Dear Members,

April! Spring! So many activities in April! April is National Child Abuse Awareness Month, Month of the Military Child, National Volunteer Month, Black Women’s History Month, National Pecan Month, and Earth Day is April 1st, but celebrated all month.

April is the month of Fiesta and the San Antonio Book Festival!

In April, we introduce our Graduate Scholarship and Textbook Scholarship recipients! I hope many of you will attend the luncheon to congratulate the recipients, learn more about their educational journey, and wish them much success in their future endeavors.

April is the month we hold the election of our AAUWSA 2023-2024 elected officers.

But May is right around the corner and the sentiments of Mother’s Day abound. I am asking that we recognize Mothers by writing a tribute, or description, or poem, or snippet you would like to share about your mother for posting in our May newsletter. Say Her Name! Recognize her contribution - YOU - to the world and your fight for equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, and research. Email you tribute to Kate Vetters kvetters@sbcglobal.net or me dcarr23.woman@gmail.com. Please submit your tribute NLT 5 April.

Have fun this month!

Diane Claiborne-Carr

President

AAUW San Antonio

571-330-1039

dcarr23.woman@gmail.com

2022-2023 Branch Leaders

Executive Committee

President

Diane Claiborne-Carr       

President Elect

Vacant       

Vice President Membership

Ruth Lyle                         

Vice President Programs

Monica Ruiz-Mills               

Secretary

Ashlee Martinez      

Treasurer

Adrien Frank  

Parliamentarian

Suzanne Benson

Standing Committees

Public Policy

Pat Sanford

Budget/Finance

Adrien Frank

Scholarships/NCCWSL

Karen Reichensperger

Eleanor Skelley    

Colleges/Universities

Martha Steele

Funds

Kimberly Henry

Communications

Malinda Gaul

STEM

Mary Ellen Pratt

DEI

Kimberly Henry

Governance

Vacant

Appointed

Historian

Patricia Tucker

Community Coordinator

Vacant

Reservations

Betty Russell

Publicity

Michelle Burk

Member Outreach

Kathy Dicke

March Meeting

At our March General Membership meeting Lily Casura, co-author of the “Status of Women in San Antonio Report” (2019), presented a program to the membership focusing on the significant attention needed to the problem of domestic violence in our city and county. Ms. Casura provided a presentation which will be posted on our website.

Links to the full report and a brief summary can be found at:

https://www.sanantonio.gov/Portals/0/Files/health/News/Reports/StatusOfWomen/StatusOfWomen-Full.pdf

https://www.sanantonio.gov/Portals/0/Files/health/News/Reports/StatusOfWomen/StatusOfWomen-Brief.pdf

Our next presentation will be in May with the topic of interest on the Scobee Girls STEM Summit.

What? Now What?

At the March 4, 2023, AAUWSA Monthly General Meeting Lily Casura was our speaker. Ms. Casura was the Principal Investigator in a large-scale national study about women veterans and homelessness after military service. She addressed the Status of Women in San Antonio.

What did we hear?

Lily Casura provided a deep clarification of the San Antonio FY 2020-2023 Strategic Plan Review, which is the result of her UTSA team researchers’ community-wide survey of San Antonio and Bexar County residents regarding domestic violence.

Now What?

As a result of what we heard, what can we do to affect change in domestic violence in Bexar County and San Antonio? What advocacy measures/actions can we take to make a difference?

Your responses in our group discussion were varied:

• Print the contact numbers for domestic violence and mental health issues in our newsletter. This information was printed in the AAUWSA November newsletter. We will print it again in this April newsletter. It was suggested that members cut it out and tape it in a strategic place in their homes.

• Place an AAUWSA letter addressing low wages and pay equity in the city newspaper.

• Have Lily Casura, weekly or monthly, explain the results of the survey and its implications to community members through the media.

What other actions can we add to this list?

If you want to read more about this issue, review the following documents.

https://www.sanantonio.gov/Portals/0/Files/health/News/Reports/StrategicPlanInReview2020-2023.pdf

This was reviewed Lily Casura during her presentation.

https://www.sanantonio.gov/Portals/0/Files/health/HealthyLiving/ViolencePrevention/ComprehensivePlan.pdf

https://www.sanantonio.gov/Portals/0/Files/health/News/Reports/StatusOfWomen/SWI.pdf?ver=2020-08-20-132209-040

Public Policy

The AAUW Texas Public Policy Advisory Committee sends legislative updates to members regularly. Look for these in your email mailbox sent via Constant Contact. An example is the one included below sent on Sunday, March 5th. As the legislative session progresses, we will be sending out the current status of bills the legislature considers with suggestions for action we can take to inform our representatives that we want them to support these bills by voting in favor of them.

