Volume 81, Issue   4

President’s Message

Dear Arlington AAUW members,

Congratulations are in order for our branch! We met our goal of collecting 100 books to donate to the Women’s Detention Center in honor of AAUW’s 100th birthday. We send many thinks to our members for getting their donations to us at our November and December gatherings.

Thank you for donating 100 books to celebrate 100 years of AAUW.

It is also with great pleasure that I share some more exciting news — AAUW Arlington (VA) Branch has achieved a star in AAUW’s FY24 Five Star Program! Our branch attained the Programming star. We thank our co-vice presidents for programs, Barbara Smith and Barbara Gallagher, for bringing us such great programs.

We have more great programs ahead, and I hope everyone has marked their calendars for our upcoming branch meetings and the AAUW State Conference in Alexandria on March 29. Our book discussion group also has some great books to share. Check out more information further on in the newsletter.

It’s time again to consider taking on an office for our branch next year. Terms are for two years.  We need to fill the following positions: President, VP for Communications and VP Programs. Michelle Milden, Susan Senn and I head up the Nominations Committee and may be calling you.

Please be sure to scroll all the way to the end of the newsletter to read the moving piece written by our friend, member, and local activist, Emma Violand-Sanchez. A message at the conclusion shows how to pre-order her book.

All the best for great adventures in 2025 while staying warm this winter!

Terry Bratt
Arlington AAUW Branch President.

Arlington AAUW Branch meetings  in  2025

Here is some information about programs for the months of February, and March 2025:

• Sat., Feb. 22, at 10:30 am, Lubber Run Community Center – CDR Sandra Lawrence, USN Ret., will speak about “Women in the Military: A Long and Honored Tradition”.
• Sat., Mar. 22, 10:30 am, Lubber Run Community Center – Annual meeting – Program about the Arlington women who protested “Massive Resistance”, the political campaign in Virginia in the 1950s to prevent the integration of schools.

Barbara Smith, Program Chair

Officer Elections at the March 22 Annual Meeting

Volunteers needed! The annual March election of officers is coming up. Our annual meeting where we elect our new officers is scheduled for March 22. Our branch officers are a group of volunteers and we need our members to consider stepping up and taking on one of the open positions. Open officer positions include President, VP for Programs, and VP for Communications. The Nominating Committee will meet and select a slate of candidates for
these positions. Members who are interested in one of these positions should contact a member of the Nominating Committee (Terry Bratt, Susan Senn, Meg Tuccillo, and Michele Milden) as soon as possible. The slate will be sent out to the membership to review in February.

Let’s Talk About Books

Our February meeting is on Tuesday, February 25, 2 PM, at the home of Terry Bratt. Our book selection is Only Street in Paris, Life on the Rue des Martyrs by Elaine Sciolino. Look forward to seeing you then.

We will meet at 2 PM on March 25. Our book selection is The Women by Kristin Hanna. The meeting will take place at the home of Barbara Gallagher. Please let each hostess know if you will attend the session at her home.

Barbara Gallagher, Let’s Talk About Books Chair

STATE CONFERENCE MARCH 29, 2025 

The next AAUW of Virginia State Conference, hosted by the AAUW-VA Northern District branches, will take place on March 29, 2025, at the Sheraton Suites Old Town Alexandria, 801 N. St. Asaph Street, Alexandria, VA 22314. Pre-conference activities begin on March 28 and include 2 different tours of area locales of interest.

The State is celebrating its 100th Anniversary, with the theme of 1925-2025:100 Years of Changing the Conversation. Our branch will place a half-page ad about our exceptional programs and the wonderful 100 year celebration we had in the conference program. We look forward to a great turnout from our members.

Click here for the 2025 conference brochure  which has instructions for reserving guest rooms, and a complete description of activities. Room reservations are open now.

Register now – Early registration pricing until February 25

This is our ad for the state conference program.

Due to popular demand there will be a basket raffle. Individual branches may submit one or more themed baskets. Our branch basket will feature stem-themed books for young learners.  Raffle tickets cost $7 for 1 ticket, $15 for 3 tickets or $30 for 7 tickets. Proceeds from the raffle will go to the AAUW Greatest Needs Fund. Winners will be announced at the close of the conference on Saturday, March 29. Winners or a proxy must be present at the end of the conference to pick up their baskets.

