In this issue...
President's Message
Featured Article:
- Anti-Racism - Let's Own It! - April 18th
State News:
- Annual Meeting and Agent of Change Award - April 29th
- Tween Tech Day
- Tech Trek
- Teentech
- Centenary University joins as C/U Partner
- Celebration of Women event
- Nominating Committee report
- Dues update
- Facebook change
- Why I donate
- The Pulse of Public Policy
- Trip to Newark Museum of Art - April 27th
- Scholarships for NCCWSL 2023
National News:
- AAUW 2023 Election
- AAUW 2023 Art Contest Winner
- Member Benefits
Branch & Other News:
- Charitable Trust congratulates NOCB
-
API trip to Washington, DC - September 23rd
- Upcoming AAUW NJ 2023 Dates
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Research
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Education
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Advocacy
Equity
for all
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Wow, what a lot of state news this month! It’s great to see our members being so active in their communities - all of our connecting and collaborating has created lots of great results. One thing all these items have in common, besides supporting our mission, is that they wouldn’t be possible without the work of the AAUW NJ board members. Communicating opportunities, soliciting needed volunteers/representatives, producing programs, obtaining financial support, awarding scholarships, communicating results, none of this is possible without the teamwork of the dedicated ladies of the AAUW NJ board.
I’m proud of what we accomplish by working together with AAUW members across the state and I am grateful that Sharon Suber will be taking over the president’s role while I work to improve the job of treasurer (I’d appreciate a co-treasurer, if anyone’s interested). I am also looking forward to having a new board member as Southern District Coordinator, Lorraine LaPalomento, currently co-president of Salem Branch.
However, the skeleton crew of six Executive Committee members and three or four other board members can’t do it alone! Yes, it is a commitment, but wouldn’t you like to be part of making all these great things happen in New Jersey? We need a secretary to help us keep track of what we’ve decided to do, and who said they would do it. We need a Communications Chair to head the team that connects our members through Zoom meetings, our website, the newsletter and social media - and, of course, we need team members to help with each function.
One more thing…no one wants to get burned out doing the same job forever, so we need three nominating committee members now, one from each district, to help find the next round of talented members to work on our statewide initiatives. If you can’t serve on the board this year, please help us find next year’s new board members.
You can make the commitment to support our work for equity in New Jersey by joining our AAUW NJ board, or by talking to members who haven’t already “been there done that, a hundred times over” about the difference they can make by joining an AAUW branch or state board. If you get a new branch board member, maybe the outgoing person can step up to the state level?
We’ve invested a lot to get where we are, let’s not drop the ball now.
Karen Brown
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Join us on Tuesday, April 18th...
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State Annual Business Meeting
&
Woman as Agent of Change Award
Saturday, April 29, 2023 at 10:00AM via Zoom
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AAUW NJ is proud to name Anjali Mehrotra as the 2023 Woman as Agent of Change. Ms. Mehrotra currently serves on the national board of advisors of the National Organization of Women (NOW), the Board of Trustees for Union Community College, and as a leader and founder of the Equity, Period Coalition. She came to the United States from India to pursue a degree in technology, and is now an entrepreneur in web development and design as well as a mother of two young women. She has served as chair of her local Democratic Committee, and in 2021 ran for NJ State Assembly. As an immigrant and a woman of color, Ms. Mehrotra has faced bias and barriers to equality herself. In fact, she stepped down as President of the National Organization of Women - New Jersey -- followed by seven other members of the NOW-NJ Board -- in the face of racism and ageism from county chapter leaders. But she continues to stand for equity, as a role model and a committed activist, in every role.
The four-person committee who selected Ms. Mehrotra includes: Sharon Suber (NJ Communications VP), Karen Kaplan (NJ Programs VP), Mitali Mose (Summit College Club) and Cindy Percak (Burlington County Branch). Ms. Mehrotra will address our members at the Annual Meeting on April 29.
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Tech Trek camp will be held July 22 – 29, 2023 hosting 40 girls selected from across the state.
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Tween Tech Day
at Stockton University
Submitted by Linda Harmon
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“Tween Tech Day” sponsored by the Atlantic County Branch in partnership with Stockton University was held on Friday, March 17, 2023. This year, girls in Middle Schools throughout Southern New Jersey were invited to participate in workshops related to STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).
The sixty students who attended were able to choose from a variety of workshops with topics ranging from beekeeping, food chemistry and maple syrup production to broadcasting, robotics and crime scene investigations. Each young woman attended two workshops taught by Stockton faculty and staff members, with a break for lunch mid-day.
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Centenary University joins AAUW NJ as a College/University Partner working with Sussex County Branch
Currently there are seven New Jersey College/University Partners. Institutions can join AAUW and share membership benefits with the entire student body and faculty. College/University Membership Dues: $175/annual. The seven schools are: Brookdale Community College, Centenary University, Monmouth University, Montclair State University, Raritan Valley Community College, Rutgers - The State University of New Jersey and The College of New Jersey.
