Volume 93 #4, Summer 2025

President, Heather Reichert  |  Editor, Susan Wierman  |  email:  aauw-md@aauw.org

Click here to download the PDF version of this issue.

Table of Contents:

1. President’s Message
2. AAUW MD Summer Meeting Agenda
3. Public Policy Update
4. Official AAUW Position Statement
5. AAUW MD Convention Report
6. What is the 5 Star Program?
7. AAUW’s New Strategic Plan
8. Branch Activities
9. Membership Matters Tip
10. AAUW Guidance on Demonstrations
11. Your AAUW Maryland Leaders
12. Calendar

President’s Message

Welcome to summer – it is getting extremely hot as I am writing this in late June! I hope everyone is having a safe and cool break. Having a virtual summer meeting means everyone can attend while staying comfortable at home while engaging with fellow AAUW members.

Details regarding the summer meeting are included in this newsletter. We are excited to have Meghan Kissell, Senior Director for Policy and Member Advocacy, as our keynote speaker. Meghan will update us on AAUW National’s strategy to get all members involved in federal public policy, regardless of where you live. And, we will have two training sessions that will help all of us improve our branch operations.

Speaking of Public Policy, the DC/MD/VA Lobby Corps group has been busy this spring advocating for members of both houses of Congress to reject many provisions of the “Big Beautiful Bill” that will harm women and families across the country. The June 12 Lobby Corps Day was especially important. The National staff was able to schedule specific meetings with Senate offices, including the offices of Senators Van Hollen and Alsbrooks. Getting a briefing from Senate staff was encouraging. More information about Lobby Corps is included in Roxann’s Public Policy Update.

Carolyn Fisher and I were fortunate to be able to attend the special screening of the film Lilly at the invitation of the AAUW DC office. The film was shown in a beautiful small theatre at the Eaton Hotel in DC after a lovely cocktail hour. I did not know the entire story of how Lilly Ledbetter became the face of workplace harassment and pay inequality. Her perseverance in trying to get paid fairly, and at the same rate as her male coworkers, while working in a Goodyear tire plant, was astonishing. I hope everyone has a chance to see the movie.

Thinking ahead, note that the Fall Meeting will be hosted by the Anne Arundel branch on October 18. And, do not forget about the next regional conference in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, September 25-27, 2026. Make sure to mark your calendars!

“See” you on July 26!

Heather Reichardt
President
AAUW Maryland

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2025 AAUW Maryland Summer Meeting

New Tools to Increase our Effectiveness for Educational Equity

Join us for the virtual AAUW Maryland Summer Meeting where we’ll discuss important topics and connect with fellow members online!

Saturday, July 26, 2025  | Virtual via Zoom  |  9:00 AM – 1:30 PM

Event Registration:   Online Registration (You will receive a Zoom link as the meeting date approaches)

Event Agenda:

• 9:00 AM – Virtual meeting room will be open to say hello to old friends and meet new ones.
• 9:30 AM – Welcome
  • Heather Reichardt, President, AAUW Maryland
• 9:40 AM – New Tools to Share AAUW Message with Legislators
  • Meghan Kissell, AAUW National, Senior Director of Policy and Member Advocacy
• 10:35 AM – Training #1: 5-Star Program: Align with AAUW strategic priorities and increase your branch’s local impact!
  • Heather Reichardt
  • Dorothy Fraquelli
• 11:15 AM – Training #2: Branch Treasurer Training: Understand and simplify financial management
  • Christine Schmitz, AAUW MD Treasurer and AAUW National Board Member
• 12:00 PM – 45-Minute Lunch break
• 12:15 PM – State Board Meeting – All Members Can Attend

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Public Policy Update

By Roxann King, Co-Vice President for Public Policy

State News

All our legislative bills that passed and were sent to the Governor have been approved by the Governor. AAUW Maryland supported 14 bills during the 2025 Maryland General Assembly. We supported all 10 bills on the MLAW agenda of bills, as well as four additional bills. Five of the MLAW have been approved by the Governor. The Prescription Drug Affordability Board Act is now law. The Protecting Nursing Home Care Act is now law. The Newborn Nurse Visitation Bill is now law. The Abortion Care Grant Program is now law. The bill extending subsidies for young adults using the Maryland Health Exchange is now law. Two of the additional bills that we supported also won the Governor’s approval The bill directing the Maryland Commission for Women to Advance Implementation of Insurance Coverage for Over-the-Counter Birth Control is now law.  The bill providing support to pregnant and parenting students in higher education institutions is now law.

So, what do branches do in the summer in Maryland? They prepare for upcoming elections by holding voter registration drives, they schedule forums for fall for elections occurring in November, and they hold events to educate members and local voters.

A mini-grant for $300 will be awarded to AAUW Garrett for this year’s Women’s Equality Day event, “WOMEN’S EQUALITY and CHILDCARE – Amplifying the Issue and Doing Our Part/Serving Our Community!” The event, with five or more partners, is intended to share information, supplies, and food with women whose families are in need. The application for this mini-grant will be available to read on the AAUW Maryland website under Tools for Leaders.

National News

The changes to AAUW public policy nationally show a strong emphasis on the traditional role of AAUW in enabling women to succeed in higher education. Threats are happening almost daily. Please be a part of the AAUW Action Network so that you are part of our collective voice in opposing these actions. Join the Two Minute Activist at: www.aauw.org/act/two-minute-activist

If you are available on Thursday mornings twice a month, think about joining AAUW Lobby Corps. Contact Kalina for more information: majercakk@aauw.org. Lobby Corps is easiest for those who live near D.C., but all are welcome! Four members of AAUW Maryland have been participating so far.  Pictured are AAUW Maryland members Barb Carter, Heather Reichardt, and Edie Allison who visited the offices of Senator Chris Van Hollen, Jr., and Senator Angela Alsobrooks June 12 in D.C.

During the recent Congressional recess, AAUW members from around the country visited their Senators in protest of the Budget Reconciliation Bill. AAUW National Public Policy staff trained members on tools needed to constructively visit the local offices of their Senators.

If you are giving financial support to AAUW, please consider designating one of the two new AAUW funds supporting public policy initiatives.

• 4513 – Defend Higher Education Fund: The Defend Higher Education Fund will enable AAUW to elevate the critical higher education issues impacting women, mobilize advocates across the country, provide strategic resources to students, staff and faculty on campus, and fuel investments in the infrastructure and technology necessary to move our mission forward. Your support ensures AAUW can effectively fight on behalf of women on campuses across the country and ensure that AAUW remains a trusted and powerful voice for equity.
• 4337-Public Policy Fund: The Public Policy Fund supports the advancement of AAUW’s Public Policy Principles and Priorities. AAUW is focused on increasing the impact of our Action Network through growing the number of advocates across the country and providing timely, accurate, and actionable information about our key issues. Support to this fund ensures we have the critical funding necessary to take swift and strategic action when the rights and freedoms of women and girls are under attack.

Thank you. This is my last Public Policy Update, as Judy Carbone and I cede the public policy committee to the new Co-VPS, Barb Carter and Deb Daniels, both former PP committee members. Please welcome them and give them your support.

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AAUW Official Statement on Support for Universities

“Restricting student visas, canceling research grants, and threatening universities’ nonprofit status are not acts of governance – they’re acts of political retaliation.  And they jeopardize women’s contributions to innovation and progress in education and research.”  (posted on AAUW’s Facebook page June 10, 2025) (See AAUW national policy updates at www.aauw.org/resources/policy/documents/.)

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AAUW Maryland Convention Program Highlights

By Yvonne Higgins, Baltimore Branch Co-President

Held in Gaithersburg on April 26, 2025, the 2025 AAUW MD Convention Program was enlightening.  Speakers included Delegate Lily Qi, Robyn Nietert of the Women’s Microfinance Initiative, and Bria Marie Hodge, of the Latino Economic Development Center

Lily Qi represents the 15th legislative district in the Maryland House of Delegates. As a Chinese immigrant, she spoke how the Chinese Cultural Revolution impacted society and individual lives. In particular, she felt the policing of thoughts and the anti-intellectual policies and practices of the communists to be stifling. She cited the Voice of America radio broadcasts and the writings of Martin Luther King, Jr. as beacons of hope. In 1989, she immigrated to Indiana, which was a cultural shock. She could not understand why Americans were so friendly and generous. Eventually she moved to Montgomery County, worked in academia, and became a leader in immigrant community groups. It was her community work that got her interested in politics. Her success has paved the way for other immigrants to enter the political and community activism areas. As she said, “Only in America can you run for office and be voted for by people who cannot pronounce your name.”

Delegate Qi says the public, private, and non-profit sectors need to work in their own lanes for the benefit of all society. Each has its own job to do. Another meaningful quote, “Make the most of where you find yourself.”

Robyn Nietert, President, Women’s Microfinance Initiative, started a microloan ($100-300) program 25 years ago at her dining room table. Without access to financing and opportunities, women in rural Africa need a small lift to start businesses. Along with a Uganda friend and online training from the Small Business Administration, she developed the Microfinance Initiative. The group trains women in business skills and financial literacy. Once trained, local women leaders take over the loan program. They have an amazing 98% re-payment rate. The program has expanded to include other east African countries, enabling women to start small businesses.

Bria Marie Hodge, Director of Small Business Development, Latino Economic Development Center, spoke about transforming women’s lives by providing business education, mentorship, grants, and loans for women to develop local businesses. The program, based in Montgomery and Arlington Counties, provides services to primarily Latino and African-American women in underserved communities. A quote of hers that stood out was, “A loan says, hey I believe in you.” Which is quite empowering to a woman starting a business.

Many thanks to Pat Stocker and Kate Campbell Stevenson for organizing this enlightening program.

