A Few Thoughts from, Beverly
April is a month of religious holidays, recognitions and the month we elect our Branch officers for the coming year. These positions require lots of hard work and thank you to each person who accepted the nomination to have their name placed on the ballot.
April is “National Month Calendar” with a recognition for almost everyone:
African American Women’s Fitness Month, Alcohol Awareness Month, Black Women’s History Month, Celebrate Diversity Month, Confederate History Month, Distracted Driving Awareness Month, Financial Literacy Month, Foot Health Awareness Month, Fresh Florida Tomato Month, Irritable Bowel Syndrome Awareness Month, Keep America Beautiful Month, Lawn and Garden Month, Mathematics Awareness Month, Month of the Military Child, National Arab American Heritage Month, National Autism Awareness Month, National Canine Fitness Month, National Cancer Control Month, National Cannabis Awareness Month, National Car Care Month, National Child Abuse Awareness Month, National Couple Appreciation Month, National Deaf History Month (March 13 to April 15), National Decorating Month, National Donate Life Awareness Month, National Fair Housing Month, National Fresh Celery Month, National Garden Month, National Humor Month, National Internship Awareness Month, National Jazz Appreciation Month, National Minority Health Month, National Month of Hope, National Multiple Birth Awareness Month, National Occupational Therapy Month, National Parkinson’s Awareness Month, National Pecan Month, National Poetry Month, National Safe Digging Month, National Soft Pretzel Month, National Soy Foods Month, National Straw Hat Month, National Volunteer Month, National Welding Month, Occupational Therapy Month, Pets are Wonderful Month, Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month, Records and Information Management Month, School Library Month, Scottish American Heritage Month, Second Chance Month, Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Sexually Transmitted Infections Awareness Month, Stress Awareness Month and World Landscape Architecture Month.
During the month of April we will be celebrating April Fools’ Day on the 1st, First Day of Ramadan on the 3rd, Palm Sunday on the 10th, Good Friday and Passover begins on the 15th, Easter on the 17th, Orthodox Holy Friday and Earth Day on the 22nd, Orthodox Easter on the 24th, Administrative Professional Day on the 27th, and Holocaust Remembrance Day on the 28th. Our Branch members celebrating birthdays this month are Ceci Borja-VanZitter on the 1st, Marilyn Forsstrom on the 15th, Mary Ann Quinn on the 15th, Thea Siegel on the 16th, and Joyce Moore on the 25th. Happy Birthday wishes and may you each have a long and healthy life.
THANK YOU to everyone who has assisted and helped to keep our meetings running smoothly. I truly appreciate all the hard work.
May we continue to look forward to Sweet Memories in 2022 by being well, staying safe and staying healthy.
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Please note: All our meetings comply with local rules and the accepted health guidance of Los Angeles and Orange counties for in-person meetings. Your board voted unanimously in November to hold board and general meetings in-person with due respect to members who do not wish to attend in-person. Those members may choose to easily attend and participate in meetings by connecting via phone to another member in attendance and have been doing so successfully.
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Please welcome and support your new officers. Remember that their job is to lead and encourage other members. Please offer to help them when they ask.
Reminder to members: As is written in your directory, the AAUW mail/email list is to be used for AAUW business only. If you wish to share something personal with selected members, please verify with the members first, if they want to be included. Members who find themselves receiving email they do not want should feel free to ask to be removed. We’re all friends here.
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Meeting & Program, Karen, Nancy & Mary Ann
Thursday, April 21
Cerritos Library Skyline Room
Social time at 6:30
Program at 7:00 PM,
Business meeting and election follow
Francine Rodriquez will present her new book A Woman’s Story. This is an anthology of stories written about Latinas living in contemporary Los Angeles. Her anthology won a silver medal winner in the International Latino Book Awards for 2021.
Annual Officer Election will also take place for the seven Elected Officers. Nominations for open offices may be made from the floor, with the nominee’s approval.
Nominating Committee Report for the 2022-23 Slate of Elected Officers – Dorothy Edwards
ELECTED OFFICERS
President: Celia Spitzer
President Elect: Open
Program VP: Faith Herschler and Cathy Niederman
Membership VP: Saurabh Deedwania and Jackie Shahzadi
AAUW Fund: Sue Solomon and Tobi Balma
Secretary: Chris Taxier
Treasurer: Marilyn Forsstrom
APPOINTED OFFICERS
Public Policy: Sondra Cohen and Norma Williamson
Publicity: Open
College/University Liaison: Tobi Balma
International Interests: Jackie Shahzadi
Bulletin/Website, etc.: Marilyn Forsstrom
Bylaws: Marilyn Forsstrom
Tech Trek: Open
Support Positions:
Historian – Pat McClelland
Hospitality – Ceci Van Zitter
Telephone Tree – Sue Carruthers, Pat McClelland and Joyce Moore
Face masks recommended in Cerritos facilities.
