.com.

AAUW Priorities-Armchair Activism

ARMCHAIR ACTIVISM By Kathy Papst

There are ways to be active with AAUW even if you don’t have a lot of time to be involved or are not on the Board of Directors. The last event of the year will be the May meeting where we will vote for the next Board for 2024/2025. There is a break after that for the summer, but I encourage our members to keep our mission in your mind over the summer months. Both the national and state websites have ways to keep abreast of what is happening with legislation and continued efforts with equity for women and girls. This is an ongoing effort because those who oppose our efforts to achieve equity do not take a break from their efforts to thwart equity for 50 % of the population.

Both the national and state websites have ways to support legislation that AAUW supports without spending a lot of time. I am a member of the “Two Minute Activist” where you can support efforts to pass laws that AAUW is actively involved with. One would think that this doesn’t have much clout, but having thousands of members who make their voice heard really makes our Congress and Senate members take notice.

It only takes “two minutes” to look at the legislation that helps assist change for future generations while sitting at home. All you need to do is go to AAUW.ORG and click on Two Minute Activist and sign your name in support for upcoming laws that may change the future for all women. There is a message that you can sign or you can add your own additional message to tell why you feel that this legislation is so important. Even if you do not do this, please keep reading and listening to news outlets that keep you informed with the latest news on women’s issues for our children and grandchildren’s future.

***From the AAUW California Public Policy Committee:
Please click <here> for the April issue of Public Policy News. This issue contains the article “AAUW California Public Policy Committee Sets 2024 Legislative Agenda” for inclusion in your branch newsletters.

 

April Program: Author’s Luncheon on Book Bans

April: Author’s Luncheon on Book Bans By Hedda Smithson

Saturday, April 20, 2024, 11:00 AM
North Ridge Country Club, 7600 Madison Ave., Fair Oaks

ACTION CHECK LIST:

Before April 9-

  • Make your choices on the reservation form below and mail it to arrive no later than April 12.
  • Write a personal check payable to AAUW Sacramento for $32.
  • Gather friends to come with you. AAUW Sacramento Zip Code listings begin on page 31 of our Membership Directory.
  • Think of questions for our panelists.

On April 20-

  • Listen to our panelists: Justin Azevedo, youth materials selector for the Sacramento Public Library, and Brenna Bellavance from Underground Books.
  • Participate in the quizzes and questions.
  • Browse and buy books from Underground Books.
  • Enjoy the lovely North Ridge Country Club and all it offers.

After April 20 on your own or with others-

  • Start a Banned Book Club.
  • Suggest a banned book for your book group.
  • Read a new-to-you banned book.
  • Check out the Book Den for titles.

After April 20 with your favorite device explore these options-

  • Saclibrary.org has :”Let’s Talk About Banned Books”, a panel discussion,
  • Red, Wine and Blue, redwine,blue for podcasts and news.
  • Everylibraryinstitute
  • Americanlibaryassociation

__  __  __  __  __  __  __  __  __  __  __  __  __  __  __  __  __  __  __  __  __  __

AAUW Sacramento Branch Author’s Luncheon

Name                                              ______________________________
 (Print, Last, First)

Your email address here:                                                                           

YES! I plan to attend the Author’s Luncheon on April 20 at 11 AM. My reservation must be received no later than April 12.

Meal Choices (circle one in each category):

Main:          Thai Chicken Salad     or  Chicken Piccata     or   Pasta Primavera

Dessert:     Limoncello Cake     or    Fruit Cup

Make your selections. Mail this form and payment of $32 to AAUW Sacramento c/o            Margaret Steinberg, Reservations Coordinator. Margaret’s address can be found in the Membership Directory.

Note: Payment at the door will not be accepted.

Highlights of March Program:

Sacramento Branch of AAUW Presents: The Rights Stuff

Civil Rights and the Right to Fight for Them By Hedda Smithson

Lisa Howard organized and facilitated our March meeting. Great job! We met at the lovely Roberts Family Development Center (RFDC) where we were more than 30 strong. Jessica Waugh led members and guests in exploring the meaning of  Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Cherril Peabody reviewed the requirements and benefits of our scholarship program to staff members of RFDC; Charmen Goehring pointed out opportunities for high school juniors and seniors to take part in Gov Trek, a new AAUW-CA program; Gloria Yost deciphered the meaning and possible impact of NCCWSL. Each is supported by AAUW Sacramento and can offer opportunities to clients and participants of the RFDC.