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What is AAUW’s Five Star Program?

AAUW’s 5 Star National Recognition Program rewards states, branches, or other affiliated organizations for aligning their work with the AAUW strategic plan and other initiatives that foster the organization’s mission of advancing gender equity for women and girls. The program is designed to promote cohesion between AAUW national, states, and branches and increase understanding and implementation of the strategic plan goals.

National recognition allows AAUW to acknowledge and celebrate these affiliates that advance AAUW’s mission. Through engagement and activities, affiliates can earn recognition in five major focus areas: Advancement (membership & funds), Public Policy-Advocacy, Governance-Sustainability, Programming, and Communications-External Relations.

Successful completion of each area of focus results in the receipt of a star.  For example, to receive a Programming star, a branch or state would need to report holding at least 4 programs that align with AAUW’s Strategic Plan.

For the 2024-2025 year, a branch would complete a survey by June 30, 2025.  Criteria are also listed for the 2025-2026 year.  See the 5 Star program website for 2025 and 2026 here: www.aauw.org/resources/member/5-star-program/#FY26-Criteria

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AAUW Launches New Strategic Plan

In May AAUW National announced the launch of AAUW’s new strategic plan, reaffirming our commitment to advancing equity for women and girls through education. AAUW was founded more than 140 years ago with this mission, and with the unprecedented attacks we’re seeing on higher education, we believe it is more important than ever to focus our efforts in this area.

The three priorities in AAUW’s 2025 Strategic Plan are:

• Champion gender equity by directly funding and empowering pathways to higher education for women, supporting women in academia and research, and fostering women’s leadership.
• Champion gender equity through education and advocacy for inclusive policies that remove barriers to success in higher education and workplaces.
• Support state and branch efforts and maximize AAUW’s financial and operational strength.

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Branch Activities

Anne Arundel County Branch Scholarships Awarded

By Roxann King

For over forty years AAUW Anne Arundel County Branch has been able to provide scholarships for Anne Arundel County women with funds from our four-day used book sale, held in early November. After handing out bookmarks with collection info at the Severna Park 4th of July parade, we begin collecting in mid-August. Since the COVID 19 Pandemic, the book sale has been increasingly better, due in part to all the down-sizing seniors, but even more, to the use of Square to accept credit payments. Increased income from the book sale means more money to award scholarships. In May, AAUW Anne Arundel County Branch hosted scholarship recipients at our annual spring luncheon.

We have two scholarship programs. The amount available from the book sale is equally divided between the two programs. Transfer Scholarships provide college funding for students who graduated from Anne Arundel Community College.

• Hannah Alexis Kazmarek is graduating in June from the Chesapeake Science Point Charter High School in Hanover MD. Hannah participated in dual enrollment, completed 60 credit hours at AACC, and received her A.A. degree in December 2024, before the end of her senior year in high school. Hannah will attend University of Maryland Baltimore County in the fall, majoring in psychology.
• Maria Gudiell is a repeat recipient, having been awarded a Transfer Scholarship previously in May 2023, when she completed an A.A. in Transfer Studies at AACC. In Fall 2024 Maria transferred from UMCP to University of Maryland Global Campus, allowing virtual attendance. She works in Testing and Tutoring at AACC and is the first member of her family to pursue a college degree.

Women To Women Scholarships provide educational grants to Anne Arundel County women choosing to continue their education. These grants are usually for smaller amounts, with more recipients. They do not require completion of an A.A. degree. Suzanne Furr, Branch Scholarship Chair is pictured at left with two recipients.  Mihyung Lee (center in photo), a South Korean immigrant and mother of two school-age children, will enter the Community College of Baltimore County in the Dental Hygiene program in the fall. She completed her prerequisite courses at AACC with help from a previous W2W scholarship. Zoie Prandy (right in photo) was a recipient last year as a Crofton High School senior. Majoring in Film and TV Production at Howard University, she has already been an assistant director for two student films. This summer she will have her own photography business, taking graduation and family pictures. Hafsa Hamdaoui, a Crofton High School graduate, will attend University of Virginia next year to study Political Philosophy, Policy, and Law. She hopes to work as an immigration lawyer. In 2024-25, Hafsa was the student member on the Anne Arundel County Board of Education. Siena Neill is a Southern High School graduate going to Virginia to major in Architecture. The VT program is a 5-year program which requires students during the fourth year to spend one semester with a US company, and the other semester studying architecture in Europe. Mathea Abiara graduated from Meade High School in 2024. She was awarded a full scholarship for her first year at the University of Maryland studying business management. She deferred her 2024 W2W award to 2025, when it will be needed. Mathea was to attend the 2025 Goldman Sachs Summit and the Smith Business Leadership Fellows Program which focuses on leadership, innovation, and problem solving.

The book sale also has sponsored two students from local colleges to attend the 2025 National Conference for College Women Student Leaders at University of Maryland at the end of May. Next year the NCCWSL event will be held in Kansas City, Missouri, from March 7 – 11. Meredith Dales, Anne Arundel Community College Student Government Association President, will attend with residency. Kelly Kane is a St. John’s College who also works in the Advancement Office as an administrative assistant and as a student liaison at donor events. Kelly will also attend with residency.

It was a good year: a total of 10 scholarships were awarded. The book sale has continued to yield dollars despite the availability of recorded or print books online.

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Baltimore Branch Update

By Yvonne Higgins, Co-President

At the Annual Baltimore Branch Dinner on May 7, 24 attendees enjoyed companionship, a lovely dinner, and a very interesting speaker. Dr. Abigia Negash, MD, a physician from Ethiopia spoke about her education journey and the profound impact AAUW has had on her education. As an AAUW Educational Foundation Fellow, she is a Master of Public Health (MPH) candidate at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. With a focus on Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Clinical Trials, she discussed how barriers to care and health disparities in Ethiopia impacted patient outcomes. Dr. Negash was joined by her friends Eyaef Zeru and Soliyana Gizuchew, also students at JHU. Also at the dinner, we elected our new officers and board members. We sincerely thank all branch members who volunteer their time to support AAUW and our branch.

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Harford County Branch Remembers Bernadette Low

By Jeanne Blades, Membership VP

Bernadette Low passed away on April 18th, 2025, aged 81.  Bernadette joined AAUW in 1995 and was always a staunch advocate for AAUW’s mission.  Bernadette was an exceptionally active member of the Harford County Branch of AAUW. She believed strongly in becoming involved and never rested if there was one more task to do. She served as President of AAUW Harford County from 2013-2017. In addition, she served as VP for Membership and was Public Policy Reporter for the Branch and acted as the branch historian as well. She was always an active supporter for the branch’s annual Judith A. Resnik Luncheon to honor one outstanding young woman from each county high school who excelled in the areas of math and science. Many of you will remember Bernadette’s friendly presence at AAUW Maryland meetings.  As AAUW MD Communications VP, she edited The Marylander from 2014 to 2018. She also served as AAUW Maryland Secretary.

Bernadette’s life outside of AAUW was just as remarkable as her involvement within our association. Born in El Paso, Texas, she earned a PhD in English from the University of New Mexico and moved to Maryland in the early 70’s to teach English at the Dundalk Campus of the Community College of Baltimore County. While teaching, she took several literary tours to England with her students and founded the honors society. She also developed an early online English course which she continued to teach online until her passing. Bernadette loved history, was a docent at the Evergreen Museum and Library, and served on the board of the Garrett-Jacobs Mansion. Bernadette was highly respected for all her endeavors and was well-loved and admired for the gentle, lovely, warm-hearted person she was who always had something positive to say and who had a way of making those around her always feel right at home and welcomed.

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Kensington Rockville Branch Update

By Dian Belanger, Branch President

On Saturday morning, May 3, the Kensington-Rockville Branch held a “field trip.” We toured the Josiah Henson Museum and Park in North Bethesda, where Henson was born into the shameful horrors of slavery on this very site. What he did with the rest of his life, though, would have profound direct and indirect effects on his own times and even today.

Kensington-Rockville Branch members also enjoyed a chance to meet and greet and sample some tasty food at the annual end-of-year potluck. The speaker was Arlinda Clark, Chair of the Montgomery County Commission for Women who provided a brief update on Commission programs, the Women’s Legislative Briefing, and the status of women in Montgomery County. The program also included an update on how women’s issues fared in Annapolis during this last session.

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Membership Matters Tip – Shape the Future for New Members

New members — either completely new to AAUW or rejoining after two or more years through the Shape the Future Campaign — can still get 50% off national dues using the coupon code STFFY26.  For more information see: www.aauw.org/resources/member/leader-resources-tools/state-branch/shape-the-future-campaign/

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AAUW Guidance on Public Demonstrations

AAUW has useful guidance to help members safely and strategically participate in public demonstrations in alignment with AAUW’s mission.  Please review the guidance on AAUW’s website at https://www.aauw.org/resources/policy/advocacy-toolkit/ .  Here are a few excerpts:

Two general points to remember about advocacy:

• AAUW members should not endorse any activities or act in a manner that could imply AAUW approval or disapproval of a campaign candidate in a partisan election.
• Individuals attending partisan events must do so in a personal capacity—not as representatives of AAUW.

Before you go to a demonstration, AAUW advises that you understand the purpose, research the organizers, and evaluate alignment: Do you feel comfortable supporting the demands or messaging of the event? Do the organizers have a track record of inclusive, nonviolent & respectful action?

Preparing in advance:  dress for the weather; carry water, snacks, a small first aid kit; charge your phone and write down emergency contacts off the phone; if appropriate to represent AAUW’s mission, show your AAUW affiliation and send photos to AAUW at http://advocacy.aauw.org.  Stay safe:  Don’t engage with counter-protestors. Know your surroundings. Identify exit routes, stay with a buddy, and have emergency contacts accessible.

