President’s Message Holiday Luncheon - AAUW · Holiday Luncheon Sunday, December 12th, 11 am ......

A monthly publication of AAUW, San Francisco, est. in 1886 www.aauwsf.org December 2010President’s Message

It’s December and I’m filled with gratitude, not justfrom my favorite holiday – Thanksgiving, it’s sharingin this community of women and men.I hope that you’ll join us on Sunday, December 12th

to learn about the shared values that brought thewomen of the San Francisco Branch together allthose years ago. I look forward to hearing NationalBoard Member Kathleen Cha’s research, and withluck, may also introduce you to the graduate studentwhose thesis looks at the history of Mothers’ MilkBanks. This Branch has done so much!I was recently set on a path of reflection by thearrival of Dr. Jennifer Mills, former state director forthe Australian Federation of University Women. Hervisit brought to mind the many ways that AAUW hastouched my life.As a New Yorker who’d lived in Europe until theearthquake of ‘89, I came to California with hopes offinding a connection like what I experienced at mywomen’s college. I found it at last in AAUW. In1995, when the California Women’s Agenda groupforged the Beijing Conference Platform for Actionhere in San Francisco, I had the opportunity to workwith a New Yorker whose life I’d much admired –Bella Abzug. In 1998, Educational Foundation sawfit to give me a travel grant and sent me to Austria forthe Triennial Conference of IFUW; my age cohortconvened the International Young Member Caucus.In 2001, I was able to reconnect with YMC membersin Amsterdam as we envisioned IFUW’s role withina whole year dedicated to volunteerism as declaredby the United Nations. With each state and nationalconvention, I heard from women whose words andactions inspired me to do more.Please come share your stories of connection anddiscovery at Mescolanza on December 12th!Deirdre Araujo Co-President

Board MeetingWednesday, December 8th, 6:30 pm, Pot Luck, 7Meeting, at Marilyn Leal’s home, 4325 19th St. All

members are invited. RSVP Marilyn at: 626-4110Holiday Luncheon

Sunday, December 12th, 11 am - 1 pm, a tMescolanza, 2221 Clement St. Use the invite youreceived in the mail, or the one on page 4 to selectyour menu choice and send in your check to:AAUW-SF, P.O. Box 31405, San Francisco, CA94131-0405.

Afternoon with BooksFriday, December 19th, 1:30 pm, at MichelleMammini’s home, 2520 Greenwich St. We arereading: The Lost Hours, by Karen White. RSVP:Michelle 346-9114 or [email protected].

Mystery/AdventureThursday, December 16th, 6:30 pm MysteryPotluck, at Andrea Laudate’s home, 243 Missouri St.Bring a dish to pass, using recipes from any of ourmysteries or your own tried and true favorite. Don’ttell – surprise us!Everyone is welcome to join us. We are reading: TheHoliday Grind by Cleo Coyle. Elaine Butler willreview. RSVP Andrea, 864-6789 or [email protected]

International Book GroupThere will be no meeting in December. We resumemeeting in January. Happy Holidays to all!

International LuncheonWe hope to resume meeting in January. Sheila Bostand Marilyn Leal will try to fill Susan Kwock’s shoesas she deals with her son’s illness.

Travel GroupOur day trips resume in January. Watch the AVANTIfor tour plans.

Dr. Sushama Mehr San Francisco VisitDr. Sushama Mehr, the first successful sexdiscrimination plaintiff in India, is planning to visitthe US next year. Her budget is limited and shewould like to stay in someone’s home sometime nextFebruary. Anyone who has room should contactDeirdre Araujo for more information.

AVANTI www.aauwsf.org December 2010

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December BirthdaysRenee Golanty-Koel, Ph.d Dec 8th

Mary Nance Dec 18th

Angeline Durso Dec 23rd

Jane L. Williams Dec 29th

Birthday Not Announced?If your birthday is not there and you’dlike to have it included (or corrected),contact the Membership VP.

Any 50-Year Members?If you’ve been an AAUW member for50 years, contact the Membership VPto have AAUW national and state giveyou an honorary life membership.

New MembersContact the Membership Chair tosuggest new members.

Membership UpdatesIf you change your address, kindlynotify the Membership Chair.

Avanti ArticlesPlease remember to submit anyAvanti articles by the 20th.

Online AAUW BranchThere is an online AAUW CaliforniaBranch at www.AAUWCaOnline.org.Their dues are $10 if you’re already amember.

