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AAUW Scottsdale October Meeting

WHEN: 10:00 a.m., Saturday, October 18, 2025

WHERE: Scottsdale Community College, Turquoise Room

Directions: Drive East on Chaparral. Take the 1st entrance to SCC. Take immediate left. Follow it around to Parking Lot A. When you turn right into Parking Lot A, the Turquoise Room will be straight ahead. 

WHO:  Solange Whitehead, Scottsdale City Councilmember

WHAT: Sustainability: Meeting the Moment

Solange Whitehead, now in her second term on Scottsdale’s non-partisan City Council, brings experience as an electrical engineer, conservationist, and volunteer. She will highlight key sustainability initiatives—from water and energy to finances and the environment—that benefit the city and community.

Friends, relatives, and prospective members are always welcome!

We will have breakfast breads and coffee. If you wish to bring a beverage, please bring it in a covered container.

Interested in a post-meeting lunch with other members? Judy Hubbard graciously offers to make a reservation for us to meet at Wally’s post meeting. Please see her to sign up!

MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD...

Our September speaker, Dr. Donna W. Lewis, Scottsdale Unified School District Governing Board President, was exciting! Student learning and outcome focused, she took us through her 40 year journey at every level – teacher, principal, K-12, University educator, governance expert with local, regional, national and global experiences, and gave us an in-depth look at how she met each moment of change and push-back with knowledge, courage and positivity. She made us think, consider and laugh as she presented what clearly were tough challenges that she negotiated. Especially memorable were her experiences with education on-site in Africa, testifying before Congress and working through increasingly intense issues here in Arizona.

 How wonderful to see so many of our members at the September Member Meeting! Judy Hubbard introduced our new members—several in person! In addition to meeting our new board, existing and new SIGs were highlighted. Our activities are going strong: Over the summer we ate at Blanco’s new location on Tatum where the PV mall used to be thanks to Cynthia Peplinski—such a gorgeous place with some favorites and a few new dishes. Both book groups met since our last member meeting, either in person or by Zoom -– great fun—thank you Cynthia and Jane Adrian!

Linda Nance, Corresponding Secretary, distributed our AAUW Handbook and Membership Directory 2025-2026 to attendees! Thanks to Linda and others, including Membership, Gail and Judy, and Finance—Lennie Andrews and Viva Ashcroft. Gail made sure the four changes we had prior to our printed version were distributed with your Handbooks. We will include changes in this Newsletter monthly for incorporation into next year’s Handbook! If you could not be with us in September, Linda will be bringing the Directories to our October meeting for you to claim yours. A few ladies signed for copies for their friends as well.

--Laraine Rodgers, President

MEMBERSHIP MATTERS:

Hello from your Membership team, Judy Hubbard and Gail Stempil!

We are trying to keep a very up-to-date Data Base of our members, so if you have any changes—name, address, phone, email—please let us know as soon as possible. Contact both Gail at stemgw@aol.com for the Data Base and Linda Nance at lnance818@gmail.com for next year’s directory. We will make any necessary changes in the national AAUW.org roster.

We always welcome new members! If you know of any potential members, please let us know or have them contact us—Judy or Gail. The newest membership application form is available on our website. Just Google AAUW Scottsdale and our website will come up. (The actual address is http://scottsdale-az.aauw.net.)

Judy Hubbard and Gail Stempil, Co-Membership VPs

Notes from Corresponding Secretary

The new 25-26 Member Directories were made available at the first meeting of the Scottsdale Branch on Saturday, September 20, 2025. The next opportunity to pick up your personal copy will be at the next meeting on October 18, 2025, at Scottsdale Community College in the Turquoise Room. 

There have already been some corrections/changes that need to be noted in the current Directory. Here are the corrections to the Directory so far:

Sylvia Caplow   sylcap@jaycap.net

Barbara Goodwin   bardon40@yahoo.com

Yiping Hwang   eeeping@gmail.com

Joyce Yarborough  jkyarb1@cox.net

Carolyn Lowther   14000 N 94 St #3096

Linda Thor   LindaMThor@gmail.com 

Dede Asgosta dagosta603@yahoo.com

Hope to see many more of you at the next meeting!

