After watching the recent telecast Half the Sky Live with 30 of my southern sisters, several questions came to mind.  The one that surfaces this morning, more than likely because Iraq just held its challenging elections, is the issue of arranged child marriages.  How the elections play out, and whether or not the fate of girls and women in Iraq will change, depends largely on the new president’s stand on Article 14 of the Iraqi Constitution, which allows for girls ages 9 to 14 to be “given away” in marriage.

I had the opportunity to meet the First Secretary of the Mission of Iraq to the United Nations last Wednesday eve at the delegate reception given by Susan Rice. 

He spoke of the elections, but the reception was not the time to speak of the political specifics of global women’s empowerment.  He was most interested that women had the right to vote, but the issue of child marriage did not come up.

In the photo: Sherry Ludwig, AAUW CA International Advocacy Director; Susan Rice, US Ambassador to the United Nations
 

As we saw portrayed so eloquently and powerfully in the film segment of Woineshet by Marisa Tomei and Lisa Leone last Thursday eve, the fight against centuries of age old customs in a particular culture can be accomplished even by just one young woman.  And what a brave young woman she was at 14 years old and still is now!  Do you remember the scene where the young man apologizes to Woineshet’s girlfriend by kissing her feet?  It’s a start....

So from child marriage in Iraq to young women in Ethiopia being “taken” as brides after being violently raped to the cultural practice of FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) throughout the African nations, women around the world continue to suffer cultural injustices by mere virtue of the fact that they are women.  Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn are doing an amazing job as journalists in spreading the seeds of knowledge and the message that oppression can be turned into opportunity.  Similarly, I attended a workshop sponsored by Goldman Sachs last Wednesday as part of the 54th UN Commission on the Status of Women that was titled “From Turbulence to Tolerance”.  The panel addressed the issue of change and what needs to be done to bring it about in the United States and in the global community.

I toss the question out to all of you to hear your thoughts, ideas and opinions.  How can we mobilize our efforts beyond educating our membership into some concrete actions to advocate for the women of the world?  “Women hold up half the sky.” (a Chinese proverb)

Sherry Ludwig  
AAUW CA International Advocacy Director

In association with our annual state convention, AAUW CA will present a leadership training event on Friday, April 30 from 1:00 - 5:00 pm at the San Ramon Marriott Hotel. 

The basis for the training is a result of responses to our Younger Member Survey, conducted last year.  These women specifically requested training in community organizing, participation in the electoral process, and workpace skills such as negotiation.

Click HERE to see full details of the Women's Leadership Training Insttute.

Approximately 75 attendees listened intently Saturday as Michelle Jaureguito Henley related the horrific details of the unjust treatment she and her two co-plaintiffs received from the administration and trustees of Feather River Community College.  At times overcome with emotion, even though the case began nearly five years ago, Henley slowly and deliberately revealed the events of her story.

In the photo, from left: Gloria Taylor, AAUW CA Co-President; Henley; AAUW Funds Director, Rozanne Child

After being unjustly accused of participating in and condoning the bad behavior of her staff member, Henley lost her career, her credibility in the community and her marriage.  She spoke of the many times she had felt like just giving up and walking away from the fight, but each time she was spurred on by the encouragement of her co-plaintiffs and by AAUW members who have heard her story and offered their support.

Details of Henley's case can be found on the AAUW national website by clicking HERE.

Current California LAF supported plaintiff, Michelle Jaureguito Henley from Feather River Community College, will speak later this month at two luncheons.

NORTHERN California
January 30, 12:00 - 3:00
Crow Canyon Country Club
711 Silver Lake Drive, Danville

SOUTHERN California
January 31, 12:30 - 3:30
Kellogg West Conference Center
3801 W. Temple Avenue, Pomona

 For information, contact aauwfundsdir@aauw-ca.org

The northern AAUW Fellows Luncheon at Crow Canyon Country Club in Danville was an exciting event.  Over 130 members, guests and fellows enjoyed a delicious salad luncheon with lots of time to visit with one another. At our table, we got acquainted with Selected Professions Fellow,Samika Boyd, a 3rd year law student at Boalt.

After lunch, AAUW Funds Director Rozanne Child talked about the changes in structure that have led to the new term AAUW Funds, which encompasses not only what was formerly known as the Educational Foundation (EF), but also the Legal Advocacy Fund (LAF), the Public Policy Fund, the Eleanor Roosevelt Fund and the Leadership Programs Fund.

Then we heard from six AAUW Fellows and three Grants recipients who are currently working in northern California.  It is wonderful to hear these young women talk with passion about their studies and community work and express their gratitude for the opportunities afforded them by the funds they have received from AAUW.