Why Are Some Non-TitlesUnderlined?

Read the Avanti at our website andclick on the underlined phrase, it opensa browser on a more complete articleor an email to the member’s address.

Quick LAF clicksSexual Assault on Campus: www.aauw.org/laf/library/assault.cfmChief Justice John Roberts’ effect onTitle IX? www.aauw.org/newsroom/news/05LADailyNews_RobertsOPED.cfm

Tech TrekYesterday I received a disc thatincludes the revised forms and lettersfor the 2011 Tech Trek Camps. I willdownload the contents of the disc andstart asking middle school science andmath teachers to begin nominatinggirls. New committee member, JoanWalton, is mailing application packetsthis year. Michelle Mammini is contac-ting former campers to determine theeffect Tech trek had on their choices.Barbara Scheer is writing a grant toGennetech to obtain their support.We need to have $12,000 to send 15girls. We currently have $6325 indonations and pledges. We plan toraise the $5675 needed before theMarch 1, due date. Our thanks go outto everyone. Remember the end of theyear is coming and donations are taxdeductible. See the form (on the nextpage) for details on whom to write thecheck and where to send it. Againthanks and best wishes for 2011!

Donations for 2011 Tech TrekPat Spencer

Mary Wolford FoundationChristine WildsoetMardi Kildebeck

2010-AAUW-

Co-PresidentsDeirdre Araujo

[email protected]) 505-3746

Barbara [email protected]

415) 221-6690

Education Fund VP

Position is currently open.

Legal Advocacy VPMary Suter


MembershipKelly Joseph


Program VPAndrea Laudate


SecretaryPriscilla Kelly


Treasurer/FinanceCathy Corcoran


Get the AvantiFaster

If you’d like to receivethe Avanti via emailnotice rather than USmail, please tell theMembership VP, then aprinted copy will not besent to you. If you prefer,we will continue to printand mail the Avanti toyou.


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2011SF Board

Avanti & Web EditorStephen Butler

415) [email protected]

Public PolicySheila Bost


Silver Jubilee Fund ChairPat Camarena


Tech TrekElaine Butler


HospitalityMarilyn Leal


AAUW LaunchesNew Website!

Visit www.aauw.org andcheck out our spectacularnew look! The completelyredesigned site featureseasy navigation with acontemporary look andfeel, from the new homepage to all of AAUW’spublications, issues,events, scholarship oppor-tunities, and more. It alsogives you shortcuts toAAUW’s social media,with quick links to theAAUW Dialog blog andall our online commu-nities: Facebook, Twitter,YouTube, and SecondLife.

Tech Trek Donation FormI’m interested in sponsoring girls to go toTech Trek 2011! I pledge the followingamount towards sending girls to camp. $25 $50 $100 $200 $800 (1 girl) $ _______Make checks payable to AAUW-CA SPFwith Tech Trek SF in the memo line.

Name: _______________________Address: __________________________________________________Phone: _______________________Email: _______________________Mail your donation addressed to:

Elaine Butler124 Amber DrSan Francisco, CA 94131-1626

AAUW Web PagesNews Page & Media Alerts: (use linkson page to subscribe) www.aauw.org/About/newsroom/news/index.cfmActions to take: www.aauw.org/issue_advocacy/actionpages/index.cfmMission in Action: www.aauw.org/publications/mission/index.cfmTwo Minute Activities:capwiz.com/aauw/home.US Congressional Voting Recordaauwaction.org/VoterEd/CVR.htm.

Travel ClubWe will begin our day trips again inJanuary so watch your AVANTI.Enjoy the holidays!

Future TripsCity College Murals & ConservatoryFiloli Home & GardensMarine Mammal CenterTour de Fleurs

Holiday “Angels”Pat Camarena

Holiday seasons during the Civil Warwere at once both sad and lonesome forthose families at home but worse forthose injured soldiers in military dis-tant hospitals, not unlike today’s warcasualties and their far-away families.Fortunately there were “angels” then.

