AAUW San Antonio March Newsletter👈

Volume 112 Issue 7

2020-2021 Theme:

Economic and Physical Well-Being for All

Message from the President

March is Women’s History Month and we know for sure that women are making history in 2021! With our new Vice-President, Kamala Harris, we are off and running! As we have seen, in these early days of the Biden administration, the Vice-President is with the President every step of the way and in every aspect of the Administration’s agenda. We applaud the rich diversity of the new Administration and Congress and their focus on equity.

March 8th marks International Women’s Day when we can join with voices around the world to send out our message for equal rights loud and clear: “Women’s rights are human rights!” We embrace women and the intersections of faith, race, ethnicity, gender and disability. We celebrate those who came before us, those who stand with us now, and those who will come after us. This is a great focus for the day and one that can last for the entire month!

This is the beginning of the legislative season for the 117th U.S. Congress as well as the Texas legislature, which runs through May 31, 2021. At the national level AAUW has sent forward to Congress our priorities of economic security (including passing the Paycheck Fairness Act), Family and Medical Insurance Leave Act, and several bills addressing equal access to education. Our branch has provided input to Texas AAUW listing our primary areas for the state legislature as healthcare/health insurance, equal pay, family paid leave and racial justice. These all line up with our theme this year of Economic and Physical Well-Being for All.

Some of our community have been fortunate to receive their COVID vaccinations and we hope that those of you who are eligible continue to seek the vaccine by visiting the websites and phone numbers provided through local information sources. More often than not, it takes perseverance but well worth the effort. We continue to support the mantra of “stay negative” and do all we can to stay COVID-free: safe by masking, distancing, and hand washing. Our thoughts are with those members who have lost friends or family members, have medical issues, or face other related challenges.

A great time was had by all who participated in our first BINGO game on January 27th during Wine, Women and Wisdom. There’s another BINGO on March 24th, so get your virtual BINGO card by making a donation to Greatest Needs Fund during March. Send an email to Helga Anderson if it’s your first time playing so that we can send you the Zoom codes.

I hope to see you at our March 6th meeting, featuring Dr. Dena Jackson, Chief Operating Officer, Texas Women’s Foundation Program. She will share a summary of “The Economic Status of Texas Women Study” that examines the state’s policies, practices, and actions to advance advocacy for women and families in Texas. As a reminder, members are invited to bring a friend to the monthly meetings. For those unable to make this meeting, remember that Dr. Jackson’s presentation will be posted on our website.

Moving forward –

Cheryl Fuller

AAUW San Antonio, President

AAUW

ZOOMING!

March 6, 2021

11:30 a.m.

Speaker: Dena L. Jackson, Ph.D.

Chief Operating Officer

Texas Women’s Foundation

Topic: The Economic Status of Texas Women Study

RSVP to Cheryl Fuller

(if you did not RSVP previously)

to receive the Zoom link.

cfuller5@satx.rr.com

Dena L. Jackson is the Chief Operating Officer of the Texas Women’s Foundation (formerly the Dallas Women’s Foundation) which seeks to advance women’s and girl’s economic security and leadership through research, advocacy, grants, and programs. She oversees the organization’s effective business operations, ensuring a strong and capable team is in place to transform the lives of women and their families across Texas.

She originally joined the organization in 2012 as Senior Vice President - Grants and Research directing the organization’s research, advocacy, and grant-making. In this role, her research helped position the Foundation as a catalyst for statewide social and economic change. Programs such as the Foundation’s signature series of Gender Matters® Reports – which provides comprehensive insights into the progress of women in employment, earnings, health insurance, education, poverty, and leadership opportunity – are valued as credible, objective, collaborative knowledge resources. This timely and targeted research helps donors, grantees, lawmakers, and community leaders come together around a common understanding of the issues, and fuels efforts to raise the collective voices of women, girls, and their families.

Before joining the Texas Women’s Foundation, Dena was vice president at the Dallas Regional Chamber where she oversaw the initial development of the Commit Partnership, a coalition of over 200 public and private partners who work collaboratively to help solve the biggest challenges in education, from improving early childhood education to increasing postsecondary completion rates. Also, in her varied career, she worked for the University of Texas as Director of Foundation Relations where she secured a $2.5 million grant from the National Math and Science Initiative and for Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

A native Texan, Dena earned a doctoral degree in Health Studies at Texas Woman’s University.

