2025-2026 Branch Leaders

Executive Committee

President

Claudia L. Walker, Ed.D.      

President Elect

Martha Steele

Vice President Membership

Debbi Sochia                        

Vice President Programs

Martha Steele             

Secretary

Debbi Sochia    

Treasurer

Sharon Parson

Parliamentarian

Vacant

Standing Committees

Public Policy

Pat Sanford

Finance/Budget

Sharon Parson

Scholarships/NCCWSL/CU

Jeanette Pierce

AAUW Funds

Vacant

DEI

Vacant

STEM

Vacant

Governance

Jeanette Pierce

Appointed Positions

Membership Outreach

Adrien Frank

Community Coordinator

Claudia L. Walker, Ed.D.

Reservations

Martha Steele

Publicity

Michelle Burk

Historian

Rachel Skelley

Communications

Malinda Gaul

FEBRUARY MEETING

February 7, 2026, 2:30 pm

Valentine Celebration for February

At our February 7th meeting, we’ll take a break from our more serious concerns and again open ourselves up to creativity. This year, we’ll take a painting lesson at Painting With A Twist, located at The Alley, 555 W. Bitters Road (different location from last year).

We’ll meet at the studio at 2:30 p.m. for wine and snacks, and the lesson will start promptly at 3:00 p.m. I hope the afternoon start time won’t be an impediment, but our choices were limited. For some, perhaps the afternoon time may be more convenient, allowing time to get to the grandchildren’s morning ball games.

The cost will be $37 to paint a canvas, and $42 to paint the image on a wood panel. The image is a perky bouquet of sunflowers (see above).

This is a pay-in-advance event; sign up online for the 3:00 p.m. class. The earlier we sign up, the better, in order to ensure space in our class. Cancellation is allowed up to five days in advance.

https://www.paintingwithatwist.com/studio/sanantonio/event/4193692/

Parking at The Alley is convenient. Don’t be worried about the small number of parking slots out front; there is a much larger lot in the rear.

If you have any questions, or experience any problems in signing up, call Martha Steele, 832-425-7477.

Take a Stand

AAUW members are intelligent, interesting, and informed. We’re talking about what’s going on in our country with friends, family, and colleagues. Every day the news is rife with impending chaos as too many leaders in this country either abdicate their responsibilities as elected officials or overstep the Constitution. We’re not happy about lies, propaganda, erosion of rights, or efforts to take over other countries including Venezuela and Greenland, and so much more.

This affects us. We worry about the kind of world our children and grandchildren will grow up in. The daily stress from this chaos can affect us physically, contributing to high blood pressure, back pain, digestive issues, and emotional problems. The chaos and divisiveness also call on us to be stronger, to take a stand. We’re on higher alert now. We’re asking more questions, thinking more deeply about what may happen and what actions we will take.

AAUW and our national and local partner, the League of Women Voters, provide ample opportunities for our involvement right now when it is sorely needed. Who wants more shootings of innocent Americans by armed, masked forces? Or wars with other countries? Or the disintegration of the three distinct branches of the government? We don’t. Thought leaders across the country supporting the Constitution and the Rule of Law say that now is the time for us to take a stand and that it is imperative that we do more than we’ve done in the past. The opportunities listed below need volunteers. Pick one or more and support with your time and/or financial resources. Your children and grandchildren will be glad you were decisive and took action.

Vote: 2026 Texas Primary Election, Tuesday March 3, 2026 – Key Dates

• February 2: Last day to register to vote or update your registration
• February 17: First day to vote early in person
• February 20: Last day to Vote by Mail ballot application to be received
• February 27: Last day to vote early in person
• March 3: Election Day and last day for Vote by Mail ballot to be received

Support:

• Life-long public servant Representative Mark Kelly is being subjected to threats to reduce his rank and retirement. Your mail and email will receive requests for help via letter writing (often requiring just a click from you) or financial donations. You will receive similar requests from others serving democracy needing support.

• AAUW TX Public Policy Quarterly Zoom Meetings

o  February 12 is the first quarterly meeting in 2026. Information to register will be sent in the coming weeks. If you want to attend, but do not get an email with information to register, contact me at pacmsan@me.com or 210-392-0728.