Rewards and Renewal in Membership

You are making an impact with your dues in AAUW

Membership dues impact this community and beyond. The results can be seen in many different areas and in the organization’s operations. Here are a few examples:

Programs and Activities: Membership dues help to fund the programs and activities that make our organization unique. This can include STEM activities, scholarships, events, and educational opportunities, as well as advocacy for learning conditions and issues directly impacting women.

Operations: Membership dues also help to cover the day-to-day expenses of running the group, such as office supplies, postage, and occasional expenses to administer scholarships.

Development and growth: With a stable source of funding from dues and donations, we are able to invest in development and growth, expanding our reach and impact.

Community Building: Investing your dues demonstrates a commitment to help to build a sense of community and strengthen the bonds between members.

In conclusion, membership dues are critical. They are a funding source, demonstrate commitment, and help to support the programs, activities, and operations that make AAUW Arlington Branch unique. We appreciate the value and work done with dues and look forward to your continued commitment that insures the success of our mission.

Candace Lilyquist, VP Membership

___________________________________________________

Scholarship Donations – Update

We are very pleased to announce that our branch’s generous members have once again donated enough funds to pay for 3  student scholarships, 1 teacher scholarship, and to cover as well the winners for the 2025 Science Fair, $4765.00 from 27 donors. Thank you!

Lunch Bunch

Last year’s scholarship winner, Nicole Sotelo, spoke at the  December Lunch Bunch. She talked to the students about high school and post-high school educational opportunities. She also told them she was starting at NOVA this winter instead of the past fall so that she could save more money.  About a dozen young women eagerly attended to her thoughts and suggestions. The picture below shows the December turnout including Nicole and this year’s participants.

December guest speaker Nicole Sotello and some of this year’s participants.

Mary Beth Pelosky, Meg Tuccillo and Terry Bratt

---

Stem

I am pleased to announce that Rebecca has volunteered to  work with me to determine the winners of our one $1,000 scholarship to the top Arlington high school girl’s project, as well as one $100 award to the top Arlington middle school girl’s project. We also award at least four 2^nd place $25 awards as well.

The two of us will read all the entries, compare our respective lists, and select the number of projects (25-30) that will be evaluated in person on the day of the fair, Saturday, March 1, 2024 at Wakefield High School, 9 am – 12 pm. I am still looking for someone to participate with me at Wakefield to evaluate the projects. This truly is one of our signature efforts at Arlington AAUW. It is exciting and very rewarding to talk to these young women. I do hope you’ve been able in the past to join our April Monthly meeting via Zoom when we hear our awardees describe their winning projects and to hear various women speakers in a variety of science fields. I do ask you to consider volunteering for this very special AAUW project.

Contact: Susan Senn, AAUW STEM Coordinator

---

A message from Emma Violand-Sanchez to Arlington AAUW Members

I still wrestle with the question: “Who am I?” It is a question most people ask themselves at some point in their journey.

Immigrant? United States Citizen?

Them?  Us?

Emma Violand Sanchez describes her new memoir at our December luncheon.

Faced with the option of dissolving in the American melting pot myth, I did not want to lose a piece of me to become part of the “us.” Instead, I chose to embrace my bicultural identity as a Bolivian American. In reality there is no “them” only “us.”

I am an immigrant. Every thread of my identity is wrapped around that core.

Today, immigrant and refugee communities in the United States face great uncertainties. Now more than ever, we must all stand in solidarity with each other and for each other.

The great Vietnamese Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh says that community is an organism, and that we are like living cells within a body whose life depends on each of us in the same way that every cell in a body depends on every other.

This holiday season, I am holding onto this vision of interconnectedness. It gives me hope and reminds me of the power of standing together, even when the path ahead feels uncertain.

In my upcoming memoir, Dreams and Shadows: An Immigrant’s Journey I explore times throughout my journey as a Bolivian immigrant, my fight for justice and bilingual education, and my dedication to empowering immigrant youth where I witnessed and channeled the power of solidarity. I am humbled but proud to share these with you all.

In the spirit of the holidays, thank you for your unwavering support and for being part of my community!

