Meet the 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

September Program

Exploring Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Kimberly Henry and Veronica Quinonez

The presentation will focus on increasing cultural humility and combating discrimination by providing a safe place to explore diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

Kimberly Henry

Kimberly is the founder and CEO of The GOLD Beacon, PLLC, a small business developing sustainable nonprofits nationwide. She first came to San Angelo in 2010 as a Naval Intelligence Student at Goodfellow Air Force Base and knew she wanted to return and make it one of her primary goals in the Navy. In 2015 Kimberly returned and became an instructor supervisor of that same course. Rather than transfer again and risk not being able to adopt her daughters, she decided to stay in San Angelo. In 2018, after ten years of active-duty service, she honorably separated from the Navy, received her Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Southern California, and focused her career on promoting social change. She combined her passion for exponentially helping populations with her project management skills and founded The GOLD Beacon.

Specializing in sexual assault prevention and response, Kimberly trains on the public health approach to the primary prevention of interpersonal violence. As a licensed social worker, violence survivor, and disabled veteran, Kimberly advocates for accessibility, inclusivity, and empowerment.

She serves on the Chamber of Commerce Diversity Committee and Military Affairs Committee, is on the Core Team of the San Angelo NAACP Buffalo Soldiers Memorial, Chairs the National Association of Social Workers Concho Valley Branch, and is the Funds Chair and DEI Chair of the American Association of University Women San Antonio Branch. Kimberly is a member of the All-Veterans Council of Tom Green County, Women Veterans Society, and Young Professionals of San Angelo.

She is the mother of three amazing kids, Kade, Jasmine, and Jacee. You will see her with Daisy, her service dog.

“Real change, enduring change happens one step at a time.” Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Veronica Quinonez

Veronica (she/her/hers) has nearly 15 years of equity and violence prevention experience in the field. She currently consults on DEI initiatives under her small business Veronica Quinonez Trainings LLC and serves as adjunct faculty at Georgetown University. She previously managed the statewide violence CDC 'DELTA' Impact grant where she oversaw violence prevention initiatives for the entire state of Tennessee including economic empowerment programs where banks, organizations, and community members were trained on trauma and inclusive workforce models. In addition, she previously provided victim services and violence prevention at Vanderbilt and Georgetown Universities. Veronica has also provided crisis counseling to the Department of Defense community and served as a Safe Helpline Manager for the Rape Abuse Incest National Network (RAINN) in Washington, D.C. She holds a Masters of Arts degree in Conflict Resolution from Georgetown University and a Bachelors in Psychology and International Relations from Virginia Commonwealth University. Her areas of expertise are de-colonizing and anti-oppression approaches to power based violence and diversity, equity, and inclusion to improve workplaces for marginalized staff.

SAVE THE DATE

Membership Survey

Our Board of Directors serves you, our members. We want to hear from you! Please take a few minutes to complete our survey. Let us know what types or programs, speakers, and interest groups you would like us to provide by answering a few questions.

AAUW San Antonio - Let's Take Action

We need members to contact Senators, especially Senator Sinema and Senator Collins, about women's reproductive rights.

Members Pat Sanford and Wondra Chang have provided sample letters.

Letters:

Sinema (Sanford)

Collins (Sanford)

Sinema (Chang)

Contacts:

 sinema.senate.gov

  collins.senate.gov 

A New Year Brings New Opportunities

The Supreme Court ruling on Roe v. Wade has us reeling. Nearly 50 years of a woman’s right to make decisions about her own reproductive life without government interference is gone. Gone, but far from forgotten. 80% of American people support legal abortion. At the national, state, and local levels AAUW policy and members will continue to support women’s rights. Read on to see what we’re doing as an organization and what you can do individually.

National

In a press release on June 24th, AAUW CEO Gloria Blackwell said AAUW strongly condemns the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. She said “abortion access is vital to women’s ability to control their lives, bodies and futures. Without reproductive freedom, there can be no equity.”

This court’s decision hurts all of us, but especially low-income people, and other marginalized groups who already face barriers to service. Blackwell said we must work together to:

• Demand that state legislators preserve reproductive rights.
• Support the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would provide federal protections to reproductive health services.
• Make our voices heard as individuals and communities.

AAUW Texas will again work with lobbyist Kevin Stuart during the legislative session(s) in 2023, possibly beginning this fall as bills start to be introduced. Kevin’s familiarity with the legislative process enabled branches and members throughout Texas to take meaningful action during the 87th session. A majority of the bills we took action on were passed.

State will also be working on a new strategic plan. State Public Policy Chair Pat Rehm and the state public policy advisory committee will include appropriate public policy actions.

The committee would also like to address a Cost-of-Living increase for retired teachers, voting integrity, and the Medicare expansion provision for new mothers that we supported during the last session but was denied by the Federal government.

AAUW San Antonio

Members who have taken voter registration training and those who have renewed their training certification met via Zoom on Wednesday, August 10, to brainstorm ideas. The group will also be working with Educators Voter Registration Initiative (EVRI) enabling them to work with high schools, trade schools, and more.