WORKING WITH THE LWV

Many AAUW Texas members are also members of the League of Women Voters. Our two organizations share many of the same legislative priorities for the current session. All AAUW Texas members have been invited to join with the LWV in participating in their Action Alerts. This can be done by signing up for League Action Alerts. You will get up to 5 Alerts per week by texting ACTION to 80123.

For those of you who are new to this technology game, that means in a text message put 80123 in the To: box and ACTION in the Message: box.

You could also send a letter such as this to your legislator:

Dear (name of your state legislator):

I am a constituent in your district, and I am writing to inform you of my opposition to the current push for banning books in Texas libraries.

Limiting someone's first amendment rights based on subjective beliefs is a disservice to the education of Texas students. Oftentimes, these books are the first time that students see themselves represented in media or learn to empathize with others through these stories–a skill that we can agree is crucial to human development.

I am asking you to please speak out against this injustice and reinstate the books that have been shamefully removed from the shelves of Texas libraries.

Thank you,

(Add your name and address so they know you are a constituent)

SPRING ELECTIONS

Many city council and school board elections are held in April and May. These elections often have the lowest turnout – but they have the most immediate effect on your day-to-day life. Please pay special attention to school board elections and be wary of candidates who want to ban access to books for your children and grandchildren or limit the history and science that teachers can teach.

Pat Sanford

Public Policy Chair

AAUW Texas Public Policy Advisory Committee

Mental Health Resources

San Antonio Community Resource Directory (SACRD) sacrd.org

SACRD has identified 1,502 mental health resources in the San Antonio area.

IF YOU ARE IN CRISIS, CALL 911 NOW

Helpful Numbers:

If you are feeling overwhelmed or just want to talk to someone about your needs, try one of these resources.

Suicide and Crisis Lifeline 988 (open 24/7)

National Alliance on Mental Illness San Antonio Warmline (M-F 9am-5pm CT) 210-734-3349

The Warmline is not a crisis line. They offer legal services or representation, psychiatric care, case management, or financial assistance. The Warmline is free and confidential.

NAMI Helpline (M-F 9am-9pm CT) 800-950-6264

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Domestic Violence Hotline: 210-733-8810

Rape Crisis Center: 210-349-7273

Youth Hotline: 210-340-8090

Bexar County Family Justice Center: 210-631-0100 (M-F 8am-5pm CT)

Veterans: Crisis Line: 800-273-8255 or text 838255

AAUW SAN ANTONIO BRANCH 2023-2024 NOMINEES FOR ELECTED OFFICE

The San Antonio Branch Nominating Committee presents its slate of nominees for elected office for the year 2023-2024. The nominees have agreed to serve in the designated positions.

The election of officers will be held at the Annual Meeting on April 1. As a reminder, Article IX Nominations of our bylaws states: “Nominations may be made from the floor at the time of the election, provided written consent by the nominee has been obtained”.

President Diane Claiborne-Carr (1-year term)

President Elect Claudia Walker (1-year term)   

Vice President for Programs Dre Andrepoint (1-year term)

Vice President for Membership Ruth Lyle (1-year term)

Secretary Mary Ellen Pratt (1-year term)

Treasurer Antonina Duridanova (2-years term)

Treasurer Elect VACANT (1-year term)

Nominating Committee Members:

Jeanette Pierce, Chair

Martha Steele

Kathy Dicke

Janet Black

Wondra Chang 

YOUR GENEROSITY IN ACTION

$3,500 in Textbook Scholarships to Be Awarded

The committee received 27 applications for Textbook Scholarships. Five applications were rejected for not meeting the qualifications. The committee scored those applicants remaining and it was decided to recommend to the Board that seven of the $500 Textbook Scholarships be awarded. The Board concurred.

$8,000 in Graduate Scholarships to Be Awarded

Twelve applications for Graduate Scholarships were received. Six applications were rejected for not meeting the qualifications. The committee scored those remaining. The committee decided to recommend to the Board that four of the $2,000 Graduate Scholarships be awarded. The Board concurred.

Come to the April meeting to meet our tremendous scholarship recipients!

National Conference for College Women Student Leaders (NCCWSL)

The San Antonio Branch has received, to date, eight applications for AAUW’s “National Conference for College Women Student Leaders”. Once AAUW-Texas awards funds for our affiliate, the Board will decide how many applicants we can sponsor for this prestigious on-site event that will be held May 31-June 3, 2003, at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Eleanor Skelley

Karen Reichensperger

SHARE

Have you read an interesting book? Binged a great tv series? Listened to new music? Visited an exciting city, country, art exhibit, music festival, restaurant?

Let us know so we may share it in our newsletters.

