December 2023/January 2024 Newsletter

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Volume 80, Issue 3

President’s Message

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Dear Arlington AAUW members,

The winter chill is certainly upon us now but I hope that snow is far off and we can enjoy fall weather for a few more weeks. I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Perhaps because we are slowly leaving the constraints of the pandemic behind I thought more about all that we had to be thankful for
with family and friends and appreciative of being able to get out and about to travel, visit places like museums, and see our family and friends in person with fewer worries.

We have some exciting programs coming up this winter on African-American history in Arlington and ancestry research, so we can continue to learn. I am glad that our September meeting, for example, was about AI and CHATGPT since it’s been so much in the news of late. I now have a much better idea of what CHATGPT is and its related issues. Our October meeting gave us a glimpse into the challenges faced by immigrant women in Arlington and our November meeting told us so much about the unsung women who actually figured out how to program the first modern computers. I hope to see you at these upcoming programs – you’ll find more information below.

It definitely takes a team to keep our branch running smoothly. I am happy to report that Susan Senn is going to be our public policy rep as Sara Anderson cannot continue due to illness. Candace Lilyquist, our VP for membership is going to keep our google group updated, and Rebecca Moscoso is going to give the newsletter a try. (We still need a volunteer to keep the website updated-let me know if you can assume this task. Teri Doxsee will show you how.) I am very appreciative of these colleagues pitching in to keep our communications flowing.

There is a lot of information in the AAUW-VA policy update below but mark your calendars for February 28-this is AAUW-VA Virtual Lobby Day. I am hoping for us to set up a virtual meeting with our local representatives where we can all join in via Zoom.

I hope to see you at our holiday luncheon on December 2 at Cote d’Or followed by our trip across the street to visit One More Page bookstore for some holiday shopping. I want to thank everyone again for their generosity last year in making donations to our scholarship and awards fund last year. Your donations enabled us to award academic scholarships, a teacher’s award, and gift cards to science fair winners. Don’t forget that you can bring your scholarship donation with you to the luncheon.

Best wishes for a joyful holiday season and a great 2024!

Sincerely,

Terry Bratt, Arlington Branch President

Hope to see you Saturday at our Holiday Luncheon

Date and time:  Saturday, December 2, at twelve noon

Place: La Côte d’Or Café, 6876 Langston Blvd., Arlington, VA 22213
We have reserved a room just for us.  We will each pay individually. Below are the options we will have for our $28 3-course Holiday Luncheon menu.  Be ready to provide your selections at the luncheon.

Appetizer

  • Soup of the day
  • Caesar salad
  • Panisse fries, lemon, basil aioli

Main course

  • Linguini pasta, basil pistou, parmesan cheese, pine nuts, French green beans
  • “Steak hachée” chopped steak, black peppercorn cream sauce, French fries
  • Chicken Blanquette, cream velouté, mushroom, pear onions, pilaf rice

Dessert

  • Cream caramel
  • Bread pudding, walnut, peach, cinnamon, vanilla sauce
  • Sorbet/ice cream

The room we have reserved can hold only 30 people. Contact Barbara Smith if you would like to attend and you have not already RSVPed.

After the Holiday Luncheon, you will have the opportunity to browse the books, wines, and chocolates at One More Page Books, located at 2200 N. Westmoreland Street, just across the street from La Côte d’Or Café.

I look forward to seeing you this Saturday at the Côte d’Or Café.

Here is the information about the programs for the January and February meetings:

  • Sat., January 20, at 10:30 am – Jessica Kaplan of the Arlington Historical Society will talk about the “Memorializing the Enslaved in Arlington” project, which has recovered the history of 1,400 enslaved people who lived in Arlington.
  • Sat., Feb. 24, at 10:30 am – Eileen Bogdanoff, an experienced genealogist and an expert on using Ancestry.com, will share information and tools for learning about your family’s roots. She gives monthly talks as part of Arlington’s 55+ Program.

Barbara Gallagher and Barbara Smith, Co VPs Program

Let’s Talk About Books

The December meeting of Let’s Talk About Books will be
Tuesday, December 12, 2 pm at the home of Barbara Gallagher. Please let Barbara know if you will be attending.  Our book
selection is Dinners with Ruth by Nina Totenberg.

Our January meeting is Tuesday, January 23, 2 pm at
your regular Zoom location, unless someone would like
to host it.  If you would like to host, please let me know
and I’ll get word out to all members.  Our book selection is Striptease by Carl Hiassen.  Terry Bratt will send an invitation with the Zoom information. So,
watch your email and come join the fun!

Opportunities for hosting are still available on 2/27,
3/19, 4/16, 5/21, and 6/25. Please let me know if you
are interested.

See our book list for the coming year and the meeting dates. All meetings except October and July 2024 have hosting opportunities.

Happy reading!

Barbara Gallagher, Let’s Talk About Books Chair

Lunch Bunch

The Lunch Bunch is off to a great start! We have been meeting with a great group of young women monthly at the new site of the Arlington Community High School on Fairfax Drive in Ballston since September. These young women each have
their own journey that led them to this alternative high school program and the fact that they take the time each month to hear from various role models and to consider their own possibilities, is impressive. Some are mothers, many have jobs and other responsibilities, and all are focused on their future!

The girls are enthusiastic about this year’s theme: Self Care and Goal Setting and are keeping journals as the year progresses. The girls were surveyed in September about their interests, so the upcoming December 14 meeting is focusing on bilingual culinary training with Daniela Hurtado, director of Kitchen of Purpose, an Arlington non-profit. The girls will also take courses on how to launch a small food business using the power of FOOD to create SOCIOECONOMIC CHANGE in low-income communities.