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Your AAUW MD Leaders

AAUW MD Elected Officers (Executive Board)

• Heather Reichardt, President (2024-2026)
• Edie Allison, Vice Pres. for Programs (2025-2026)
• Jeri Rhodes, Vice President for AAUW Funds (2024-2026)
• Lydia Alcock and Susana Hernández Martín (2022-2026) and Roxann King (2025-2026), Co-Vice Presidents for Communications
• Barb Carter and Deb Daniel, Co-Vice Presidents for Public Policy (2025-2027)
• Christine Schmitz, Treasurer (2023-2027)
• (Vacant), Secretary (2023-2025) (volunteers welcome & thanks to those who have helped this year)
• Jeanne Blades Vice President for Membership (2023-2027)

AAUW MD Committee Chairs (Current Appointed Members of the Board)

• Carolyn Fisher, Chair of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
• Terry Saylor, Archivist
• Eileen Menton, Member of the Bylaws Committee
• Judy Carbone, ERA Taskforce Chair
• Regional Event Planning Committee: Tracy Lantz, Carol Mueller, and Heather Reichardt
• 2026 Nominating Committee: Jacqueline Gray (Baltimore), Kate Campbell Stevenson (Kensington-Rockville), Pat Stocker (Bethesda-Chevy Chase), with Anita Rosen (past chair, ex officio) (Kensington-Rockville).

Thanks also to each Branch President, who is also a member of the Board of Directors!

SPECIAL THANKS to those newly elected/re-elected at the 2025 AAUW Maryland Convention:

• Edie Allison, Program Vice President (to fill remainder of term)
• Roxann King, Co-Vice President for Communications (to fill remainder of term)
• Barb Carter and Deb Daniel, Co-Vice Presidents for Public Policy (first 2-year term)
• Christine Schmitz, Treasurer (re-elected for second term)
• Jeanne Blades, Membership Vice President (re-elected for second term)

Please don’t hesitate to volunteer for the vacant position of AAUW MD Secretary.  Contact Heather Reichardt or any member of the board if you have any questions or to volunteer.

AAUW Maryland encourages members to consider serving on the State Board.

Get the most out of your AAUW experience! Serving as a Branch or State board member is an excellent opportunity to learn new leadership skills that can help in other areas of life.  Service on a Branch or State board also builds connections and close friendships with fellow AAUW members.

Please contact any member of the 2026 Nominating Committee (listed above) or other officer if you would be interested in any of the following positions to be elected at the 2026 Convention: President, Program VP, Funds VP, Communications Co-VP, Secretary

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2025 Calendar

• July 26, 2025 –  AAUW MD Summer Meeting
• October 18, 2025 –  AAUW MD Fall Meeting
• September 25-27, 2026 –  AAUW Atlantic Regional Meeting

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Volume 93 #2, Winter 2024

President, Heather Reichert  |  Editor, Susan Wierman  |  email:  aauw-md@aauw.org

Click here to download the PDF version of this issue.

Table of Contents:

1. President’s Welcome Message
2. There’s still time to take action on the ERA!
3. MLAW Fall Conference: Proposed Bills Under Consideration
4. Maryland Public Policy Updates
5. Update from AAUW National Board
6. AAUW Atlantic Regional Conference a Huge Success!
7. Membership: Saving and Updating!
8. ERA Documentary shared with Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and DC!
9. Judy Carbone on Maryland Commission for Women
10. Kate Stevenson on MLAW Board
11. Branch Activities from Baltimore, Garrett County, Harford County, Howard County, and Kensington-Rockville
12. Leadership Opportunities
13. Your AAUW Maryland leaders
14. Calendar

President’s Message

Happy holidays! And Happy new year!  Where did the beautiful warm weather go?! I hope everyone took advantage of it while it lasted.  I’m looking forward to our Winter Board Zoom call and the Spring Convention. I have changed the date for the Winter Board Zoom to Sunday, January 26, from 1-3:30 pm due to an important conflict. The Women’s/People’s March is scheduled for January 18, 2025, in Washington, DC. I am planning to participate in that march. Let me know if you are going to the March so we can meet up.  Gaithersburg has agreed to host the 2025 Convention and is seeking a venue.  Please plan to attend on Saturday, April 26. 

So many exciting things have been happening since our last publication. Other articles will tell you about the Atlantic Regional Conference and our efforts to get the Equal Rights Amendment certified to the US Constitution. I attended the regional conference, which was fantastic, and I have been joining Tracy Lantz, Kate Stevenson and others in DC to advocate for the ERA. There’s still a chance for this to happen. On November 2, I joined the pre-election Women’s March in Washington. It was a fun, hopeful and positive experience. 

In October, Pat Stocker and I were invited to a lovely Autumn Social organized by AAUW National at the Viceroy Hotel in Washington, DC. AAUW’s goal was to bring together participants from all parts of the AAUW community – branch presidents, Fellowship and Grants awardees and alumnae, donors and more. It was wonderful to meet up with one of the speakers from the Atlantic Regional Conference: Ingrid Marquina of George Mason University, who received a Career Development Grant. I hope AAUW will continue to hold these delightful events in the future. 

The MLAW Conference was excellent this year. Check out Pat Stocker’s article. Speeches by Senator Chris Van Hollen and Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller gave us hope that we can still work to improve the lives of women and families in Maryland.

Lobby Corps is still going strong, although they did not go to Capitol Hill in October, November or December due to the election. I attended the in-person training at AAUW HQ on December 5. It was great to meet other Lobby Corps members and the small, three-person AAUW HQ policy team: they have their hands full. Only four Lobby Corps members from Maryland attended. We should have more Maryland members in Lobby Corps. They need as many citizen lobbyists as they can get to be able to promote good upcoming legislation and counter the bad stuff. If anyone has questions, please contact me or Roxann. 

Stay warm and see you soon!

Heather Reichardt
President
AAUW Maryland 

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There’s still time to take action on the ERA!

By Tracy Lantz, AAUW MD Past President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Left to right: Heather Reichardt, Kate Campbell Stevenson, and Tracy Lantz (Present and Former AAUW MD Presidents) working alongside two VoteEquality volunteers at the steps of the U.S. Archives in Washington, DC.

Including the fully ratified ERA in the constitution would be a HUGE step in protecting everyone in this country. Time is of the essence; we’ve only got a few weeks to make this happen during the current administration.

VoteEquality suggests the following simple actions you as well as your friends and neighbors can take to move the ERA towards publication: contact the White House by phone at (202)-456-1111, text at (302) 404-0880 or send postcards or letters to President Biden or Vice President Harris at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington DC 20500, or write a letter to your local paper and activate others to do the same!

Urge President Biden and Vice President Harris to do anything they can to get the ERA into the Constitution! For additional details visit https://voteequality.us/

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MLAW Fall Conference:  Proposed Bills under Consideration

By Pat Stocker

MLAW held its 30th annual Fall Agenda Conference on November 23 in Columbia.  Many Maryland AAUW members were among the 270 women who attended the conference. Together, we explored bills to be introduced in the upcoming Maryland General Assembly. 

Catherine Hill (in the picture), an active member of Maryland AAUW, was recently named as the first MLAW Executive Director and chaired the conference. She shared an inspirational video which noted that 119 MLAW endorsed bills have passed the General Assembly over the past 30 years.

US Senator Chris Van Hollen (in the picture) opened the conference, citing the current unsettling political realities but challenging us to remain hopeful but vigilant, informed and engaged. He remains positive, citing checks and balances and the confirmation of more than 200 new federal judges. He congratulated Marylanders for passing Ballot Question 1, constitutionally protecting reproductive rights, with 76% of the votes for the amendment. 

Other luminaries included Ariana Kelly, Legislative Leadership Award-winning former delegate and state senator, now Executive Director of the Maryland Commission for Women. “Rage and spite” drove her initial run for office, she said, to appreciative laughter.

Lt. Governor Aruna Miller, the first woman and Indian American in that office, boasted that Governor Wes Moore’s cabinet is the most diverse ever, with 50% women and 50% people of color.  State Senator Sara Love also attended, as did other state officials.  

Fourteen legislative proposals were presented at the MLAW Fall Conference. They will be voted on by MLAW members within the next few weeks and 6 to 8 will be selected as priorities for the upcoming session. 

Proposed bills include such issues as solitary confinement for women in Maryland prisons; women’s prelease programs; updating MD birth certificates to include name or gender changes and markers; protection from retaliatory litigation for sexual assault survivors; protecting quality nursing home care so that 75% of skilled nursing revenue goes toward direct care; preventing local HOA’s and local jurisdictions from prohibiting operation of day care service.

Other areas include parity for loan assistance repayment for dental hygienists who work part-time; abortion care access funds; drug expenses; nurse home visits for newborns; firearm relinquishment, and several others of importance. 

Once the legislative priorities are set, AAUW Maryland will work actively for their passage.  Spearheading the effort is Roxann King, Maryland’s Vice President for Policy.

 

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Maryland Public Policy Updates

By Roxann King, Public Policy Co-Vice President, AAUW Maryland 

2025 Legislative Agenda. Sign up for MLAW’s email list so that you can receive action alerts when support for bills is needed: send a request to mdlegagenda4women@yahoo.com. As this goes to press, I’ve been working with branch representatives to determine which bills AAUW MD will advocate for during the 2025 Maryland General Assembly. The legislative session begins on January 8 and ends on April 7. Once AAUW MD’s legislative agenda is decided, your branch public policy leaders will share it with your membership. Maryland is facing a severe fiscal crisis: this is bound to affect which bills are passed and funded in 2025. 

