Advancing Gender Equity for Women and Girls | | |
JUNE 2026 NEWSLETTER
edited by Cherie Sorokin, Dottie Burk, and Ann Vercoutere
Note: the newsletter will be on hiatus over the summer
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Priority #1: Renew Your Membership!
AAUW members bring friendship, fun and serious advocacy for women and girls! Let's keep the momentum going. June is the month to renew your membership for AAUW Marin members who joined AAUW before July 1, 2022. For those who joined after this date, your renewal date is each year on the anniversary of the date you joined.
Log on to AAUW.org and sign in with your membership number
Make sure your membership is up to date!
Priority #2: Donate to AAUW's Greatest Needs, Defend Education and/or Public Policy Funds!
If there ever was a time to put our money where our AAUW priorities are, this is it! AAUW has always been about advancing equity for women. In our current cultural milieu, that mission is ever more important. Hard fought for gains are being threatened.
Donations to AAUW at the national level fund our work defending higher education, advocating for equity, and breaking down barriers that hold women back. Your donations also fund the work national does to keep members informed and engaged in the battle for gender equity, diversity and inclusion.
Donations are great anytime, but donating now is especially important. Donations to the Public Policy Fund will be matched by an anonymous donor if made before June 15.
Log on to AAUW.org and press Donate today!
Or
Mail a check made out to AAUW to
1310 L Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
*Can't find your membership number? It's in the AAUW Marin Roster, or contact Mardi Diamond, our Membership Chair.
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As part of the AAUW-CA gathering on Zoom last April, AAUW national created an informative short video on the history of AAUW. You can access it here. Well worth watching!
This is the time of year that AAUW CA gears up for next fiscal year. New officers have been appointed and new committees are forming. While the deadline has passed for applying for committee membership at the state level, if you are interested in volunteering for an AAUW CA committee or state project (e.g., maybe resurrecting GovTrek?), please contact Kathleen Clark or Judy Kramer. They can put you in touch with the right person.
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June Branch Meeting
New Date! Sunday, June 28
| | 2026 Tech Trekkers are Ready for Camp | | |
by Angela Nuckles, Tech Trek Coordinator,
On Sunday May 17 we held a Tech Trek Orientation Garden Party for the 2026 Trekkers (fourteen of them this year!) and their parents. It was a gorgeous day. Chris O’Neill was again kind enough to host us in her beautiful garden.
Trekkers and their parents met Marin branch Camp Staff (Cindy Demchuk – Forensics Instructor, Neesha Meyer – Engineering Instructor, Amy Anderson – Origami Workshop, Judy Kramer & Angela Nuckles – Dorm Monitors). Tech Trek Alum board members were present to assist with an ice breaker, coordinate fun STEM activities, and answer camper questions. The excitement mounts …
Please volunteer!
Volunteers are always welcome at camp; there are still slots available at both camps.
Camp Franklin as Sonoma State University – June 22 – 26
AAUW Northern California: Class Monitors TT Franklin @ Sonoma 2026
Camp Hopper at Santa Clara University – July 6 – 10
Volunteer Help Needed 2026 - Google Sheets
Save Those NEWSPAPERS!
You can help by saving newspapers for the camp Build-It Night activity. Let Judy or Angela know if you have newspapers so they can arrange a time and place to pick them up.
| | Bank of Marin Supports Tech Trek | | We are once again grateful to Bank of Marin for their continued support of Tech Trek. Shown above with a big $2,000 check are Erika Johnston, newly elected branch Scholarship Chair, Tamara Ressler, VP Market Manager at Bank of Marin, Laura O'Malley, outgoing Scholarship Chair, and Angela Nuckles, Tech Trek Coordinator. | | |
The MESA (Math, Engineering and Science Achievement) program helps educationally and economically disadvantaged students excel in STEM fields and transfer to 4 year universities. It is an initiative of California Community Colleges. The program at College of Marin, which began 3 years ago, has expanded to help over 100 students. Click here for details.
Our AAUW Marin Scholarship Fund supports the MESA program with monetary awards. This year's awardees are:
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Joseline Antonio Gonzalez, a first-generation student studying Biology with plans to be a dentist . She has demonstrated commitment to the oral health and education of others. She also volunteers at the Marin Community Clinics food bank.