February Speaker Recap

Connie Tyne, Executive Director of the Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, was our February Speaker. The title of her presentation was “Y Does XX Make a Difference?” referring to male and female chromosomes and the over 1,000 metabolic, endocrine, and biological differences between men and women. Her speech is available on the AAUW San Antonio website.

Recognition of these differences results in better outcomes for women patients. For example, the symptoms of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, depression, and flu manifest differently in women than in men.

Such things as dosage and side effects of the same prescription and drug dependency may vary from men to women as well.

Take-Aways

Advocate for yourself!

Insist on personalized medicine by asking if there is research to support a different treatment for women when addressing your specific illness.

Acting on What We’ve Learned

If your doctor is not willing to investigate a different treatment that would benefit you as a woman, find a doctor whose mind is open to this new trend in medicine.

BINGO

Fundraiser

for

AAUW Greatest Needs

Our annual fundraiser for the AAUW Greatest Needs Fund will be virtual BINGO during Wine Women and Wisdom on Wednesday, March 24.

To receive a virtual BINGO card, make a donation to the Greatest Needs Fund before March 24.

Then join Wine Women and Wisdom on Wednesday, March 24, at 5:00 p.m. for three virtual BINGO games with prizes.

DONATE HERE

Champagne and Chocolate Fundraiser

for Textbook Scholarships

February is the month for our annual Chocolate and Champagne Fundraiser for Textbook Scholarships. Since we will not be meeting in person, we will bring the goodies to you!

By the end of February, mail a check made payable to AAUW San Antonio to Ann Marie Rehner, 16 Grassmarket, San Antonio, Texas 78259, and we will deliver the goodies to your home.

If you do not want the goodies, let Ann Marie know when you send your donation!

$25 for Chocolate

$50 for Chocolate and Champagne

$100 for Chocolate, Champagne and a surprise!

Time to Renew Your Membership!

Membership renewal for AAUW for the 2021-2022 fiscal year will begin March 16. The dues are $91.00, which includes National, State and Local. The current fiscal year of 2020-2021 began July 1 and ends June 30. Members who pay their dues between March 16 and May 1 will be entered in the Early Bird Drawing at the May 1 zoom meeting. The winner will receive free membership for the 2021-2022 fiscal year.

Current members will receive an email from membershipinfo@aauw.org to renew online. Open the link, hit renew and pay with a credit or debit card. Members who prefer to pay by check may write the check to AAUW-SA and mail it to Ann Marie Rehner, 16 Grassmarket, San Antonio, TX 78259.

Please encourage your friends to join AAUW this spring. New members who join by March 16 through June 30, 2021, will be members for the rest of 2020-2021 and the entire fiscal year of 2021-2022.

Thank you for supporting AAUW!

Kathy Dicke

Vice President Membership

Nominations for AAUW-SA 2021-2022 Officers

The AAUW-SA Nominating Committee is tasked with developing a slate of nominees for our 2021-2022 Board of Officers. The Committee submits the following slate of nominees to the membership. The membership will vote on the nominees for each board office at the Annual Meeting in April.

The nominees are:

President Elect - Diane Claiborne-Carr - 1-year term

Vice President for Program - Martha Steele - 1-year term

Vice President for Membership - Rachel Skelley - 1-year term

Secretary - Kate Vetters - 1-year term

Treasurer - Adrien Frank - 2-year term

During the April meeting, nominations may be made from the floor at the time of the election, provided written consent by the nominee has been obtained in advance. Anyone wishing to run for office should contact a member of the Nominating Committee in writing to make the nomination from the floor at the time of the election during the April meeting.

The election will be by ballot unless there is only one nominee for a given office, wherein a voice vote will be taken. The election shall be by a majority vote of those members present and voting.