Women’s Legislative Briefing – January 25  MLAW bills and other issues facing women will be reviewed at the Montgomery County Women’s Commission’s 45th annual Women’s Legislative Briefing (WLB).  Attend Saturday, January 25, 2025, at the Universities at Shady Grove, from 11:30 am – 5:30 pm. The theme is: EMPOW(HER): Breaking Barriers to Success. Early bird tickets are $45 through January 22 at 5:00pm. An Emerging Leaders conference for middle and high school students is held concurrently with the Briefing. The WLB and the fall MLAW conference are the two big legislative meetings for Maryland women each year. See https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/cfw/wlb.html.  

Advocacy Day. AAUW Maryland Advocacy Day in Annapolis will be held the morning of Tuesday, February 11. We will start the day around 10 a.m. and be done before noon. If you can attend, please contact Roxann King (roxann.king1@gmail.com or 240-472-1408). If you wish to use our advocacy training video, get in touch with Roxann.

Public Policy Mini-Grants. $200 in funds remain in the Mini-Grant account. We have extended the deadline to January 15 with the hope that an additional award for 2024-25 could be made. This deadline applies to grants that must be completed by June 30, 2025. Details and information on previous awardees are available on the AAUW Maryland website under Tools for Leaders.

Lobby Corps. Please consider  joining AAUW Lobby Corps. If you are unsure about joining, just come one time and try it out. Our current five Maryland members need more support: Virginia has four times as many volunteers. Pre-pandemic, members lobbied weekly on Thursdays, now we lobby only once a month on the morning of the third Thursday, and then, only when Congress is in session. We lobby only for one bill, work with an assigned partner, and visit only five or six legislative offices. Beforehand we have written and live instruction on the bill. We hope you will join us.

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Update from AAUW National Board

By Christine Schmitz, AAUW National Board Member and AAUW MD Treasurer

One of the most frequent questions I’m asked is “What does my money support when I donate to the Greatest Needs Fund?” Let me share wth you the following list of everything that fund supports:

1. Member Services
2. Public Policy
3. Communications
4. Research Reports
5. Advocacy and Legislation
6. Program Development
7. Operations
8. Office occupancy costs
   

As you can see this is a long list. Please consider making a gift to the Greatest Needs Fund this year. You can donate by going to www.aauw.org and clicking the DONATE button.  Thank you!

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AAUW Atlantic Regional Conference a Huge Success!

By Tracy Lantz, AAUW MD Immediate Past President

The 2024 Atlantic Regional Conference in Glen Allen, Virginia was a huge success! We received so many positive comments from the attendees that we are now on our way to planning another regional conference in 2026! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maryland AAUW Attendees (left to right): Gloria Blackwell, Susan Wierman, Roxann King, Tracy Lantz, Dorothy Fraquelli, Edie Allison Carolyn Fisher, Barb Carter, Carol Mueller, Beth Hayden, Susan Crawford, Heather Reichardt, Cheryl Menke, Suzanne Soules, Bea Dane, Janice Zimmerman, and Dian Belanger

A huge THANK YOU to Carol Mueller (photo at right) and Dian Belanger who also participated with me (Tracy) in the planning of this event. Thank you as well to all those AAUW Maryland members who graciously volunteered their time to speak at the event as well as those who attended this first of its kind regional conference! You helped to create an event that far exceeded my expectations when I began imagining such an event all those years ago.  

Even the folks from our AAUW National Headquarters gave glowing reviews of the event! AAUW CEO Gloria Blackwell (above with other Marylanders and below) was a gracious and  active participant.  We were fortunate that the conference did well from a financial standpoint, putting us in a good position to reserve a space for 2026 that will accommodate more attendees, better suit our needs for meeting space with up-to-date equipment for the presenters and hopefully offer a slightly lower registration cost.

AAUW Pennsylvania will be our host state and is looking for a conference space in or near the Philadelphia area, preferable with easy access to public transportation.  We hope to have more participation from states to the north as well as south.

A decision about the date of the next regional meeting has not been made yet. I intend to continue to participate in planning the next conference, and Heather and I are looking for one or two more volunteers who would also like to be involved! There will be opportunities to serve on the Program, Marketing & Communications, Technology, Registration, and On-Site Venue Contact Committees. 

Please contact Heather Reichardt or me at tklantz@verizon.net if you are interested in helping to plan the next regional conference. It’s a great way to meet AAUW leaders from other states as well as help shape the future of AAUW in the Atlantic Region!

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Membership: Saving and Updating!

By Jeanne Blades, AAUW MD VP Membership

Taxes: As this year comes to a close, we begin think ahead about tax season.  Please don’t forget that all $72 of your National dues are tax deductible this year. 

Member Benefit with AAUW UPS® Savings Program:  Members can save up 65% on shipments.  If you already have a UPS account, simply re-enroll and apply AAUW’s member-only savings to your existing account by calling 1-800-636-2377 and saying you’re with AAUW. Or sign up for a new account today at https://www.ups.com/mrd/promodiscount?loc=en_US&promoCd=DNG98U7XV 

Updating: Update your information with AAUW by logging into your personal AAUW snapshot account to update your education, preferences, and demographic profile with AAUW.  If you would like a visual, just go to AAUW’s Community Hub and click on the video, “How to Login or Create an Account” which has accompanying screenshots for the above as well as information for changing your email address if needed.

Free Memberships:  AAUW’s Shape the Future Campaign offers half-price national membership! Go to AAUW.org, click on Membership in top bar, click on Governance and Tools, click on State and Branch Tools, scroll down to Resources at the Ready and click on “Learn More About AAUW’s Shape the Future Campaign.” The coupon code is STFFY25. With Shape the Future, for every 2 new members, the branch earns one free membership up to a total of 3 free memberships per fiscal year. Click on Status Report to check how many free memberships you have earned from July 2024 to June 2025.

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ERA Documentary shared with Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and DC!

By Tracy Lantz, AAUW MD Immediate Past President

On December 1st, 40 AAUW members from the Atlantic Region gathered virtually to view the documentary “Ratified” which shares the story of where we’ve been on the journey to ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment and what we need to do moving forward. The film focused on the grassroots effort to ratify the amendment in the 38th state: Virginia!  After the film was an engaging panel discussion with Tonja Roberts-Brooks, Co-Founder and Outreach Director of Vote Equality, Kati Hornung, Co-Founder and Executive Director and Judy Carbone, President AAUW Garrett Branch, member of the Maryland Commission for Women. AAUW Maryland was thrilled to be joined by AAUW members from Pennsylvania, North Carolina and DC. 

If you missed the viewing, take a moment to watch a short video about Virginia’s struggle to ratify the ERA posted near the bottom of this website: ratifythefilm.com/ Contact tklantz@verizon.net if you are interested in viewing the entire 90 minute documentary.

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Judy Carbone on Maryland Commission for Women

From Garrett Branch Newsletter

Governor Wes Moore recently appointed Judy A. Carbone, President of AAUW-Garrett Branch, to the Maryland Commission for Women.

The Maryland Commission for Women (MCW) works with Maryland State Government to advance solutions and to expand social, political, and economic opportunities for all women. It was created in 1965 and made permanent in 1971 by the Maryland General Assembly with the following mandates:

• Study the status of women in our state,
• Direct attention to critical problems confronting women,
• Recommend methods of overcoming discrimination,
• Recognize women’s accomplishments and contributions, and
• Provide informed advice to the executive and legislative branches of government on the issues concerning the women of our state.

Twenty-five Commissioners serve on the MCW, the last one from Mountain Maryland having been appointed in 2020 for only one year. Since 2018, Judy had called for more representation from Mountain Maryland on the Commission and is thrilled to be able to advocate for and bring attention to the needs of rural women, especially those from the western-most part of the state. 

She will serve on the MCW Awards & Outreach Sub-Committee, which oversees the annual Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame selection and induction process and the Maryland Young Women’s Leaders Award selection process. Additionally, Judy will be the MCW liaison with the Maryland Women’s Heritage Center. Congratulations, Judy!

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Kate Stevenson on MLAW Board

By Pat Stocker

Heather Reichardt, AAUW Maryland President, recently appointed Kate Campbell Stevenson as our representative to the board of MLAW. Kate brings a wealth of experience from her many years of involvement in MLAW as well as her leadership roles in AAUW.  Her term will begin in January 2025.  Congratulations, Kate!

 

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BRANCH ACTIVITIES

Baltimore Branch

By Dorothy Fraquelli & Yvonne Higgins, Branch Co-Presidents

This fall Branch Program Vice Presidents Denise Gray and Janice Zimmerman organized several voter registration events. In November both Janice and Denise served as election judges. 

In the photo, Denise and her sister are
in action at Coppin State University.

Several branch members attended the AAUW Atlantic Regional Conference in Glen Allen, Virginia September 27-29, including Branch Co-President Dorothy Fraquelli, along with Janice Zimmerman and Susan Wierman. 

On October 20, Branch members enjoyed a special viewing of the movie She Rises Up along with a delicious brunch served at Branch Co-President Yvonne Higgins’s lovely waterside home.  The movie follows radically different women from Sri Lanka, Peru, and Senegal who are fighting to build businesses that create job opportunities for women, while also contributing to the reduction of poverty in their communities.

A major focus for the Branch this year is public education.  The “Blueprint for Maryland’s Future,” passed by the General Assembly in 2021 is intended to increase state funding for education over the next 10 years. On November 16 Branch members and guests gathered for an informative discussion with Dr. John W. Staley, Blueprint Coordinator for Baltimore County Public Schools.  He explained the five “pillars” of the Blueprint and graciously extended his time with us to answer many questions from Branch members.  State budget deficits will likely affect the funds allocated for the Blueprint. Stay tuned! 

