May 2018

Click here for a great video:   What AAUW does  Be proud!

 

May, 2018

President’s Message

  It was such an honor to present to present 2 certificates toAcademic Achievement Awards honorees from the offices of County supervisors Janice Hahn and Congresswoman Linda Sanchez’s office at Cerritos College for our Academic Achievement Awards brunch. Janice and Linda have both supported programs and opportunities for women as well as public education in general. The honorees were inspiring and appreciative of their rewards.

Our April meeting was very inspiring also with our presentation by Sabrina Vajraca speaking  on Sexual harassment and gender equity in the film industry . Just her life experiences of leaving Sarajevo were a great adventure. I admire her bravery in trying to break down barriers and to produce a short film which she will later share with us. I wish her good and to hear good of her in the future.

   It was with sadness that some of us shared in the celebration of Sondra’s husband Steven’s life after his recent  sudden passing . Please send positive thoughts to Sondra as she continues to heal from surgery and grieving.

Sue Solomon, Interim President for March and April

Reminder to members:  As is written in your directory, the AAUW mail/email list is to be used for AAUW business only.

Important dates:

Installation Dinner:  Thursday, May 31, at Peking Wok on 183rd St north of the Cerritos mall at 6PM.  Price is $25.00 .  Please send money by May 24th or pay Thea at the meeting on the 17th.

Planning Retreat:  at the new Los Angeles County Library at 18801 Elaine Ave. in Artesia on Saturday, June 9, at 9:30 am.  Lunch provided. Please RSVP to Harriet.

Annual dues need to be paid to Marilyn by June 15, $100 ($41 for Life Members). $56 is tax-deductible. Please do it soon.

AAUW new Officers for 2018 – 2019

EXECUTIVE BOARD OF DIRECTORS  – Elected Officers
President – Harriet Moses
President Elect – VACANT
Program VP – Brenda Hicks, Diane Hutson & Beverly Zwick
Membership VP –Peggy Brutsche & Sue Solomon
AAUW Fund VP –Joan Pylman
LAF Chair – Tobi Balma
Secretary – Chris Taxier
Treasurer – Marilyn Forsstrom

COMMITTEE CHAIRS – Appointed Positions
Public Policy – Sondra Cohen and Tobi Balma( typist)
Publicity – Edna Ethington
Tech Trek – Celia Spitzer
Academic Achievement Awards – Carol Marsh
Bulletin/Website – Marilyn Forsstrom
College/Univ Liaison – Tobi Balma
Historian – VACANT
Hospitality – Karen Cox
International Interests – Jackie Shahzadi
Telephone Tree – Sue Carruthers, Pat McClelland and Joyce Moore

INTEREST GROUPS
Cover to Cover – Thea Siegel
Gourmet – Joan Flax and Gail Ross
Great Decisions – Dorothy Edwards
Las Comadres Lunch Bunch – Nancy Kawamura
Readers Theater – Penny Brown
Su Casa Chair – Joan Autry

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A Statement from your national AAUW Board of Directors

Logo treatment 2018 AAUW National Bylaws Amendment Vote

The AAUW National Board of Directors has voted to put three proposals for bylaws amendments before the membership for a vote this spring. The board strongly supports the proposed amendments that we believe will help keep AAUW vital as an organization and enable us to increase our impact in advancing equity for women and girls.

The proposed amendments address creating three-year staggered board terms, opening board service to those outside of the AAUW membership, and eliminating the degree requirement for membership. While rationale and details for each proposed amendment can be found on the AAUW website, the overarching motivation for these changes at this time is to uphold and advance AAUW’s mission and ensure optimal execution at the national board level.

The first two proposals would bring AAUW’s board governance structure more in line with nationally accepted nonprofit best practices and the needs of the organization. The third proposal — to eliminate the degree requirement for membership — has come before the membership for vote a number of times. The board feels strongly that while the degree requirement made perfect sense at AAUW’s inception, this requirement is now perceived by many as counter to our mission and limits our ability to build the capacity needed to increase our impact as an organization.

The board recognizes that we have not traditionally put proposals up for vote outside our AAUW National Election, but these proposed changes have been under consideration for several years by both the Governance Committee and the board, and we believe it is important to move forward without delay to position the organization for greater growth.

Members can comment on the proposed amendments and submit their own proposals from February 22, 2018, through March 22, 2018, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Voting will open on April 25, 2018, and close June 9, 2018, at 9 p.m. ET.

We encourage you all to engage in respectful debate that has always been a hallmark of the AAUW community, exercise your vote, and encourage fellow members to do the same.

Meeting & Program, Brenda, Diane H. and Thea

Thursday, May 17, 2018, 6:30 p.m.
Cerritos Library, Skyline Room

Our speaker is Griselda Ortiz, the Field Representative from the local office of Linda Sanchez, our Representative to the US House for the communities of Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, East La Mirada, Hawaiian Gardens, Lakewood, La Mirada, La Palma, Los Nietos, Montebello, Norwalk, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs, South El Monte, and Whittier.
Ms. Ortiz will discuss the Status of Women in Congress and the World and show a short video made by Rep. Sanchez. A question and answer session will follow.

AAUW Fund, DorothyGail R 

The La Palma-Cerritos branch of AAUW has created our own memorial fund, called the Alberta Brose Memorial Fund, to go to women who return to school just as she did.  We currently have completed our goal.  Details below:

This was a short time, two year fund with a goal of $5000 for completion by June 30, 2019.
All donations must come through the La Palma-Cerritos branch. Personal and branch contributions may be made.
The branch will get CA State and National recognition for completion.
Final donation will go to AAUW Fund for Career Development Grants for graduate students returning to school after 5+  year absence.

Membership, Dinah and Joan F.

MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL DUES

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.   Remember that $56 of that amount is now a tax deduction, contribution to AAUW National Association as a reorganized 501(c)3 tax exempt group. Dues amount has been changed for the upcoming  year. Current annual dues now $100, Life Members still $41.  $56 is tax-deductible.

Bring a check to the meeting or send it to Marilyn, written out to La Palma-Cerritos AAUW.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>Membership Dues Update<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

The AAUW Board of Directors voted in June 2017 to enact the first dues change in almost a decade. Effective March 16, 2018, the national portion of our dues will increase from $49 to $59.

Annual dues currently account for 13 percent of AAUW’s annual budget. They help to sustain and grow AAUW’s programs and work that advances equity for women and girls. A combination of dues, donations, and corporate and foundation funding is critical to supporting AAUW’s salary negotiation workshops, groundbreaking researchadvocacy efforts, campus leadership programs, and so much more.

We believe we can do great things together and thank you for your continued support.

Please watch this video from AAUW Board Chair Julia Brown, J.D., and Chief Executive Officer Kim Churches

Hello AAUW breakfast (current and future) club members

Please join us on:
Wednesday May 23rd , 9 AM, Breakfast Club, Huff’s Family Restaurant, NE corner Wardlow and Norwalk

 

Celebrate Graduates with a Free AAUW Membership 

Celebrate the success of a graduate this season with the Give a Grad a Gift campaign. Anyone who has graduated within the past two years is eligible, so don’t forget interns or student teachers you might know. A free one-year membership is a great way to celebrate their accomplishments! Give a Grad a Gift can also be applied to the Younger Women’s Task Force.

 

International Issues, Jackie Shahzadi

Women Graduates-USA

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

 

Link HERE to the Academic Awards for picture and more information

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

Update on TechTrek page, also.