May your holidays be filled with joy, peace, and the warmth of community,

Dr. Emma Violand-Sánchez

We’re thrilled to announce that pre-orders are now open for Dreams and Shadows: An Immigrant’s Journey!

This captivating memoir tells an inspiring story about service and personal resilience as it explores the power of faith and family, the long-term effects of trauma, and the long and difficult that healing often requires.

Reserve your copy now through: Barnes & Noble or Amazon

---

Note from the Editor – April/May 2025 Newsletter

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

---

MISSION OF AAUW

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

Volume 80, Issue 6

President’s Message

Dear Arlington AAUW members,

Back in war time 1944 a group of women met in Fairlington to establish an Arlington branch of the American Association of University Women, now known as AAUW.  2024 marks the 80^th anniversary of the founding of our branch, and we plan to celebrate our anniversary this fall and learn more about how our branch came to be.  If you are interested in working on our history project, let me know. On June 12, our Board will meet to plan our activities for the upcoming year, so if you have any ideas and suggestions, be sure to let Barbara Smith know beforehand.

At our May branch meeting we had the pleasure of meeting our scholarship recipients, science fair winners, and outstanding teacher.  The students all came with not only their parents, but aunts, uncles, and grandparents as well. Our teachers came with the Kenmore principal and colleagues and sorority sisters.  It was a very festive affair with cake and punch.  Meg Tuccillo presented the Elizabeth Campbell arts scholarship and the outstanding teacher award.  Susan Senn presented the STEM scholarship and science fair awards and Mary Beth Pelosky presented the Arlington Community High School Lunch Bunch scholarship.  It was a very moving evening for all.

Please join me in recognizing all the work done by branch volunteers. We thank Meg for chairing the scholarship and awards committee again this year.  Kudos to Susan for doing an excellent job of preparing our students for their Zoom science fair presentations in April and for organizing a robotics coding workshop for Arlington high school students in May.  We also appreciate Mary Beth and Meg for all their work in bringing great activities to the monthly lunch bunch students at Arlington Community High School.  We also applaud the other branch members who keep our branch running smoothly – Treasurer Teri Doxsee has done a great job of keeping our books in order, VPs for Programs, Barbara Smith and Barbara Gallagher organized a series of interesting and varied monthly programs, VP for Membership Candace Lilyquist has been working on increasing membership, VP for Communications Rebecca Moscoso has gotten out our bimonthly newsletter and kept our web page updated, Barbara G has organized our monthly book discussions, and Carol Dabbs updated our bylaws.

Everyone should have received their dues renewal email from National AAUW.  The national, state, and local dues are the same as last year-$103. If you have difficulty doing the renewal on line, you can send your check to Teri Doxsee and she will complete it for you.

Best wishes to everyone for a happy and restful summer.  I hope it is not too hot for us.  Fall is sure to bring lots of interesting activities for us to enjoy together.   See you then!

Sincerely,

Terry Bratt, Arlington Branch President

Arlington AAUW Branch meetings – Program Suggestions for next year

Please send in your suggestions for programs for next year’s monthly meetings. We are looking for program ideas for six months next year: September, October, November, January, February, and March. We will be voting on these suggestions at the June meeting of the AAUW-Arlington Board.

 Here are some ideas that have been proposed:

• Book talk on “Eliza Scidmore: From Early White House Reporting to Washington’s Cherry Trees”. Scidmore is the woman responsible for bringing the cherry trees to Washington.
• Program on the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC), its role in the Arlington Community and the people that it helps.
• Follow-up program on the new Title IX regulations.
• Program on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).
• Program on the women in Arlington who stood up to the Massive Resistance Movement in the 1950s that opposed desegregating public schools.
• Program on the AAUW-Arlington Branch’s 80^th anniversary.
• Program on Optimal Aging by Dr. Heyn, Marymount Center on Optimal Aging.
• Updates on artificial intelligence and ChatGPT
• Program on what comes next after Columbia Pike renovation

 Send your suggestions to Barbara Smith and Barbara Gallagher.

Let’s Talk About Books

Our June meeting is Tuesday, June 25, 2 pm.  Our book selection is Under the Sky We Make by Kimberly Nicholas. The meeting will be at your regular Zoom location. Shortly before the meeting Terry Bratt will send an invitation with the Zoom information. So, watch your email and come join the fun!  Look forward to seeing you then.