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Garrett County Branch 

By Judy A. Carbone, Branch President

On the eve of the 2024 Presidential election, with the first woman Vice President of the United States running to become the first woman President, AAUW-Garrett Branch held a reading of the play “Good Lazy Woman: 2024 Election Edition” written by Catherine Stewart. The event was attended by approximately 50 people, who were welcomed by Mountain Lake Park Mayor Don Sincell.

The play was brought to the attention of AAUW-Garrett Branch by branch member Mary Helen Spear, who reached out to branch member Jennifer Virts for her expertise in play production and direction.

Cast members of “Good Lazy Woman” from left to right: Jennifer Virts, Gloria Salazar, Beverly Williams, Linda Herdering, Kendall Ludwig, Betty Pritt, and Kim Alexander

The play is a comedy featuring the political rhetoric of Victoria Claflin Woodhull (candidate in 1870), Margaret Chase Smith (candidate in 1964), and Shirley Chisholm (candidate in 1972), which weaves through one woman’s relationship to ambition.

Using archival and contemporary verbatim text, “Good Lazy Woman” provokes conversation on why America wasn’t then yet ready for a female leader. It leads to discussion about whether we might be ready now. 

In 2024, the 24th woman to run for President and only the 2nd to receive a major party’s nomination was subjected to gender-based negative campaigning that questioned her ethnicity, intelligence, sexuality, motherhood, and experience – attacks not faced by male candidates. Facts about the ugly side of our political environment must be recognized and discussed by all, regardless of political affiliation. The need for AAUW’s work at the national, state, and local level is more critical than ever.

Our branch remains strong, active, and recognized for its vital work. Our Garrett County branch has accomplished incredible things, but we also face a leadership transition crisis. While I have been honored to serve as president for 8 years, our bylaws call for officers to serve no more than two terms. For the health and growth of our organization, we need to cultivate new leadership and fresh ideas.

Our membership is solid, with several new members eager to advance gender equity in our community. We have excellent new leaders stepping up in key roles, including Secretary, Treasurer, and Membership VP and as End-of-the-Line Bookstore Manager. Our scholarship program is thriving, and we continue to be a powerful voice for women’s issues in Garrett County. 

I urge all of you, our members and friends, to get involved. Those of you already contributing your time and talents, thank you. And to those who are new or haven’t yet found a role, I encourage you to review our activities and projects – there is much work to be done, and all help is greatly appreciated. Together, we will continue the important work of our predecessors and advance the vision of gender equity. Please contact me with your thoughts, questions, and suggestions. I can be reached at 301-616-5036 or judy@corgi-cottage.com. Thank you.

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Harford County Branch 

By Sheila Allen, Branch President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Left to Right- Erin Flynn and Allison Heiderman of SARC accept a check for $740 from AAUW representatives Rose Ann Ward, Jeanne Blades, and Karen Thames. Missing committee members are Jodie Spears and Kathleen Hampton.

This fall marked a “first” for our Harford County Branch.  We held a Road Rally and Scavenger Hunt to raise funds for SARC Sexual Assault/Spouse Abuse Resource Center in Bel Air.  Road Rally participants followed clues to ten destinations in Bel Air and gathered scavenger hunt items along the way.  This was a great opportunity for everyone to learn more about our community and its historical sites.  At the conclusion, a Gift Basket Raffle was held.  Many very generous members and local merchants contributed gift cards and merchandise which were bundled into 22 gift baskets. The result for our efforts was a check for $740 that was delivered to SARC in November. It was a wonderful day and a good time was had by all!  

The Harford Branch is planning a webinar about the Furaha Girls School in the heart of Kenya. Furaha Girls School is not just a place of learning but a beacon of hope and opportunity for young girls. “Furaha,” meaning “joy” in Swahili, aptly captures the spirit of this remarkable institution. This boarding school brings the girls into an environment that nurtures not only their intellect but also their spirits. In a region where education is often a luxury, Furaha Girls School is transforming lives, one student at a time, by providing quality education and fostering an environment where girls can dream big and achieve their full potential. Members of the Harford County Branch sponsor one young woman, Duncan Moreen Kendi, at this school. This sponsorship is in honor of a previous member of AAUW, Toni Bram.  Toni was an active member of the community and our AAUW branch until her death in 2013, and to honor her memory, we named a scholarship fund for her.  For the past three years, we have collected monies to cover the cost of Duncan’s room and board each year of her high school at Furaha.   Please join our Harford Branch on Wednesday, February 19 at 7 PM for a video of the school and their students.  The meeting will be on Zoom.  Please email Sheila Allen to let her know you plan to attend for details and in case the meeting time/date changes. sheilahcc@gmail.com

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Howard County Branch 

From the Branch Newsletter

Girl Power is a STEM conference held each year at the Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory Campus in Howard County. It will be held the afternoon of either March 1 or March 8 in 2025. AAUW Howard County Branch will present a workshop based on a case from the Math Inspectors series of books at Girl Power 2024. During the 45-minute workshop, the students will learn how to use numbers to help them solve a mystery and break into teams to solve who stole the Claymore Diamond. The activity will be targeted at students in the fourth through eighth grades. There will be two sessions with 25 students in each. 

If you are a math lover, a math hater, or you like to work with children, please join us in planning and presenting this activity. We will meet on Tuesday, December 3, at 2:00 Please RSVP to Cindy Graham at 214-912-5656 or email Cindy at cugraham@gmail.com. 

The Howard County Branch plans a holiday luncheon in December and a fundraiser at Toby’s Dinner Theater in January to raise money for branch scholarships at Howard Community College.  The Branch has several active interest groups, including AAUW Readers, the Lunch Bunch, Adventures in Dining, Great Decisions, and volunteering at the Food Bank. 

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Kensington-Rockville Branch News

By Dian Belanger, Branch President

Kensington-Rockville Branch began our 2024-25 year with an informative and interest-inspiring presentation by Catherine Hill, the new and first paid executive director of the Maryland Legislative Agenda for Women (MLAW). Catherine was also AAUW’s Vice President for Research for several years and is now a welcome branch member.

At our October meeting, our own branch members informed and entertained us while challenging our knowledge and assumptions. Bobbe Mintz, an attorney and former administrative law judge, presented a series of Legal Puzzlers, using real and hypothetical cases to test our legal understanding, logical thinking, and the often-uncomfortable relationship between legality and morality. Lively interaction and sober learning for these fraught times ensued. 

New member and writer-teacher-poet Marcia Elbrand shared poems from her amusingly titled Flying Earrings, touching us with her deep insight and introspection on subjects from kitchen countertops’ ability to hide dirt to death and God. 

At MLAW’s formal Fall Agenda Conference & 30th Anniversary Celebration in November, we enjoyed reunions with AAUW members from across the state amid an over-flow crowd as we heard passionate advocates urge acceptance of their respective causes for MLAW’s priorities in the upcoming legislative session. 

At our December holiday gathering we will socialize but also celebrate and support Montgomery College students holding branch scholarships. Their stories and gratitude always impress and inspire greater giving. We hope to include an AAUW fellow as well. 

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Leadership Opportunities

Anita Rosen, Bev Fallik, Edie Allison, and Susan Wierman

The AAUW Maryland Nominating Committee is seeking nominees to be AAUW MD Programs Vice President and Secretary.  These current vacancies are to be filled by the Board at a regular Board meeting or by electronic vote.  Please email aauw-md@aauw.net to volunteer or request more information.  The Nominating Committee is also seeking nominees for the next two-year term to be elected at the Annual Membership Meeting/Convention.  Nominations are welcome for Secretary, Program Vice President, Communications Vice President, Public Policy Vice President, and Membership Vice President.  Contact Anita Rosen at anita.rosen123@gmail.com.

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Your AAUW Maryland leaders

AAUW MD Elected Officers (Executive Board)

• Heather Reichardt, President (2024-2026)
• Tracy Lantz, Past President (2024-2025)
• ____________(TBD), Vice President for Programs (2024-2026) 
• ____________(TBD), Secretary (2023-2025)
• Jeri Rhodes, Vice President for AAUW Funds (2022-2024 & 2024-2026)
• Lydia Alcock and Susana Hernández Martín (2022-2024, 2024-2026) and Susan Wierman (2020-2022, 2022-2024, 2025), Co-Vice Presidents for Communications 
• Roxann King (2021-2023, 2023-2025) and Judy Carbone (2023-2025), Co-Vice Presidents for Public Policy
• Christine Schmitz, Treasurer (2023-2025) 
• Jeanne Blades Vice President for Membership (2023-2025) 

AAUW MD Committee Chairs (Appointed to Board)

• Carolyn Fisher, Chair of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee (2022-2024)
• Terry Saylor, Archivist (2022-2024)
• ____________(TBD),  Chair of the Bylaws Committee
• ERA Taskforce Chair, Judy Carbone
  
• 2024 Atlantic Regional Conference Planning Committee:  Dian Belanger, Carol Mueller, and Tracy Lantz
• 2025 Nominations Committee:  Anita Rosen (Kensington-Rockville), Bev Fallik (Howard County), and Edie Allison (Gaithersburg).  Susan Wierman (Baltimore) (past chair, ex officio).    
• Each Branch President is also a member of the Board of Directors
  

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2025 Calendar

• Jan. 8 – Apr. 7:  2025 MD Legislative Session
• Jan. 18:  Women’s March/People’s March in DC
• Jan. 20:  Inauguration Day & MLK Day
• Jan. 25:  Women’s Legislative Briefing
• Jan. 26:  AAUW MD Board Mtg. via Zoom
• Feb. 11:  AAUW MD Advocacy Day in Annapolis
• April 26:  Tentative date for 2025 AAUW MD Annual Meeting & Convention

Volume 92 #5, Summer 2024
President, Tracy Lantz  |  Editor, Susan Wierman  |  email:  aauw-md@aauw.org

Click here to download the PDF version of this issue.

