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Program News

• Branch Development
• Communications
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

• Finance
• Governance
• Public Policy

• Speech Trek
• Tech Trek

Charmen's Chat

Charmen Goehring, President, AAUW California, statepresident@aauw-ca.org

Welcome to September and all things Pumpkin Spice in the shops! I know branch leaders have been hard at work getting ready for the new AAUW year as has the state leadership team. We are looking forward to a fun and successful year!

Three Priorities of the State Leadership Team

Increase Accessibility-Focus on infusing diversity, equity, and inclusion practices in all that we do to attract a wider audience.

Branch Sustainability-Assist branches with leadership development and membership growth resources. 

Strengthen Connections-Strengthen connections among the state, the branches, and national AAUW. 

Committee Day 2024

The state leadership team met with most of our committee members a couple of weeks ago in San Diego. With the use of Zoom, we were able to have almost everyone’s voice included in the planning for the upcoming year. It was wonderful to see old friends, meet new ones, and talk about the goals and plans that each committee will be working on to promote AAUW and our branches. We reviewed the DEI Strategic plan, and each committee thought of ways they can incorporate actions to meet the goals of the plan. Our long-term plan is an AAUW that is stronger and more inclusive to anyone who wants to join us. 

Five- Star Program

Once again, the national office has created a Five-Star program for branches as a fun way to ensure that the mission and goals of AAUW are front and center for our members. Be on the lookout in your Membership Matters email for more details about the criteria for Five-Star designation or visit HERE. I know we had several branches in the past few years who have obtained it! 

Voter Guide

The national office has created a 2024 Voter Issue Guide found HERE. There is also information about congressional votes, ballot initiatives as well as quick facts. This will be yet another pivotal election year- use these resources to engage with your community and help get out the vote this fall. 

Upcoming Member Event-National office

On Tuesday, September 10th at 1 pm (pacific time) national will present AAUW Member Gathering- a special Member Gathering where AAUW National will recognize our outstanding supporters and branches and share updates on our work in Policy, Programs, Membership, and more. Register HERE.

Be sure and read your Membership Matters email from National. It has a wealth of information in it, including some guidance around scholarships and gender concerns. If you have questions of any kind, remember to askusfirst@aauw-ca.org. 

Thank you for all that you do to support your branch members and activities! Have a great month! 

Committee News

BRANCH DEVELOPMENTTOP

Sigrid Moranz, Director, Leadership, leader-dev@aauw-ca.org

Rebecca Gomez, Director, Membership, membership@aauw-ca.org

MEET THE BRANCH DEVELOPMENT 2024-2025 TEAM!
Beckie Gomez, Director, Membership, Tustin-Santa Ana-Orange
Sigrid Moranz, Director, Leadership Development, Laguna Beach
Susan Bangasser, College/University, Redlands
Phi Dai, Leader on Loan, Fremont
Peggy Shippen, Leadership Development, Palm Springs
Sharyn Siebert, Branch Support, Monterey Peninsula
Patricia Souza, Branch Activity of the Year, Petaluma
Bev Van Citters, Branch Support, Glendale

Join us Tuesday, September 24th at 7:00 pm for our first Branch Development Peer Group meeting. We will be reviewing all the resources available to you, the branch leadership, and introducing you to our committee members. Click HERE to register.  

 Click HERE to see what Branch Tools are available on our website.

B2B Bonus: Quick Tips for Things to Try

Did you miss our past peer group meetings? Click HERE to watch any of last year’s meetings. 

What I need to know: Membership has scheduled their first peer group meeting.

What I need to do: Make sure all branch officers concerned with Membership know about the upcoming peer group meeting.

Should I include this in my branch newsletter? No, this is for branch officers.

COMMUNICATIONS TOP

Michelle Baer and Donna Holmes, Directors, Communication Committee Co-chairs, communications@aauw-ca.org

COMMUNICATIONS CONNECTS YOU TO ALL AAUW CALIFORNIA HAS TO OFFER
We are excited (and a bit overwhelmed) in our new roles as your communications directors.  Michelle Baer handles the technology side (e.g., website and infrastructure), while I, Donna Holmes, have the creative side (e.g., editing and social media).