Our July meeting is scheduled for July 23, at 2 pm at the home of Barbara Gallagher.  Our book selection is How It All Began by Penelope Lively.

At our July meeting we will have the opportunity to lobby for our suggestions for next year, but the vote of the group will determine if it makes the list.  We need 11 titles since we do not meet in August.  When considering your suggestions (a maximum of three) we ask that it be readily available at the library or in paperback.  If you send me your suggestions with a short blurb about the book, I will compile the list and send to all before the meeting so you can be contemplating your choices.

Here is a link to the Master Book List so you can see what we have already read.

Barbara Gallagher, Let’s Talk About Books Chair

AAUW Membership is in Season

Your membership ensures a powerful voice is amplified on critical issues affecting women of all ages and girls. Each year we renew our commitment to focus on economic security, education and Title IX, and civil rights.

Speaking of renewal, June is the typical month to renew dues. You should have received a little prompt from AAUW reminding you your dues were coming due. Please check online or contact Candace Lilyquist or Teri Doxsee for help.

Continuing members can log on to renew or send a $103 check to Teri Doxsee for the full dues amount. Lifetime members pay $31 for state and local dues. This should be paid via the website or by sending a check to Teri Doxsee. Individuals who have trouble logging on may need to change their passwords.

AAUW now runs a 12 month membership. This means, if you joined in August. Your membership renews in the same month you joined (August of the following year). Again, please reach out to the membership chair or the treasurer if you have questions or need any assistance.

Thank you for your activism and dedication to making the opportunities for women and girls better than they ever have been. This really is the season for change.

Candace Lilyquist, VP Membership

Arlington AAUW Awards Evening, May 24

Our annual Arlington AAUW awards event took place on Monday, May 20th, at the Lubber Run Community Center, 300 N Park Drive, Arlington 2203, at 7 pm. We honored our STEM scholarship winners, Olivia Bartrum from Wakefield High School and Nicola Beaumont from HB Woodlawn Secondary School, along with two middle school Science Fair Award winners, Cassi Wells from Williamsburg Middle School and Amelia Pearson from Swanson Middle School.  We also recognized our AAUW Elizabeth Campbell Arts Scholarship winner, Niyah Wertz from Wakefield, and our Lunch Bunch awardee, Nicole Sotelo from Arlington Community High School.  In addition, we awarded the AAUW Educator of the Year Award to Eurith Bowen, Functional Life Skills Teacher at Kenmore Middle School. It was inspiring to hear from our awardees and we enjoyed meeting their families and friends and we wish them all the best in their future endeavors.

Barbara Gallagher and Barbara Smith, Co VPs Program

Lunch Bunch

Those if you who were able to join in our scholarship presentation shared in the joy of seeing our Lunch Bunch Scholar, Nicole Sotelo, receive her reward and see  her four-year old daughter’s excitement! Nicole is one great example of the young women we met at our monthly Lunch Bunch gatherings. This year we have been able to provide presentations from other women who are strong examples of resilience and determination and who shared their stories to give our young women hope for their own futures. Each month we have seen growth in these students, and we get to join in their discussions about their hopes and dreams!!

Why not consider joining us next year? We will share some specific plans in September, so stay tuned!!

Mary Beth Pelosky and Meg Tucillo, Lunch Bunch

Girls in STEM – A STEMtastic Season

Arlington AAUW has had a very active, exciting, STEM season, from  December, 2024-May, 2024. First, judging took place at three Arlington high school Science Fairs in December, January and February. This gave our team a chance to pre-look and identify some outstanding projects at the school level. Many of those projects then were deemed worthy enough to be sent on to the Regional Fair which took place on March 2 at Wakefield High School. Prior to that fair, Barbara Smith and I read through about 160 abstracts authored by Arlington Public School middle and high school girls in order to boil down a list to about 30 projects that we could judge on the day of the Regional Fair. Paring down those abstracts meant reading them all about three times to create a fair and thorough list.