Table of Contents:

1. 2024 AAUW Maryland Summer Conference
2. President’s Message
3. Thank you and congratulations to AAUW Maryland Leaders
4. AAUW Maryland continued support of NCCWSL
5. Women of Distinction donor thank you
6. Equal Rights Amendment Task Force Update
7. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee Update
8. Gaithersburg Branch Activities
9. Garrett County Branch Activities
10. Howard County Branch Activities
11. 2024 Calendar

2024 AAUW MARYLAND SUMMER CONFERENCE

How the Maryland Attorney General’s Office Is Improving Women’s’ Lives; and
How to Get the Most out of the AAUW.ORG Website!

Saturday, July 20, 2024

Grace United Methodist Church, Fellowship Hall
407 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21210

Please note that the location has changed from the previous announcement. The conference will be at Grace United Methodist Church. Register online at Eventbrite for the conference here or mail the registration form included on the next page by July 5. Directions follow.

Speakers:

Carisa Hatfield, Assistant Attorney General, Office of Equity, Policy, and Engagement, Office of the Maryland Attorney General (OAG);  Co-chair of the OAG’s Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Committee

Attorney General Anthony G. Brown has developed several initiatives, including efforts to defend federal rules to implement the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.  Learn more about work to combat systemic inequities and protect the rights, responsibilities, and privileges of all Marylanders.

Jeanne Blades, AAUW MD Membership Vice President & Harford County Branch member; Adjunct instructor at Goucher College

An educator with an MS in education and over 40 years of experience as a reading specialist and special educator, Jeanne will help us stay active, connected, and informed as we learn about resources available to members on the AAUW website.

 

Welcome to Baltimore for the Summer Conference!

From Dorothy Fraquelli and Yvonne Higgins, Incoming Baltimore Branch Co-Presidents

On behalf of the Baltimore Branch, we welcome you to the AAUW Maryland 2024 Summer Conference on Saturday, July 20^th!

Light refreshments will be available at 9 a.m., the program will begin at 9:30, and lunch will be included. The AAUW Board will meet following lunch, concluding by 3:30.

Thanks to Heather Reichardt and Carolyn Fisher for arranging an informative and interesting program, And thanks to Janice Zimmerman, outgoing Branch Co-President, and branch members Eileen Menton, Christine Schmitz, Jean Smith, Susan Wierman, Eunice Young for helping organize this conference.

As we say in Baltimore, we look forward to seeing you, hon!

AAUW MD Summer 2024 Conference Registration

Registration cost includes a light breakfast and lunch on July 20, the day’s program, and the business meeting.  You are encouraged to bring guests/prospective members and “new” officers.

Refreshments will be available at 9 AM.  The program starts at 9:30 AM and runs until 1:30 PM.  The Board meeting follows lunch and concludes at 3:30 PM.

Register online at Eventbrite for the conference!

Directions to the Summer Conference

Saturday, July 20, 2024
Grace United Methodist Church, Fellowship Hall
5407 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21210

Grace United Methodist Church (GUMC) is located at the southeast corner of North Charles Street and Northern Parkway.  Parking is available in the lot on the south side of the church.  The lot is accessible from both Charles Street and Northen Parkway.

For those wishing for simple directions, take 695 to 83 south toward Baltimore.  Use the Northern Parkway exit to go east, up the hill past Roland Avenue to the light at Charles Street, where you will see your destination: the white church on the southeast corner.  Otherwise, you are welcome to follow your GPS.

To enter the parking lot from Northern Parkway, proceed across Charles Street just past the church and take the first right turn. It is a driveway, not a street. Proceed to the parking lot behind the church.

Those driving north on Charles Street can turn right just before reaching the church and proceed to the parking lot behind the church.

Enter through the glass door that faces the parking lot under a white portico. There should be AAUW signs on or near the entrance. You’ll find the conference in Fellowship Hall on the second floor of the church hall, not in the church itself. You may use the elevator or the stairs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

By Tracy Lantz, President, AAUW Maryland

Thank You and One More Ask…

It’s time for my final message to you as your State President. Thank you for the opportunity to represent you! I so enjoyed this honor while participating in many special events; the ERA March on Washington, ERA Rally in Annapolis, the Artist4ERA events throughout the state, the ERA Centennial Celebration in Seneca Falls, as well introducing our honoree at the 2024 NCCWSL conference, just to name a few!

I’m so very excited to welcome your new president, Heather Reichardt. We’ve already been working together to establish a smooth transition.

Congratulations also to others who were elected to new terms at the 2024 AAUW Maryland Convention.  The full results of the elections of state officers are posted in this issue of the Marylander.  We are still looking to replace Heather and Jackie Gray with a new Programs Vice President.  Please volunteer or encourage someone to step up to this important office.

The 2024 AAUW Maryland Convention, beautifully hosted by the Kensington-Rockville Branch, also included a great presentation on ranked choice voting, remarks by AAUW CEO Gloria Blackwell, and updates on the ERA and state legislation.  Congratulations to all who made this event so successful.

And a huge thank you to you for participating in AAUW Maryland! Whether you attended a state meeting via zoom, served on the state board, enjoyed the speakers at one of our in-person state meetings hosted by local branches, joined us for a march, rally, lobby day, local book sale, branch meeting or luncheon, we’re glad you’re here and may you continue to join us this summer and fall!

Thanks to the Baltimore Branch for hosting the July 20 summer conference, and to Heather Reichardt, outgoing Co-VP for Programs, and Carolyn Fisher, Chair of our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, for finding outstanding speakers.  Please remember to mail your registration by July 5 to get the best rate.  I look forward to seeing you soon at Grace United Methodist in Baltimore!

We’ll be replacing our usual statewide fall meeting with the Atlantic Regional Conference to be held in Glen Allen, Virginia, just north of Richmond! Maryland has been on the planning team with 11 other regional states for more than a year. The event begins on Friday afternoon and continues until mid-day Sunday (Sept. 27^th-29^th).

We’ll have speakers, some AAUW leaders and others from outside organizations, on topics including Generative AI, Ending Period Poverty, Ranked Choice Voting, Reproductive Rights, The Attack on our Public Schools, Strengthening our Advocacy, Voting Rights and Challenges, the Status of the Equal Rights Amendment and AAUW’s role in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, also referred to as the international bill of rights for women. There will be opportunities to learn from members in neighboring states and to share your ideas to help our organization thrive!

It will be an exciting conference and I am looking forward to seeing each of you there! Find a couple of friends and carpool to Richmond! Check out the information on our website and register today! https://www.aauwatlanticregionalconference.com/

Tracy Lantz
President
AAUW Maryland

 

Thank you & congratulations to AAUW Maryland leaders!

New & Returning AAUW MD Officers (Executive Board)

Heather Reichardt, President (2024-2026)
Tracy Lantz, Past President (2024-2025)
____________(TBD), Vice President for Programs (2024-2026)

The Nominating Committee is seeking a nominee to be Programs Vice President.  This vacancy is to be filled by the Board at a regular Board meeting or by electronic vote. 

• Jeri Rhodes, Vice President for AAUW Funds (2022-2024)
• Lydia Alcock and Susana Hernández Martín (2024-2026) and Susan Wierman (2022-2025), Co-Vice Presidents for Communications
• Roxann King and Judy Carbone, Co-Vice Presidents for Public Policy (‘21-’25 & ’23- ‘25)Christine Schmitz, Treasurer (2023-2025)
• Diane Roca, Secretary (2023-2025)
• Jeanne Blades Vice President for Membership (2023-2025)

AAUW MD Committee Chairs (Appointed Members of the Board)

• Carolyn Fisher, Chair of Diversity, and Inclusion Committee (2022-2024)
• Terry Saylor, Archivist (2022-2024)
• Diane Roca, Chair of the Bylaws Committee
• ERA Taskforce Chair, Judy Carbone
• Regional Event Planning Committee:  Dian Belanger, Carol Mueller, and Tracy Lantz
• 2025 Nominations Committee:  Anita Rosen (Kensington-Rockville), Bev Fallik (Howard County), and Edie Allison (Gaithersburg).  Susan Wierman (Baltimore) (past chair) will serve ex officio.
  *Each Branch President is also a member of the Board of Directors

AAUW Database Access Rights — Update Officers by June 30!

If your branch/state title is president/administrator, membership vice president or finance officer, you have the access rights to update officers for FY25 by June 30. Even if an officer is returning, make sure to update your records if their next term starts July 1, 2024. Login to the AAUW Community Hub, then go to MY AFFILIATIONS and click the button next to your branch name. Choose BRANCH COMMITTEE to update officers by following the step-by-step screen instructions.

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AAUW Maryland continued support of NCCWSL

On May 30-June 1 this year, over 600 college students participated in AAUW’s National Conference for College Women Student Leaders at the University of Maryland College Park.  AAUW CEO Gloria Blackwell greeted each of the AAUW MD representatives at the May 31 Women of Distinction event, and we were given special front row seats.  Gloria’s opening remarks stressed the importance of AAUW Maryland’s long-term support for the Conference and AAUW’s gratitude for that support.  Tracy Lantz introduced Dian Belanger, AAUW Maryland’s Woman of Distinction.

One of several students supported by AAUW MD branches was Alayna Savage, a rising sophomore at Garrett College who is also the President of the AAUW Garrett College Student Chapter.  Alayna received a unique scholarship from AAUW-Garrett Branch, covering registration, room and board, and transportation.  The conference’s overall theme was “Dare To Be…”  Alayna attended keynote presentations and break-out sessions on topics that challenged attendees to embrace their power and dare to be the fearless, bold leaders needed to shape a more equitable future for all.

