Tag Archives: Equity

Living Our Mission of Equity

Living Our Mission of Equity By Charmen Goehring

We hope you will join us in a monthly equity conversation learning about how racism affects us all, and what 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 second Wednesday of each month from 7 to 8 p.m. on Zoom. This is a joint CHAR/Sacramento activity. Others are welcome as well.

The Zoom meeting code is 737 420 3780 or you can join using this link:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7374203780

We will be discussing chapters 8, 9  and 10 of the book, “The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together” by Heather McGhee on May 11 at 7 p.m. We have found it to be an enlightening read thus far. If you have questions and to RSVP, please email Charmen at charminme@yahoo.com.

More Upcoming Activities!

Living Our Mission of Equity By Charmen Goehring

We hope you will join us in a monthly equity conversation learning about how racism affects us all, and what 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 will meet the second Wednesday of each month from 7 to 8 p.m. on Zoom. This is a joint CHAR/Sacramento activity. Others are welcome as well.

The Zoom meeting code is 737 420 3780 or you can join using this link:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7374203780

We will be discussing chapters 6 and 7 of the book, “The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together” by Heather McGhee on April 13 at 7 p.m. We have found it to be an enlightening read thus far. If you have questions and to RSVP, please email Charmen at charminme@yahoo.com.

Speech Trek Champion to Speak at May Branch Meeting By Ann Arneill

Maren DeMille, a sophomore from Pleasant Grove High School, is the first-place winner of this year’s Speech Trek Contest.  She was awarded $500.

Maren will present her speech at the May branch meeting on the topic, “Has the US lived up to its pledge of liberty and justice for all?  Would requiring the study of diversity, equity, and inclusion in a high school setting help ensure liberty and justice for all?”  She argues that the United States has not lived up to its pledge and that introducing a diversity, equity and inclusion curriculum into high schools could help ensure liberty and justice for us.  Join us at the May branch meeting to hear her very interesting speech!

AAUW CHAR Program-In Celebration of Women’s History Month

AAUW CHAR Program-In Celebration of Women’s History Month By Charmen Goehring

If interested, please attend the March AAUW CHAR Branch Program on March 12 at 10 am. Here is the Zoom link:

We are fortunate to be joined by new author, and longtime AAUW member, Sandy Camillo, who will be sharing stories from her new book.

The Journey of an “Invisible” Woman recounts stories of how Sandy and women of many generations struggled to overcome stereotyping and societal barriers erected to keep them in their “place”, to keep them invisible and silenced. She invites readers to accompany her on this journey of confronting biased gender norms, becoming visible, and finding a voice. Sandy and I (Charmen Goehring) served together on the National AAUW Board from 2011-2015 and I look forward to introducing you to my talented friend from New York!

(Sandy’s book is available on Amazon and other retailers if you would like to read it ahead of our visit with her on March 12.)

Living Our Mission of Equity

Living Our Mission of Equity By Charmen Goehring

We hope you will join us in a monthly equity conversation learning about how racism affects us all and what 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 will meet the second Wednesday of each month from 7 to 8 p.m. on Zoom. This is a joint CHAR/Sacramento activity. Others are welcome as well.

The Zoom meeting code is 737 420 3780 or you can join using this link:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7374203780

We will be discussing chapters 4 and 5 of our new book, “The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together”, by Heather McGhee on March 9, 2022 at 7pm. If you have questions and to RSVP, please email Charmen at charminme@yahoo.com.

ERA Update

ERA Up-Date By Liz Jordan

On Jan. 27, 2022, two years after the last required ratification vote in Virginia (38/50), the Equal Rights Amendment sits in the National Archivists office because the Trump Administration blocked the certification and publication of the amendment.

A large coalition of women’s rights groups met and marched in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 27 this year to urge President Biden, Attorney General Garland, and the U. S. Senate to take the final steps to enshrine it as the 28th Amendment to the U. S. Constitution.  President Biden sent a message to Congress urging them “to pass a resolution recognizing the ratification of the ERA.” (1/27/2022 The White House Statement from President Biden o the Equal Rights Amendment.)