The amazing Tina Roberts told stories of her journey, along with her husband Derrell, in founding and creating this special family-focused nonprofit organization. We listened to Jaqueline Kendricks and Bryant Wyatt, who passionately shared their vision of two main programs offered by RFDC. Monique Stovall took us deep into the benefits and power of the summer Freedom School from her perspective as a school administrator.

Our hard working and very organized Kathy Papst arranged for light refreshments. Thank you and your team for the amazing snacks.

Lights, Camera, Action is the program theme for 2023-24. Here are some suggested actions for each of us to take:
– Dine at Colo’s Southern Café, 2326 Del Paso Blvd or King Cong Brewing Co, 1709 Del Paso Blvd
– Log onto www.robertsfdc.org  and search for

  • How the Other Half Eats
  • Lyrics for Something Inside So Strong
  • The California Reparation Report
  • AAUW history, a webinar available at aauw.org
  • Saclibrary.org offers opportunities to tutor others in Adult Literacy

President’s Message

President’s Message By Nancy McCabe

Welcome Spring! A couple of activities to note this past March:

AAUW Sacramento Branch was well represented at Sacramento County’s Inaugural Women and Girls Festival on March 9. This was the first time in Sacramento that so many people have gathered to celebrate women and girls at a festival organized by women, with women, for women. Mahnaz Khazari, Jan Stuter, Terry Chekon and I hosted an AAUW table at Sac City College. It was also a learning experience that we need a more dynamic presentation to engage passersby, with interesting handouts and perhaps a spinning wheel with prizes.

You can see highlights of the event in these <photos>.

On March 16, the AAUW California Gov Trek Committee hosted the 2024 Gov Trek Finale! Here are the results:

The student campaign team that won the highly contested 2024 Gov Trek mock election competition: Team Vote Eliana. This team includes four high school girls from San Ramon, two from Roseville-South, and one from Santa Cruz County. Congratulations to the members of those branch communities and these up-and-coming leaders! The team members will receive internships and awards.

Watch the Gov Trek Finale and Campaign Competition recording and share it with your branch members HERE.

To view each campaign video, click the team name.
 Grand Prize: Vote Eliana
 Best Candidate Speech: Gov Trek Girlies
 Best Campaign Management: Melissa 4 Riverside
 Best Campaign Ad & Flier: Abby for Senate 
 Best Voter Outreach Plan: Vote Delisha
 People’s Choice Award: Gov Trek Girlies

Title IX – What Is It and Why Is It Important?

AAUW PRIORITIES By Kathy Papst

“Title IX – What Is It and Why Is It Important?”

AAUW was instrumental in championing and supporting legislation for equality for women and girls in schools, colleges and universities, which led to the passage of TITLE IX in 1972. This important law was established “to ensure that male and female students and employees in educational settings that receive federal funding are treated equally and fairly”. It protects against discrimination based on sex, including sexual harassment.

This law fundamentally changed how schools treat girls in the academic setting, but also in high school and especially collegiate sports programs. This law forced schools to change both funding and opportunities for equal involvement in sports programs. Before this law was enacted, the NCAA (National College Athletic Association) reported that women’s sports were only 2 percent of the budget for all sports programs in colleges and universities. This includes both participation in and scholarships for athletic endeavor.

At first, there was considerable opposition from administrations and coaches. Many of them felt that if they were to give women equal share in sports funding, then it would force schools to severely reduce or even eliminate some men’s programs. Rules were established for how the funding would reach the goals of equality and has been a tremendous success.

Is TITLE IX still relevant? The 50th anniversary of this legislation was celebrated on June 23, 2022. TITLE IX is much more than athletics. This legislation affects all aspects of education, including, for example:

  • Recruiting and admissions
  • Career and technical education
  • Comparable facilities and course offerings
  • Financial assistance
  • Student health and insurance benefits
  • Sexual harassment and assault
  • Harassment based on gender identity

In 2024 TITLE IX’s work is not done. In recent years, the Department of Education has worked to dismantle many of the TITLE IX protections, including harassment and violence. AAUW encourages support for the GEEA (GENDER EQUITY IN EDUCATION ACT), which would provide, in part, TITLE IX coordinators the resources, training, and technical assistance necessary to ensure that TITLE IX protections are not further eroded. It also would establish an Office of Gender Equity in the Department of Education.

For further information, please go to both the national and California websites. There is a fact sheet on the national website, published in 2022 with the history and developments over the last 50 years of this landmark law. I would like to encourage our members to educate yourselves regarding issues of the ongoing work for equality for women and girls. If you wish to do more, please contact Kathy Papst (my contact information can be found in the Membership Directory) and I will help you to become involved at the branch level to contribute and support this and other Public Policy issues. Thank you.