• AAUW and LWV communications through Constant Contact provide ongoing opportunities to make your voice heard. Skilled people spend a lot of time making it easy for us to respond to our legislators urging and sometimes demanding their action, resistance, or support.



• The LWV website at https://lwvsa.org has

o  LWVSA Voters Guide

o  Voters Guide and VOTE411

o  Voter Education Videos

• How to update your voter registration online
• Three Ways to Register to Vote in Texas
• How to Check if You are Registered to Vote

Thank you for upholding the foundational principles and values of the United States during this difficult time. Your involvement and support continue to make the world a better place.

Pat Sanford

AAUW San Antonio Public Policy Chair

AAUW TX Public Policy Committee

Click HERE to register for the LWV event.

2026 VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTION DEADLINES

Do you recall a few years ago when the US Postal Service sold trucks and vans, changed routes, and reduced some pick up and delivery services in the interest of "efficiency"? That might affect your vote if a deadline is involved. That application for or mail in ballot that you put in your home mailbox or in a big blue mailbox in some parking lots on the deadline date may not actually be taken to the central processing facility until a day or so later. Allow several days lead time, or take your mail piece to a substation for hand cancellation at the service counter.

Here is the official disclaimer from the USPS:  

MYTH: How the Postal Service applies postmarks is changing.

FACT: The Postal Service has not changed and is not changing our postmarking practices, which have been consistent since we began moving away from hand-canceling every item at Post Offices decades ago. Postmarks are generally applied by machines at our originating processing facilities and will continue to be applied at those facilities in the same manner and to the same extent as before. Postmarks applied at those facilities will continue to contain the name or location of the facility that applied the postmark and the date on which the first automated processing operation was performed on that mailpiece.

While we are not changing our postmarking practices, we have made adjustments to our transportation operations that will result in some mailpieces not arriving at our originating processing facilities on the same day that they are mailed. This means that the date on the postmarks applied at our processing facilities will not necessarily match the date on which the customer’s mailpiece was collected by a letter carrier or dropped off at a retail location.

As before, a customer can ensure that a postmark is applied to his or her mailpiece, and that the date on the postmark matches the date of mailing, by visiting a Postal Service retail location and requesting a manual (local) postmark at the retail counter when tendering their mailpiece. Manual postmarks will be applied free of charge.



Important Dates for Election on March 3, 2026

• First day to apply for a ballot by mail: Thursday, January 1, 2026
• The last day to register to vote: Monday, February 2, 2026
• The last day to apply for a ballot by mail: Friday, February 20, 2026 (received, not postmarked)
• Early voting period: February 17 - 27, 2026
• The last day to receive ballot by mail: Tuesday, March 3, 2026 (election day) at 7:00 p.m. if carrier envelope is not postmarked, OR Monday, March 9, 2026 (next business day after Election Day) at 5:00 p.m. if carrier envelope is postmarked by 7:00 p.m. at the location of the election on Election Day (unless overseas or military voter deadlines apply)

You can easily register on line or check your voter registration status by clicking HERE.

Click HERE to request a ballot by mail.

Membership Matters! 

YOU Matter!

Are you not getting our online newsletters? 

Click this link to resubscribe:

https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/32IYN60

Happy Valentine’s Day Everyone! Ever considered gifting one of your friends, colleagues or fellow AAUW members the sweetest gift of all? Membership! The nicest gift of all is the gift of membership with a group of women who champion gender equity by funding education for women. Gift someone you know a Membership to AAUW! Know someone with a birthday coming up? Or maybe want to surprise a friend by renewing their membership? Think JEDI!

Renew Your Membership

Dues are $103

How this Breaks Down:

National Dues: $74

AAUW Texas: $13

San Antonio Branch $ 16

Total: $103

WHY: Member dues are an important funding source for AAUW. Costs have increased annually, but AAUW has not raised the amount of dues for many years. Our dues helps fund our work such as:

• Education and Advocacy: Our dues help support AAUW's Public Policy and member advocacy programs which defend higher education and rights for women on campus.