Facts on the ground:

  • On Wednesday, March 17, 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to remove the time limit with a vote of 222-204 on HJ Res 17. Attention now turns to the U.S. Senate and moving SJ Res 1 to the floor for a vote. (org.)
  • On Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022, Reps. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.), Maloney and 154 cosponsors announced the introduction of a resolution before the U.S. House affirming that the Equal Rights Amendment has been validly ratified and is now in effect as the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
  • However, the Senate has yet to act. “So far, the only Republican senators supporting the ERA joint resolution are Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine. Not one male Republican senator has indicated support, and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has pledged to block the measure.” (2/10/22 Carrie N. Baker, Ms. Magazine)
  • On Feb. 8, 2022, Senators Romney (Utah) Johnson (Wisconsin) and Portman (Ohio) sent a letter to the U. S. Archivist “seeking …[his] commitment” to not certify the amendment to the U. S. Constitution.
  • Breaking news: Feb. 18, 2022. Virginia Attorney General Miyares has withdrawn his state from participation in a lawsuit against National Archivist Ferriero to force publication of the ERA. The attorneys general of Nevada and Illinois, along with Virginia’s Miyares, had joined together to sue the Archivist to publish the ERA as the 28th Amendment to the U. S. Constitution.
  • March 22, 2022, 50 years after the ERA was passed out of Congress, ERA Coalition and Fund for Women’s Equality begin a series of virtual events.

“Certainly, the Constitution does not require discrimination on the basis of sex.  The only issue is whether it prohibits it.  It doesn’t.” Antonin Scalia

Living Our Mission of Equity

Living Our Mission of Equity By Charmen Goehring

We hope you will join us in a monthly equity conversation learning about how racism affects us all, and what 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 will meet the second Wednesday of each month from 7 to 8 p.m. on Zoom. This is a joint CHAR/Sacramento activity. Others are welcome as well.

The Zoom meeting code is 737 420 3780 or you can join using this link:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7374203780

We will be discussing chapters 1 and 2 of our new book, “The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together” by Heather McGhee, on Feb. 9, 2022 at 7p.m. If you have questions and to RSVP, please email Charmen at charminme@yahoo.com.

Living Our Mission of Equity – Book Discussion

Living Our Mission of Equity By Charmen Goehring

We hope you will join us in a monthly equity conversation, looking at our own biases and what 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 will meet the second Wednesday of each month from 7 to 8 p.m. on Zoom. This is a joint CHAR/Sacramento activity.

The Zoom meeting code is 737 420 3780, or you can join using this link:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7374203780

We will be discussing the second half of our latest book, “Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning”, by Cathy Park Hong, on Jan. 12 at 7 p.m., from pages 110 to the end. If you have questions and to RSVP, please email Charmen at charminme@yahoo.com.

The Equal Rights Amendment

The Equal Rights Amendment By Liz Jordan

In 2017, the AAUW CA Speech Trek contest topic asked if it was time to pass the Equal Rights Amendment.  At that time, the amendment had been ratified by 35 of the required 38 states and was abandoned by most “rights” groups after the 1982 Congressional deadline passed.  Over the next three years after 2017, three states ratified the ERA.  First the Nevada legislature ratified the amendment in 2018, then Illinois in 2019, and in January of 2020 the Commonwealth of Virginia’s legislature ratified the amendment.

Also, at that time, the Trump presidential administration, through Attorney General Bill Barr and unfriendly to the idea of Equal Rights, asked the U. S. Archivist to not register Virginia’s ratification vote.  What’s happened since then?

About 200 “rights” groups have mounted legal efforts on behalf of the Equal Rights Amendment.  Equal Means Equal has picketed the White House and the Department of Justice. They have also engaged in lawsuits in cooperation with other rights groups.   The ERA Coalition has lobbied, has filed lawsuits and has generally beaten the drum to get the current administration and the current Justice Department to move the ERA out of the Archivist’s office.  AAUW has contributed to these efforts.  To date, I have not found any comment by any administration official about the hesitancy/resistance to register Virginia’s vote, and, therefore, to bring the 28th Amendment into the U. S. Constitution.

