September 2023
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CO-ADMINISTRATOR’S MESSAGE FROM JOAN P.
Welcome to the newly reorganized La Palma-Cerritos AAUW. Instead of a position deemed “President” there is a Board of Directors that include a Treasurer, and a Secretary. Instead of a Program V.P. we now have Monthly Facilitators who are in charge of planning the monthly program which includes obtaining speakers or activities that are germane to their chosen topic and a Membership, and a Funds Chair.
The Branch will continue with the appointed Chairs – all of whom rolled over for another year! (Thank you.) Missing is someone(s) to take the helm in 2024-25. And a Facilitator is needed for October. Kathy Niederman will continue to send out email meeting reminders. Put her in your “contacts” to prevent it from going to your junk mail.
The “Administrators” will keep the Branch informed of updates and projects from the State/CA AAUW and National/AAUW levels.
We look forward to seeing all members and friends on September 14, 6:30p.m. in the Skyline Room at the Cerritos Library. The Facilitator is Celia Spitzer, and the meeting will begin with a Potluck Dinner. The Branch’s Interest Groups will be announced, so bring your calendars to enable you to decide which group/s to join.
AAUW relies on donations from you, the members. What can you donate to?
AAUW Funds – contact Sue S. or Tobi. Local Scholarships (AAA) contact Joan P. Your donation(s) accepted at any time, at any meeting. Please give generously.
Got some extra time on your hands? Call any of the officers to volunteer.
Participate in the Branch’s fundraisers.
Have a hobby or an interest you would like to share? Form a new interest group.
We communicate by email and our Website: http://lapalma-cerritos-ca.aauw.net
Put this in your favorites. Visit often.
Gail and Joan are looking forward to seeing you all at the potluck dinner.
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Meeting & Program, Celia
Thursday, September 14
Cerritos Library, Skyline Room
Time: 6:30
Our branch kickoff meeting will be on Thursday, September 14, in the Skyline Room at the Cerritos Library located at 18025 Bloomfield Avenue (corner of 183rd). Note: this is the second Thursday rather than the third due to when the room was available.
We will start at 6:30 pm with our usual first meeting potluck. Please bring an appetizer, salad (veggies or fruit), main course to share (probably to serve about eight people) or dessert.
After dinner, various branch members will tell you about the plans for the coming year and you will be able to sign up for interest groups. In addition, we will ask for volunteers to fill some of the functions previously done by elected board members, positions that branch members chose not to fill by election this year, specifically VPs for Program, Membership and Fund. You will find out where help is needed, usually for just one meeting or event and, hopefully, will volunteer to help. As was stated last March, we need nearly every member to do a little bit so that our branch is able to continue to exist.
Special note about the parking lot at the library/City Hall: the lot is being resurfaced in stages. As a result, you may need to enter from Bloomfield as the entry from 183rd Street may be blocked.
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.
From the City of Cerritos: FACE COVERING IS OPTIONAL. It is strongly recommended, but not required, to wear a face covering when inside any City of Cerritos facility.
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.
READER’S THEATER, Esther
Reader’s Theater will be starting on Monday (Labor Day), September 4th this year which is before our first AAUW General Meeting. It will be at the home of Esther Aronson (6722 E Pageantry St. Long Beach) and will start at 6:45 PM for catching up and 7:00 PM to begin reading the play. This month we will be reading “Intimate Apparel” by Lynn Nottage.
The Reader’s Theater group reads plays from the San Clemente AAUW Drama Exchange on the first Monday of every month. This year we will be reading 10 plays from September through June.
Each participant has one or more characters to read and we always enjoy being together and sharing the theatrical experience. There is a minimal cost per person to cover membership in the Drama Exchange and postage (approximately $20 per year depending on the number of participants)
Participants need only to commit to reading for the month by the Friday before our gathering and show up to read, as each play’s characters are divided among the committed participants for that month.
If you would like to join us, please contact Esther Aronson (562-425-8141).
We welcome new thespians.
We are looking forward to taking care of services for current membership. In order to increase membership for our branch, we request all members to bring one friend to our meetings. Please welcome our new member at the meeting. Thank you.
AAUW Fund, Tobi
Our fundraiser at Black Bear Diner,
Tuesday, May 9th
Raised $136.69 for AAUW Fund
THANK YOU!
Mooneen Lecce Giving Circle Special Projects Fund (#4229)
Courtesy of Linda Westman, Co-Fund VP Long Beach and Tobi Balma
The Mooneen Lecce Giving Circle (MLGC) honors the memory of longtime AAUW member, Mooneen Lecce who believed deeply in volunteerism and charitable giving. Members of this Circle of philanthropists support strategic, innovative gender equity projects where their gifts will have the greatest impact. It strives to contribute to projects that the current AAUW budget cannot fund.