We would like to offer heartfelt thanks to Sandi Gabe and Dawn Johnson for their generous time spent training us for these roles. They are truly hard acts to follow.

We are delighted to welcome two new committee members and grateful to retain five experienced ones. They are critical to making the magic happen.

As we look ahead, we are anxiously awaiting the release of the new branch website theme rollout from AAUW National, after which we will schedule a peer group meeting to discuss. Stay tuned.

I would love to hear your ideas for social media postings to AAUW California’s Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn accounts. Send your thoughts and any other feedback to communications@aauw-ca.org. We’d love to hear from you!

What I need to know: We are looking for Social Media ideas.

What I need to do: Share with your branch’s webmaster, social media coordinator, and newsletter editor.

Should I include this in my branch newsletter? No, we are currently reaching out to the branch officers. 

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION TOP

Lata Murti, Director, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, diversity@aauw-ca.org

DEI IS FOR ALL OF US
AAUW’s survival as an organization depends on every member’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Join us for our first monthly DEI Peer Group meeting on Wednesday, September 18th, at 7 pm (pacific time). Any AAUW member committed to DEI with a willingness to listen and embrace cultural humility is welcome, although monthly DEI Peer Group meetings are primarily intended for branch DEI Coordinators. During this kickoff meeting, we will discuss AAUW California’s DEI Strategic Plan; Fall 2024 branch DEI surveys; branch DEI news; and resources and support to assist branches experiencing DEI challenges.

Make a commitment to advancing DEI in AAUW. Click HERE to register for our kickoff 2024-2025 DEI Peer Group meeting.

B2B Bonus: Quick Tips for Things to Try

Video recommendation from the AAUW DEI Toolkit: Finding Myself in the Story of Race, Debby Irving, TEDx Fenway, (15:18)

Lata’s recommendation for taking action: Find out how you and your branch can support local community events for Hispanic Heritage Month or Mexican Independence Day (September 16th)

What I need to know: The DEI Peer Group has scheduled their first meeting.

What I need to do: Review the DEI Strategic Plan and sign up for the DEI Peer Group meeting.

Should I include this in my branch newsletter? Yes, DEI is for everyone.

FINANCE TOP

Kathy Ford, Chief Financial Officer, Finance Committee chair,  cfo@aauw-ca.org

FALL IS FAST APPROACHING...
Thus, branch finance officers are starting to think about all those government filings they need to prepare and submit. It can seem like a scary task if you’ve never done it.

The October 2023 Government Filings peer group session was very popular, and the topic generated a lot of questions throughout the year. It is tentatively scheduled for October 1st @ 6:30 pm, but you will receive an email with specific instructions on how to register this month.

You will also have an opportunity to participate in a survey to tell us which topics you want to cover in the Finance Committee Peer Group sessions - watch for it in your email.

Future peer group sessions are currently planned to cover branch reporting, including for fundraising, and HUB/Membership, but let us know what else you want help on.

Even if you have performed the annual government filing rituals for your branch many times, things change, and you need to know what is required for this year. Plus, your experience and participation add so much to the session for all of us. We’re looking forward to seeing and hearing from you!
 

What I need to know: The next peer group session will be October 1st and a survey will be available soon.

What I need to do: Make sure your finance officer is aware of these.

Should I include this in my branch newsletter? No, this is only for branch leaders.

GOVERNANCE TOP

Marty Mcknew, Governance chair,  governance@aauw-ca.org

ARE YOUR BRANCH BY-LAWS UP TO DATE?
In spring 2023, AAUW members voted overwhelmingly in favor of changes to the national bylaws. Given the nature of changes to the bylaws, all AAUW branches are required to update their bylaws with these mandated changes. Many of the branches in California have done so, but almost half have not.  If your branch is in this category, you have until June 30, 2025, to remedy this.

Click HERE to see the model bylaws template.