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Arianna Traub, a biochemistry student with an interest in research and career plans to focus on the reproductive and gynecological healthcare of women. She also serves as a STEM tutor on campus.
Each received $2,500. Both will return to College of Marin in the Fall and will be applying to four-year colleges. The ceremony for these awards was held at the new student center at COM on May 21. Scholarship Fund board members Nancy Lubamersky, Laura O'Malley and Ann Vercoutere attended.
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In Case You Missed It...
May Annual Meeting
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Over 40 members attended our Annual Branch Meeting and Brunch on May 16 at the Club at McInnis Park. Board members for 2026-2027 were elected. President Kathleen Clark, with the help of Judy Kramer, presented a slideshow review of the year's highlights. Cherie Sorokin gave an inspiring presentation about our branch as part of a dynamic AAUW National organization and encouraged everyone to contribute to this important resource. The meeting finished with an award to Robin Sparks as a new 50-year Member; presentation of Named Gift Honors to Amy Anderson and Angela Nuckles; and recognition of members of the Communications Team.
You can view a pdf of the slide show HERE.
| | Newly elected 2026-27 officers (L-R) Paula Nichols, Sarah Pruden, Mardi Diamond, Judy Kramer, Jessie Powell, Amy Anderson, Cherie Sorokin, Kathleen Clark. Not pictured: Erika Johnston and Gail Anderson | | 50-year member Robin Sparks was introduced by Mardi Diamond and Kathleen Clark | | Named Gift honoree Amy Anderson was introduced by Leslie Zimring | | Special recogntion was given to members of the communications team. | |
Welcome New Members!
Heather Steil joined us because of her mom (an Arizona member). Heather got her BA in Journalism from Arizona State and MA from Dominican in Humanities. She worked for the US State Department Foreign Service but has since retired. She enjoys hiking, birding and the environment.
Eileen Simard is also becoming a member of our branch. She is already a Petaluma branch member. Eileen received a Political Science degree from the University of the Pacific and an MBA in Accounting from Golden Gate University. She worked as a financial manager but is now retired. She enjoys hiking, reading and travel. She is on the Finance Committee for Smith Ranch Homes.
Stacey Sias heard about us from her husband! She received her PhD in Molecular Biology from UC Davis and worked as a molecular biologist as well as patent agent for intellectual property. She is currently involved in Make It Home and is an avid knitter.
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September Membership Drive
Do you love AAUW Marin? A friend of yours might enjoy joining and participating, just as much as you do. In September we will be holding a membership drive. To kick off the drive, the branch is hosting a wine and cheese event on Tuesday, September 8. Any member who brings a prospective new member can attend. Can you help us with the goal of adding 10 new members?
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Kudos
Do you know about a member who has done something notable that should be included in the next newsletter? Published a book? Received an award? Reached a milestone birthday like 100? Please let us know!
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Concern
Are you aware of a member who is ill or grieving or in need of our support and best wishes. If so, please contact board secretary Sarah Pruden. Sarah and member Gerrie Young have kindly offered to send cards on behalf of the branch.
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Ready to join a new interest group?
All groups welcome new members. Just contact the group leader for information or to be added to the group email list. For a list of all Marin branch interest groups with leader contact information, click HERE. Note: Interest Groups are just for members of AAUW Marin, but guests who may be thinking of joining are welcome to visit an interest group twice before being asked join.
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Meeting (or not) This Summer
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Art Farther Afield
The group will not meet this month and will be on hiatus during the summer. Plans are to resume in September.
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Bocce
Lest our skills decline, the group will meet during the summer. The next big event will be held June 9 at the Albert Park Courts in San Rafael at 10 AM. You don't need to know how to play! Come for the fun. Contact Ann Vercoutere if interested. We do pay for the court.
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Hiking Group
The hiking group is heading to Mt. Tam on June 2. The hike will be about 5.5 miles. Contact Ann Vercoutere if interested. We hope to meet during the summer.
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LitWits Reading Group
The group will meet next to discuss Redhead by the Side of the Road by Anne Tyler. LitWits meets in members' homes, 3rd Wednesday at 10 AM. New members or guests are always welcome. Info: Ann Thomas, or 415-924-9559.
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What Are You Reading?
What Are You Reading book group meets at 10 AM on the second Monday of the month on Zoom. Members share what they are reading. You always come away with a list of great books to read. What could be better than a referral from an erudite woman friend! Contact Cherie Sorokin or 415 730-0204 if you wish to join the group. We will continue to meet during the summer months.
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Book Lovers
Booklovers is meeting on Tuesday, June 2nd, at 1 PM to discuss After Annie by Anna Quindlen. We are meeting Tuesday, July 7th at 1 PM to discuss The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. We will meet Tuesday, August 4th at 1PM to discuss Song of A Captive Bird by Jasmin Darznik. Contact Carol Hoffman if interested.
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Reading Arts Group
Reading Arts will next meet September 18. Please contact Ann Jessup for information.
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Nonfiction Reading Group
The AAUW Marin Nonfiction Reading Group is meeting during the summer on Zoom to discuss the books listed below. If you would like to be on the group’s email list and join us, please email Phyllis Kuehn for the reading list and Zoom link. We always welcome new members! The group meets the second Monday of the month at 1PM on Zoom.
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June 8. Every Valley, the Desperate Lives and Troubled Times That Made Handel’s Messiah. Charles King
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July 13 The Omnivore’s Dilemma. Michael Pollan
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August 10 Dinners with Ruth, a Memoir on the Power of Friendships. Nina Totenberg
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Behind the Headlines
Behind the Headlines meets at 6 PM the second Wednesday of the month for discussion of current issues, generally tied to AAUW's mission. The June meeting will feature Annette Venables, the intrepid local Co-Founder of Tribe Rising India, a program to help educate the indigenous Santal tribes that traditionally have had minimal educational opportunities. Headlines will not meet in July, but will meet in August. Contact Cherie Sorokin or 415 730-0204 if you are interested in attending or joining the group. Note: Our regular schedule is to meet in person March - October starting with a light potluck dinner. We meet on Zoom from November - February.
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Happy Hour Group
The next gathering of the group is Thursday, June 4, 4 - 6 PM, at Boca Pizzeria in the Village at Corte Madera. Contact Dottie Burk if you would like to attend or to be added to the group email list. The group will continue to meet over the summer.
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Homeward Bound Chef Events
Join members of AAUW Marin for an evening of culinary demonstrations and delicious food. Homeward Bound is focused on solutions to homelessness with a range of long-term supportive housing programs for families and adults. Local, renowned chefs are featured and always guarantee a well-spent evening out and the opportunity to support this worthy cause. Contact Dianne Sheridan if interested or for a schedule of upcoming events.
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Meet Me at the Movies!
We will meet throughout the summer as long as there are enough members who are in town. We meet on the 2nd Tuesday of the month around 4pm for a movie and afterward we go to a local restaurant for food, fun and discussion of the film. Our next movie group is June 9 and you will receive the details closer to the event when the movie schedules are available. Please contact Mary Mossteller or Freddie Greene if you are interested in trying us out.
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French Conversation
Bonjour, Francophiles! Mercredi le 17 juin on va se rencontrer chez Rulli à Larkspur 1:30-2:30 PM pour une conversation en français. J’espère de vous revoir! Janet or 415/755-8486. The group will continue to meet during the summer.
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Spanish Conversation--Drop In for Friendly, Casual Conversation
Vengan a charlar! Dos veces al mes 12:30 PM hasta la una y media. We meet at Gott's in the Bon Air Shopping Center every second and fourth Tuesday. Pick up lunch or a cup of coffee, look for our group of intrepid Spanish speakers at one of the long tables to the right of the bar in the back, or if the weather is nice, just outside at the picnic tables, and join the conversation. Lo importante es charlar! Preguntas? Please contact one of the organizers if you have questions. Nancy Finston, Vicki Samo, Cherie Sorokin, or Leslie Zimring.
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Handcraft Circle
As long as enough members are able to attend, Handcraft Circle will continue to meet during the summer. The next meeting will be at Lane Yee's home on June 16. The group meets from 1-4 on the third Tuesday of the month. If you are interested in trying it out, please contact Mary Mossteller . All you need to participate is a craft/project you can bring to work on in a group while chatting with other members.