Said Alayna about the conference program, “I attended presentations on a wide range of subjects such as transforming my life through compassion, learning about the latest changes to Title IX, and information on creating institutional change when it comes to menstruation. There were so many more panels to pick from, and I wish I had been able to attend them all. The speakers were all so informative and open to questions about their topics and I know I learned so much from them all.”

Garrett Branch president and AAUW MD Co-VP for Public Policy, Judy Carbone and Ting Ting Cheng of the Columbia Law School presented a session at NCCWSL on the Equal Rights Amendment. (See details in Judy’s ERA Taskforce Update.)

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Thank you, THANK YOU, AAUW Maryland

. . .  for your generous sponsorship once again of the Women of Distinction awards ceremony of the National Conference for College Women Student Leaders. That you named me NCCWSL’s Maryland Woman of Distinction was an over-the-top honor, a heady climax to a half-century-plus of participation in our historic organization of and for women. Thank you, Tracy Lantz, for your warm and thoughtful introduction.

I didn’t have much opportunity to interact with AAUW’s national Women of Distinction, or to chat with you whose presence meant so much to me, because so many students, inspired and grateful, kept me surrounded.

–Dian Belanger

Heartfelt thanks to all the donors listed below for contributing to the Maryland Women of Distinction Fund between October 18, 2023, and April 4, 2024

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Equal Rights Amendment Task Force Update

By: Judy Carbone, AAUW MD Co-Vice President Public Policy and ERA Task Force Chair

Judy Carbone continues to work with the Maryland Equal Rights Action Network (MERAN) as part of its leadership team.  Maryland SJ01, the Resolution Reaffirming Maryland’s support for the Equal Rights Amendment was approved April 6^th in a contentious floor discussion in the House.  Along with other MERAN leaders, Judy attended Governor Wes Moore’s bill signing ceremony for SJ01.  A copy of the reaffirming resolution was forwarded by the Department of Legislative Services and to President Joseph R. Biden; Vice President Kamala Harris; Colleen Joy Shogan (Archivist of the United States); the Maryland Congressional Delegation.  Copies were also sent to all other state legislative presiding officers, with the request to circulate it among leadership of the state’s legislative branch.  Judy says that her experience in this action and its results remind her that any of us can initiate a bill in our state legislature and see it through to the end.

As ERA Taskforce Chair for AAUW-Maryland, Judy co-presented a session on the ERA at NCCWSL on May 31^st.  The program was entitled “The Equal Rights Amendment: More Important Than Ever…And Closer Than Ever, Too!”  Co-presenter Ting Ting Cheng is the Director of the ERA Project at the Center for Gender and Sexuality Law at Columbia Law School in New York.  The session was only an hour, but after Judy gave an overview of the ERA and its status, Ting Ting spent the remaining 45 minutes answering questions from a very engaged and interested student audience.  Meghan Kissell, AAUW Public Policy Director, also attended the session and was very complimentary to both presenters about their session.

In March, as President of AAUW-Garrett Branch, Judy gave a presentation on the ERA to a Psychology of Women class at Garrett College.  None of the students in the class knew about the Equal Rights Amendment, and, like many Americans, they thought that gender equality was already guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution.  Judy also talked about NCCWSL in the class in hopes a student might be interested in attending.  (See the Garrett Branch report for more details.)

Please contact Judy with any questions at judy@corgi-cottage.com or at 301-616-5036.  And if you haven’t already done so, please sign the petition at www.sign4era.org and get everyone you know across the country to do the same!!    Thank you!

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Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee Update

By Gloria Salazar, MSW, Representing Garrett Branch

During the 2023–2024, Garrett County’s Diversity & Inclusion (DI) Advisory Committee concluded its community experience survey and listening tours. These activities explored ways to enhance or improve the lives of those living in the County. The AAUW Garrett Branch DEI Committee Chair participated on this committee. (Notably, only two counties in the state of Maryland have formal DEI Committees, Garrett and Washington. During this last year, there was an attempt to disband the Washington County DEI Committee, but with sufficient public pressure, the Committee remains active.) The Garrett County DI Advisory Committee will formally submit its final summary report to the Board of County Commissioners on July 3, 2024, and then it will be available to the public in electronic format.  AAUW-Garrett Branch members plan to attend this meeting.

The Maryland Commission on Civil Rights (MCCR) is conducting listening tours throughout the state. Several members of the Garrett County DEI Committee and AAUW Garrett Branch members were present at one session to share their findings and experiences. Please visit the MCCR website to look for a listening tour in your area.

AAUW Garrett Branch will join the Garrett County NAACP (GCNAACP) in the first ever Pride celebration in Garrett County on Saturday, June 15, 2024.  AAUW-Garrett Branch will be tabling at this event. GCNAACP, with AAUW Garrett Branch member participation, hosted several events in 2023, including the Kwanza celebration, presentations by well-known civil rights leaders, monthly PRIDE events, and an MLK Day Celebration

Pact, an adoption alliance, will be conducting a week-long camp for 150 adopted children of color and their families in Garrett County, and GCNAACP will be assisting participants. AAUW-Garrett Branch will help with this event in any way we can.

GCNAACP/AAUW members spoke publicly at a school board meeting where high school students were requesting that a PRIDE flag be taken down by one of their teachers. The teacher in question is an AAUW-Garrett Branch member and our branch was represented at the school board meeting to support her and advocate for equity.  Support for the teacher and her desire to have an inclusive classroom was overwhelming, and the flag remained. One month later, the teacher resigned from teaching because she no longer could withstand the bullying and pressure from students and their parents as well as the lack of support from the school board.  Our branch will continue to advocate for equity with the school board.

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BRANCH ACTIVITIES

Gaithersburg Branch Annual Used-Book Sale & Celebrating Mary Wykes

By Edie Allison

The Gaithersburg branch celebrated Honorary Life Member Mary Wykes’ 99^th birthday at a potluck lunch June 1. Mary has held branch officer positions multiple times and continues to be active in branch meetings and special interest groups including Great Decisions and HerStory. Her success at living a long and fruitful life may be enhanced by her continuing involvement with family, church, AAUW, and continuing work as a real-estate agent.

Gaithersburg branch used book sale, April 2024, was a wonderful success. The book dealers and shoppers came by the dozens with happy faces and left with bags or boxes of their chosen reading materials. Asbury Methodist Village hosted the sale, and its residents were particularly appreciative of the return of the book sale after five years, as many are not able to go out to other bookstores. We raised thousands of dollars for scholarships at Montgomery College and the Universities at Shady Grove. The final amount will be determined after all our expenses are tallied. Several families unable to afford books for their children were given bags of books for their families to enjoy. After the sale was completed, four local non-profit organizations took about 70 boxes of unsold books to use with their programs.

After the sale, over a hundred volunteers helped with set-up, sorting, customer service, and clean-up. These included about 75 students, as well as Asbury residents and members of Gaithersburg and other AAUW Branches. We owe them our deep appreciation as our branch has fewer members and many are unable to assist in moving heavy boxes.

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Garrett County Branch Activities and Plans

By Judy A. Carbone, Branch President

Thirteen members and possible members attended the AAUW-Garrett Branch Annual General Membership Meeting on May 22nd at the Green Turtle in McHenry, MD.  It was a good meeting to plan for the upcoming year, elect officers, and celebrate all that we have accomplished in the past year.  Judy Carbone and Linda Carr were re-elected for their 8th term as President and Vice President, respectively.  Kathy Zimmer was elected in as Vice President of Membership; Elaine Formsby was elected in as Treasurer; and Linda Herdering was elected in as Secretary.  Committee Chairs to continue include Christine Campe-Price as Scholarship Chair and Gloria Salazar as Diversity Chair.  Judi Merriman will continue as lead for Legislative Issues, especially in terms of notifying members and supporters of activist opportunities issued by MLAW.

The End of the Line Bookstore opened for the 2024 summer season on May 18th with Linda Carr serving her final year as Bookstore Manager.  Members Gloria Salazar and Maxine Shindel will be managers-in-training this summer and take over as Co-Managers at the end of the year. On June 8th, a one-day sale helped move some of the remaining books. The bookstore has raised several thousand dollars each summer by selling donated books for no more than $1 each.  AAUW-Garrett Branch manages the bookstore, with our branch and a local Girl Scout Troop providing volunteers throughout the summer.  Funds are distributed based on the amount of time spent volunteering.

Christine Came-Price has done an amazing job in her second year as Chair of the Scholarship Committee.  The committee has awarded 10 scholarships to date to women continuing their post-secondary education for a total of almost $9,000.  One additional scholarship will be awarded later this summer.  Our scholarships are awarded to selected County high school graduates, Garrett College transfer students to Allegany College for Allied Health degrees or transferring to a 4-year institution to complete their bachelor’s degrees, and non-traditional aged women attending Garrett College for the first time in either certificate or degree programs.  We also award scholarships from a General Scholarship line item to women seeking funds for other educational purposes.

After Judy made a presentation to a Garrett college class in March, one student requested sponsorship to attend NCCWSL (The deadline to apply for NCCWSL scholarships had passed).  The Scholarship Committee decided to award a scholarship to Alayna Savage for this purpose.  Alayna has worked to keep the AAUW-Garrett College Student Chapter open, even though she hasn’t been able to recruit many student members.  Our branch will most definitely work with her on this.

For the past 4 years, AAUW-Garrett Branch has been the lead sponsor and organizer of the Women’s Equality Day (WED) Celebration in Garrett County, a collaboration of several local women’s organizations.  WED2024 will be held on Monday, August 26th at the Career and Technical Training Center of Garrett College.  The topic this year will be Title IX and its role in women’s equality, and Meghan Kissell from AAUW will be our keynote speaker.  We will invite Equity Officers from Garrett College and the Garrett County Public Schools to discuss their programs and activities.