After the luncheon, I spoke with one of the fellows, Sabrina Sanchez, who is working on a doctorate in American History at UC Santa Cruz.  I told Sabrina I love these events because they let us AAUW members put a face on the results of our fundraising.  Sabrina told me the recipients are glad to see the people who have worked hard on their behalf, as well as to have an opportunity to toot their own horns.

Harriet Tower, AAUW CA Communications Director

At their October meeting, the AAUW CA Board of Directors voted to accept amended bylaws proposed by Jo Harberson, Bylaws Director, and her committee.  One of the important changes in these bylaws is the election of state officers by the members of AAUW CA. 

Under the previous bylaws, the sixteen directors were elected by the members (eight each year), and the officers were elected by those directors among themselves. 

The amended bylaws call for the four officers (President, Vice President, Secretary, and Chief Financial Officer) to be elected directly by the members.  The amended bylaws can be found on the website in the Forms & Documents section, Under Governance.  Click HERE.

At our state convention and annual meeting,  April 30-May2, 2010 in San Ramon, members present will elect the President, Vice-President, Secretary and CFO as well as General Directors.  The President and Secretary will be elected to a two-year term.  The Vice-President and CFO will be elected to a one-year term this election only in order to establish a rotation in which only two of the officers will be elected each year and all officers will be elected to two-year terms.

The deadline for submitting nominations to run for officer or director is December 1, 2009.  The Call for Candidates and the vita forms are available on the website in the Forms & Documents section, under State Leadership.  Click HERE.

A letter with further details has been mailed to every branch president in California.  A postcard stating the change will be mailed to every member in California in early November.

Harriet Tower, AAUW CA Communications Director

A Time To Celebrate!

Achievements of Fellows and Grant Recipients in California

AAUW California once again celebrates the achievements of outstanding Fellows and Grant Recipients studying in California at the Northern and Southern EF Luncheons. 

The Northern Luncheon is scheduled for Sunday, October 25 from 12:00-3:00 p.m. at the Crow Canyon Country Club in Danville.  Reservation deadline is October 12.

The Southern Luncheon is scheduled for Sunday, November 1 from 12:00-3:00 p.m. at Knott’s Berry Farm Resort Hotel in Buena Park.  Reservation deadline is October 19

Click HERE for the Reservation Form in the Forms & Documents section of this website.

I look forward to seeing you at these two exciting events.  If you have any questions pleased feel free to contact me at aauwfundsdir@aauw-ca.org.
 

Rozanne Child, AAUW CA AAUW Funds Director

AAUW-CA’s 2010 annual meeting/convention will be held in San Ramon, California, April 30 through May 2.

Request for Proposals

Anyone wishing to present a workshop or plenary must submit a proposal for review and consideration. The proposal must include the subject of the workshop/plenary,names and a brief bio of committed speakers and a complete budget itemizing allexpenses with explanation. Proposal form may be found HERE.

Workshop subject material must be AAUW mission-based and specific areas of interest for this year’s convention are pay equity, personal empowerment and financial literacy. Mission based programming ideas may be found at www.aauw.org or www.aauw-ca.org

Workshops should be no longer than 75 minutes in total and plenaries should be no longer than 2 hours in total.

Proposals must be submitted no later than September 15, 2009 at midnight PST.

Proposals are not to exceed 5 pages and must include all components listed above to be considered. Incomplete proposals will not be reviewed. Proposals received after the deadline will not be reviewed. Proposals should be submitted by email only to lisanewhallaauw@pacbell.net.

The AAUW CA presidents are continuing to send their First Saturday Morning email newsletter.  The newsletters are still being e-mailed to the 2008-09 branch leaders.  (The transition to 2009-10 officers will happen later in the summer.)

If you are not on one of those broadcast lists but would like to read the newsletters, you can find them by going to the “First Saturday” section of the website’s Forms & Documents (http://www.aauw-ca.org/index.cfm?go=files.view).

Hope you're having a great summer!

This year, for the first time, there is an online process for branches to submit their incoming board officers to AAUW CA.  The form can be found at www.aauw-ca.org/bor.

Each outgoing (2008-09) president and president-elect was sent an email broadcast which contained instructions and a unique username and password.  The information they enter about their 2009-10 officers will be automatically entered into our database and used for the annual state directory.  It is also the basis for our email contact with branch leaders throughout the year.

This process is in addition to submitting branch officers to the national database at Association.  Separate instructions were mailed to outgoing presidents for that process.

Any questions or comments regarding the AAUW CA online process should be sent to webteam@aauw-ca.org.