Duly Submitted,

Nominating Committee Members:

Diane Claiborne-Carr, Chairman

Ruth Lyle

Ann Marie Rehner

Pat Sanford

Fran Vetters

AAUW Public Policy

AAUW's national website is an excellent source of news. Here is an example that is currently on the webpage. What a great resource for us. The webpage is easy to access and easy to navigate. I encourage you to use it often.

This Historic Diversity of 2021's Incoming Leadership

There’s no denying that 2020 was a difficult year, and at times our country seemed to take big steps backwards. But as a new Congress comes together and a new administration takes power, there’s plenty of reason for optimism: For one thing, we’ll see unprecedented diversity among our 2021 leaders—and hopefully an unprecedented commitment to equity for all as well.

Congress

The 117th Congress includes a record-breaking number of diverse women from both the Democratic and Republican parties.

According to the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP) at Rutgers University, a total of 144 women—or 26.9% of the U.S. House and Senate combined—were elected to serve in Congress, beating the record set in 2019 of 127 women (23.7%). That includes 106 Democrats and 38 Republicans, with the number of Democrats holding steady since 2019 and the number of Republicans up by 16 women (from 22) in 2019 and by 8 (from 30) since 2006, the previous peak year.

Women of color are making Congressional history as well. Fifty-two will serve in 2021, according to CAWP, comprising 9.7% of the 117th Congress, including 47 Democrats and 5 Republicans.

This progress is promising but not complete, since our Congressional representatives are still a long way from reflecting the demographics of the country they’re representing. Women comprise more than half of the United States, and women of color make up roughly 36% of the female population and 18% of the entire population. But as more women run—and win—Congressional seats, the U.S. is inching closer to a true representative democracy.

In the 117th Congress, women comprise 26.9% of the U.S. House and Senate combined.

Women of color constitute nearly 10% of the 117th Congress.

Statewide Office

In addition, a record number of women will serve at the state legislative level in 2021—at least 2,277 women, or 30.8% of those in state legislative offices nationwide, according to data compiled by CAWP. This exceeds the current level—and previous high—of 2,162 women state legislators. Coming out of the November election, there were new records set across parties.

It will also be a historic year for state representation from the transgender and LGBTQ communities. Voters elected six transgender candidates to state office, bringing the nationwide total from four to seven.

Although we have a long way to go to true parity—this year, just one state (Nevada) has more women than men in its legislative body, according to CAWP—every record-breaking year creates new inroads for women, as they bring their diverse networks into their roles and inspire future generations of women to follow in their footsteps.

In 2021, women make up 30.8% of those in state legislative offices nationwide.

The Presidential Cabinet

The rich diversity of President-elect Biden’s team started with his pick for Vice President. Kamala Harris is the first woman, and the first Black American, Indian and South Asian American to assume the second highest office in the land—a truly remarkable achievement.

Biden has also fulfilled his promise to assemble the most diverse Cabinet in American history. His administration marks many milestones for women and people of color, including the first all-female communications team, the first Native American secretary of the interior (Deb Haaland), and the first woman treasury secretary (Janet Yellen). If confirmed, his cabinet will become the first to achieve gender parity and to include a majority of people of color.

In addition, many of the picks have encouraging records of prioritizing equity. For example, Miguel Cardona—Biden’s choice for Secretary of Education and the current Connecticut Commissioner of Education, has worked to close the achievement gap among Black, Latino and low-income students and their white and wealthier counterparts.

Heather Boushey, one of Biden’s appointees to become a member of his economic council and a 1997-98 AAUW American Fellow, is an expert on how structural inequalities impinge on economic growth. AAUW is proud to have invested in Boushey early on, providing educational funding to launch her career as a top economist, author, adviser to presidents, and CEO of the Washington Center for Equitable Growth.

Finally, Biden’s recent nominations for the Department of Justice—Lisa Monaco for deputy attorney general, Vanita Gupta for associate attorney general, and Kristen Clarke for assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division—are trailblazers who have impressive track records fighting for equity and civil rights.

Despite all the losses and disappointments of 2020, so much is still possible with each new day—and with every diverse new leader elected or appointed to serve in our government.