Civil War nurses became the holidayangels for the wounded troops far fromhome, in both the North and South.Letters from home would be read,small Christmas trees would be deco-rated, and maybe hardtack and porkbellies served for dinner…all with thehelp of these overworked “angels”.Male nurses were used more at thebeginning of the war. Women were notthought of as having the stamina tobear up. However, as the war draggedon and the need for help increased,women were reluctantly accepted.Later on they were encouraged as theyproved their worth many times over.Early on there was no real medicaltraining and most nurses were eithervolunteers or paid a minimum salary.They were expected to dress plainly inbrown or black and to be between theages of 30 and 50. Salaries paid wereabout $0.40 monthly for women butabout $20.40 for male nurses. Someorders of nuns became nurses also.More than two thousand women volun-teered. Few of the “angels” left writtenrecords of their names or journals ofwhat experiences they endured underharsh and brutal conditions. They werein the trenches providing triage-typeassistance, calming panicking soldiers,dispensing vital medications, and sup-porting the thinly stretched physicians.One female doctor we know of was Dr.Mary Walker. Miss Dorothea Dix wasone of the better-known nurses whoserved during the Civil War. These“angels” served throughout the war…holidays not excepted. No holiday pay,no retirement and little acknow-ledgement of their vital services.www.civilwarhome.comwww.historynet.com


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Playing NowPaula Campbell

Or, now at The Magic Theatre, is a definite winner.And yes, that is a comma in the title.Playwright Liz Duffy Adams, with an MFA in Play-writing from the Yale School of Drama, has receiveda slew of awards, a New York Foundation for theArts Fellowship Award, a Will Glickman PlaywrightAward, a Frederick Loewe Award in Music Theatre,a Weston Playhouse Music Theater Award, and acommission from Children’s Theater Company, Min-neapolis. Or, was awarded a Lilly this year, at thefifth annual Lillian Hellman Awards.Directed by Magic Theatre Artistic Director LorettaGreco, this amazingly funny, yet serious play movesseamlessly in language and references from the1660’s to the present, all the while remaining arestoration comedy, with a petit touch of French farcethrown in for good measure. To top it off O r ,brilliantly witty, is written partly in iambic pentam-eter and partly in very modern vernacular. All of itadds up to an anachronistic whirlwind, filled withlaughter, and the full-blown bawdiness of RestorationEngland, yet underlain by the stress of an ongoingwar and resulting fears of religious persecution.An historical play at heart, it tells the story of AphraBehn, a beautiful government spy, who becameEngland’s first woman playwright. Behn, a figurewell known in women’s literature, was veryimportant in her time. She was the first woman inEngland to earn her living through writing, and whofirst as a spy, then a successful author, moved in boththe highest and lowest levels of the monarchy, and ofthe English theatre world.Natacha Roi, who beautifully captures the complex-ities of the character, plays Behn; a woman filledwith ambition, but also motivated by love. MaggieMason and Ben Huber, doubling (and tripling) as theother five characters, totally differentiate and fullyflesh out all their roles. Mason in particular, has a starturn as the theatrical producer, Lady Davenant.Costumer Alex Jaeger and Set Designer MichaelLocher create a perfect picture of the time and place,right down to corsets and candlelight. Don’t miss thiswonderful play, and find out when you see it whythere’s that comma in the title.

Or, through Dec. 5, 2010. The Magic Theatre, Fort Mason,Bldg D. Box Office 441-8822 email – www.magictheatre.org.Tues 7pm, Wednesday–Saturday 8pm, and Saturday &Sunday 2:30 pm.

Silver Jubilee ScholarshipsThe San Francisco AAUW branch will offerscholarships of $2,000 each to help upper divisionand graduate school women complete their final yearof study in an accredited college or university for theschool year 2011-2012. Candidates must live or beattending a university or college within a 100-miledistance of San Francisco and be on track to completetheir course of study by June 2012. There is norestriction on the use of the funds. Completedapplications are due by March 1, 2011.If you are interested, or have friends or relatives whomay benefit from the scholarship, please check theSilver Jubilee Fund information on the AAUW SanFrancisco website at www.aauwsf.org.Pat Camarena [email protected] Jubilee Scholarship Chair

State DirectoryAAUW CA Directory is posted in searchable PDFformat. Both documents can be found in the Forms &Documents section, under Branch Administration,HERE. Hard copies of the directory are available forpurchase. Send your request, with a $10 check toAAUW CA Office, PO Box 160067, Sacramento,CA 95816-0067

CEDAWThe Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on HumanRights and the Law, chaired by Senator Durbin (D-Ill), will hold a hearing on CEDAW: Women’sRights Are Human Rights: U.S. Ratification of theConvention on the Elimination of All Forms ofDiscrimination Against Women (CEDAW)Date: Thursday, November 18Time: 2:00 p.m.Location: Dirksen Senate Office Building Room 226This is the first hearing on CEDAW since 2002, andthe first- ever hearing on the ratification of a humanrights treaty in the Senate Judiciary Committee. Thehearing will focus on the importance of the UnitedStates remaining a world leader on human rightsissues and ratifying this critical treaty.


