Advancing Gender Equity for Women and Girls

APRIL 2026 NEWSLETTER

edited by Cherie Sorokin, Dottie Burk, and Ann Vercoutere

The list of top 10 countries providing the highest gender equality does NOT include the USA. Take a look at The World Bank's 2026 Report on Women, Business and Law. Findings from the report include important data and analysis that may startle you! E.g.,

• While we can be proud of the persistent (albeit gradual) increase in women's rights in the USA, we still lag pretty far behind Iceland, Finland, Norway, The UK, New Zealand, Sweden, Moldovia, Namibia, Germany and Ireland!

• Only 4% of women world-wide live in economies that provide nearly full legal equality, and none of the 190 economies studied in the report grants women equal economic opportunities

• Women enjoy only two-thirds of the legal rights of men worldwide, and even where there are laws designed to improve equality, they are only half-enforced around the world.

• At the individual level, gaps in education and societal expectations are critical factors in holding women back.

AAUW has long highlighted the fact that women graduating from college in the U.S. do so with more debt and into a persistent pay gap that only increases over time. And, alas, the pay gap has recently gotten worse, not better! Get the facts! Check out AAUW's latest update to The (Not So) Simple Truth about the Pay Gap. One interesting aspect of this report is that it breaks down data by state. Check out how women fare in California. Better than in some states, but still not a pretty picture!

Bottom line, these reports and facts highlight the continued importance of organizations such as AAUW that are focused on improving gender equity. And remember, what makes our work possible is the support and engagement of AAUW members like you!

AAUW CALIFORNIA NEWS

A Sustainable Future is the title of AAUW California's 7th annual virtual event to be held on April 18 from 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM. This webinar always has lots of good information on the achievements of AAUW branches in California. This year's keynote speaker from national AAUW will be Katrina Breese, Senior Director of Institutional Advancement, speaking on AAUW's future growth opportunities. Register with this Link.

April Means AAUW CA Lobby Days. This year most meetings with California state senators and assemblymembers will be held in-district in the month of April rather than in Sacramento. While scheduling can be a bit more complex, this approach will allow more AAUW California members to actually participate in meetings with our state representatives. Two anti-trafficking related bills (AB 1766 and AB 1845) co-sponsored by AAUW California, plus and additional bill related to anti-discrimination in health care (AB 1876) and supported by AAUW, will be part of the discussion. Lobby teams from AAUW Marin and Petaluma branches are meeting with Assemblyman Damon Connolly on April 3 and with staffers of Senator Mike McGuire on April 8.

AAUW Marin News

We have members with many talents. On Saturday, April 11 from 2-4 PM, you have a chance to hear from three of our branch's published authors - Paula Nichols, Jennifer Omholt and Shari Shamsavari. They will engage in a panel discussion, moderated by our own Audrey Zavell, followed by a Q&A period where you can ask them your questions.



AFTERNOON TEA WILL BE SERVED.

Please respond to the program invitation sent on March 25 or to the reminder coming later today.

The last day to respond is Friday, April 3rd.

By Angela Nuckles, Tech Trek Coordinator

It is that time of the year when we select the lucky students that will be sponsored by the Marin branch to attend this year’s Tech Trek Camp.

Marin 7th grade public school math & science teachers made their nominations, students completed their application and STEM essay, the Tech Trek committee (Angela Nuckles, Judy Kramer, Kim Aalfs & Melanie Chancellor) interviewed the applicants and made their selection.

The Marin branch will be sponsoring 14 students (shown above) from 10 schools to Tech Trek camp this summer: 8 to Camp Franklin at Sonoma State University (June 21-27) and 6 to Camp Hopper (July 5-11) at Santa Clara University.

The Marin campers will be attending an orientation garden party on May 17 to meet the campers from other Marin schools and hear about the experience from Tech Trek Alums.

NOTE: The camp at Sonoma State is seeking Dorm Monitors and a camp nurse. Contact Angela if you can help. And watch for the May Newsletter for information about other ways you can contribute to the Tech Trek experience.

By Judy Kramer, TTAG Coordinator

On March 8, the Marin TTAG (Tech Trek Alum Group) board presented a Summer Application Workshop over Zoom, open to all Tech Trek alums across California. TTAG board members used their own experiences in sourcing and applying for summer internships, camps and other opportunities to identify the need and develop the workshop. The topic clearly resonated! We had over 40 attendees, with about equal representation across 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th grades. About half the attendees had never applied to a summer opportunity that required an essay and/or interview. 

The workshop focused on the application process and commonly asked essay prompts and interview questions. Presenters shared personal tips for crafting essay answers and preparing for interviews. Teens talking to teens ensured the information was geared to high schoolers.

The workshop then shifted to insights from someone who has interviewed many interns - Christine Palmer, Business Insights Manager, Sonoma County Economic Development Collaborative (also the mother of our TTAG president). She provided 14 straightforward tips on what to do before, during and after an interview, recommending the "STAR" method (what was the Situation, what was the Task you had to do, what Action did you take and what was the Result). The girls had a chance to practice, with several stepping forward to test out their answers to common interview questions. Attendees received the presentation materials and access to a spreadsheet of recurring summer opportunities that our TTAG board developed. Feedback on the workshop was highly positive. 

Next up for Marin TTAG: hiking with a Marin County naturalist in connection with Earth Day. 

Saturday morning, March 21, found us at the Corte Madera Town Center Community Room where we heard a great presentation and panel discussion by current and former members of the Marin Civil Grand Jury. Beth Rowett and Pat Shepard, experienced Grand Jury members who are active in the recruitment and the selection process for new jurors, were joined by our own member Mardi Diamond, who has previously served on the Grand Jury, as well as Kathleen Clark's husband Patrick Woods who is now serving a second term on the Grand Jury. We got a first-hand look at how the county is organized and what the Grand Jury does, what it's like to be a member, and why you might want to consider service yourself at some point.