On the day of the fair, we each judged all 30 projects independently using a rubric developed specifically for the Science Fair. At the days’ end, we identified two first place high school and two middle school winners, as well as eight 2^nd place winners at both levels. Our first place winners were awarded $1,000 scholarships which will be sent to their choice of colleges or universities. Our middle school winners each received a $100 check. The 2^nd place winners each received a $25 gift card to One More Page Books, which we support. One of our high school winners, Olivia Batrum, was selected as one of the two top Regional Fair winners and went on to compete in the ISEF International Science Fair in Los Angeles. She was the first place winner there. And, as an aside, our first place winner from last year, Anna Mohanty, won a 2^nd place also at the ISEF International Fair this year. If any of you have a subscription to the Arlington Magazine, our first place winner from two years ago, Julia Brodsky, graced the cover of the March/April edition. She went  to MIT with her $1,000 scholarship from us at AAUW.

Then, we had a great 2^nd STEM event. National AAUW had 75 STEM Lingo kits to give to several AAUW branches all over the state. We agreed to take the kits in order to plan a workshop using the kits. They were designed to assemble and code for building a computer-based back-up sensor for a car. The roll-out for the event was quite difficult in the planning. National was dealing with programs all over the state with different ideas about how (especially how) and when the event was to take place, how we would recruit the girls to participate, and where we could get the technical help to do this. This was all happening too, right around Spring Break and the end of the 3^rd quarter. I cannot count the hours spent on this project.

I chose to apply for a room at Lubber Run, asked the girls who were the 2^nd place winners of the Science Fair and recruited one student from HB-Woodlawn. Luckily, I have an Airbnb guest, a post-doc working in a Chemistry/Physics lab at GWU who knew everything about the kit. He was our onsite technician. STEM Lingo, over Zoom, walked us through the kit on Saturday, May 18, 9-12. Before the workshop ended, all four girls had lit, beeped, and created a variable distance. Two parents joined us and spoke up afterwards, asking if we were organizing any other similar projects. Hmmmmm.

All in all it was a very busy and worthwhile STEM season and great recognition for our AAUW branch. Many, many thanks to Barbara Smith for her help with the Science Fair.

Susan Senn, Stem Coordinator

Public Policy

The Virginia General Assembly passed a compromise two-year spending plan that boosts funding for education and other priorities without increasing taxes. Votes in both the Senate and House of Delegates were nearly unanimous. The budget includes 3 percent raises in each of the next two years for teachers and state employees, as well as big increases in funding for K-12 schools, higher education and mental health services.

Virginia AAUW State Conference

For the past two years, I have served as Virginia AAUW co-VP for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. At our state conference in April.  Erica Brown-Meredith and I shared some tips to help us all when we encounter incidents of microaggression at meetings — and in our everyday lives. Microaggressions are the everyday verbal, nonverbal and environmental slights, snubs and insults, whether intentional or not, that communicate hostile, derogatory or negative messages to target persons based solely on their marginalized group membership. One example to avoid microaggressions is to use the RAVEN Approach. As we close out the year, please keep the RAVEN approach, explained below, in mind when you consider your response to a given microaggression:

R – Redirect (intervene, correct, pull aside)

A – Ask probing questions for clarity (I think I heard you say/what did you mean to say?)

V – Values clarification (in AAUW, we try to provide safe and welcoming environments)

E – Emphasize your own thoughts and feelings (that makes me feel…)

N – Next steps (reflect on how you will handle future situations)

As we all look ahead to planning our programs and events for next year, let’s be attentive to the environment that we provide so all our members feel comfortable and included!

Meg Tucillo

Volume 80, Issue 3

President’s Message

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

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

• Presidents: Terry Bratt (2023-2025) presarlvaaauw@gmail.com
• Co-First VP for Programs: Barbara Smith and Barbara Gallagher (2023-2025)
• Second VPs for Membership:  Candace L. Lilyquist (2022-2024) Memberarlvaaauw@gmail.com
• Third VP for Communications: Rebecca Moscoso (2023-2025) newsarlvaaauw@gmail.com
• Secretary: Denise M. Hassanein (2022-2024)
• Treasurer: Teri Doxsee (2022-2024) Treasurer4AAUW@gmail.com
• Public Policy: Sara Anderson

Volume 80, Issue 2

President’s Message

Dear Arlington AAUW members,

The weather has started to turn just a bit cooler and the leaves are starting to change color and fall. It’s a time for brisk walks outside and catching up with friends back from their summer travels. We had a wonderful presentation on AI and Chat GPT at our September meeting and I hope you have put Monday evening, October 16 on your calendars. Our very own fellow member Emma Violand Sanchez will be presenting on the challenges that face immigrant women in our community.  On Saturday morning, November 18 our program will be a discussion on the book, Proving Ground: The Untold Story of the Six Women Who Programmed the First Modern Computer by Kathy Kleiman.  More information on these programs is provided later on in this newsletter.

