The Gilroy Branch of the American Association of University
Women (AAUW) is holding its annual spring luncheon this Saturday at
11:45 a.m. We invite individuals interested in learning more about
the organization, its programs and membership, to join us.
The Gilroy Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) is holding its annual spring luncheon this Saturday at 11:45 a.m. We invite individuals interested in learning more about the organization, its programs and membership, to join us. We are delighted to have as our guest speaker, Gilroy Dispatch columnist Kat Teraji.
Since 1881 AAUW has been our nation’s leading voice promoting education and equity for women and girls. Through its nationwide network, AAUW opens doors for women and girls and influences public debate on critical social issues such as education, civil rights, and health care. AAUW sponsors community programs; publishes groundbreaking research on women, girls, and education; provides one of the world’s largest sources of funding exclusively for graduate women; and fights sex discrimination in education.
AAUW, The Association, has more than 100,000 members, 1,300 branches, and 600 college/university partners nationwide. AAUW California has over 20,000 members in over 165 local branches in communities throughout the state. The organization is non-partisan and membership is open to all women and men who hold a baccalaureate degree or higher.
The AAUW Educational Foundation (EF) provides funds to advance education, research, and self-development for women and to foster equity and positive societal change. EF is one of the world’s largest sources of funding exclusively for graduate women.
Since 1958, EF has given nearly $4 million each year in fellowships, grants, and awards to help women achieve their goals and to promote equity in schools and communities.
The AAUW Legal Advocacy Fund (LAF) provides funding and a support system for women seeking judicial redress for sex discrimination. LAF is the nation’s largest legal fund focused solely on sex discrimination in higher education. Since 1981 LAF has helped female students, faculty, and administrators challenge discriminatory practices involving sexual harassment, pay inequity, denial of tenure and promotion, and inequality in women’s athletics programs.
Locally, AAUW Gilroy raises funds and awards two scholarships annually supporting higher education for women entering or re-entering college. In addition we fund an annual scholarship to Tech Trek a weeklong residential math/science camp for girls entering the eighth grade. AAUW California’s Tech Trek camps are offered at five sites including CSU Fresno; Mills College in Oakland and Stanford University. Girls share the science experience on a college campus, living in a dorm. Each camp offers core hands-on classes in all areas of science, field trips to major scientific research centers and the opportunity to meet female leaders in science and sports.
In 1998 AAUW Gilroy participated in AAUW’s national research program called Sister-to-Sister, a Summit for and about girls that empowered a diverse committee of girls from Gilroy to plan a conference for girls in middle and high school.
In partnership with the Latina Coalition, the summit was generously sponsored by the Family Resource Center and Gavilan College with funding or support from The Gilroy Foundation and Kaiser Permanente in Gilroy among many others including The Dispatch. The results of the conference contributed to AAUW’s national research project and the information was published by the Educational Foundation in Voices of a Generation, Teenage Girls on Sex, School and Self.
The Gilroy branch also originated and sponsored a day of science exploration for middle school girls and boys Science Alive! for more than ten years.
Gilroy AAUW promotes voter education by holding televised school district board and city council election forums. Its members enjoy weekly and monthly interest groups such as: Great Decisions: a monthly discussion; Genealogy; Gourmet and Wine Tasting; Walking and two reading discussion groups providing stimulating and enjoyable social opportunities for its participating members.
Each fall we hold a children’s book drive collecting quality books for children of all ages whose families may not have the resources to bring books into their lives.
The American Association of University Women promotes equity for all women and girls, lifelong education, and positive societal change. In principle and practice, AAUW values and seeks a diverse membership. There shall be no barriers to full participation in this organization on the basis of gender, race, creed, age, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or class.
If you are interested in meeting some of the remarkable people who make up our branch membership and you would like to discover more about what you can do to help promote education and equity for women, we’d love to have you join us for our spring luncheon. Please contact Gloria Mendivil at 848-6489 or Connie Doty at 842-4790 to reserve your place.
Anyone interested in writing a guest column may contact Editor Mark Derry at 847-7010.