AAUW’s branch boards can approve the required changes with a vote of the board – a full vote of the branch membership is not required to implement national-mandated changes to branch bylaws. Once you have updated the first seven articles as required and your branch board has approved the new version, please send your bylaws to governance@aauw-ca.org. AAUW California will save a copy of all branch bylaws and will submit them to AAUW National by their deadline.

If your other articles (beyond the first seven mandated articles) are changed, your branch membership must approve them by vote at your Annual Meeting held in the spring. After approval by your membership, please send them to governance@aauw-ca.org as stated above.

A Governance Peer Group session for an explanation of what must be changed and how it will be scheduled soon. Watch this space for the date and time.

What I need to know: Check that your branch bylaws have been updated with the mandated changes and sent to AAUW California.

What I need to do: Make sure your parliamentarian, governance, or bylaw person receives this information. 

PUBLIC POLICY TOP

Amy Hom and Melissa Maceyko, Directors, Public Policy Committee Co-chairs, publicpolicy@aauw-ca.org

2024 ELECTIONS: LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!

The Public Policy Committee is providing a number of resources in the lead-up to the November election to help members educate their communities and encourage voter engagement.

Webinar: “Getting Out the Vote (GOTV) in a Polarized World” will be presented on Monday, September 23rd, at 7:00 pm. The webinar will address Voter Registration, GOTV Logistics, Voter Education/Suppression, and Community Collaboration/Having Difficult Conversations. You can register for the webinar HERE.

Head-to-Head Voter Guides: We have created Head-to-Head Voter Guides for several key congressional races in California (linked below). The guides reflect the candidates’ positions on AAUW priority issues. Branches in these districts: Please share these guides with your community and your networks.*

• District 13 - John Duarte (incumbent) vs Adam Gray
• District 22 - David Valadao (incumbent) vs Rudy Sala
• District 27 - Mike Garcia (incumbent) vs George Whitesides
• District 41 - Ken Calvert (incumbent) vs Will Rollins
• District 45 - Michelle Steel (incumbent) vs Derek Tran
• District 47 - Scott Baugh vs Dave Min
• District 49 - Mike Levin (incumbent) vs Matt Gunderson

*Per guidelines from AAUW National, voter guides that include the position of major party candidates on specific issues may only be published by 501(c)(4) branches.

If you don’t live in one of these districts, and you would like to develop a Head-to-Head Voter Guide for a race we have not covered, you may do so by using the template provided from AAUW California HERE.

Ballot Propositions:

Four of this year’s ballot propositions deserve a YES vote from our members for their close alignment with our Public Policy Priorities:

• Proposition 2 – Public Education Facilities Bond Measure (2024)
• Proposition 3 – Constitutional Right to Marriage
• Proposition 4 – Parks, Environment, Energy, and Water Bond Measure
• Proposition 32 – Raises Minimum Wage

To see our full article on these propositions and how they will advance gender equity and AAUW California PPPs, please see the September issue of Public Policy News.

Public Policy Priorities and the Election: Reproductive Rights

This is the second in the series of election resources we are providing to highlight AAUW California Public Policy Priorities (PPPs) that are rising as central issues in the upcoming election, in order to give you the tools to do your own candidate assessments. See the September issue of Public Policy News for more information.

School Board Project

Many of you responded to our survey last year to tell us of your interest in participating in a campaign to stem the tide of school board members who want to ban books, censor curricula, and institute policies that are harmful to LGBTQ+ students.

We now want to hear from you again to help us get a picture of what has been happening over the past year and to set goals for moving forward.

Branch Public Policy Chairs and Presidents: Please complete the survey HERE by September 15, 2024.

Other members are also welcome to complete the survey; we would love to hear from you.

The School Board Project team has developed a parent brochure to hand out at school board meetings, in order to counter the misleading information about Public Education being spread by other entities. The brochure will be posted soon on the AAUW California Public Policy website in the SBP Toolkit.