One project is focused on the question: why so few women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics? To find answers and develop strategies to change this situation, AAUW issued a report that examines the reasons why there are relatively few women in STEM professions funded by the Mooneen Lecce Giving Circle as well as the Eleanor Roosevelt Fund.
The report, Why So Few?: Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics looks at research findings that point to eight environmental and social factors — including stereotypes, gender bias, and the culture of science and engineering departments in colleges and universities — that serve as barriers to women’s participation and progress in STEM professions. The report also contains statistics on girls’ and women’s achievement and participation in STEM areas as well as suggestions for how to make the fields more open
to all individuals. With this knowledge and understanding of the barriers, AAUW with the support of the Mooneen Lecce Fund can develop and implement programs to bring greater equity and representation of women and girls in STEM education and professions.
The MLGC has also been critical in contributing to numerous AAUW research initiatives; including women facing discrimination, AAUW’s Work Smart Online Initiative, “Limiting our Livelihoods” dealing with sexual harassment in the workplace, “The Simple Truth About the Gender Pay Gap,” and the 2020 Get Out the Vote Campaign.
Interested? Please speak with Tobi who is a Giving Circle member. And check out this Video and this link.
Public Policy, Sondra
AAUW California Public Policy Committee to Host Webinar on How to Prevent Book Banning and Curricula Censorship in California
By Kathi Harper, Chair “School Board Project” Sub-Committee
In a 2023 survey, our membership made it clear that they were alarmed by the nationwide movement to ban books and censor curricula in K-12 schools, particularly as this censorship denies students’ access to historically accurate information pertaining to marginalized groups.
This is perhaps unsurprising as AAUW members’ concern with access to high-quality education has been long standing. When AAUW was founded in 1881, its stated purpose was “for practical education work, for collection and publication of statistical and other information concerning education, and in general, for the maintenance of high standards of education.” Today, AAUW California continues to support this purpose in the second pillar of our Public Policy Priorities, “Equal Access to Quality Public Education for all Students.”
Earlier this year, at the urging of the state Public Policy Committee , the state board adopted and membership approved the addition of an important bullet point under this second pillar, “Access to diverse staff and curriculum that represents historically accurate information.” In furtherance of that goal, the Public Policy Committee has established “The School Board Project” (SBP) designed to ensure school boards up and down the state include members who are committed to “the maintenance of high standards of education” for all students – including access to diverse and historically accurate information.
Whether you are aware of problematic censorship happening in your district, you fear it may be coming, or you just want to learn more about what AAUW California is doing, we hope you will join us virtually on September 21st at 7pm for the presentation of “Book Banning and Curricula Censorship in California? AAUW California to the Rescue!” Kathi Harper, SBP Committee Chair, will explain the project, what we are doing, and how all AAUW California members can help. A representative from our collaborative partner, Equality California, will be in attendance to help you understand why this project is so important, and members from the League of Women Voters will be on hand to provide guidance on how to speak out effectively and civilly at school board meetings. We hope to see you there.
Registration is now open, and the link can be found on our website here.
Date: September 21, 2023
Time: 7 pm
Location: via Zoom. Registration is required.
Additional information about our guests and collaborators can be found below.
Academic Achievement Awards, Joan P
Pictured at the La Palma-Cerritos AAUW Academic Recognition and Awards Program on May 17, 2023, are, left to right, are Cerritos College Board of Trustees President Dr. Shin Liu, Cerritos College Professor of Communications Dawn Trickett, Cerritos College Director of Diversity, Compliance, and Title IX Erin Miles, Academic Awards Chair Joan Pylman, Award winners Sofia Heejae Chun and Leidy Barrios, Awards Selection Committee Member Gail Ross, Cerritos College Foundation Executive Director Martha Pellayo, and Cerritos College Executive Assistant to the President/Superintendent Andrea Wittig.
Women Supporting Women. It is a beautiful thing.
Su Casa, Joan Pylman
Thank you for your support and generosity. La Palma Cerritos AAUW cares for women.
International Issues, Jackie Shahzadi
…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 PROGRAM 2023
ONE VOICE, ONE WG-USA for the UN-SDGs:
Empowering women’s voices!
Renew & Rebuild now!
UN SDGs and Agenda 2030: The Latest Updates Join us!
For contact information email: Jackie
Wednesday, Sept 27 … 4:00 PST and 7:00 EST
Susan Angus, Executive Director of the Commission on Voluntary Action & Service (CVSA), will provide WG-USA members with the latest information about the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals globally. CVSA has compiled the first U.S. People’s Report on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Susan will use those findings to update participants as well as provide some actions and strategies that WG-USA members can use to further the Targets laid out in the Goals.
In addition, she will update members on the status of reaching the SDGs within the United States, with emphasis on
SDG 4 – Education: Ensure inclusive and equitable education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all and
SDG 5 – Gender Equity: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
Looking forward to your presence and participation in the WG-USA SDGs!
THANK YOU!
Laura R.MacLeod
WG USA Program Convenor