AAUW Fund

Thank you to those members who participated in the fundraiser day at California Fish Grill.  We earned over $100 Just for having fun dining with our friends!

More restaurant fundraisers will be scheduled this year.  They are an easy and fun way to share good food with friends and make some money for AAUW Fund.

Please try to participate in our restaurant fundraisers.  You will have a tasty lunch or dinner out with friends and while you pay the normal price, we get 20-25% back for AAUW Fund . What could be easier?!

Public Policy, Sondra

Check HERE for the latest Public Policy News

Check out our Public Policy Page on the AAUW California Website. You can read our current 2023-2025 Public Policy Priorities which can be viewed here: 2023 – 2025 Public Policy Priorities (PPP) – AAUW California. Find information on the Legislative Agenda, Lobby Days, Legislative Calendar and Coalitions with other organizations. You can also learn the latest about the School Board Project! 

Academic Achievement Awards, Joan P

ACADEMIC ACHEIVEMENT AWARD

AS WE BEGIN OUR 54^th year as the La Palma – Cerritos Branch 0f AAUW, I will continue to Chair the Academic Achievement Award Committee.  Through this committee, the Branch selects two (2) women students to receive this award. They are attending Cerritos College and  have applied for scholarships through the Cerritos College Foundation. They will be transferring to a college or university to complete their bachelor’s degree. The Branch has been awarding this scholarship for over 30 years. Current awardee, Lisamarie Lara, has verified her enrollment and received her award.

The scholarship funding is provided by you, the Branch membership.  After awarding payments to the 2025 recipients, the fund will have only $1280 in it.  Unfortunately, one of our recipients had to postpone her admission to next year. We have approved that her award will be held. We need your support to continue to support these outstanding women on their educational journey.  Without your donation to the scholarship fund, this outreach project will no longer exist.  I’m asking each one of you to donate a minimum of $50 to AAA fund.  Payable in increments of $10 per month, October – March (no payment in December.) If ALL 32 members pledge $50 that gives the fund $1600.  Your donation is tax deductible!

Please consider volunteering for the AAA selection committee.  It is a short-term commitment starting in February 2026. Your role is reading the applications, scoring them, and meeting with the other committee members to make the award selections.  As part of the AAA committee, you will contact local political office holders for recognition scrolls to be given out at the reveal meeting in May.

Welcome back to an interesting and productive 2025-2026.

Joan Pylman, Chair
Academic Achievement Award
Women Supporting Women.  It is a beautiful thing.

Cerritos College is a College/University Partner Member of AAUW. As the AAUW College University (C/U) Liaison for Cerritos College, Tobi Balma keeps in touch with the AAUW Cerritos College C/U Representatives.

Falcon’s Nest, Joan Pylman

Cerritos College Falcon Nest Donations

The La Palma-Cerritos Branch of AAUW collected feminine hygiene products for the Falcon Nest.  Members brought their donations to the Holiday Party on December 20.  Joan Pylman gathered up all the items,  sorted them into like items and re-packaged them.

They were delivered to the College on December 23.

Thank you to ALL the members who participated in this project.  Falcon Nest was delighted to receive these items.

We will continue to collect donations of gently used business attire for the “Nest”. Women’s or men’s clothing.  Sweaters, blouses, shirts, jackets, dresses, shoes, etc.          NO t-shirts, shorts, or halter tops.  Bring your donations to the January meeting.

Thank you in advance.

Our local support is now directed to the Cerritos College Falcon’s Nest, with donations of personal items and sundries, large and small for students in need. Find out more about it HERE.

Reader’s Theater has been enjoying the art of the theater for over two decades.  We have enjoyed many famous plays together and many not so well known–historical, action, drama, comedy, etc. etc. etc.  For many early years, there were many participants, and we had to share the 10 play books that we were sent from the San Clemente AAUW Drama Exchange.  With all of us aging and some having physical limitations, difficulty with vision or no longer driving at night our numbers have dwindled.  Our group now includes: Celia, Marilyn, Christine and me and we are welcoming Joan Flax this year who has probably seen more live theater than the rest of us combined.  We miss Alberta and Jackie, and we miss all of you that have participated in the past and hope that some of you who have never been involved might wish to try a new activity.

We meet on the first Monday evening of the month (October to June), and this year we have some flexibility to come together on the first Thursday if some of you might consider joining us and cannot join us on Monday’s.  We meet at my home.  Please feel free to reach out to me (Esther: 562-425-8141), if you have questions or would like more information or if you live near one of us and might need transportation.  The more the merrier!

We are not “acting”, just reading the play, whose characters are divided among those of us who have committed to being at that month’s play reading.  So, it is not necessary to feel that you must commit to be with us every month.

There is a fee for joining the group, as we pay San Clemente $60.00 for the plays and have postage/insurance fees as well to send them on to the next group.  The fees are divided among those that will be participating at the beginning of each season.

The list of plays that we’ll be reading during the coming 2025-26 Season are:

Ruined  by Lynn Nottage (October)
Rose’s Dilemma  by Neil Simon (November)
The Unvarnished Truth  by Royce Ryton
Raisin in the Sun  by Lorraine Hansberry
Diary of Anne Frank
Twelve Angry Men  by Reginald Rose
Don’t Dress for Dinner  by Camoletti and Hawdon
Plague of Angels  by Mark St. Germaine

GREAT DECISIONS, Dorothy

Great Decisions is the oldest and largest grass-roots world affairs education program in the country.  It encourages debate and discussion of important global issues. The program is centered on the Great Decisions Briefing Book. We meet on the fourth Wednesday of each month for a lively discussion at 3:00 PM. Contact Dorothy Edwards.   714-995-1148

COVER to COVER, Thea

Our book group meets to discuss a new book every month.  Book schedule is posted HERE. Please contact Thea and join us at any time.

International Issues

…through its global focus and reach, empowers all women and girls to create a secure and just world built on education, advocacy, friendship and mutual respect.

WG-USA is an online organization based in the United States focusing on global issues *Support and Advocacy for Refugee and Migrant Women and Girls
*Safe Access to Education
*Human Trafficking Advocacy and Action
*Women, Peace and Security

Join WG-USA at www.wg-usa.org

In 2019, Graduate Women International celebrated its 100th anniversary with a Centennial Celebration in Geneva, July 25-28. GWI was founded in 1919, by representatives of AAUW, and other international women’s groups. It used to be known as the IFUW, International Federation of University Women. Currently, Women Graduates-USA is the organization representing American women at GWI.

Link HERE to the Academic Awards for picture and more information

Please check out the LAF News page for current case updates.  Tobi