AAUW SA will staff a table at the Can We Talk? action summit event on Saturday, August 27 from 8:00 am-3:00 pm. AAUW SA will also have a presentation on the 50th Anniversary of Title IX moderated by President Diane Claiborne-Carr. 

Members are encouraged to send letters to local and state representatives regarding the Supreme Court overthrow of Roe v Wade. Sample letters are included in this newsletter.

Thank you for your continued commitment to and support of AAUW. You are appreciated!

Pat Sanford

AAUW SA Public Policy Chair

Membership News

Please welcome new members: Flo Wallace and Michelle Burk.

We look forward to getting to know you.

Questions?

email, call or text.....

Ruth Lyle

Membership Vice President

[email protected]

210-722-1732

Voter Registration Committee Update

Our San Antonio Branch Volunteer Deputy Registrars (VDRs) met August 10 via Zoom to develop plans for our upcoming voter registration efforts. Members of the committee include Suzanne Benson, Diane Claiborne-Carr, Cheryl Fuller, Jeanette Pierce, Pat Sanford, and Martha Steele. If you are interested in joining us in this important advocacy effort, please consider becoming a Bexar County VDR by completing training with Bexar County Elections Department (web address found below).

The committee members brainstormed strategies and possible locations for registration events including churches, senior centers, dog parks, and educational institutions. Suzanne Benson has already contacted and made arrangements with sites where she has a past relationship as a registrar. A file will be created of events, dates, and VDR names so members can coordinate efforts. More help is appreciated.  

Some important dates to share with friends and family are these deadlines:

Election Day - November 8, 2022

Early Voting - October 24-November 4, 2022

Last Day to Register to Vote - October 11, 2022

Request a mail-in ballot - October 28, 2022

President Diane Carr is coordinating efforts to support the League of Women Voter registration events.

For further information, please visit the Bexar County Elections Department website at https://www.bexar.org/1568/Elections-Department.

Other useful information is found at:

Vote Texas https://www.sos.state.tx.us/

Rock the Vote https://www.rockthevote.org/ 

Vote.org https://www.vote.org/



If you have any questions, please contact Jeanette Pierce at [email protected] or by phone 210.822.9410 H, 210.394.8280 C.

Member Spotlight

Dr. Juanita (Nita) Baker Felder

Nita Felder was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee and grew up in Valdosta, Georgia. Her husband was in the military and their family with four daughters lived in Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Germany, New Jersey, Okinawa and Texas.

She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Maryland and a Masters of Arts degree in English as a Second Language from UTSA. Her Doctorate in Education is from Texas A&M University. (She said while she was doing her campus residency she lived in a motor home for six months in Bryan/College Station!) Nita is a Life Member of AAUW. She joined the San Antonio Branch in 1977, was newsletter editor for 2 years and served as President from 1989 to 1991. She was recognized as a Named Gift Honoree for her service and contributions. Nita presented her husband Robert with a gift membership and he became the first male member of the Branch!

Nita taught Third Grade when they lived in New Jersey. With three other teachers, she taught English to adults at the Commercial Institute on Okinawa. In San Antonio she taught English in the Defense Language School at Lackland AFB for 7 years. At the Academy of Health Sciences at Fort Sam Houston she was employed as Registrar for the Army/Baylor Program in Health Care Administration. She modestly said she got the Registrar job because she was the only one of the three applicants who could type. However working with subject matter experts, she was tasked with writing the books and training materials on various medical subjects for the basic trainees at Fort Sam Houston. She retired in 1986.

Currently, she likes to read and watch selected TV re-runs. With two miniature French poodles, she always has something to keep her busy. She belongs to the Beautiful Birthday Bunch and Super Adults which meet monthly. Nita lives outside the city limits on the south side of town. One of her daughters lives in San Antonio in the Medical Center area and it takes almost an hour for her to drive between their homes for a visit. Another daughter lives in Bastrop.

Nita says she doesn’t mind living alone and has good neighbors who are happy to run errands for her if need be.   

Kate Vetters                                          

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Summer Reading: Recent Books by AAUW Fellows and Grantees

Looking for some riveting reading? Here is the stellar selection of recent books by AAUW Fellows and Grantees alumni. The selections include fiction, nonfiction, essays and poetry. These are impressive accomplishments of our AAUW Fellows and Grantees!

San Antonio Food Bank

"Fighting hunger doesn't always start with a meal. It starts with those who serve."

https://safoodbank.org/ways-to-help/give-time/

Historic Southwest

The Historic Southwest Interest Group was the first interest group of the AAUW San Antonio Branch. It has been meeting once a month to hear wonderful, informative speakers and have lunch. Unfortunately, there were not enough branch members to continue the group. So, it was voted on May 13, 2022 to discontinue as a branch interest group. Persons interested will meet now and then at various spots. Any one of the persons can initiate a gathering at a place of their choosing. It is with sadness that I write this. The group has been very interesting with knowledgeable speakers and friendly people. Some things just run out their life span.

Karen Reichensperger

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:

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Twitter @AAUW_SanAntonio

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