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Members have busy over the past few weeks ... International Dinner with speaker Dr. Suzanne Kent; a guided tour of the Indigenous Arts of North America gallery at the Denver Art Museum; a talk with Macie May of the Longmont Leader; hiking at the Rocky Flats Wildlife Refuge; and more
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KUDOS to the Membership Committee for finding ways to keep in touch with members, even though our Branch has been unable to meet in- person for programs. Committee members have e-mailed, called, sent cards to and met for coffee or lunch with their buddies. We have added four members since July and two more will join in March. Thank you Linda Davies, Marty Fisher, Charlotte Tyson, Marcia Allen, Lyndy Lubbers, Vicki Moran, Nancy Bruington, Carol Brookshire and Eileen Smith!
Please update your information in National AAUW's membership portal. Each member should have received an email on February 16th, from Katrina Breese at AAUW National. There is a link in that email for you to set up an account that will enable you to manage your individual membership. You will need to use a different login (your e-mail) and password. If you did not receive this email, please contact Nan Andersson at nancyandersson76@gmail.com or 720-684-6651.
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Our branch began awarding Community Action Grants in 1993, and have awarded 82 grants totaling $65,250. For the 2022 year we will be awarding $3,500 in total grants to one or more local projects that focus on promoting education and equity for women and girls. The grant proposals are submitted by nonprofit organizations, must be nonpartisan in nature, and provide service within the boundary of the St. Vrain Valley School District.
The Community Action Grant Fund is administered by the Longmont Community Foundation, but our committee reviews the grant proposals, according to established criteria, and then reaches consensus on which ones we will support. For the past two years, because of the pandemic, the committee has met by Zoom which has worked beautifully.
Traditionally the committee makes their selections on the fourth Tuesday of April and the extends invitations to the grant recipients to share their projects at our Spring Fling in May.
If you would be interested in being on the committee to evaluate the grant proposals in late April, Zoom with us on April 25th, and host the grantees at the Spring Fling, please contact Sue Hughes at suehughes@yahoo.com
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Watch Greta Thunberg, who became a worldwide activist for climate change in London in 2019. Attend the March 8th panel with our legislators and exercise our activism to make change in Colorado. Read below about AAUW priorities.
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The passage of several exciting proposed bills may be in jeopardy - despite their importance, they've not been introduced yet, halfway through the session ending May 12.
At the Women's Collaborative meeting 10 days ago, some presenters (legislative insiders) wondered whether the slow place was a ploy to let controversial bills die without having to vote on them.
Whether that is the case or not, a way we can help is to urge our legislators to get these bills into the system. They are all supported by AAUW Colorado.
RHEA, the Reproductive Health Equity Act, would establish reproductive rights as fundamental rights, allow women to choose or refuse contraception, to continue or end a pregnancy, and deny any fetus, fertilized egg or embryo independent rights in Colorado. Introduction and passage in the 2022 session is key, since Roe v. Wade may be overturned this summer. Otherwise, individual Colorado counties may pass restrictive anti-choice laws in November that would need to be addressed in court.
POWR, Protecting Opportunities and Workers Rights, would improve protections against sexual harassment, remove the requirement of 'severe and pervasive' to prove claims, and extend the filing time frame. First proposed in 2021, the bill was 'postponed indefinitely' last June.
The Workplace Age Discrimination Act would allow age discrimination- against older or younger women - to be treated like any other discrimination.
An Anti-Human Trafficking bill would strengthen human trafficking penalties and increase prosecution for child pornography. This bill was also 'postponed indefinitely' in 2021.
Take Action to ensure that these bills are given a chance to be heard. Write your legislators, Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis, Rep. Tracey Bernett, and Rep. Karen McCormick, to let them know you'd like to see these bills introduced. And speak to them in Zoom-person at our March 8 program, celebrating International Womens Day. |
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Mary Webber will send cards to members or immediate family members who are experiencing difficult times, illness, or death and helping to arrange transportation if needed. If you have a concern or recognition to share please contact Mary.
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FROM THE BOARD
Kathy Hall,
Communications
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In informally connecting with friends? In meeting new people? In books you might not have otherwise read? In discussions of local, state, national and international events? In outdoor activities? In family heritage? In in-depth studies of current topics? In food?
Well, have we got opportunities for you! And if we don’t, you and others can make one for yourselves.
Yes, you guessed it ... we’re talking about Interest Groups!
In recent surveys, our members indicated that the most important reason for continuing their membership in AAUW Longmont was the social interactions with others. Interest groups provide one way to socialize while focusing on issues of interest or just having fun.
Some of our Interest Groups are more serious in nature than others. The membership of each decides the path the group will take and how it will evolve over time.
For example, our Evening Book Group has discussed hundreds of fiction and non-fiction books. In recent years it has sponsored All Branch Reads on topics related to current events and augmented those selections with in-person talks with their woman authors.
A recent extension of our Racism Study Group has been field trips to the History Colorado Museum and the Denver Art Museum. These activities may have spawned a new museum expedition group, although it may be too early to tell.
The Coffee & Conversation Group (you don’t have to drink coffee to join in) meets monthly for wide ranging discussions on any topics those in attendance bring up.
Our Weekly Walkers morphed into a monthly Hiking Group which has a format that currently meets the interest of more of our members. But who knows, the Weekly Walkers might be back if the interest is there.
We could go on and on about Interest Groups, but you get the idea. The bottom line is that the benefits of belonging can be significant for you and others as well. These groups offer great opportunities for growth. By connecting with other AAUW members routinely, you are apt to broaden your own interests and expand your understanding of others, which certainly can help these days.
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The Board at the February meeting authorized awards for Community Action Grants and Scholarships in the 2022 year will be $3500 each.
This amount is larger than earlier years because the funds at Longmont Community Foundation have grown due to market conditions and additional contributions from members.
Thank you to everyone who has donated to these funds, to all our programing and, especially in February, to the Front Range Community College Pantry. Your generosity allows the Branch to share with the community and St. Vrain area students.
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INTEREST GROUPS are continuing to be careful about getting together depending on the preferences of the members. All Branch members are welcome to attend. It's never too late to join.
COFFEE AND CONVERSATION
Wednesday, March 9, 9:30 am
NEW LOCATION - Java Stop at 310 Main Street
Contact: Nan Andersson
CURRENT ISSUES & ADVOCACY (CI&A)
Monday, March 21 3:30 pm
On Zoom or in-person - contact Nancy for link or location
Contact: Nancy Holt
EVENING BOOK GROUP
Thursday, March 17 7:00 pm
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
Host: Wanda Schnabel or on Zoom
Thursday, April 21 7:00 pm
Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles
Host: TBD
Contact: Bev Schrenk
GOURMET DINNER GROUP
Contact: Gayle Rainey about future dinners.
HIKING GROUP
Thursday, March 10 and April 14
Contact Darcy Juday for departure time and more route information.
MEMOIR WRITING GROUP
Monthly on 1st Thursday, 4‐5:45 pm via Zoom
Contact: Mary Webber
STUDY GROUP ON RACISM AND ANTI-RACISM
Wednesday. March 14 1:00 pm
Via Zoom
This group meets monthly on the 2nd Tuesday at 1:00 pm unless otherwise indicated. If interested, contact the group via email.
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