American Association of University Women:

Advancing gender equity for women and girls through research, education and advocacy

December 2025 Austin Branch Newsletter

Winter Social/Holiday Auction

We hope to see you at the Austin Branch Winter Social on December 7th from 1:00 - 2:45pm at Balcones Country Club. This annual event is generously hosted by our past presidents and offers both lively conversation, tasty food, and this year, a chance to do some shopping!

Be sure to bring a credit card, cash or check as you look at the seasonal auction items offered for sale by the Funds Committee to benefit the AAUW Greatest Needs Fund. Bring a potential member, too. Contact: Larayne Dallas or call #512-346-6830) to RSVP. (See more auction details below).

Give the Gift of Purpose-Driven Education

As you consider possible end-of-year tax deductible donations for charitable causes, the Austin Branch board and its fundraising team ask you to consider donating to the AAUW Austin Centennial Scholarship Fund. Established in 2024, the Fund was approved by branch members to create an endowment at Austin Community College to provide scholarships for students entering the field of early childhood education. Thanks to members and a generous anonymous match, the endowment reached the goal of $15,000 earlier in 2025 and we will be able to award our first scholarship in the coming year. It is essential that we continue to grow this fund so that additional scholarships can be made available in the coming years.

To contribute, access the ACC Foundation site at Make a Donation to the Austin Community College Foundation | ACC Foundation | Austin Community College District and enter the amount of your contribution and your credit/debit card information. Most importantly, scroll down to the second box with a dropdown list to select your designation. Choose AAUW Austin Centennial Endowment and click "Give Now." If you prefer to write a check, you may download, print and complete the donation card at:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1a5hXspbkP5QlkPeTbfRSc1_9IqmlK9jJ/view

Mail the card with your check to:

Austin Community College Foundation

6101 Highland Campus Dr.

Building 3000, Suite 4270

Austin, TX 78752

Winter Social Sale/Auction

We will feature many donated items for sale at our December 7th Winter Social. Items include artwork, wine, baked goods, candied pecans, hand crafted items, books and much more. Bidding on the items will take place between 1pm and 2pm, with winners announced at 2pm. We accept checks, cash and credit cards. All proceeds will support AAUW National's Greatest Needs Fund. The photos here represent some of the items that are available for sale. What better way to start the holiday season than shopping and socializing with friends....and for a good cause!

December Greetings

Shirlene Justice, Co-Pres.

As the holiday season approaches my mood vacillates between excited anticipation and fretful anxiety. This time of year is my favorite. The weather cools, generosity and good cheer are on full display, and more time is spent with family and friends. On the other hand, I tend to schedule too many activities, spend too much money, and get stressed as a result. To find strategies to keep that anxiety at bay I even asked A.I. for recommendations. It was spot-on and its suggestions will be tacked onto my bulletin board.

At November's meeting, we were treated to a stimulating guest speaker, Dr. Allison Bumsted, Associate Professor at ACC. She took me down memory lane to the days when my girlfriends and I would pore over the latest editions of our favorite teen magazines. I am continuously amazed at the quality of our monthly speakers who graciously share their stories and expertise with us.

I love our branch gatherings and the chance to meet and greet new members. I hope you all attend and bring a friend to our upcoming Winter Social and to our branch meetings in the coming year. A couple of new interest groups are in the works and we are growing in numbers, which is a good omen for our future. Let’s stay connected and continue to build relationships within our branch.

Happy Holidays to All!

Photo below: November branch meeting

These are just a few examples of items available for sale. It's never too late to donate if you haven't already. Just contact Joyce or Brenda and they'll be happy to help. Items purchased will go home with you, with some exceptions (i.e. pie orders).