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A Table at the
Celebration of Women
On Saturday, March 18, AAUW NJ members setup an information table at the NJEA's Celebration of Women Luncheon. Attendees experienced an exciting program honoring the power and purpose of influential women and their impact on our state and public education.
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L-R: Mary Hager, Public Policy Director; Jackie McGuinness, Southern District Coordinator and Carol Cohen, Immediate Past President |
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State Leaders attended ERA Symposium at
NJ Law Center in New Brunswick
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L-R: Sharon Suber, Communications Vice President; Karen Brown, President; Mary Hager, Director of Public Policy
The ERA Symposium on March 24, featured panel discussions throughout the day with historians, state legislators, attorneys, and advocates, all focusing on the Equal Rights Amendment. Attendees gained detailed knowledge of the history of the Equal Rights Amendment at both the state and federal levels; information about the ways in which the state constitutional provision is used by legislators in crafting law and policy; nuanced understanding of current and past lawsuits impacting the current status of the amendment and its interpretations; and context for how the NJ constitution and the federal amendment’s status impact the current practice of law in the state of New Jersey. The special keynote speaker was federal jusge the Honorable Evelyn Padin and closing remarks were delivered by US Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman.
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Nominating Committee Report
The following are the positions to be elected
for the 2023-2024 Fiscal Year:
President: Sharon Suber
VP Communication: Open
VP Membership: Diane Crawford
Treasurer: Karen Brown
Secretary: Open
Central District Coordinator: Jackie McGuinness
Southern District Coordinator: Lorraine LaPalemento
Nominating Committee Members (2023-2024)
North District Representative: Open
Central District Representative: Open
South District Representative: Open
Positions Continuing in 2023-2024:
VP Programming: Karen Kaplan
Northern District Coordinator: Diane Crawford
Nominating Committee Chair: Nina Del Collo
Nominations for these positions will also be taken from the floor at our Annual Meeting on April 29, 2023. Prior consent of the nominee is required.
Please contact Nina Del Collo at nrdelcollo@yahoo.com for questions or to discuss any of these positions.
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DUES Update
Effective April 1, 2023, AAUW National dues for FY24 will be $72 in accordance with the three-year increase implemented by the AAUW Board of Directors in October of 2020.
Good News - Same Dues - Thanks to the continued cost savings from virtual meetings and a few other operational savings, AAUW NJ dues will be staying at $10 per member to support our operations, events and AAUW NJ marketing.
For new members remember the Shape the future Coupon Code: ShapeTheFuture2023
Membership Chairs please update your membership applications to reflect the dues increase. Webmasters update your website on how to join. Finance Officers send out information to your members on how to pay membership dues to the Community Hub.
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A Facebook Change
There is a new location for the state Facebook page. The new location is AAUW NJ. Please redirect your facebook and website to this new location.
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Why I Donate
April is Diversity Month
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“We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color.” – Dr. Maya Angelou
April is Diversity Month, a time to recognize and celebrate the beautiful tapestry of our unique cultures, backgrounds and rich traditions that comprise us all. Now, in a virtual society, it is more important than ever to celebrate diversity. In times of crisis and extreme uncertainty, sometimes the knee-jerk reaction is to respond by surrounding ourselves with people who are like us, while intentionally distancing ourselves from those who are different. It is important that we find value in each other’s experiences, differences, and unique characteristics as it enables us to respond with relevance, empathy, and compassion.
Celebrating diversity not only boosts cultural awareness, but most importantly creates spaces of inclusion and fosters belonging where people feel valued. AAUW has been strong in its commitment to create meaningful interaction, opportunity, and inclusion for all people, not just some. Visit the Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion Toolkit to better understand the commitment AAUW has to this important issue.
Whether you give your time to this tremendous organization or donate financially, THANK YOU for your generosity to AAUW. Below is the link to donate: https://aauw-nj.aauw.net/donate/
Diversity is crucial in assuring that we can understand each other in deeper ways that help keep us humble and open to the fact that the world does not only revolve around OUR beliefs. It can help develop us into better people, as it increases our understanding of human nature.
Yours truly,
Nina Del Collo
AAUW NJ Funds Director
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The Pulse of Public Policy
Submitted by Mary Hager, PhD
Public Policy Director
Economic Security for Women is an AAUW Public Policy Priority
AAUW is urging members of the 118th Congress AAUW to prioritize the Paycheck Fairness Act in the 118th Congress by pushing for passage of this legislation. And you can help. Just go to the Two-Minute Activist to support Economic Security. Your Senators and Representatives need to hear from us back home in New Jersey. They need the folks back home in New Jersey to care enough about economic security to send them a letter.
Sixty years after the passage of the Equal Pay Act, sexist, racist pay gaps continue to persist, underscoring the need to strengthen the law and provide new tools to help ensure fair pay and challenge discrimination. Women working full-time, year-round are typically paid only 84 cents for every dollar paid to men. Based on this wage gap, women would lose nearly $400,000 over the course of a 40-year career.