Please note: All our meetings comply with local rules and the accepted health guidance of Los Angeles and Orange counties for in-person meetings. Your board voted unanimously in November to hold board and general meetings in-person with due respect to members who do not wish to attend in-person. Those members may choose to easily attend and participate in meetings by connecting via phone to another member in attendance and have been doing so successfully.
Women’s Issues/ Community Service:
Here is a message for the Cerritos College’s Falcon’s Den. Please drop off canned food ie. tuna, turkey, chicken and soups. If there are other types of food that you want to donate, please do so. Sundries such as shampoo and conditioner rinse are also needed. If you have any springtime clothes & shoes that are gently used, you may donate them too.
Please deliver the items to my home at 3210 Lama Ave. Long Beach which is near the intersection of Norwalk Blvd./ Ball Road. from April 2-12. These items are really appreciated.
Sincerely,
Diane Merrick
Here are some quotes about food to think about:
“Food is our common ground, a universal experience.” James Beard
“First we eat then we do everything else.” M.F.K. Fisher
“Peace prevails when food suffices.” Momofuku Ando
“You can heal your body with food.” Stacy Keibler
Gourmet: We’re having our first Official Dinner in April. We are looking forward to creating new memories.
MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL DUES AND INCREASE – $108
Our AAUW year ends on June 30 and YOUR dues for next year need to be paid and forwarded by me to our National Association and California State before then. Later payments cause a lot of hassle, extra paperwork and processing delays, so please try to pay by the end of MAY. A dues increase on the National portion was approved by AAUW last year and an additional $5 in this and the next year. Remember that $64 of that amount is a tax deductible contribution to AAUW National Association as a reorganized 501(c)3 tax exempt group. Current annual dues now $108, Life Members still $41.
Please send your check to Marilyn, written out to La Palma-Cerritos AAUW.
Tech Trek, Celia and Edna
The Tech Trek interview committee, comprised of Tobi Balma, Dorothy Edwards, Edna Ethington, Marilyn Forsstrom and Celia Spitzer, interviewed the seven girls during the last two weeks of March who had completed and submitted their Tech Trek applications, including a 400-500 word essay. Based on the applications and interviews, and the available funds, we chose two girls to sponsor to attend the Tech Trek camp at Whittier College the week of June 19 –25. The “winners” are Carmen A. from Ross Middle School in the ABC Unified School District and Kristen V. from Walker Junior High in the Anaheim Union School District. We also chose two alternates who, if either or both of the sponsored girls are unable to attend, would be contacted to take their place. The alternates are Lyanne G. from Ross and Geannah G. from Fedde Middle School in ABCUSD. We certainly hope that nothing happens that would necessitate the cancellation of the in-person camps. If that does happen, as it did two years ago, the selected girls may be offered the option of attending a virtual Tech Trek.
Link to our Tech Trek page for more camper information. Link HERE
AAUW Fund, Esther, Thea
You can…
Create Change,
Advance Equity,
Empower Women and Girls,
By helping to raise money for AAUW Fund.
AAUW Fund supports aspiring scholars around the globe – activists in local communities, women at critical stages of their careers and those pursuing professions where women are under-represented. It also provides funding and a support system for women seeking judicial redress for sex discrimination in higher education.
This tax-deductible fund now includes:
Legal Advocacy Fund
Eleanor Roosevelt Fund
Funding for a variety of College Student Seminars
AAUW Greatest Neds Fund
And many other advocacy and support funds
Due to the Covid 19 virus and the new variant many of our restaurant visits may not occur. However, we will continue to do fundraising for takeout. This would occur about several times a year. We usually have a restaurant luncheon where we invite a speaker for our February meeting. Again, depending on the state mandate on the virus, we may or may not continue with the luncheon. In that regard, we may have a non-event.
Both Esther and I have appreciated your support last year, and hope that you will continue to help us with the AAUW Fund this year.
The La Palma-Cerritos branch of AAUW created our own memorial fund in July 2017, called the Alberta Brose Memorial Fund, to go to women who return to school just as she did. We currently have completed our goal. This was a short time, two year fund with a goal of $5000 for completion by June 30, 2019. The branch got CA State and National recognition for completion. Final donation has gone to AAUW Fund for Career Development Grants for graduate students returning to school after 5+ year absence.
Elsie Carbajal is the recipient of our own Alberta Brose Memorial Fund. We are proud!