December Interest Group Activities 2025

ART TOUR

When: December 3

Time: 10 am

What: Lorne Michaels Exhibit, SNL Archives

Where: Harry Ransom Center, UT Austin

Host: Debbie Starr

Contacts: Pat Beal: patrbeal@gmail.com 512.762.9924

Devon Austin: devonaustin@msn.com 562.225.7681

BRIDGE GROUP

When: December 11 (No meeting/Xmas Day)

Time: 1:00pm – 4:00pm

Where: North Lamar Senior Activity Center 29^th, North Lamar

Contact: Elaine Penn: epenn9915@gmail.com 512-328-3100

CENTRAL BOOK GROUP

When: Monday, December 8

Time: 10:30 am

Where: La Madeleine, 5493 Brodie Lane

Book: “Good Night Irene” Author Luis Alberto Urrea

Facilitator: Ruth Rubio

Contact: Linda Quintanilla, quintalin@gmail.com 713.202.8525

CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE

When: Monday, December 1

Time: 7 pm

Where: Zoom

Book: “Time of the Child” Author Nail Williams

Facilitator: Marian Wernicke

Contact: maryescribner@gmail.com 512.698.5539

CREATIVE STITCHERY

When: Wednesday, December 17

Time: 10:00 am

Where: 10407 Golden Quail

Host: Kathryn Pew

Contact: Beverly Locklin, bklocklin@outlook.com 512.633.2902

CULTURE AND CUISINE

When: Thursday, December 11

Time: 6:00 p.m.

Theme: Cookie Exchange from Around the World

Where: 8505 Cima Oak Lane

Hosts: Roberta Coffin

Contact: Ann Gibbs agibbs5200@gmail.com, 512.250.1203

FRIDAY MORNING BOOK REVIEW

When: Friday, December 5

Time: 10:00 am

Where: Church of Christ at Hyde Park 10 West Avenue B

Book: “Lost and Found Book Shop” Author Susan Wigg

Facilitator: Judy Reinhart

Contact: Judy Reinhart: jareinhart@att.net, 512.345.5936

HIKING

When: Thursday, December 4

Time: 10 am

Where: Downtown Doorsteps (Meet at 709 Rio Grande St.)

Leader: Cathy Werner

Contact: Kate DiPronio, ktlee523@gmail.com 512.924.9061

Gayle Kanies,gayle.kaines@gmail.com 512.587.7747

No 2nd hike this month

MAHJONG

When: Thursday, December 18

Time: 1-4:00 pm

Where: N. Lamar Senior Activity Center 2874 Shoal Crest Ave

Contact: Connie Munoz, comunoz1@yahoo.com 361.813.8012

Bring your 2025 updated mahjong card.

We are joining other ladies that play every Thursday and if more than 4 players show up, we help fill other tables.

MYSTERY INTEREST GROUP

December/No Meeting

OUT TO LUNCH

When: Tuesday, December 16

Time: 11:15 AM

Where: Chez Zee

Planner: Resa Dunn

Contact: Elaine Penn: epenn9915@gmail.com 512-328-3100

PEARS

No December Meeting

Contact: Milli Stecker: mstecker@austin.rr.com 512-468-1088

SOUTHWEST BOOK GROUP

When: Monday, December 8

Time: 10:30 – 12:30 pm

Book: “Silk” (F) (PP 161) Author Alessandro Baricco

Facilitator: Sharon Babot

Host/Where: Kathy Stewart, 6118 Tasajillo Trail, Austin, Texas

Contact: Brenda Hahne: bwhahne@gmail.com 832.233.4254

WINE TASTERS

When: Sunday, December 14

Theme: Holiday Drinks

Host: Pat Beat, 1507 Damon Road, Austin, Texas

Contact: Elaine Penn: epenn9915@gmail.com 512-328-3100

PUBLIC POLICY UPDATES

PUBLIC POLICY EDUCATION SUBCOMMITTEE MAKES ADVOCACY PLANS

For the past few weeks, we have experimented with a one-page advocacy alert sent weekly to the full public policy committee.

Jackie Hardee and Pam Doan are coordinating branch participation in a project to send postcards to members of Congress, in line with The Majority Project's 12 Million Postcards to Congress and Signs of Justice's efforts. The committee would like to start this to coincide with the resumption of Congress after the winter holidays.

We are also discussing a series of civics lessons-type Zoom programs that would be geared toward preparing for the March primary and November general elections.

**Other organizations to follow for important updates are: Red Wine and Blue and our local LWV.

"TRUTH IN THE AGE OF AI: How AI systems generate realistic content and ways individuals can assess authenticity online.

This is the first in a new monthly series of presentations on "Noise versus News" hosted by Braver Angels Central Texas. This series will resume in February 2026.