AAUW and 97 other organizations have written members of Congress to prioritize the Paycheck Fairness Act in the 118th Congress (coalition letter). AAUW is a leader in this 98-member coalition, committed to closing gender and race-based pay gaps, advancing economic security for women, and promoting vigorous enforcement of anti-discrimination laws.
Vote for AAUW Public Policy Priorities
AAUW’s Public Policy Priorities, adopted every two years by every-member vote, establish the federal action issues on which AAUW members across the country focus their advocacy efforts and guide the work of the national staff. Be sure to vote for the 2023-2024 priorities, along with the bylaws changes this month. Your vote is important!
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State Awards 4 Scholarships for NCCWSL 2023
AAUW’s National Conference for College Women Student Leaders (NCCWSL), brings together more than 800 young women from around the country for two and a half days of leadership training, networking and inspiration. This year’s event will include sessions on career development, mentorship, financial literacy, racial-justice activism and more. Participants will have an opportunity to explore post-graduate programs, careers in a variety of disciplines (especially STEM) and other opportunities for their future. The conference returns to in-person at the University of Maryland, College Park May 31-June 3, 2023.
The State of New Jersey has awarded four scholarships
to college women to attend the conference.
Onoshope Nora Itunoya-Musa, Centenary University class of 2023
Renee Samuel Seton Hall University BA 2022, MA class of 2024
Jasmine Sampong Centenary University BA class of 2026
Angelica Torres Centenary University class of 2024
If your branch is also sponsoring college women to NCCWSL please email us.
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AAUW 2023 Election
AAUW members play an important role in shaping the future for women and girls by choosing the organization’s leaders and policy priorities.
AAUW National’s member election opens Wednesday, April 5. Don’t miss your opportunity to vote on our directors, bylaws amendments and changes to our Public Policy Priorities. This year, AAUW is using a new third-party vendor to administer AAUW’s membership vote. Your ballot and unique voting credentials will be emailed to you directly from vote@simplyvoting.com.
Please add vote@simplyvoting.com to your safe sender list to ensure you receive your electronic ballot.
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The AAUW 2023 Art Contest Winners
The 14th Annual Art Contest winners are: Alissa Crispin, Chobi DebRoy, Jemetta Hunt and Christine Panero. Check out their inspiring works in our online gallery and look for your special notecards featuring the winning entries this spring!
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Member Benefits
Member benefits can enhance your professional and personal life and will save you money along the way. Most importantly, every time you use one of your benefits, you are also supporting AAUW’s vital work, which is what makes AAUW one of the nation’s most powerful voices on women’s issues.
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Branch Events & Other News |
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The Charitable Trust Congratulates
Northern Ocean County Branch for a Successful
Mission Sisterhood: “ Journey in a Day” a Collaboration with the Girl Scouts
In partnership with Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore, NOCB members hosted a successful workshop for girl scouts in grades 9-12 who are earning their Gold Award. The goal was for participants to connect with their peers and explore the powerful benefits of strong, healthy relationships. Twenty-one girls from all over NJ attended the Dec 3, 2022 event.
The broad span of activities kept the girls interactive, engaged and entertained. They ranged from small group activities to team building and competitions, such as creating vision boards of their future, writing letters to their future selves, and group problem-solving relationship issues and constructing a balloon arch. In a panel discussion, NOCB members described how they navigated friendships in their professional and private lives. An invited adolescent counselor spoke about 5 principles of effective communication to give them real life tools to use in all aspects of communication. The event was very successful and succeeded in its goals. One proof was in how the girls demonstrated positive communication skills by suggesting topics they’d like in future workshops!
The NOCB and GSJS have a long-standing partnership and previously held annual anti-bullying workshops for younger girl scouts. For this year, they shifted the focus to older scouts working on their Gold Award, the highest achievement within Girl Scouts.
The AAUW NJ Charitable Trust provided grants to defray the majority of costs for this event and the past anti-bullying events. We recognize the dedication of the NOCB leaders, and especially Pamela Coratti-Saavedra, to work with their Girl Scout partners and to evolve ways of helping girls lead successful lives.
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Upcoming AAUW NJ Dates
2023
April 18, 2023 - DEI: Anti-Racism - Let’s Own It! 7:00 p.m. via Zoom. Hosted by the Northern Ocean County Branch
April 29, 2023 - Annual Business Meeting via Zoom.
May 31 - June 3, 2023 - National Conference for College Women Student Leaders (NCCWSL) University of Maryland, College Park
June 3, 2023 - Leadership Conference - Time, location and agenda to be announced
July 22 2023 Tech Trek Orientation Day for Staff and Alumni Reunion, Stockton University
July 23 - 29, 2023 Tech Trek Camp, Stockton University
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If your branch is forwarding the AAUW mission in some way, please share your activities with aauwnj@gmail.com. We want to celebrate you!
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See what's happening on our social sites |
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