We have had some leadership changes this summer.  Teri Doxsee has graciously agreed to assume the Treasurer responsibilities for the rest of Mary Spatz’s term.  I know that you all join me in thanking Mary for her years of serving us as Treasurer and keeping our records in great order.  Unexpectedly, our new Vice-President for Communications, Joy Gatewood, has had to resign to handle some family commitments.  We are looking for a volunteer to assume her responsibilities until we can hold our annual elections this spring.  The responsibilities include pulling together our bi-monthly on-line newsletter, updating the web page with our upcoming events, and keeping our goggle group list-serv updated. Please note that the newsletter editor does not write the articles; the editor compiles the submissions into Word Press.  If you can volunteer or if two members want to volunteer together, please let me know as soon as possible.  Teri is doing the October/November newsletter but as she is assuming our Treasurer responsibilities, we need volunteers to step up as soon as possible.

As you know, 2023 is an election year in Virginia.  Our branch is co-sponsoring two candidate forums in October with the Arlington and Alexandria City League of Women Voters, so please mark these dates on your calendar.  Both events will take place from 2:30-5:00pm at the Walter Reed Community Center, 2909 S. 16^th Street. The first one on Sunday, October 8 is for Arlington County Board, Arlington County School Board, and Arlington County offices.  The second forum on Sunday, October 22 is for General Assembly races in Senate and House districts spanning Arlington and Alexandria – Senate 38, Senate 40, and House Districts 1-5. These forums are a great opportunity to meet the candidates and get your questions answered.

Do You Have Information You Want Other Members to Know?

Rather than sending me e-mails to forward on to other members, why not just send the message directly using our goggle list-serv. The address is aauw-arlington@gogglegroups.com.  Not only would this save time, it would prevent my forgetting to forward on the information.

Enjoy our fall weather and I look forward to seeing you at our next membership meeting on October 16.

Sincerely,

Terry Bratt, Arlington Branch President

Join us October 16th for our Program Meeting

Information on upcoming programs:

In November, we will have a book talk with Kathy Kleiman, author of “Proving Ground: The Untold Story of the Six Women Who Programmed the World’s First Modern Computer.

Our December meeting will be our holiday luncheon on Saturday, December 2.

Barbara Gallagher and Barbara Smith, Co VPs Program

Let’s Talk About Books

The October meeting for Let’s Talk About Books will be Tuesday, October 24 , 2 pm at the home of Terry Bratt.  Our book selection is The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams. Please RSVP to Terry Bratt to let her know you are coming.

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

AAUW-VA Public Policy Update

Sara Anderson has been our Public Policy representative for AAUW-VA but is unable to continue serving in this role.  Sara has done a wonderful job of keeping us posted on the issues, so join me in thanking her for a job well done! If you are looking for a great volunteer job, this is it.  Just about every meeting is on Zoom and you just need to relay the information on to members via a newsletter article or forwarding an information e-mail from AAUW-VA Public Policy.  I have been attending these meetings in Sara’s stead and have found them pretty interesting.

AAUW-VA reports that thousands of Get-Out-the-Vote post cards have been sent to voters across the state.  Voter Information Guides have also been prepared for those running for office that reflect either their voting records if currently in office or pre-election statements if running for office for the first time. The guides look at votes/stances on women’s health issues, the ERA, economic equity, voting rights, and full funding for quality K-12 public education.  To access these guides, go to aauw-va.aauw.net and on the menu, click on Public Policy, The link is in the text on the Public Policy page.

AAUW-VA is also planning two lobby days – one in person in Richmond on January 31 and the other virtual on February 28.  More information on both will be coming later on this fall.