--Linda Nance, Corresponding Secretary

Public Policy/Community Action Committee Meeting

Let’s start the year with some goals for our PP/CA committee using the

guidance of our State AAUW PP co-chairs, Betsy Flaten and Mary

Linnemann.

We will have our initial meeting:

Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at 1:00

Place: Janet Larkin’s home, 7409 E. Bonita Drive, Scottsdale, AZ 85250

Our focus for the year will be Education and Healthcare.

Of course Economic Security, Social Justice and Civil Rights are on top of

our priorities as well.

Come all! We need your ideas and help!

Please let Janet know you are coming.....

jalarkin@cox.net

cell: 480-242-3089

SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP News.....

Story Teller’s Corner:

REMINDER:

The first meeting for our writing group will be October 22, 2025, at 1:00 p.m

Place: Janet Larkin’s, 7409 E. Bonita Drive, Scottsdale, AZ 85250

Check out what we’re about in the September AAUW newsletter.

Remember that you can check all past newsletters on our website http://scottsdale-az.aauw.net .

Come join the fun.

If you have any questions, please contact me. And let me know you will be attending:

Janet Larkin at

Jalarkin@cox.net

Cell: 480-242-3089

Books Etc.

Come join us on October. 22, Wednesday, to discuss the touching memoir Shakespeare Saved My Life by Laura Bates. The discussion will be led by Margaret Wheeler at the lovely home of Gail Stempil, 8951 E. Floriade Dr., Scottsdale at 1:00 p.m.. (Note the date is October. 22, which is the FOURTH Wednesday in October) A short review follows:

Just as Larry Newton, one of the most notorious inmates at Indiana Federal Prison, was trying to break out of jail, Dr. Laura Bates was trying to break in. She had created the world’s first Shakespeare class in Supermax – the solitary confinement unit.

Many people told Laura that maximum-security prisoners are “beyond rehabilitation." But Laura wanted to find out for herself. She started with the prison's most notorious inmate: Larry Newton. When he was 17 years old, Larry was indicted for murder and sentenced to life with no possibility of parole. When he met Laura, he had been in isolation for 10 years.

Larry had never heard of Shakespeare. But in the characters he read, he recognized himself.

Please let Gail know at stemgw@aol.com or 303-946-8454 if you will be joining us on October. 22. See you there!

--Cynthia Peplinski cynthiadysart@cox.net

Lunch Bunch for 2025

On October 9, 2025, we shall be enjoying the delectable sandwiches, salads and appetizers from Marinos Italian Restaurant at Desert Ridge (it is across the parking lot from Target). When you come in the main entrance, veer to the right and park in front of Marinos (or beside it as there is no parking in front). My family brought me here one year for my birthday and I have made it a regular on my “delicious" list since then. The menu is not huge but each dish is succulent . 

I could make a meal on the appetizers alone - bruschetta (Toasted bread, tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, balsamic glaze, basil) and crab cakes (Pan seared blue crab served over lemon aioli and chive oil topped with fresh dill). Or if you want to be really avant garde, try the squash blossoms (Lightly battered squash flowers filled with ricotta, tomato sauce) Have you ever heard of anything so decadent? However, my absolute favorite at this restaurant is the burrata sandwich (house burrata stacked with heirloom tomato, arugula, pesto, and a balsamic reduction on toasted sourdough)!

But if you go to an Italian restaurant to eat pasta, then this is the place - pasta ala Norcina (Orecchiette pasta & sausage tossed in a rich pecorino cream sauce topped with crispy kale or linguine with clams (white or red sauce!) Enough said! 

Note that we are meeting on the second Thursday of October so please join us at this lovely trattoria at 12:00 noon on October. 9. Actual address is 21001 N. Tatum in Desert Ridge. Don’t forget to come in main entrance and turn right - it will be on your left.