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For more information on CEDAW and to contactyour Senators, go to the following websitewww.CEDAW2010.org.AAUW Breaking through Barriers Awards

Apply by February 15, 2011Does your state or branch have an innovativeprogram that benefits women and girls? Apply onlinefor AAUW’s new Breaking through Barriers Awards,www.aauw.org/learn/awards/btb.cfm and getrecognized, replicated, and rewarded.Every two years, the Breaking through BarriersAwards will identify three exemplary branch pro-grams, as well as a select group of finalists andhonorable mentions that showcases the ways inwhich we are fulfilling the AAUW mission in ourcommunities. Top awardees, finalists, and honorablementions will be honored in the following ways:• Top three state/branch awardees will be announ-

ced at the 2011 AAUW National Conventionwww.aauw.org/convention and will each receive a$3,000 cash prize.

• Top state/branch finalists will receive 2011AAUW National Convention registration discountsand an exhibit table at convention to showcasetheir programs.

• Top state/branch finalists will be offered theopportunity to have their programs featured as anAAUW Program in a Box www.aauw.org /member_center/programs/PIAB.cfm on theAAUW website.

• Top awardees, finalists, and honorable mentionswill receive recognition in AAUW publications,website, and social media.

Don’t miss out on being rewarded for your successfulstate/branch programs! For additional informationabout the awards, please e-mail [email protected] call 800/326-2289.

Celebrating 90 Years of SuffrageOn November 4, AAUW co-sponsored Toast theWoman’s Vote, an event to celebrate women’sachievements and discuss further steps towardwomen’s equality. The Sewall-Belmont House andMuseum hosted the event, which AAUW staff andmembers and representatives from 15 otherorganizations attended.

AAUW Fellowship Recipient Talks aboutBullies and Social Networking

The Ridgewood News(Friday, November 12)

The Ridgewood News interviewed Rosalind Wise-man, a former AAUW fellowship and grant recipientin the midst of her Girl World book tour for QueenBees and Wannabes, about her work to stopbullying. In a Q&A with the New Jersey paper,Wiseman said that “parents matter so much,” andother caregivers can play a positive role in a child’ssocial networking.

AAUW Research Figures Prominently inPro-Paycheck Fairness Arguments

A number of recent articles used AAUW research toargue for passage of the Paycheck Fairness Act, themuch-needed update of the Equal Pay Act of 1963.The author of a New Republic article titled “A SadDay for Equal Pay“ said “the very fact that the EqualPay Act has been around for almost 50 years andwomen still earn less than men for the same work,should generate support for this act.” Similararguments also citing AAUW’s work appeared in theLompoc Record, RH Reality Check, About.com, theCalifornia NOW blog, and a November 11th letter tothe editor of the Las Cruces Sun-News from StephenDegiulio.

NGCP Hosts Collaboration ConferenceThe National Girls Collaborative Project held acollaboration conference that brought togetherorganizations from across the country that arecommitted to encouraging girls to pursue careers inscience, technology, engineering, and mathematics.The conference provided a great opportunity for theseorganizations to connect and learn from nationalexperts.

Conventions Next Year – Save the DatesCelebrate AAUW-CA’s 90 years at our 2011Convention in Irvine, CA April 8-10, 2011. We arelooking forward to an amazing celebration and hopethat you will join us.Click HERE for the Reservation Form, or find it onwww.aauw-ca.org, in the Forms and Documentssection under Convention 2011.As we did last year, we are asking anyone who isinterested in doing a workshop at Convention to fill


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out a Request For Proposal. If the link doesn’t work,the RFP can be found on the AAUW-CA websiteunder Convention 2011.Connection CornerThe convention will celebrate AAUW California’s90th anniversary. Join in the celebration byhighlighting your branch’s accomplishments andmemories in Connection Corner. Watch your mail forthe Connection Corner post card with spacereservation details in November.

