May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month. Click "Newsblast!!" above to learn more. | | |
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Don't Forget!
May Program:
LGBTQ Community
Monday • May 22, 2023 • 3–5pm
Susi Q Community Center
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This program is co-sponsored by AAUW Laguna Beach, the City of Laguna Beach, and the LGBTQ Center OC. | |
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Branch Elections in May
Watch your inbox for information!
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Book Group News: Come Join Us!
Vesper Libris
Vesper Libris book group is welcoming new members.
After a long time on Zoom, we have resumed in-person meetings in members' homes on the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 6pm. Some of our book choices have been Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus in March and Signal Fires by Dani Shapiro in April. We will be discussing Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng on May 17th For more information, email Jeannie Arovas at XXXXXXXXXXXXX.
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Membership Matters:
Dues are Due!
You recently received a membership renewal dues form to pay your 2023-24 AAUW dues by check or credit card:
• Regular Member $122 (national, state, branch) -- $69 is tax-deductible
• Dual and Life Member $30 (branch only)
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Your copy should address 3 key questions: Who am I writing for? (Audience) Why should they care? (Benefit) What do I want them to do here? (Call-to-Action)
Create a great offer by adding words like "free" "personalized" "complimentary" or "customized." A sense of urgency often helps readers take an action, so think about inserting phrases like "for a limited time only" or "only 7 remaining"!
| The membership directory is printed and mailed to members each fall, but the online directory is updated more frequently. You will find it in the password-protected Members Center of our website. Please do not share the password —XXXXXXXXX—and do remember to abide by the declared use restrictions. | | |
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~Jean Brotherton
Membership Officer
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April Program Recap
Our April program featured a presentation by Miki T. Purnell, MD—an integrative health physician at the Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute at UC Irvine.
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The 35+ people who attended learned how important the gut microbiome is to every aspect of our health, including mental, physical and neurological. As an integrative medicine physician, she demonstrated the importance of various foods to cultivate microbial biodiversity, emphasizing foods that are fermented, prebiotic, and rich in polyphenols and omega-3 fatty acids. Regular exercise and stress reduction are equally important components of health. She ended the session with a soothing sound bath meditation. | |
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Gov Trek 2023:
The Results Are In!!
And Laguna Beach Has a Winner!
AAUW California's latest statewide program, Gov Trek, has wrapped up for the year. 45 young women (high school juniors and seniors) from across California completed the 10-week virtual program. Thanks to Gov Trek Coordinator Sigrid Moranz and Laguna Beach High School scholarship liaison Nancy Miller, our branch is the proud sponsor of four participants: Abigail, Hannah, Mila, and Sydney. For two of them, this is not even their first AAUW program! Both Hannah and Sydney are former Tech Trekkers, and Sydney has been a Tech Trek junior counselor!
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The final project of the program was the design of a mock political campaign. Sydney was on the winning team and her participation was in Communications and Speech Writing. Watch their short video here. Members of the winning team will all be placed in internships in political or other public service offices. | |
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Promoting our Branch
at the Laguna Beach
Mayor's Luncheon
Our branch was well represented at the Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce's annual State of the City Mayor's luncheon last month. Branch President Sigrid Moranz and members Jean Vivrette, Lesley Danziger, Gail Brooks, Fran Bennett, and Alice Apkarian were among the 200 attendees.
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Membership in the Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce and participation in community events such as the Mayor's Luncheon are among the many ways we gain and maintain the visibility that is essential for the branch to thrive. We placed this ad in the event program, and after the luncheon some of us were able to chat briefly about AAUW with Mayor Bob Whalen. | |
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Our branch's outreach serves communities beyond Laguna Beach, and we attract members from over 15 different communities. Every member can be an ambassador for AAUW and the branch by sharing our mission and programs in public, in private, in print, and on social media. | | |
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Don't Forget to Vote!
AAUW California Elections End May 13th
Proposed bylaws changes include support for civics education, access to diverse staff and curriculum, safe infrastructure and access to technology in our schools, gun violence prevention, and a fourth pillar to support women in leadership roles. If you can't find the ballot that was emailed to you, contact webteam@aauw-ca.org for a new one. Voting ends May 13th.
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JABEID at AAUW
Justice, Accessibility, Belonging, Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity
On March 27, AAUW California held a statewide conversation on Justice, Accessibility, Belonging, Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity (JABEID) with Santa Maria Branch co-president Dr. Lata Murti. Click the button below to view the recorded program hosted by AAUW California DEI Director Dr. Stormy Miller Sabia. The program began by emphasizing AAUW's position as a social justice organization. Dr. Murti defined and expanded on the component concepts of JABEID and provided practical ways for branches to incorporate them. These include small actions that can have a huge impact—from holding meetings in ADA-compliant spaces to taking care to pronounce and spell members’ names correctly. Branches thrive when they focus on the mission and vision of AAUW while embodying AAUW values.
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Mission:
To advance gender equity for women and girls through research, education, and advocacy.
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Values:
Nonpartisan. Fact-based. Principled. Inclusive and Intersectional.
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~Alice Apkarian
DEI Committee Member
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AAUW: Advancing gender equity through research, education and advocacy.
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Research & Education
Congratulations AAUW 2023-24
Fellows & Grantees!
AAUW has announced $6.3 million in funding to nearly 285 fellows and grantees in the 2023-24 award year. These exceptional recipients will pursue academic work and lead innovative community projects to empower women and girls.
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Advocacy
Our lobbyists work in the US Congress and the California
State House, but members also play a role in AAUW's legislative advocacy.
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Lobby Days: Promoting AAUW Priorities
in the California Legislature
Every year during Lobby Days, AAUW California members have the chance to participate in the advocacy arm of our mission in a very meaningful way. During two whirlwind days this March, 120 members from 50 California branches met with 46 Assembly offices and 23 Senate offices (some on Zoom, and some in-person). The participants reported that reception of our “Top 3” bills was mostly positive. Of these, AB 1394 and SB 287 aim to protect children on social media, while AB 549 addresses gender discrimination by state agencies in their allocation of funding and delivery of services. Click the button for information on all 35 bills we are supporting this legislative session. And think about signing up next year. Training is provided.
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Two-Minute Activist Program
Use AAUW's online Two-Minute Activist tool to fight for equal pay, family leave, equality in education, ending sexual harassment and more. Once you sign up, you'll receive alerts and sample texts and emails to send to your legislators.
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AAUW promotes gender equity through research, education, and advocacy.
The Newsblast!! is the monthly newsletter for AAUW Laguna Beach Branch members. Submission deadline is noon on the 27th for publication on the 1st of the month. Recent issues can be found in the Members Center of the website, and redacted versions are publicly available in the "ABOUT" drop-down menu on the home page.
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