• Member Trainings: Regular virtual member gatherings and training programs which provide education and engagement on relevant topics.

• Member Engagement: such as Archives Corps, Lobby Corps, and national committees, as well as coordinating member advocacy through our 2-minute activist.

• Real-Time Support: members can receive daily assistance through the Connect Team.

You can pay in a variety of ways:

 Online: https://www.aauw.org/ (you will have to have made an account)

With Zelle: Zelle payment: Click the Zelle tab in your bank account.  

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

In the memo field identify the payment: AAUW

 Or by check: Checks made out to AAUW-SA

Mail to: AAUW SAN ANTONIO

P.O. Box 460825

San Antonio, TX 78246-0825



 Call/text/email Debbi Sochia, Membership Vice-President for assistance.

dsochia@att.net

(210) 218-2675

AAUW Moviegoers (Let’s All Go to the Movies!)

Moviegoers! We meet on the last Sunday of each month (unless I miscalculate how many days are in each month and then I pinch hit, lol). I send out an email with a list of currently showing movies to vote on and then let everyone know the winning movie and location. Please join us! All are welcome! 

Our next movie is scheduled for Sunday, February 22!

Call/text/email Debbi Sochia

dsochia@att.net

210-218-2675

Potential New Interest Group

I’m considering putting together an Interest Group focused on Service Opportunities. Ideas include going to elementary schools to read to the children, retirement homes to play bingo with the residents, giving them manicures, going to the Bulverde Animal Defense League to play with the cats and walk the dogs. These are just ideas. 

Would anyone be interested in an interest group like this? ~Debbi Sochia

What Does AAUW National Do?

Policy Advocacy: Focuses on national issues affecting women and girls, such as education equity, pay equity, and reproductive rights.

o   We coordinate our Public Policy Committees, participate in coalition work and partner with other prominent National organizations to raise awareness about our policy priorities (such as the YWCA for our Gen Z Town Hall in Philadelphia).

Subject Matter Expertise: We have historically produced in-depth studies on topics like the gender pay gap and women in leadership roles.

o   While we haven't produced reports recently due to limited funding - we have done high level analysis of recently released pay gap data. We are frequently asked to comment on topics related to pay equity, student loan debt and other issues related to gender equity. You can see our recently updated page on Latinas and the pay gap for example, here: https://www.aauw.org/resources/article/latinas-and-the-pay-gap/

o   We have tens of thousands of social media followers across all platforms and have well over 1 million website viewers - ensuring that our brand remains prominent and relevant. CEO Gloria Blackwell has been invited to White House events on at least three occasions recently.

o   On a Global level - Gloria is AAUW's representative to the UN - and our work in this capacity provides great reputational value related to global gender equity work.

Salary Negotiation and Financial Literacy Training: Offers training and resources for women to develop skills to be financially empowered.

o   In particular our Work Smart, Start Smart and Money Smart trainings provide valuable resources and tools for women to become economically empowered. Nationally we work with organizations such as the HBCU Career Center, Tri Delta, Coca Cola Foundation, Finra Foundation, SAGE and others to bring these trainings to thousands of women across the country. These trainings were developed and are updated and managed by the National office. They have been independently evaluated by two separate entitles and continually receive very high ratings from participants.

Fellowships & Grants: We award and administer over $6 million in fellowships and grants each year to hundreds of women in the US and Internationally. 

o   We also connect our members and branches to these awardees and alumnae and have an Alumnae Relations team charged with growing and maintaining relationships with our thousands of distinguished Alumnae.

Membership Services: Provides support and resources for local branches and members, including access to national networks and events.

o   We host all aauw.net websites, process dues, support 990 filings, and maintain our history and globally recognized brand. Without AAUW National - AAUW branches would instead be independently organized entities who would not be networked with one another or have the ability to utilize the AAUW name. 

In essence, while AAUW National sets the strategic direction and focuses on broader issues, local branches implement programs and initiatives that directly benefit their local communities. Together, our aim is to work towards the common goal of advancing gender equity.

Follow AAUW San Antonio on:

Facebook www.facebook.com/aauw.sanantonio