Happy Holidays from the AAUW CA BranchLiaison Team: Anne Henke, Megan Smock and theBranch Liaisons.Branch PhotosDon’t forget to send in your branch’s historicalphotos to Joanne Viner, ASAP. They will be shownin a PowerPoint display at the beginning of Sunday’sbusiness session featuring your branches.Cathy Foxhoven, AAUW-CA Program Director

National ConventionJune 16 – 19, 2011. Renaissance Hotel, WashingtonDC

“Only a brave person is willing to honestly admit,and fearlessly to face,

what a sincere and logical mind discovers.Rodan of Alexandria, Greek philosopher

December 2010

Board MeetingWednesday, December 8th, 6:30 pm, Pot Luck, 7Meeting, at Marilyn Leal’s home, 4325 19th St. Allmembers are invited. RSVP Marilyn at: 626-4110

Holiday LuncheonSunday, December 12th, 11 am - 1 pm, a tMescolanza, 2221 Clement St. Use the invite youreceived in the mail, or the one on page 4 to selectyour menu choice and send in your check to:AAUW-SF, P.O. Box 31405, San Francisco, CA94131-0405.

Afternoon with BooksFriday, December 19th, 1:30 pm, at MichelleMammini’s home, 2520 Greenwich St. We arereading: The Lost Hours, by Karen White. RSVP:Michelle 346-9114 or [email protected].

Mystery/AdventureThursday, December 16th, 6:30 pm MysteryPotluck, at Andrea Laudate’s home, 243 Missouri St.Bring a dish to pass, using recipes from any of ourmysteries or your own tried and true favorite. Don’ttell – surprise us!

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat1 HanukkahBegins 2 3 4

5 6 78 6:30 pmBoardMeeting

9 10 11

12 11 amHolidayLuncheon

13 14 1516 7:30 pmMystery/Adventure

17 1:30pmAfternoonwith Books

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19 20 21 22 23 24 25 MerryChristmas

26 27 28 29 30 31 Happy NewYear!


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Avanti EditorAAUWSan Francisco BranchP.O. Box 31405San Francisco, CA 94131-0405Address Correction RequestedThe American Association of University Women(AAUW), founded in 1881, is the nation’s leadingorganization advocating equity for women andgirls. Its national membership of 100,000 seeks toadvance equity for women and girls through advo-cacy, education, and research. People of every race,creed, age, sexual orientation, national origin, andlevel of physical ability are invited to join.

AAUW California was launched in San Franciscoin 1886 and began lobbying immediately. Itremains the state’s most active and diverse organi-zation for women with 14,000 members in morethan 150 branches, plus 6,000 members-at-large.

AAUW advances equity forwomen and girls through advo-cacy, education, and research

Marie Curie & AAUWThe year was 1919. Europe had beenravaged by World War I and radium wasfar too expensive for a scientist ofmodest means to afford for experiments.Even one as famous as Madame MarieCurie. As a result, her ground-breakingresearch had reached a virtual standstill.Then the AAUW came to the rescue.Members from Maine to Californiahelped raise an astonishing $156,413,enabling Madame Curie to purchase onegram of radium and continue herexperiments that helped her create thefield of nuclear chemistry and foreverchange the course of science. MadameCurie received the Nobel Prize for herwork, but was not admitted to the FrenchAcademie des Sciences until she won anincredible second Nobel Prize...allbecause she was a woman. More than 75years later, there are still only threewomen members.

Educational FoundationIn 1873, a prominent Boston physician,Dr. E.H. Clarke, wrote a book arguingthat too much study would give womenbrain fever and render their childrensickly, if they were to have them at all.

The Association of Collegiate Alumnae(AAUW’s chief predecessor) fought thiscontention in 1885 and won, by gath-ering data from its members to show thatthey had suffered no ill health from theircollege and postgraduate education. In1888, the Western Association ofCollegiate Alumnae (founded here inSan Francisco) made educational historyby establishing the first graduate fellow-ship for women (given to Vassargraduate Ida Street).

California is still the largest contributor,enabling the Educational Foundation toaward nearly $3 million in grants towomen at the dissertation or doctorallevel, and to those pursuing career-related or community-based projects.

Legal Advocacy FundFounded in 1981, the Legal AdvocacyFund (LAF) works to achieve equity forwomen in higher education by recog-nizing inDecative efforts to improve theclimate for women on campus; byoffering assistance to women faculty,staff, and students who have grievancesagainst colleges and universities; and bysupporting sex discrimination lawsuits.

The LAF Board only approves supportof cases which are currently involved inlitigation, and that have the potential toset legal precedent.

The Legal Advocacy Fund’s annualProgress in Equity Award recognizesindicative and replicable college anduniversity programs.

President’s Message Holiday Luncheon - AAUW · Holiday Luncheon Sunday, December 12th, 11 am ......

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