To learn more about the Marin Civil Grand Jury click here.

Member News

Kudos and well-deserved honors to members Susan Gilardi and Denise Lucy! Susan and her husband were recently honored with the Vivalon Transformational Philanthropist Award at the Vivalon Gala in February. In April, Denise will be one of four women receiving the Women of Vision Award from Soroptimist International of Novato for her work leading the Institute for Leadership Studies at Dominican University.

We had a number of members who visibly expressed their support for democracy, education and women's rights on March 28, joining with AAUW members nationwide in "No Kings" marches and other events across the country. Among AAUW Marin members were Amy Anderson, Becky Bingea, Kathleen Clark, Alice Cochran, Erika Johnson, Deborah Learner, Nancy Major, Mary Mossteller, Laurie Nardone, Nancy Obletz, Chris O'Neill, Joy Phoenix, Karen Scheder, Cherie Sorokin, Ann Vercoutere, Leslie Zimring and undoubtedly others from our branch. Sorry if we missed seeing you, but there were multiple gatherings in the county, so hard to keep track of everyone!

Do you know about a member who has done something notable that should be included in the next newsletter? Published a book? Received an award? Reached a milestone birthday like 100? Please let us know!

Interest Group News

Ready to join a new interest group?

All groups welcome new members. Just contact the group leader for information or to be added to the group email list. For a list of all Marin branch interest groups with leader contact information, click HERE. Note: Interest Groups are just for members of AAUW Marin, but guests who may be thinking of joining are welcome to visit an interest group twice before being asked join.

Bocce

The next big event will be held April 14 at the Albert Park Courts in San Rafael at 10 AM. You don't need to know how to play! Come for the fun. Contact Ann Vercoutere if interested. We do pay for the court.

Book Lovers

Booklovers will be meeting on Tuesday, April 7th at 1:00 p.m. to discuss What We Can Know by Ian McEwan. Contact Carol Hoffman if interested.

French Conversation

Cheres Francophiles, venez chez Emporio Rulli Larkspur mercredi le 15 avril a 1:30 PM pour une conversation en français. Il sera un plaisir d’etre ensemble! Contact Janet Lynn or 415/755-8486 if interested.

Natalie Adona, Registrar of Voters for Marin County (kneeling) visited the Behind the Headlines interest group on the March 11. She talked about Marin's efforts to make sure our elections go smoothly and safely, and how the current national political environment is affecting the work of the County elections team. Thank you for coming, Natalie!

Keep Educated!

• Read: the AAUW 2025 Annual Report. This report highlights the collective progress made possible by our membership, advocacy, and support for AAUW. Quite a story! Here is the link.

• Look it Up: Taren Young, Public Policy Chair of AAUW Santa Rosa and Deborah MacKay, past president of the Sonoma League of Women Voters spoke up against the SAVE ACT in an excellent opinion piece published in the IJ on March 21 (or 22 depending on whether you read the online or paper edition). In case you missed it, here is the link. Regrettably, if you aren't an IJ subscriber you might not be able to access it.

• Check Out the AAUW Action Fund 2026 Voter Guide. This guide focuses on the key gender equity issues at stake in the 2026 election. Here is the link.

• Watch: the third in AAUW CA's three-part series on Public Education in California. This series is offered in collaboration with Lift Up Public Schools (LUPS) a coalition in Alameda County founded by members of AAUW's Public Policy Committee. The organization is dedicated to championing excellent, safe, and welcoming public education for all children. The first and second webinars were February and March, but check the AAUW CA website for recordings. The third can be watched live:

Why School Boards Matter to Everyone on Thursday,

April 23, 2026, 7-8:30 PM. Register Here.

• Resubscribe: to AAUW emails and publications. Mission & Action is AAUW national's monthly newsletter. It's a great way to stay in touch with what is going on at AAUW, to receive notice of webinars, to hear about our most recent advocacy. If you aren't getting Mission & Action, you may have inadvertently unsubscribed. You can resubscribe using this link.

Be Active!

• Vote: in the AAUW national and AAUW California elections! The voting period for the AAUW national election is April 13 - May 12 and the voting period for AAUW California is April 18 - May 8. Instructions on voting will be emailed to each member. AAUW is a membership organization and holds elections for five (out of 15) directors annually and for any other business matters requiring a membership vote. Similarly, AAUW California holds elections for directors at the AAUW California level and for other matters requiring a vote of the membership. The voting periods overlap, but you must vote separately in each election. Voting is easy and is an important membership responsibility.

• Speak Up: Keep our local, state and federal politicians informed. As budget cuts and other changes loom, our elected officials at all levels need to know how their actions can negatively impact women and girls. Send letters and emails or reach out personally. Contact information is easily available on the web.

Have Fun While You're at It!

• April 1. Enjoy art with Avril Angevine who will give a talk at the City Hall Chambers on April 1 at 1 PM. The San Rafael Library sponsors free art lectures every first Wednesday of the month. Avril will be speaking on Matisse's Femme au Chapeau on April 1.

• April 4 and April 6. Two ways to celebrate College of Marin's centennial

April 4, 6-9:30 PM

Centennial Gala

on the Indian Valley Campus

at the Bill and Adele Jonas Center

Music, Food, Stories, Impact Awards

Vintage Attire Encouraged

Tickets start at $125 and are required.

and

April 6, 11 AM - 2 PM

Birthday Celebration

on the Kentfield Campus

Free activities, food, and music.

And for those of you new to Marin, or for any of you needing to update your voter registration, the League of Women Voters will be there to help you!

Questions? Email us at

aauwmarin@gmail.com

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