Lunch Bunch

Please consider joining AAUW members Meg Tucillo and Mary Beth Pelosky in their monthly Lunch Bunch group with dynamic young women from Arlington Community Hugh School!  This group of motivated learners have re-dedicated themselves to their education, and their individual and collective stories are stories of resilience and perseverance.

The theme this year is based off of Maria Shriver’s, “I’ve Been Thinking” column. Our question of “What Are You Running Toward?” frames our efforts to help these young women set goals for their education, for healthy self -care, for being a part of Arlington and for generating hope for their future. Meg and Mary Beth strive to select inspirational speakers who can share their journeys, tips for self advocacy, strategies for overcoming disappointment and healthy ways for self-care.

• Thursday, October 19th
• Thursday,  November 16th
• Thursday,  December 14th (21st is winter break for students and teachers.)

Mary Beth Pelosky and Meg Tucillo,, Lunch Bunch

Now more than ever AAUW Membership matters

Events and news items reflect our ever changing environment. AAUW is the voice of women who are engaged. We are aware of the ramifications of changes in leadership, law, and the symbiotic connections of the landscape.

We come together to support one another to amplify our voices. 2023-2024 will be filled with action, learning, and growth. Please take time to renew your membership today.

AAUW-Arlington Branch is continuing our outreach to new potential members. Please let us know if you would like to promote membership and need some support. Or you may want to sponsor a new AAUW member for the year?

Let us know if you have questions.

Candace Lilyquist, VP Membership

Mark Your Calendars for 2023-24!

Using feedback from members, board members took a slightly different approach to our calendar planning this year.  Dates selected for our branch meeting and Let’s Talk about Books discussions now avoid weeks with holidays.

Branch meetings on Monday evenings are September 18, October 16, April 15, and May 20.

Branch meetings on Saturday mornings are November 18, January 20, February 24, and March 16.

Our holiday luncheon will take place on Saturday, December 2.

Let’s Talk about Books meet on Tuesdays at 2:00 pm on September 26, October 24, December 12, January 23, February 27, March 19, April 16, May 21, and June 25

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

• Presidents: Terry Bratt (2023-2025) presarlvaaauw@gmail.com
• Co-First VP for Programs: Barbara Smith and Barbara Gallagher (2023-2025)
• Second VPs for Membership:  Candace L. Lilyquist (2022-2024)
• Third VP for Communications: vacant (2023-2025) newsarlvaaauw@gmail.com
• Secretary: Denise M. Hassanein (2022-2024)
• Treasurer: Mary Spatz (2022-2024)
• Public Policy: Sara Anderson

Volume 79, Issue 6

July Presidents’ Messages

Dear Arlington AAUW members,

These past two years have been full of amazing discoveries about possible offerings to each of us as members of AAUW. We see newsletters from our sister branches with special times for speakers and book sales. We read fascinating tips on lobbying for the challenges to ERA, Title IX, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging, and many more. And we offer our own contributions to bring us together as members. I am so grateful to have served as a Co-President during this time. Thank you! And I’m immensely appreciative of our Board’s hard workers. Bon Chance to the new Board led proudly by President Terry Bratt! You all are so prepared and enthusiastic!

Thank you All!

Karen Darner, retiring co-President

Dear Arlington AAUW members,

We hope summer has gotten off to a good start for everyone despite the poor air quality due to the forest fires in Canada.  Our Board met in June to plan our programs for the coming year after soliciting ideas from our membership. Topics include AI, Genealogy, Ageism, and Finance for monthly membership meetings and field trips to museums like Planet Word. 

If you haven’t already, it is time for you to renew your AAUW membership. 

Why renew your membership in AAUW?

For more than 100 years, AAUW has been fighting for equal rights for women.  National AAUW and its member branches have been instrumental in the fight to give women equal access to education and gender equity.  National AAUW works closely with Virginia AAUW and member Branches like Arlington AAUW to future our goals for gender equity.  How?