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Play Mah Jongg
Summer has begun and the Mah Jongg games continue, held Wednesdays in members' homes 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM. If you are interested in joining or would like to get on the list, email the group leader Chris O'Neill. We play American Mah Jongg. You need the card to play and should have a basic knowledge of the game. You play when available. If you would like to learn, contact Chris and she will give you a list of teachers. We play for a quarter per game which we donate to AAUW Marin Scholarship Fund. Join us!
| | Interest Group Picture of the Month | | |
Our intrepid hiking group:
Janet Lynn, JoAnn Lee, Angela Nuckles, Laura Phipps, Gail Anderson and Judy Kramer
| | So Much to Do, So Little Time | | |
Keep Educated!
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Heard of the Manosphere? Check out Helen Lewis's lead article in the June Atlantic Magazine: Men Who Want Women to be Quiet. Pretty depressing roundup of the leaders and influencers trying, among other things, to take the right to vote away from women and also asserting that education for women is "the cause" of the decline in the birthrate. Hmm, sound familiar? A somewhat similar argument about education leading to infertility was debunked by AAUW's first research report back in the late 1800s! If you aren't an Atlantic subscriber, the June issue is available in bookstores and wherever magazines are sold.
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Read AAUW's 5 letters to Congress and the Department of Education in May 2026. AAUW's Public Policy team wrote 5 letters in May covering proposed paid family leave legislation, the negative effect of the Education Department's proposed "Stats and Accountability" rule, proposed changes to the public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, proposed changes to funding for family planning services and proposed legislation on forged explicit images. There's a lot going on that affects women's rights that may not even be on your radar! The letters can be accessed here.
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Check Out the AAUW Action Fund 2026 Voter Guide. This guide focuses on the key gender equity issues at stake in the 2026 election. Here is the link.
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Resubscribe to AAUW emails and publications. Mission & Action is AAUW national's monthly newsletter. It's a great way to stay in touch with what is going on at AAUW, to receive notice of webinars, to hear about our most recent advocacy. If you aren't getting Mission & Action, you may have inadvertently unsubscribed. You can resubscribe using this link.
Be Active!
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Watch for No Kings Protests around July 4. No announcements of specific gatherings in Marin yet, but a number of organizations across the country have already indicated that efforts are afoot for protests on the 250th anniversary of the founding of our democracy.
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Speak Up: Keep our local, state and federal politicians informed. As budget cuts and other changes loom, our elected officials at all levels need to know how their actions can negatively impact women and girls. Send letters and emails or reach out personally. Contact information is easily available on the web.
Have Fun While You're at It!
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June 1--Book Passage Summer Book Talk. Wondering what to read this summer? Check out Book Passage's Summer Reading recommendations. Online and in person at the Corte Madera store. 1 PM.
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June 6--Celebrate 50 Years of Book Passage. Elaine Petrocelli will be interviewed by Lisa Kay Solomon. 6:00 PM at Book Passage in Corte Madera. This is a free event but RSVP is required. If this Link doesn't work, contact Book Passage directly to RSVP.
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Through June 14, Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson, Apt 2B. This well-reviewed show is playing at Ross Valley Players. It's a contemporary comedy that reimagines Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson as modern women in a post pandemic world.
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Future Branch Meetings
Save These Dates!
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Sunday, June 28, 11:30 AM - 2:00 PM, Summer Fling!
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Tuesday, September 8. Wine & Cheese Reception for Potential New Members.
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Saturday, September 12, 10:00 AM. Meet Our 2026 Tech Trekkers!
As more branch meetings and event dates are confirmed, they will be posted on the branch website.
| | Know Someone Who'd Like to Join AAUW? | | |
AAUW women make an impact on women and girls.
Word of mouth is the best way to recruit new members!
Why Join? AAUW offers multiple ways to stay engaged with our mission of advancing equity for women and girls, as well as to develop friendship with others who understand that the fight for equality is still critical! Excellent national webinars! Engaging monthly branch programs! A wide variety of interest group meetings! Energetic, intellectually curious friends! A mission that is more important than ever! CONTACT Mardi Diamond for membership information.
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© 2019 AAUW
AAUW is a top-rated 501(c)(3) charity. Donations are tax deductible.
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PLEASE NOTE IF YOU HIT THE UNSUBSCRIBE BUTTON BELOW YOU WILL NO LONGER RECEIVE AAUW MARIN NEWSLETTERS.
If you did this accidentally, contact Ann Vercoutere.
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