Career Development Grants
Name: Elsie Carbajal
Award Year: 2018-19
Award: Career Development Grant
Institution: Brandman University
Location: Irvine, California
Discipline: Education
Degree and Specialization: M.A., Education leadership
Elsie Carbajal is a seasoned special education teacher who is passionate about meeting the diverse needs of public school students with special needs. Her goal is to strategically reform outdated practices that limit the growth and progress of the unique population she services. She plans to obtain her master’s in education leadership to collaborate with stakeholders and make informed decisions to enhance student outcomes in and out of school.
Sponsors:
4431 – Alberta Brose Memorial Fund
1262 – Laguna Beach (CA) Branch/Laguna Hills (CA) Branch
1285 – San Diego County (CA) Branch/Marilyn George Poluzzi
1298 – Los Angeles (CA) Branch/Dallas Shenk
1484 – San Clemente-Capistrano Bay (CA) Branch
4105 – Redlands (CA) Branch/Bernice Black Johndrew
1491 – Somerset Hills (NJ) Branch—Science and Technology
Public Policy, Sondra & Harriet
Sexual Assault on College Campuses
By Amy Hom
AAUW Public Policy Committee
College campuses should be safe spaces where students can study, learn, pursue academic goals and engage in social activities. Unfortunately college campuses have also long been places where students can face sexual violence. A 2019 study conducted by the Association of American Universities found the rate of undergraduates who experienced rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence, or incapacitation to be 26.4 percent for females, 23.1 percent for transgender, genderqueer, or nonconforming (TGQN) students, and 6.8 percent for males.
A crucial first step toward solving problems is accurate reporting and measurement. While numerous studies show that campus rape is common, an analysis by AAUW found that the vast majority (89%) of 11,000 American college and university campuses reported zero incidents of rape. This speaks to the inadequacy of reporting structures rather than the frequency of assaults. Only 1 in 5 female undergraduates report their sexual assault to authorities, with victims often reluctant to notify officials because they worry that they won’t be believed or might face retaliation. Many schools make it difficult for students to come forward, and a majority fail to properly report incidents of sexual violence when they occur.
Further exacerbating the problem, in 2017 the U.S. Department of Education, led by then-secretary Betsy DeVos, rescinded a number of sexual harassment protections under Title IX. The DeVos rule expanded protections for those accused of sexual misconduct. It subjected sexual abuse claims to higher standards of evidence than other claims. It gave the accused the rights to a live hearing and to cross-examine accusers, which was not previously allowed. And it released schools from investigating incidents that occur off campus. As a result of these changes to Title IX, it has become even more challenging to report sexual assaults through official university channels.
In March 2021 President Biden signed an Executive Order directing Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to suspend, revise or rescind the DeVos-era rule, or begin the process of collecting comments to draft a new rule. The Department of Education started that process in June 2021, and announced in December that it will unveil new proposed Title IX rules in April 2022, a month earlier than initially expected. The Department has indicated that it intends to propose major revisions to the current Title IX rules, including the definition of sexual harassment and how schools must respond to complaints of sexual harassment. Further, the Department has stated that it will prioritize protections for students based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The AAUW CA Public Policy committee will be looking out for the Department ‘s new proposed Title IX revisions in the spring, and will provide updates as they become available.
Once critical protections for students are restored and further protections established, additional focus will be needed to fully enforce Title IX and to provide oversight of schools’ compliance with the laws. AAUW will continue to defend Title IX and promote its effective enforcement as a key to fair and equitable education for women and girls in the United States.
Legacy Project, Norma & Gail
Two Legacy Project girls spoke at our monthly meeting March 31. They received gifts and certificates and were able to meet Assemblywoman Christina Garcia as well that evening.
Academic Achievement Awards, Joan P
Applications have come in and committee members are reading them. At this point in time I have not chosen them. We should be able to evaluate them soon and make a decision. The school usually notifies the students in May. Since we have no idea how long the covid restrictions will continue, we will have to see if it is even possible to hold a brunch. We will have to play it by ear. The school may even have to give the awards to the girls. We do have lots of time to make that decision.
If you have any questions or further input please feel free to call or email me.
Update: Haya Chehada
Haya is enrolled and attending her university of choice, USC. Her first Quarter has already begun.
Haya has been named a Transfer Merit Scholar and has been awarded a USC Transfer Merit Scholarship worth one quarter tuition. It is renewable each quarter as she progresses toward her degree.
Congratulations to this high achieving AAUW 2021 Academic Achievement Award recipient.
Help support other deserving women by donating to the La Palma-Cerritos AAUW Academic Achievement Awards fund.