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Howard County Branch Ongoing Activities

By Beth Hayden, Branch President

At our May 14^th meeting, our speaker was a fraud prevention expert from AARP, Ted Meyerson, who presented information on Identity Theft–how it happens and how to protect ourselves from the criminals in our current environment.

Planned activities over the summer include monthly meetings of our Special Interest Groups— Great Decisions,” AAUW Readers, Adventures in Dinning, Lunch Bunch, and helping at the Howard County Food Bank.

Howard County Branch officers recognized for their work. In front, Susan Hailman.  Back row from the left:  Beth Hayden, Bobbi Brooks, Jeanne Parr, Cindy Graham, Barb Carter (holding plant), Carol Phelps, Diane Roca, Bea Dane, Suzanne Soules.

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2024 Calendar

• June 22^nd: Transition Board Meeting at Christine Schmitz’ home
• July 20^th: AAUW MD Summer Conference in Baltimore at Grace United Methodist Church
• September 27^th-29^th: AAUW Atlantic Regional Conference in Glen Allen, Virginia
• November 23^rd: MLAW (Maryland Legislative Agenda for Women} Fall Agenda Conference at The Meeting House, Columbia, MD (Registration available in August

Donate to the AAUW Maryland Women of Distinction Fund. You will be helping Maryland honor it’s Woman of Distinction as the Platinum sponsor of the AAUW Women of Distinction Ceremony at the 2019 National Conference for Collegiate Women Students.

Right now, lawmakers in Annapolis are considering S.B. 738/H.B. 634. This important bill would prohibit employers from relying on a job applicant’s salary history to determine pay, a practice that perpetuates the pay gaps women and people of color face in their careers. But this legislation may not move forward unless lawmakers hear from you now.

Click here to contact your state legislators and urge them to pass S.B. 738/H.B. 634 today!

Salary history is not a neutral factor by which to set pay, and it doesn’t determine an applicant’s qualifications for a position. Relying on salary history in the hiring process can:

• Force some workers, particularly women and people of color who are generally paid less than white, non-Hispanic men, to carry lower earnings and pay discrimination from job to job.
• Penalize those who reduced their work hours in prior jobs to care for children or other family members.
• Depress wages for individuals who have previously worked in nonprofits or the public sector and are moving into higher paying fields.

This bill also requires employers to provide a job applicant the salary range for a position upon request, an additional way to increase transparency and narrow the gender pay gap.

Banning the use of salary history in the hiring process and sharing salary ranges can make meaningful change in closing the pay gap. Urge your legislators to pass S.B. 738/H.B. 634!

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 was the first comprehensive federal law to prohibit sex discrimination in education. It covers women and men, girls and boys, and staff and students in any educational institution or program that receives federal funds. This includes local school districts, colleges and universities, for-profit schools, career and technical education agencies, libraries, and museums. Music classes or choirs, sex education classes, and sports involving bodily contact are exempt from Title IX, as are religious institutions if the law would violate their religious tenets. Admissions policies at private undergraduate institutions are also exempt.

The Department of Education has announced a plan to make sweeping changes to Title IX’s regulations, which would have significant implications for students’ civil rights. Specifically, the proposed rule would weaken Title IX’s protections by narrowing the definition of sexual harassment to allow schools to exclude much of the abuse students experience, limiting when schools will respond, and putting in place processes that make it harder for students to come forward when they experience sexual harassment or assault. Simply put, these changes will make schools less safe for students.

Erin Prangley, VP for Public Policy submitted comments to the proposed rules on behalf of AAUW Maryland.   The letter states in part:

“Sexual harassment pervades the lives of students. According to research by AAUW, sexual harassment can have damaging effects on academic outcomes, careers, families and even the health of those affected. Student activism on college campuses has brought to light a culture in which sexual harassment is still pervasive, and its harm too often ignored. AAUW research has found that women on college campuses and girls in junior high and high school frequently experience sexual harassment, sexual abuse or assault, and other crimes or behavior that constitute sex discrimination under Title IX. These experiences hurt their ability to focus on their academic goals and can diminish their equal access to educational opportunities.

In Crossing the Line: Sexual Harassment at School, AAUW found nearly half of students in grades 7-12 experienced harassment in the 2010–11 school year (56 percent of girls and 40 percent of boys.  Of that number, 87 percent said it had a negative effect on them. Furthermore, nearly two-thirds of college students experience sexual harassment at some point during college, including nearly one-third of first-year students, according to AAUW’s Drawing the Line: Sexual Harassment on Campus.

We believe Maryland’s educational ecosystem has a problem identifying and handling sexual harassment, including assault at all levels of education. Even though several peer reviewed studies find sexual harassment to be rampant, 68.6 percent of higher education campuses in Maryland reported zero incidents of sexual assault, including rape and fondling, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking — a shocking statistic given how frequently these incidents occur on campuses.  In addition, 85.9 percent of the public schools with students in grades 7 through 12 in Maryland disclosed zero reported allegations of harassment or bullying on the basis of sex.  These numbers do not square with what research shows students experience. Despite schools’ legal obligation to address these issues, improvement in both welcoming students’ reports of sexual harassment and violence — and accurately disclosing those incidents in annual reporting—has been slow at all levels of education. These findings further demonstrate our need for full enforcement of strong Title IX and the Clery Act provisions, not a rollback of critical protections for students who experience incidents that are already frequently under- and inaccurately reported.”

She then describes the specific ways in which the proposed regulations roll back critical protections.  Read the full letter.

The public comment period for the proposed changes to Title IX regulations ended on January 30. Over 100,000 comments were submitted.   The Department of Education will now consider the submitted comments and finalize regulations in the coming months.

 

On July 21 members of AAUW Maryland convened at Harford Community College and enjoyed the theme AAUW-MD in Paradise.  Nora Putt and Tracy Lantz, AAUW MD’s Program Vice Presidents, organized an agenda packed with Hawaiian culture and sprinkled with leadership training.  Since we couldn’t all go to Hawaii—they brought Hawaii to us.  As they walked through the door, each attendee was personally greeted in typical Hawaiian E Komo Mai (Welcome) with a presentation of a Hawaiian Lei.

Tracy began by leading a discussion of two TED talks:  Suzanne Simard on “How Trees Talk to Each Other”  and Richard Preston on “The Mysterious Lives of Giant Trees.” .    These inspiring presentations encourage getting out in the world and learning from what we can observe, recognizing opportunities for new growth, saving the “mother trees”—those who nurture others—and regenerating with diversity.

Past-President of AAUW Maryland and member of AAUW’s national Board of Directors, Eileen Menton briefly reviewed the new strategic plan for AAUW.  Four areas of focus in the plan include Education & Training, Economic Security, Leadership, and AAUW Governance & Sustainability.  Eileen encouraged branch leaders to discuss how their branch can contribute to the goals included in the overall plan.

Kate Campbell Stevenson and Susan Wierman, Co-Presidents of AAUW MD, then led the group in a discussion of what we value in AAUW, the challenges faced by Maryland branches, and how leaders with a variety of skills can contribute to meeting the challenges—there is no one right way, and branches can take different paths.  Branches were encouraged to reach out to State officers and other branches for assistance with branch challenges.  Sharing events with other branches or partnering on specific programs are encouraged.  Your state officers are there to help you—please do not hesitate to contact them.

The day included breakout sessions Defining our Ohana-Maryland Women, Present and Future-designed to help new and seasoned branch leaders share and learn from each other.   Topics included membership, communication, branch presidents, and action planning.

Finally, the AAUW MD Board of Directors met to approve continued support for legislative priorities that didn’t get approved in 2018’s General Assembly session, set a goal to raise funds for a Maryland Woman of Distinction to be recognized at the 2019 National Conference for Collegiate Women Student Leaders, and discuss plans for the 2019 AAUW MD Convention.

By:  Cleopatra Campbell

My first confession is that although I have been a member of AAUW for over fifty years, I knew nothing about the AAUW National Conference for College Women Student Leaders (NCCWSL, pronounced Nic Whistle).  I had no memory of the Women of Distinction program, or that, in fact, NCCWSL had been in existence for thirty-four years. The Women of Distinction program has been in existence for thirty-two years, and AAUW Maryland had been the platinum sponsor for seven years.

My introduction to NCCWSL was in a telephone call telling me that I was the Maryland Woman of Distinction for 2017.  Later I learned that the purpose of the conference is to bring women college student leaders together to hear about opportunities to develop leadership skills.  Approximately 1000 women students attended the 2017 conference, coming from all parts of the United States.  The students stayed in dormitories on the University of Maryland campus.  For many of the students, their costs of attendance were paid by donations from individual AAUW branches across the country.

On June 1, 2017, at the student union of the University of Maryland, I was the Maryland woman honored as a woman of distinction, introduced humorously by Margery Sullivan.   AAUW had nominated four other women of distinction.  As the platinum sponsor, AAUW Maryland names its own woman of distinction.  Women previously named as Maryland Women of Distinction include: Jenny Forehand, Janet Crampton, Barbara Fetterhoff, and Dr. Nancy Grace Roman.   Generous donations from AAUW Maryland members provide the platinum sponsorship cost of $20,000.

Along with the national nominees, I gave a short speech.  My message was “invest in yourself.” After the program, over 100 students lined up to meet me and to have their pictures taken.  Their message to me was “thank you for what you have done for women.”

How you can contribute to the 2018 Women of Distinction Ceremony.

Intersectional feminism is to acknowledge multiple overlapping social identities and related systems of oppression. So, while we may want to work under the umbrella term “women,” there is not one global women’s experience. Here are three ways to make sure that your feminism is intersectional. Read more.