-Cynthia Peplinski cynthiadysart@cox.net

Christmas Luncheon Save the Date

Please mark your calendars for the annual Christmas Luncheon Fundraiser on December 13, 2025, at McCormick Ranch Golf Course.

The popular Jewelry sale will return but there will be some changes too. Notably, there will be a 50-50 raffle, one or two raffle baskets and a wine pull.

Earlier chairs, Judy Hubbard and Gail Stempil, are a hard act to follow but we hope these changes will continue to foster camaraderie while raising much needed funds for local scholarships.

Our immediate request is for donations of wine or funds to purchase wine. Please reach out to Jacqui Sasser, jacqui.az55@gmail.com. or Sue Jaros, sue.jaros@gmail.com.

HOW TO ORDER AN AAUW NAME BADGE

Go to AAUW.org and in the upper right hand corner, log in with your email and password. 

You'll need to create an account if you don't have one.



Click on Membership in the top right hand corner.

Go to Discounts and Perks on the right side of the screen.

Scroll down to Shop AAUW, about halfway down, and click on it.

Click on Accessorize.

You'll see Custom Name Badge and click on it.

Decide between pin or magnet back. 

Customize to order.

$11.50 w/pin   $15.00 w/magnet

And place your order!

********Register at aauwarizona.org *********

NEWS FROM NATIONAL....

Press Release from AAUW

Pay Gap Data Shows Women Falling Behind; AAUW Steps Up with Solutions

\

September 9, 2025

WASHINGTON, D.C. — AAUW is disappointed to see the newly released U.S. Census Bureau data showing that the gender pay gap has widened for the second consecutive year. In 2024, all women working full-time, year-round were paid 81 cents, and all earners (including part-time and seasonal workers) were paid 76 cents for every dollar paid to men. In annual income, women were paid $57,520, compared to $71,090 paid to men. This is not a minor fluctuation but a statistically significant setback that underscores a troubling trend: women working full time are falling further behind. 

“For the second year in a row, Census data shows the gender pay gap is widening — proof that inequities in the workplace are not going away on their own,” says AAUW CEO Gloria L. Blackwell. “Yet instead of addressing this crisis, this Administration is doing the opposite: systematically dismantling the very protections meant to ensure workplace equity. Women are being told, in no uncertain terms, that their rights and opportunities are expendable.” 

The data shows a grim reality and disparity across racial and ethnic groups when compared to non-Hispanic white men:

• Latinas working full time, year-round were paid 58 cents on the dollar, and only 54 cents when including all earners. 
• Black women earned 65 cents full time, but just 63 cents overall. 
• White women received 77 cents full time, and 73 cents overall. 
• Asian American women, the closest to parity, earned 96 cents full time and 85 cents across all earners. 
• 
  

Stronger federal protections from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, robust immigration safeguards, and the Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau provide essential support, but lasting change requires congressional action to strengthen workplace protections and advance pay equity at a structural level. 

“At AAUW, we refuse to let women be sidelined by inaction,” Blackwell continues. Through our Virtual Economic Empowerment Trainings, we provide training that helps women strengthen their salary negotiation skills, advocate for better benefits, and position themselves for advancement. While the pay gap can’t be negotiated away, we can empower women to demand more — and to claim the opportunities they deserve.”  

AAUW emphasized that while individual women cannot negotiate away systemic disparities, the organization is supporting individual women with the tools and resources they need to help negotiate their salaries for higher pay. Through its economic empowerment salary negotiation trainings, women learn strategies to strengthen their position when seeking fair pay and benefits. AAUW Start Smart is specifically designed for college women entering the job market, teaching effective salary negotiation techniques to boost confidence and negotiation skills. 

Time to sign up for the Two Minute Activist:

Send emails and texts to your legislators to fight for equal pay, family leave, stopping sexual harassment, equality in education and more. Sign up to get regular alerts to be able to take timely action.

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