AAUW SA 5-Star Program Update

Our SA branch has been recognized by the AAUW 5-Star Program for aligning our work with the AAUW strategic plan and supporting gender equity for women and girls. Our branch has been awarded 3 stars so far in recognition for accomplishments in these areas:

• Programs - our monthly membership meetings with guest speakers addressing economic security, equity, discussions on women and leadership, and advocacy issues.

• Advancement - retaining membership, timely dues payments, increased Legacy Circle participation, and increased Greatest Needs donations.

• Communications and External Relations - website with up-to-date information, videos, scholarship offerings, and monthly newsletters.

Completion of two other areas – Public Policy and Governance – are anticipated to be completed within the next couple of months, as we finish up a couple of items in these areas. While several of the 30 Texas branches are participating in the 5-Star Program, only two branches have earned all 5 stars. Of the 1,000 AAUW branches, 19 branches and one (1) state have earned all five stars.

The stars acknowledge what we have accomplished together – as a team and with enthusiasm. We will forge ahead and look forward to our continued success. Most important is our focus on advancing gender equity and economic security for women and girls and the vision of equity for all.

Proposed AAUW Bylaw Change and Voting

It is getting close to the time when members will be voting on the proposed AAUW bylaw change. The proposal is for the elimination of the degree requirement as a means of making membership more equitable. Online voting begins April 7 and runs through May 17. A paper ballot may be requested by April 16 and must be postmarked by April 30. Watch for more details closer to the April start date. Your voice is important, so please prepare to vote. For more information see the Open Membership Toolkit.

AAUW-San Antonio Upcoming Programs

The programs for AAUW-SA 2020-2021 were designed to address: our theme for the year- “Economic and Physical Well-Being for All”; current events that were and will drastically affect women, children, and families for years to come; plus, those issues of interest to our membership. Speakers for the first half of the year were very engaging and deeply knowledgeable and left us with information for personal use or group advocacy.

The second half of the program year will be exciting. The speakers are true pioneers in their field and active advocates for the plethora of women issues.

March 6, 2021 Women’s Economic Well-Being

Speaker: Dr. Dena Jackson, PhD, Chief Operating Officer, Texas Women’s Foundation, Dallas

Title: “The Economic Status of Texas Women Study, 3rd Edition”

Program: “The Economic Status of Texas Women Study” sponsored by the Texas Women’s Foundation. Economic Issues for Women in Texas takes a comprehensive look at the four building blocks that are fundamental to the financial security of a woman and her family: childcare, housing, education and health care. This study reveals dramatic changes in our state’s demographics, and the challenges and opportunities we face in creating a more equitable society. Dr. Dena Jackson will share a summary of this research that examines both policies and practices at the state level, while identifying areas where innovation and investment can help strengthen women and their families. This information is used in interactions with elected officials to advance advocacy around priorities for women and families in Texas.

April 3, 2021

Scholarship and Textbook Awards - Karen Reichensperger, Scholarships Committee Chair

Election for 2021-2022 AAUW-SA Board of Elected Officers - Pat Sanford, Nominating Committee

May 1, 2021

Speaker: Jessica Cisneros, Immigration Attorney, Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid, Laredo

Title: “The Physical, Emotional, Economic, and Legal Conditions of Incarcerated Immigrant Women, Children, and Families”

Program: For immigrants seeking asylum or a new start in the United States, the journey has ended in incarceration and the separation of families and children from parents. Where are the over 500 children taken from their parents and what is being done to correct the situation. Are children being educated under incarceration? What are the health conditions where immigrants are being held? There are a million questions about the immigrant status while incarcerated. Jessica Cisnero has been a recognized active civil rights advocate for immigrants since a teenage in high school. She is now a lawyer with the noted Texas Rio Grand Legal Aid in Laredo. Ms. Cisnero will bring us up to date on what is happening to immigrants.

The Two-Minute Activist

The Two-Minute Activist is a source of information on topics relating to women’s issues. It also enhances our ability to send emails and texts to legislators to fight for equal pay, family leave, stopping sexual harassment, equality in education and more. Sign up on the AAUW webpage to get regular alerts to be able to take timely action.

You can also text “AAUW” to 21333 to get AAUW action alerts via text.