In spite of having come a long way since then, today's American women only earn 77 cents to a man's dollar for doing the same job. At the present rate of progress, it will take 50 years to close the wage gap. Yet nearly half of all American women live without a spouse and many of them are supporting families. The population of unmarried women represents one of the fastest growing demographics in the country. The average 25-year-old working woman will lose more than $523,000 to unequal pay during her working life. These figures are even worse for women of color.**

Which is why I can't stress enough what a difference organizations like the American Association of University Women can make in a young woman's life, especially for girls and young women who might otherwise not be able to pursue college, such as low income students, single moms, etc.

Since 1881, AAUW has been our nation's leading voice promoting equity for all women and girls, lifelong education and positive societal change. Locally, AAUW Gilroy raises funds and awards two scholarships annually supporting higher education for women entering or re-entering college. In addition, they fund an annual scholarship to Tech Trek, a weeklong residential math/science camp for girls entering the eighth grade.

I personally feel a debt of gratitude towards the AAUW because their scholarship helped enable me to get my bachelor's degree in comparative English literature from UC Santa Cruz. I still remember the other scholarship recipient who was with me the day I received my scholarship - she was a single mom returning to school - and it made a big impact on me as a student to see that she was valued by such an organization as well.

When I was invited to be the guest speaker at the annual spring luncheon in 2004 for the Gilroy Branch of the AAUW, it gave me the opportunity to tell the members here how much AAUW had helped me as a young woman just heading off to college. And in a full circle kind of moment, their invitation gave me a chance to step out of my comfort zone and share my ideas with a supportive audience as I tested my public speaking wings, all the while backed by an entire organization of well-educated women applauding and saying, "You go, girl!"

Some say achieving dreams is all about luck - but I've only seen luck occur when preparation meets opportunity. With college education, more young women will be prepared to make their own luck happen. Local AAUW member Bonnie Clobber says of Gilroy's branch, "We have many creative and wonderful women to encourage pursuing educational goals and also help future generations of women to pursue their dreams." With your support Saturday, Gilroy's AAUW can help many more women to spread their wings and fly.

Saturday, the AAUW will be holding its second annual quilt show, featuring creative new, vintage, and handmade quilts on display at the historic Willey House and Garden from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at 140 Fifth St. Admission is $12 and includes a light luncheon. Go to www.gilroy-aauw.org/index.html for more information.

*History of Santa Clara County, California, by J.P. Munro-Fraser (1881)

**Coalition of Labor Union Women, www.gilroyaauw.org/index.html

Kat Teraji Kat Teraji is communications coordinator for a large non-profit organization that benefits women and children. Her column appears every Thursday in the Take 2 section of the Dispatch. You can reach her at kattoy@verizon.net.