The January 11 meeting will focus on scholarship opportunities, another lunch bunch interest. Branch members are invited to join in. The meetings are on the 4 th floor at 12:30 pm at the high school, which is located at 4420 Fairfax Drive. Come join us on the third Thursday of the month to meet some of our wonderful lunch bunchers!

Mary Beth Pelosky and Meg Tucillo,, Lunch Bunch

AAUW-VA Public Policy Update

Public Policy

AAUW-VA Co-VPs for Public Policy Denise Murden and Janine Greenwood are excited to report that legislation introduced in Congress by Virginia Representative Bobby Scott, the America’s College Promise Act of 2023, would create a joint state-federal partnership to provide free community college tuition. Janine along with AAUW-VA President Lane Stone and Administrator Sarita Gregory sent Representative Scott a letter of support, which is printed in full below and was also printed in the Virginia Pilot.

Now that the election is over, Denise and Janine are encouraging branches to reach out to their newly elected Delegates and Senators.  Remember, they work for us! At our January 10 Arlington branch board meeting, we will be talking about setting up a Zoom on February 28 for our Branch members with them to discuss AAUW, our branch, and our policy agenda.  We will keep you posted! Most of the candidate websites include contact information.  AAUW website has great resources to help you to engage with elected officials : https://www.aauw.org/resources/policy/advocacy-toolkit/meeting-elected-officials/

These are the notes from the last Public Policy meeting:
The League of Women Voters will have its Zoom Legislative Pre-session on December 6.  It is a chance to
hear from Virginia advocacy groups about their priorities. AAUW-VA will be participating.

Our next scheduled Virginia Public Policy meeting is January 4, 2024, at 6PM on Zoom.  We will discuss Legislative Priorities and Lobby Day.  Active planning has begun for the AAUW Women Legislators Reception on January 30, 2024, and our Lobby Day on January 31, 2024.  We have reserved a block of rooms at the Hampton Inn in Richmond for the night of January 30.  You can make reservations here: https://group.hamptoninn.com/xfvxmr.  In December, we will be asking those of you who plan to attend our Lobby Day to let us know and to tell us the number of both your Virginia House and Senate districts.  If we have that information, we can do our best to assign you to visit your own lawmakers. And there will be a second virtual lobby day on February 28.

On the AAUW National front, November 30 is Native Women’s Equal Pay Day.  National has provided resources for a social media blitz so watch for these and use them on your branch social media. https://www.aauw.org/resources/article/native-women-and-the-pay-gap/
The pay gap tends to be larger for women of color and in some cases the gap appears to be widening. Compared to white, non-Hispanic men:  Native women make 59 cents on the dollar. The Equal Pay Day Calendar now encompasses a broader cross-section of women, including those who work part time or seasonally, to represent a more accurate picture of how the gender pay gap impacts diverse communities. The COVID-19 pandemic pushed many women, especially women of color, into part-time or seasonal work, or out of the workforce all together. Because of this, past methods of calculating the wage gap fell short of accurately capturing the full picture. With the new inclusive methodology, we can advocate on behalf of all women in the eworkforce. https://www.aauw.org/resources/article/equal-pay-day-calendar/.

Thank you all for your advocacy in promoting our Public Policy agenda.

Janine Greenwood & Denise M. Murden
Co-VP Public Policy

AAUW of Virginia
Become an AAUW Two-Minute Activist:
https://www.aauw.org/act/two-minute-activist/
The Honorable Bobby Scott
2328 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Congressman Scott:

On behalf of AAUW of Virginia and its members, many of whom are your constituents, we would like to thank you for introducing The America’s College Promise Act of 2023. As a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization founded to provide access to higher education for women we are always heartened by proposed legislation that increases college access and reduces cost.

The proposed legislation would particularly benefit women, who face a disproportionate burden from the rising cost of education. The price tag of a college education has more than doubled over the past generation while household incomes have barely budged. Women hold almost 2/3 of the country’s $1.54-trillion student debt: $929 billion. Women earning a bachelor’s degree graduate owing an average of $2,700 more than their male peers. Student debt is the second highest source of household debt after housing.

Women take about two years longer than men to repay student loans. From the moment women graduate from college, most face a gender pay gap — which compounds as they age. This makes it even harder to pay off their larger share of student debt. As a result, women often put off saving for retirement, buying a home or starting a business.

For the first time in five years, tuition at Virginia’s 23 community colleges was raised this fall, which will add to these burdens for students in the Commonwealth and could deny access for many. The 3% increase in tuition for the 2023-24 academic year translates into an extra $4.61 per credit hour. Incoming students will pay $2,379 for a typical 15 credit-hour semester. The College Promise Act’s proposals for a state-federal partnership to waive tuition and fees for community college students would be an extraordinary step towards economic equity for all.

Thank you, again, for focusing on this important issue.

Sincerely, AAUW of Virginia Lane Stone, President Sarita Gregory, Administrator Janine Greenwood, Co-
VP Public Policy

AAUW Calendar

Our AAUW Calendar has moved to google which means you can check it online from the website or subscribe and see it directly on your phone or laptop! Additional information about the events is available by clicking the item.  Contact newsarlvaaauw@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Arlington AAUW Executive Committee 2023-24

Term begins July 1, 2023

Note from the Editor – February/March 2024 Newsletter

Any articles for publication should be emailed to newsarlvaaauw@gmail.com with the SUBJECT line: Newsletter by January 15, 2024

MISSION OF AAUW

Advancing equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy and research.