The 2025 Tribune Festival

was held Nov. 13-15 in downtown Austin and was a celebration of big, bold ideas about politics and public policy. If you missed it, click the link to find the ones of interest to you:

https://www.texastribune.org/series/texas-tribune-festival-2025/bhlid=6b6894e90204b566596cf5358693fc711537a513

CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE CONTINUES SUPPORT OF WOMEN’S STORYBOOK PROJECT

In the 20 years since its founding, the Women’s Storybook Project of Texas has given more than 20,000 incarcerated moms the opportunity to read and record a story to be sent to their children along with the book.

This year Gayle Kanies and Mary Ellen Scribner assisted with the book drive by interacting with customers at Barnes and Noble urging them to donate a book to the Project. Members will also assist with an annual inventory at their offices. www.storybookproject.org

**Our members do good things...see Suki's story below.

Serving our Community

MANY THANKS to our members who brought groceries to the November meeting and even dropped some off on Suki’s porch. 23 sacks of beans, rice and assorted veggies and PB&J were collected for families with students at Wooten Elementary School (a total of 133 canned items and 25 pounds of rice!)

The Communities In Schools’ campus-based social worker was glad to have this food to distribute as she has seen an uptick in expressed need since SNAP benefits were turned off. Community food pantries were running low, and AAUW members’ donations provided direct support to families with elementary aged kids who are food insecure. Great job AAUW members!!

New Members are Welcome Here

Get to know Alicia Kae Miller (shown below) and Stephanie Barko (Our Profile of Stephanie will appear next month.) Quick tip -- look at a member's nametag at a meeting. If you see a flower on it you're greeting a new AAUW friend.

Alicia Kae Miller is a humanitarian and empathy activist, and the founder of Empathy Uprise®, a social movement galvanizing humanity toward greater compassion and less hate. After spending over two decades working in corporate America and traveling to more than 20 countries, Alicia recognized that "empathy is inclusion, inclusion is belonging; we all want to belong." This realization compelled her to found Empathy Uprise in 2020, with a mission to shift humanity from "me" to "we." Creator and host of Solidarists, a monthly videocast featuring conversations that shed light on the dark aspects of our lives, work, and communities, she holds an MSc in Leadership and Change from St. Edward's University and a BA in Humanities and Cultural Studies from Dominican University of California. Alicia believes that "to see oneself truly, we must see beyond ourselves," and through seeing, hearing, and understanding the spectrum of female perspectives, she looks forward to further advancing the mission of AAUW.

What Interesting Interest Groups We Have!

Pictures at left and below feature: Linda Quintanilla's sculpture garden and art studio tour; our hearty hikers at Pedernales Falls SP and the Butler Trail boardwalk at Lady Bird Lake; and the Culture & Cuisine group enjoying West African & Nigerian cuisine at Tailit Kitchen.

And there's more: on the upper left below is a visual from our November meeting with Allison Bumsted; below center is our hungry Out to Lunch group at the Grove Northwest Hills; and on the upper right is another happy hiking trio at Pedernales Fall.

Pictured bottom left is a sample of our candy bars you know you want to purchase (on sale now!!!); our past president Soon Flynn below center taking a selfie in one of our new tees; and one of our favorite wines from last weekend's tasting party at Lynn Gambrill's.

Some final fundraising information for you (it's not just about the candy)!

Gift Wrapping Gig – We will again be found at Book People downtown (6^th and Lamar) wrapping gifts for tips to raise money for AAUW. This is such an enjoyable activity for meeting friendly people and being somewhat creative. Book People provides the paper, ribbon and tape and we promote AAUW while making money for the Greatest Needs Fund. Volunteers are still needed on December 8 from 3-6 pm and on December 21^st from 6-9 pm. If you can help, contact Joyce Pulich at joycepulich@sbcglobal.net.

Honest Mary’s Event – Please enjoy this restaurant’s healthy food on January 15^th between 5:00pm to 9:00 pm at their 4800 Burnett Road location. Honest Mary’s will give us 25% of the proceeds from customers who mention AAUW when paying. Please share this information with friends and family, too! Thanks to co-president Shirlene Justice for making the connection with the restaurant for this event. We all need to start out January eating healthy, so why not help AAUW at the same time.