AAUW San Antonio December Newsletter

Volume 112 Issue 4

2020-2021 Theme:

Economic and Physical Well-Being for All

Message from the President

Greetings as we look forward to the holiday season! And best wishes to you, the health and well-being of our country, and the success of our newly-elected President and Vice-President. The results of the election will be remembered for many reasons, but among them is a record number of ballots cast at the polls and by mail. Even under stressful, unprecedented conditions, Americans have shown their ability to support and function as a democracy. We celebrate all of the great volunteers that sent texts, made phone calls, sent postcards, worked at the polling places, and did all they could through virtual means. There’s much work to do -- first and foremost, getting control of the pandemic and improving life especially for the adversely affected – their health, their economic security and mental spirit. We all need to focus on staying healthy by following guidance on hand-washing, distancing, and wearing a mask, remembering our vulnerabilities and those of others. We have great hope for a vaccine in the coming year and, being mindful of the other measures for safety, we’ll knock this!

We have much to be grateful for – in AAUW we’ve talked throughout this challenging year about relying on each other and enjoying the times we have had – even when it has had to be virtually. So let’s celebrate our friendship and be glad we belong to this great organization that promotes the advancement of women and girls and strives to make our world more equitable for all!

We have had a great array of speakers this year and we were privileged to have Dr. Richard Lewis, Jr., as our guest speaker on November 7th. Dr. Lewis spoke to us on America’s challenge in addressing inclusion and equality – all part of our theme of well-being for all. If you missed this presentation, you may view it on our website, where it has been posted.

I look forward to our “virtual gathering” on December 5th. Thanks to the fund-raising efforts of Ruth Lyle for another textbook scholarship drive to support young women. Make sure you purchase tickets before our December meeting when we draw for the winner of the gift card.

Peace and joy to you and your families – and don’t forget the fa-la-la-la-la!!

Looking forward to the coming year—

Cheryl Fuller

AAUW San Antonio President

AAUW is Zooming!

December 5, 11:30 a.m.

Speaker: Siri Bletzer, M.A., LPC, LMFT

Program: Changing Thought Processes: Coping Skills to Get from Here to There

RSVP to Cheryl Fuller

(if you did not RSVP last month)

to receive the Zoom link.

cfuller5@satx.rr.com

Siri Bletzer, M.A., LPC, LMFT

During the last year all of us have experienced an extraordinary amount of stress in our lives. The impact of the recent campaign season and elections seemed to last forever. And coming during the Covid-19 pandemic with all of the life adjustments required for life under restrictions made it even more stressful. Our December speaker, Siri Bletzer is a mental health expert who will address the impact of recent events on mental health and prevention or mitigation of stress for a more positive life. Ms. Bletzer received a Master's DMs degree in Counseling from St. Mary's University in San Antonio. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. As a member of the American Counseling Association since 1998 and a clinical member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy since 1995 she is know as a top professional in her field.

With 22 years of private practice she has worked with many people coping with anxiety and/or depression, anger and stress management, those going through career changes, and facing life transitions and crisis. She states, “I have always been fascinated by how people change, learn, and grow. I believe that given the right context, such as a safe, stimulating and nurturing environment, people can make the changes they need to make to live a happier, more productive and positive life. Given the right tools, everyone has the capacity to engineer their life in a healthier way.”

Kim Churches, CEO, of AAUW, sent the letter below to each of us recently regarding this year’s historic election. The information is cogent and timely. As we prepare to move forward, we can be confident that AAUW will continue to be a leading force in moving the country forward to equity for all.

Every voice and every vote matters.

The 2020 election has been like no other: In the midst of a surging pandemic, a record number of Americans cast their ballots, many at the polls, many by mail. The races remain tight, and it may take days or even weeks before we know who our next President and other elected officials will be. We urge patience and civility while the rule of law is protected in this process.

Please keep in mind:

This wait was expected and signals that democracy is working. It takes more time to count and verify these votes, with an unprecedented number to count.
The pandemic also is slowing the counting process itself, as election officials must follow public health guidelines with reduced staffing or fewer resources.
No political party or media company selects the winner of an election—the voters do. While many of these might make projections over the coming days, please know that the election has not concluded until election officials count and verify every ballot.

This is democracy in action. There are still tens of millions of uncounted votes, so we all need to be patient and to insist that every vote is counted, every voice is heard before we move forward. Then, whatever the outcome, AAUW will continue to serve our vital role of working with our leaders and policymakers to help shape a future that ensures equity and justice for all.

We will remain strong until each voice is heard.

Kimberly Churches

AAUW Chief Executive Officer

An example of AAUW’s ongoing work to ensuring equity for women and girls is seen in an article by Kim Churches that the New York Times published.

AAUW CEO Kim Churches Letter to the Editor to The New York Times on Rollbacks to Title IX.