Click Here to Share

This is a great site to find out what is happening in San Antonio by

Featured Events, Spring Events, Art Events, Cultural Events:

https://www.visitsanantonio.com/events-categories/

Some activities you may be interested in include:

11th Annual San Antonio Book Festival

April 15, 2023

The Espee - Formerly Sunset Station

Boutique amphitheater and events venue in the historic St. Paul Square

Chris Botti

Tobin Theater

April 12, 7:30-9:00

Conductor Kazem Abdullah

Soprano Vanessa Becerra

Barber and Mozart

First Baptist Church

515 McCullough Ave.

San Antonio, Texas 78215

Host: San Antonio Philharmonic

Email: sales@saphil.org

Website: http://saphil.org/event/cl8

Still exhibiting is:

Status of Women in San Antonio:

“Reflections in the Pursuit of Gender Equality”

115 Plaza De Armas, San Antonio, 11:00 am-4:00 pm

This exhibit was inspired by the 2019 Report: “The Status of Women in San Antonio” by Rogelio Saenz and Lily Casura with the University of Texas San Antonio. It features works by a diverse group of local women artists who were asked to reflect on the findings outlined in the report as a prompt for creation of new, original works.

Can We Talk?

March 23, 2023

In Observance of Women's History Month

I hope many of you will attend this presentation, “About Women in Robotics”. Artificial Intelligence has been in the headlines lately highlighting all the present AI systems that are available and those already replacing humans in many jobs. AI is also providing many good-paying jobs that we want to ensure women are prepared to be a part of. How can we be a part of ensuring that women, and especially young women and girls, are ready?

In order to have an AAUW group table, we will register you.

Please provide your name and cell number to Reservations Chair Betty Russell: bwr239@gmail.com

Registration and Meals: Paid to AAUWSA for a group registration.

$25 paid by 3/15/23

$35 paid by 3/17/23

$45 paid after 3/17/23

Two methods of payment are available:

By check, made out to AAUW-SA

Mail to: Adrien Frank

140 Patterson, #104

SA TX 78209-6244

Zelle as payment.

Click the bill pay tab in your bank account and select Zelle.

Use the email aauwsatx@gmail.com to send money to AAUWSA

In the memo field identify the payment: Can We Talk

Questions about Zelle: Contact Adrien Frank: 210-867-9838



If you do not want to be included in the AAUWSA group registration you should use the registration form provided by Can We Talk?.

April Dates to Remember

April - Child Abuse Awareness Month

• 1 AAUW SA Monthly Meeting (AAUW SA members vote for 2023-2024 officers.)
• 5 AAUW voting opens. Membership votes on bylaw changes. Passover begins.
• 9 Easter
• 13 AAUW SA Culinary Adventures
• 15 San Antonio Book Festival. AAUW online voting ends at 5:00 p.m. EST.
• 17 AAUW SA Bridge
• 20-30 Fiesta San Antonio
• 22 Earth Day
• 26 Wine, Women and Wisdom

Program Schedule for 2022-2023

May 6, 2023: Scobee Girls STEM Summit (Aligned to DEI topic: Equity)

Speakers: Michelle Risse and Andrea Montano

Program: Scobee Education Center: STEM Education for Young Women Interested in STEM Careers

This presentation will reflect on the programs Scobee has provided through the Artemis Academy for Girls, the Scobee STEM Summit and what research tells us about how general STEM careers currently reflect our population. The Scobee Education Center has hosted the Scobee Girls STEM Summit since 2016 and funded an all-girls STEM camp.

Committee Members:

Monica Ruiz-Mills

Judy Branch

Mary Ellen Pratt

Martha Steele

Wine, Women, and Wisdom

Enjoying Happy Hour at Pesto

Culinary Adventures

For April’s Adventure we’ll hope for some wildflowers on our way to Boerne where we will have a casual lunch at veteran-owned Compadres. Since we’re going on our usual second Thursday of the month we will miss the National Anthem held every Friday at noon where everyone stops what they’re doing and listens to the trumpet performance. Perhaps you can bring a veteran on a Friday in the future.

We will have counter service and then head to their outside tables, weather permitting.

I’ll send a carpool meeting place to attendees. Plan to extend your stay in Boerne for a little shopping if you wish.

May’s adventure will be a tour of the Majestic Theater at 10 am and then lunch at a nearby restaurant.

If you wish to be added to the CA reminder email just email me.

Ali Heller

hahhah82@gmail.com

Culinary Adventures



Dining at

Artemisia’s

Culinary School for St. Philip's College

DONATE!

You can donate to the AAUW San Antonio Branch for Scholarships by making a check out to AAUW SA and sending it to Treasurer Adrien Frank, 140 Patterson, #104, San Antonio, TX 78209.

You can also donate to AAUW Greatest Needs

by clicking HERE.

Follow AAUW San Antonio on:

Facebook www.facebook.com/aauw.sanantonio

Twitter @AAUW_SanAntonio

LinkedIn AAUW San Antonio