On March 17, 2021, the U. S. House of Representatives voted to remove the ratification deadline time limit that was reached in 1982.  That time limit was an artificial limit set by Congress, and therefore, subject to elimination by Congress.

The original language of the amendment stated that it would go into effect two years from the date of the last ratification vote.  That date is January 27, 2022!  However, the obstacle for the U.S.  Archivist is the Barr memo.

Why do we still need this amendment?  States all over the country, even California, have laws and practices that regularly discriminate on the basis of gender.  States vary in their protection of rape victims over perpetrators, protection of sex-trafficking victims, claims of self-defense and other issues around domestic violence such as law enforcement’s equal application of restraining orders; states vary in employment protections of pregnancy, as well as reproductive rights, and, as always, equal pay for equal work.

Imagine if the Equal Rights Amendment were to become the 28th Amendment of the United States Constitution. How would the future differ from the past?   It seems to this writer (who does not have a law degree) that the impact would build for decades, as suits are brought before the Supreme Court; the justices would apply this clearly and simply stated amendment, with no ambiguity, that discrimination on the basis of gender is illegal.  Even the current court, in its apparent three liberal and five conservative justices make-up, would not be able to find legal loopholes, justifications or ambiguous applications; they could not dodge the difficult issues around gender equity.  All matters around gender equity would be subject to strict judicial scrutiny, a judicial standard that applies at this time only to race and religion.

What could you do?  Write or call your U.S. representatives and senators to get this amendment out of Archivist limbo.  Write to the current administration.  Support groups that are working on your behalf, such as those listed below.  If you have friends and family in other states, urge them to also write to congress and to the President of the United States.

What organizations might you watch, in addition to AAUW, for information?  These are the websites I have watched for the last four years.  The first one is a great place to find the history and other factual information about the efforts to ratify this amendment.  Equal Means Equal put out a wonderful film (of the same name – Equal Means Equal) in 2016 about the need to pass the amendment. Rent it from Amazon and invite friends to watch it with you. Call me and I’ll bring it to your house and show it for you.  The ERA Coalition presents many informational webinars as well as weekly updates on the ERA in the news around the country.

https://www.equalrightsamendment.org
http://www.equalmeansequal.org
https://www.eracoalition.org

–Liz Jordan

To contact me, please see my contact information in the branch directory.

Living Our Mission of Equity

Living Our Mission of Equity By Charmen Goehring

We hope you will join us in a monthly equity conversation, looking at our own biases and what 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 will meet the second Wednesday of each month from 7 to 8 p.m. on Zoom. This is a joint CHAR/Sacramento activity.

The Zoom meeting code is 737 420 3780, or you can join using this link:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7374203780

We will be discussing pages 1-109 in our new book, “Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning”, by Cathy Park Hong, on Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. If you have questions and to RSVP, please email Charmen at charminme@yahoo.com.

Education and Social Change Focuses of November Program

Education and Social Change Focuses of November Program By Kim Rutledge

The November AAUW Sacramento branch program will focus on our organization’s efforts to improve educational opportunities for women and girls. We will first hear from this year’s AAUW Sacramento Branch scholarship recipients, who will tell us about their education and career ambitions. We also expect to hear from the women our branch sent to the National Conference for College Women Student Leaders (NCCWSL).

The program also will include a talk by new branch member Jennifer Krebsbach, who recently completed the eight-week AAUW National Social Change Ambassador Program. She will discuss how she first learned about AAUW and incorporated National’s research into her thesis. She will also give an overview of what she learned in the ambassador program, starting with defining and exemplifying social change. She will go in depth to explain intersectionality and unconscious bias. The goal will be to identify how we as a branch can use these ideas to help us identify areas that can change at the local level, the work we can do as a group and also as an individual.

There will be a bit of lecture, some individual activities, and a discussion time to brainstorm action items toward diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

The meeting will take place on Thursday, Nov. 18, at 7 p.m. via Zoom. The Zoom link will be sent to all who register prior to the event by clicking on Eventbrite.