• More than 320 recipients received $6 million in AAUW fellowships and grants for the 2022–23 academic year—the highest amount in our history! The funding advances educational and professional opportunities for women in the United States and around the globe.
• This past year AAUW continued to grow its online programs, hosting more than 58 webinars.
• AAUW’s Start Smart and Work Smart salary negotiation trainings continued to be AAUW’s most sought after programs, reaching more than 4,000 participants in 2022, and over 190,000 to date
• AAUW continued our work with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other minority serving institutions (MSIs), thanks to a generous grant from The Coca-Cola Foundation. A total of 17 minority-serving colleges, including 8 HBCUs, 7 women’s colleges and 2 MSIs, now offer AAUW’s Start Smart training, bringing the number of colleges and universities currently hosting the program to 77.
• Our powerful annual National Conference for College Women Student Leaders (NCCWSL) engage over 500 students from more than 300 college campuses nationwide through workshops, panels and an inspiring keynote from Nikole Hannah-Jones, creator of The 1619 Project.
• In its second year, AAUW’s STEMEd for Girls program gave over 200 participants and their caregivers the opportunity to explore STEM subjects and careers.
• AAUW’s Two-Minute Activists sent 19,539 letters to elected officials calling for action on AAUW priorities such as pregnant worker fairness, voting rights, confirming Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, and more.

Arlington AAUW monthly programs and activities are planned by our members on topics of interest for our membership and include 

• a monthly membership meeting which might be a guest speaker, a field trip, or community event 
• providing scholarships to Arlington high school seniors and an Arlington educator award
• monthly book group
• a bi-monthly newsletter
• a monthly high school lunch bunch
• theater matinees, holiday luncheons, and other social events suggested by members

In addition, as members of Virginia AAUW, our benefits include 

• • State Newsletter (Vision) 3 times a year
  • State Conference with great speakers & fellowship
  • State Lobby Days in Richmond
  • Public Policy Leadership (a voice in Richmond)
  • Branch Mini-Grants for programs
  • Liaisons to National
  • A community of friends around the state.

Look for our newsletter in mid-August for our 2023-24 calendar of programs and activities, Let’s Talk about Books selections, and other upcoming events.  Have a wonderful summer!

Sincerely,

Karen Darner, retiring co-President, Terry Bratt, President

New Treasurer Needed!

We need a volunteer(s) to be our branch treasurer as Mary Spatz, our current branch treasurer is unable to complete her second term. Treasurer duties include the following:

• Participate in bi-monthly board meetings
• Help develop yearly budget
• Keep track of expenses and bank account reports
• Deposit donation checks and dues checks from members 
• Reimburse member expenses via check, send scholarship checks to colleges, and submit insurance payment vis check.

Please let Terry Bratt know as soon as possible if you can volunteer for this one-year position.

Let’s Talk About Books

Our July meeting is scheduled for July 25, at 2 pm at the home of Barbara Gallagher.  Our book selection is The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck.

At our July meeting we will have refreshments and the opportunity to lobby for our suggestions for next year, but the vote of the group will determine if it makes the list.  We need 11 titles since we do not meet in August.  When considering your suggestions (a maximum of three) we ask that it be readily available at the library or in paperback.  If you send me your suggestions with a short blurb about the book, I will compile the list and send to all before the meeting so you can be contemplating your choices.

Here are links to the Master Book List so you can see what we have already read.   Let me know if you have any problems with the files.

List of books by author

Barbara Gallagher, Let’s Talk About Books Chair

It’s time to Renew!

How can you join?

June is the month to join or renew your membership AAUW Arlington (VA) Branch. It is important to scroll down to the middle of the membership landing page. Click on this link to join as a Branch Member.  Please reach out to Candace Lilyquist if you would like support joining online. Branch dues are $16, VA State dues are 15, and National dues are $72.

Photos from the May 15 Awards Meeting

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 Joy at newsarlvaaauw@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Arlington AAUW Executive Committee 2023-24

Term begins July 1, 2023

• Presidents: Terry Bratt (2023-2025) presarlvaaauw@gmail.com
• Co-First VP for Programs: Barbara Smith and Barbara Gallagher (2023-2025)
• Second VPs for Membership:  Candace L. Lilyquist (2022-2024)
• Third VP for Communications: Joy Gatewood (2023-2025) newsarlvaaauw@gmail.com
• Secretary: Denise M. Hassanein (2022-2024)
• Treasurer: Mary Spatz (2022-2024)
• Public Policy: Sara Anderson