TO THE EDITOR: Re “DeVos’s Rules Bolster Rights of Students Accused of Sexual Misconduct” (news article, May 7):

In justifying new Title IX regulations regarding accusations of student sexual assault, Betsy DeVos, the secretary of education, said schools are required to “act in meaningful ways to support survivors of sexual misconduct.” In fact, the new rules significantly weaken protections for students and turn back the clock on the welcome progress we’ve started to make in the last decade.

Obama-era Title IX guidance laid out specific procedures on how publicly funded schools must deal with campus sexual misconduct. Since then, we began to see more survivors coming forward to seek justice. Now, in the midst of a national emergency, that guidance has been overturned and replaced with rules that will likely deter reporting of rape, assault and harassment. The new rules are bad enough, but the timing of this change seems hardhearted and ill advised.

Colleges and universities are facing enormous challenges on every front. Students may not return to campus this fall, but schools now have the administrative burden of overhauling their processes before the semester begins. Wouldn’t it be wiser to focus all our efforts on helping academic institutions and their students manage the crisis at hand?

Kim Churches

Washington

The writer is chief executive of the American Association of University Women.

The Two-Minute Activist

The Two-Minute Activist is a source of information on topics relating to women’s issues. It also enhances our ability to send emails and texts to legislators to fight for equal pay, family leave, stopping sexual harassment, equality in education and more. Sign up on the AAUW webpage to get regular alerts to be able to take timely action.

You can also text “AAUW” to 21333 to get AAUW action alerts via text.

Fundraising for Scholarships - $300 VISA Gift Card Drawing

The money raised from the drawing will be used for Textbook Scholarships that assist women attending college or university in Bexar County. The drawing for the $300 gift card will be held at our December meeting just in time for holiday shopping. You do not have to be present to win. Tickets are $10 each or three for $25. Letter with tickets have been mailed to all members. You may return your check and top section of the tickets you purchase in the enclosed stamped envelope addressed to Ruth Lyle. Contact Ruth Lyle with any question at 210.722.1732 or ruthannlyle@gmail.com

Thanks in advance for making this fundraiser another great success.

Ruth Lyle

Scholarship Committees

Scholarship announcements have gone out to 16 Colleges/Universities, more than one contact in most of them, and 5 Community Colleges. We have two anxious and dedicated committees. In this unsettled time with COVID-19, all applications will be done online and the committees will work electronically and meet virtually. Wish that the economy will improve before spring so that we will have lots of money for the graduate scholarships. Buy raffle tickets so that we have funds for the textbook scholarships. The raffle and February chocolate and champagne are the only fundraisers for the textbook scholarships so start by buying raffle tickets.

Karen Reichensperger

Scholarship Chair

November Zoom Conference Calls

All AAUW members are invited to join in on the conference calls sponsored by our AAUW Texas leaders.

Please RSVP to the Board Member who is hosting

to receive the Zoom link.

November 10, 2020, 5:00 p.m. - Membership with

Barbara Cager bcager@sbcglobal.net

November 12, 2020, 5:00 p.m. – AAUW Funds/Fundraising with

Margie Poole margiepoole11@yahoo.com

November 17, 2020, 4:00 p.m. – Public Policy with

Pat Rehm pacrehm2017@gmail.com

November 19, 2020, 4:00 p.m. - Program with

Melodía Gutièrrez mellowdia1@gmail.com

Remember that Zoom calls can be accessed by phone

for anyone unable to connect virtually.

November Speaker Recap

Dr. Richard Lewis, Jr., Ph.D., tenured Professor of Sociology at the University of Texas at San Antonio, was our November speaker. His presentation was titled America’s Challenge: Addressing Inclusion and Inequality and is available on the AAUW San Antonio website. Racism, sexism, ageism, and classism all play a part. His focus was racism.

Take-aways:

What impacts race relations in the United States?

People think they are special
Media influence within society
Perceptions of personal entitlement (narcissism)
Political and social polarization (us versus them)
Global issues
Workplace and employment transition
Skills don’t match with what is needed in the workplace

The United States is a society in transition and crisis.
Our society is at a critical juncture impacted by rapid changes.
There is a social ranking of groups. The dominate group has control. One or more groups are subordinate. Social power is from light skin to dark. Dominate group has nothing to do with size of the group.
Asian and Hispanics have the most population in childbearing ages (15-44 years of age).
An individual’s view of another individual or group is guided by perceptions.
Perceptions can lead to stereotyping, prejudice, and imaging.
Stereotypes exist because there is some truth. We take that and project it on the entire group.
In 2016, White family income was 7x that of Black families and 5x of Hispanic families.
How to mitigate social inequality:

Establish a level playing field. Rules are the same for everyone in an organization.
Inclusiveness of all groups that comprise the local area.
Creation of equal access. We can’t have sameness. Get rid of impediments.
Minimize differences.

Acting on What We’ve Learned

1. Treat people as we want to be treated.

2. Find commonality. We have to come together as a country in the middle. The middle is the majority of us. We give too much voice to the extremes.

Book Suggestions

White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk about Racism by Robin Diangelo

How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi