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April Branch Meeting

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Our speaker in April will be Toya Cooper, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion VP at SOU since November 2021. Cooper brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this position. Prior to joining SOU, she served as Marist College’s Director of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, and Compliance and Title IX Coordinator. Previously, she was an admissions counselor and multicultural program coordinator for her alma mater, Westmont College in Santa Barbara. After earning her law degree at Willamette University College of Law, she returned to Westmont College where she served in various capacities related to diversity and law. She also served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for Children (CASA) in Santa Barbara County.

These fields of study and experience have enabled Cooper to focus on diversity initiatives, multicultural programs, inclusion, and related legal matters in college and university settings. You don’t want to miss this opportunity to garner insight into equity, diversity, and inclusion in higher education generally and what is happening on these issues at SOU.

THIS IS OUR LAST BRANCH MEETING UNTIL SEPTEMBER! DON”T MISS IT!

NOTE: Proof of COVID vaccination or negative test within 48 hours is required. Seating will be well spaced.

Save These Dates!

We had lots to celebrate in March. We began with Women’s History Month, International Women’s Day on March 8, Equal Pay Day on March 15 (getting closer to parity!), the return of Daylight Saving Time, and the first day of spring! We also celebrated the end of mask mandates, although many of us will choose to wear them when shopping or in large crowds. It will be interesting to see if this is really the beginning of a post-pandemic, endemic world, or if there are more volatile variants headed our way. Whatever happens, enjoy the NOW, make each moment count, and please take a moment of silence for those suffering in Ukraine.

One of my great joys in March was being back in person for our Branch meeting! We had a joyous reunion at the First United Methodist Church. It was so great to see friends we hadn’t seen in a very long time.

Please join us on April 23 to hear Toya Cooper from SOU (see details above), and for our annual President’s Meeting where the Florence Schneider Award will be given and our Named Gift Honorees will be feted. We’ll also elect officers for next year and do some Branch business. This will be the last Branch meeting of the year, so please try to attend. Please review the nominees in the next article.

Next Year’s Leadership Team

In addition to the terrific program presented at the April Branch meeting, we’ll also elect our new officers and appointed chairs for 2022-23. The Nominating Committee (Bessie Azari, Jean Conger, Mimi Pippel, Susan Hollandsworth, and Chris Donchin) has presented the following slate of nominees to serve our Branch next year. Thanks to the Committee for an outstanding job! Members will vote on the following officers:

  • Co-presidents: Catherine Lutes and Regina Ayars

  • Recording Secretary: Christine Fernlund

  • Members-at-Large: Mary Coombs and Catherine Greenspan

Newly appointed committee chairs and coordinators include:

  • Program Chair: Mimi Pippel

  • Interest Group Chair: Peggy Audibert

  • Communications Chair: Gail Engblom

  • Website Coordinator: Chris Licata

  • Newsletter Editors: Gail Engblom, Elaine Sweet, Penny Little

  • Public Policy Chair: Lisa Verner

Membership News

After two years of virtual meetings and outdoor events, we may all feel a bit like new members. We are pleased to welcome several new members: Rebecca Blair, Betsy Borruso, Denise Crosby, Cynthia Dettman, Penny Little, and Irene Miano. We now have 146 members! Please join us on April 23 at the last Branch meeting of the year to greet our new and returning members.

Catherine Greenspan hosts a Coffee Klatch the first Saturday of each month from 10-11 am. This event is open to all members and is a great way to get reacquainted with new and old friends. See details in article below. And it’s now in person!

We’ll soon receive information from AAUW National concerning changes in the membership renewal process for 2022-23. The Membership and Communications Teams are updating the membership interest survey. Stay tuned for more information.

A big thank you to our Membership Team, Mary Coombs, Susan Aaronson, and Catherine Greenspan, for their work this year in planning the New Member Orientation and supporting our long-awaited in-person Branch meetings!

READ MORE about our new members!

Scholar Updates

In Her Own Words:

Scholar and Mentor, Aida Antonio,
recipient of Judy Yin Shih Scholarship at SOU

Jean Conger and Aida Antonio

I am enjoying my final year in the MBA program at Southern Oregon University. During the COVID pandemic I have devoted time to supporting organizations in the Portland area by creating and sharing vaccine and recovery information for Spanish-speaking patients. The AAUW Ashland scholarship has allowed me to continue business studies while working full-time, supporting my loved ones and myself. The scholarship has also afforded me the opportunity to grow as a leader and community advocate. I am currently in the Business Analytics program and hope to use my MBA skill set to work in the tech industry. In the future, I plan to publish a book based on my experiences as a Latina entrepreneur while also supporting community development and advocacy at the county level.

Jean Conger, Mentor and AAUW Ashland Endowment Funds Chair:

Aida is delightful, very intelligent, and interesting. Learning more about her family in Guatemala and time she has spent with her grandmother during summer months was very rewarding. Since Aida lives in Portland full time, we were unable to meet in person. We met on Zoom only a couple of times due to her busy schedule. After my mentor experience with Aida, I am more determined to raise money for our two endowment funds (at Rogue Community College and SOU). One day our SOU fund will be $1 million!

LEARN MORE about this year’s scholars as they continue their studies, work within their communities, and care for their children.

Endowment Report: How to Donate

What is better and more fun than a huge upscale sale at the Grange?
Answer: A pre-sale for members at the April Branch meeting!

Arrive early to shop a selection of the best donated items that might appeal to women of a certain age. Sweets and savories from the café will be available for purchase, too.

Bring your wallets and support our scholarship program!

2022 Online Conference & Annual Meeting

Join us via Zoom for three days of training, enrichment sessions, enlightening speakers, and annual business meeting, plus time for socializing and celebration. Please note that our own Catherine Lutes is a candidate for Membership Vice-President. This Board position will be confirmed at the Annual Meeting, and Catherine will then join me on the State Board.

For all the details about the speakers and programs, click below to view the Oregon News. You can also register on that site. Please consider attending— the programs are indeed outstanding and will provide inspiration and motivation for the year ahead.

Pam Shay

Program and Registration

New! AAUW Ashland Monthly Coffee Klatch!
Mark your calendar for the first Saturday of each month from 10-11am.

In Person! Saturday, April 9 at Pony Espresso (second Saturday this month only)

You're invited to meet, chat, and drink coffee on the first Saturday of each month.
Let's hang out and reconnect or get to know each other.
If you're a new member, learn more about AAUW and our Branch.
For details, please contact Catherine Greenspan, or just show up!

Public Policy Committee

Ashland AAUW Public Policy, 2009-2022

By Kathy Brandon

As an educator, one of my goals in retirement was to “make a difference” in equity for women and girls. I had incorporated research from AAUW in my teaching practice and was impressed by the AAUW mission statement:”. . . to advance gender equity for women and girls through research, education, and advocacy.”

At my first AAUW Ashland meeting in 2009, I was encouraged by women from the Public Policy team to join them in “making that difference.” These women, all with shared purpose, became friends and colleagues for over a decade in pursuing our common passion for equity.

Guided by the national and state Public Policy Priorities, we engaged in direct democracy and advocacy. Every year we tackled important issues: pay equity, STEM, feminism, bullying, and sexual violence. We participated in Lobby Day in Salem, and traveled to Washington DC to attend the national convention, where we lobbied at the Capitol for student debt relief. We have written numerous letters to the editor, op-ed pieces, and letters of testimony for legislation.

In collaboration with legislators, community partners, and Oregon Public Policy, our team advanced our mission through legislation. This Oregon Legislative session was particularly rewarding with the passage of three bills: Overtime for Farm Workers, Broadband Access, and Certification for Home Care Workers. We have seen progress in many areas, but there still remains much work to do to remove those barriers.

You, too, can make a difference! The Ashland AAUW Public Policy Team welcomes you!

Contact the group coordinator for more information: Peggy Audibert | Sandra Coyner | Gretchen King | Linda Lipkind | Diane Novak | Colleen Patrick-Riley | Esther Stone | Shannon Stuver | Sylvie Whitman

At Long Last, an In-Person Meeting!

After more than two years of Zooming, 50 of our members came to the Branch meeting on Saturday, March 26. There were smiles all around as we reconnected with old friends, met several new members, and enjoyed an interesting and engaging program on Women and Philanthropy. Amy Cuddy, of the Oregon Community Foundation, left us with a renewed sense of purpose and generosity. Here are a few of our smiling faces.