We plan to activate Action Alerts soon to encourage the Governor to sign key bills, including AB 2843 – Health Care Coverage for Rape and Sexual Assault Survivors. If you have not yet signed up for Action Alerts, you can do so HERE.

What I need to know: Get Out the Vote webinar is this month. Check out the Head-to-Head voter guides if your district is listed. Four propositions deserve a YES vote for their close alignment with our Public Policy Priorities. 

What I need to do: Attend the webinar, answer the surveys, and encourage your members to sign up for Action Alerts.

Should I include this in my branch newsletter? Yes, there is much in this article to share with your branch.

Program News

SPEECH TREK TOP

Cathy Foxhoven, Speech Trek Program Director, and Speech Trek Committee chair, speechtrek@aauw-ca.org

CLIMATE IS 2025’S TOPIC

AAUW California will continue Speech Trek for one more year - 2024-2025. The top prize money for the winners of the state competition will be increased to $2,500 for 1st place, $2,000 for 2nd place, $1000 for 3rd place, and the two honorable mentions will each receive $500. The toolkit and student packet are completed and will be forthcoming with news of grant monies for the branches in the next Board to Board.

The topic for 2025 is:

Climate change is happening. The effects are widespread and touch upon almost all aspects of our life on this planet. Select one area of impact and explore the effect climate change is having on women in the USA and around the world.

Background:

The adverse effects of climate change are well studied in relation to agriculture, ecosystems, water resources, human health, and industry, especially in geographical locations that are economically dependent on local natural RESOURCES.

Many studies also highlight climate change in terms of its impact on economics. But do the reports identify any disproportionate effects on women? Is women's health more vulnerable to environmental changes?

Many companies claim their bottom line is impacted by the cost of climate change legislation. Does this have an impact on women's careers and leadership opportunities?

If there are disparities in any of these areas, how does that change the way you look at climate change?

What I need to know: 2025 will be the last year of Speech Trek and it has a great topic.

What I need to do: The branches participating should all be on board.

Should I include this in my branch newsletter? Yes, if your branch will be participating.

TECH TREK TOP

Mary Isaac, Tech Trek Program Director, and Tech Trek Committee chair, techtrek@aauw-ca.org

 GOODBYE TO TECH TREK 2024, HELLO TECH TREK 2025!
Here we are again in September looking in the rearview at another AMAZING Tech Trek California camp season!

With nearly 800 campers and over 250 staff participating in eight weeks of in-person and virtual camp, over 100 California branches once again demonstrated their deep commitment to STEM at UC Davis, Santa Cruz, and San Diego, CSU Fresno, Sonoma State, Santa Clara University, and Whittier College (two camps). Branches can expect to see at least one additional camp in the schedule for 2025 to be approved in late October.

If 2025 is anything like 2024, 25% of our branch coordinators will be new and would likely benefit from attending the Branch Coordinator Peer Group Zoom sessions beginning again September 19th at 6:30 pm and continuing each month on the third Thursday (except December break).

Monthly Tech Trek committee meetings are also open to interested branch members on the second Monday of each month, also at 6:30 pm. 

You will be asked to estimate your camper sponsorships and volunteer support in early November following the October board meeting, when the preliminary recommended camp schedule and fees will be reviewed and approved.

Click the link below for the Branch Coordinator Peer Group monthly Zoom registrations: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZctcu2oqzMrE9YEUXePLabe0d5Hf0-YhrdM

Tech Trek Committee Call: Check with Mary Isaac regarding the Zoom link. 

B2B Bonus: Quick Tips for Things to Try

Don’t forget to tap into your Tech Trek alumnae to help you with things like creating and distributing forms and fliers and also helping with translations!

What I need to know: Nearly 800 campers and over 250 staff participated in the 2024 Tech Trek camps. The Tech Trek Peer Group and the Tech Trek Committee meetings have been set up and the registration links are included in this article.

What I need to do: Make sure all the appropriate Tech Trek participants receive this information.

Should I include this in my branch newsletter? Yes, if your branch is one of 100 branches that participated in 2024.