April Branch Meeting

April Branch Meeting = Movie Night

Now Showing: "LILLY"

The true story of Lilly Ledbetter, an Alabama tire factory supervisor who, with AAUW's help, fought sexual harassment, gender discrimination and equal pay inequity.

Please join us FRIDAY, April 10, 2026 at 6:30 pm at the home of DD Patrick. 

• Relax and enjoy recliner seating, heated blankets and movie theater snacks.
• Watch for an email with more about Lilly Ledbetter.  In the meantime, read this short narrative about Lilly and what she accomplished. 
• Please RSVP to your Evite or via email to Gail Wakefield by Tuesday, April 7th.

President's Message

My daughter Karyn was recently in New York and went to visit the New York Public Library. There she picked up a magnet for me with a quote by Ruth Bader Ginsburg that I am sharing with you in honor of Women's History Month, which was this past March — and which might inspire you to take on a leadership or co-leadership role in our branch this next year!

“Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. It shouldn’t be that women are the exception.” — Ruth Bader Ginsburg, USA Today interview, 2009

Unfortunately, given my mom‘s circumstances, I find that I will not be able to throw my hat in the ring for another term as president. This is a vital position, and we are looking for someone to fill it starting this July for 2026-2027. And it can be a co-presidency. I will be around to offer my support as the current past president, and while there are some duties that are of necessity, you would not need to do the job in the same way that I did it! You as the person (or persons) stepping into the position would be able to make it your own. 

And you would not be alone. Several current officers and board members from this past year are willing to continue in their current roles. Jenny Lapidus has indicated her interest in continuing as secretary, Gail Wakefield as membership VP, and DD Patrick as treasurer. These are the main elected roles. Erin will stay on as newsletter and website coordinator, Shelly as communications coordinator, and others, too. Thank you to all who will continue in these critical roles. I will also continue in various support roles – as AAUW Funds contact, as our Cal Poly liaison from the branch, as the Cal Poly scholarship coordinator, as the diversity contact, and as the public policy/advocacy contact, though I’m happy to share these responsibilities with any interested others! And a special thank you to our nominating committee, DD Patrick, Susan Updegrove, and Gail Wakefield, who reached out to verify those who will continue and to identify two new additions to the leadership team: Cheryl Vines who will serve with Gail as a membership co-VP and Nancy Pinkel who will shadow DD in her role as treasurer/finance VP.

April marks Sexual Assault Awareness Month. A bombshell that was dropped at the end of the month of March was the coming forward of women who were molested, raped, or sexually assaulted by Cesar Chavez, including Dolores Huerta who is recognized as a co-founder of the farmworker movement. As someone who has met and interacted with Dolores Huerta and admired her for the longest time, I fully support her and the other women who have come forward. I am also proud of the Latino community for making it clear that Chavez is no longer the hero we had believed him to be. The swift and immediate reaction to demanding the removal of his name from buildings and schools and streets, as well as renaming, and, I would hope, eventually moving the day that will become a workers celebration day, is also in the works. You can read Ms. Huerta's full statement here, though be forewarned that it does contain references to sexual violence. 

Debra and Dolores Huerta at Cal Poly in May 2018

To end with words of hers that serve here to bookend those of Justice Ginsburg:

We do need women in civic life. We do need women to run for office, to be in political office. We need a feminist at the table when decisions are being made so that the right decisions will be made.

SÍ, se puede!

Debra Valencia-Laver
President

March Meeting Summary

On Saturday, March 21st, ten members of the AAUW SLO branch attended the March meeting of the AAUW Five Cities-Pismo Beach branch. The featured speaker was Brandee Brown Puett, Development Director of Lumina Alliance. She shared with us about the programs and services of the local organization that supports survivors of sexual and intimate partner violence. Brandee is familiar with AAUW because she is the mother of a 2025 Tech Trek student from Los Osos. Some of the services they offer include a 24-hour crisis & information line, advocacy & legal referrals, emergency shelter, transitional housing, therapy, and prevention.

Following the program, the Five Cities members held a business meeting that some of our members observed.  Its purpose was to discuss whether to disband the branch or merge it with another. They decided to continue for another year, during which time they will work toward a merger with another branch.

Gail Wakefield 

February Meeting Summary

Our February 21st Branch Meeting titled "An Art Experience Event" was a great success! Jenny Lapidus and Esther Pudlo, co-chairs for this event, want to thank all members and their guests for attending both parts of the art experience. Overall, we had 35 attendees. An amazing number of attendees from our sister branch, Five Cities-Pismo Beach, joined us for the morning. They had 15 branch members and some guests. Our branch had 15 members attend. We even had a few from the Morro Bay Branch.

We started at the Eden Contemporary Art Gallery on Osos Street, owned by Sheryl Chesnut. After a tasty Continental Breakfast, Sherril talked about the history of her gallery in SLO, and then proceeded to introduce us to the women artists she shows there. There were some beautiful paintings on the walls and sculptures on pedestals.

We then walked down to the San Luis Art Museum for a docent led tour of the galleries. The show was closing that weekend, so it was extra special to be able to learn about the paintings shown in the main gallery before it closed. Our docent, Sue Sacks, knew a lot about the artist, who was from India and had sent her paintings to SLO for this particular show. Sue answered our many questions and then took us outside to the murals on the outside walls of the museum and explained what each wall represented.

As soon as the Network is re-modeled, the museum will move there. At that time, we will need to do another "Art Experience Event" but start with a different art gallery and go on to the new San Luis Art Museum. Do plan to join us then.

Jenny Lapidus and Esther Pudlo
Co-Chairs for the Branch Meeting

Sheryl Chesnut, owner of Edna Contemporary Fine Art

  

Docent at the SLO Museum of Art

Meeting organizers Jenny and Esther and Five Cities branch president at the gallery with members looking on.

NOTICE OF DUES INCREASE effective APRIL 1, 2026

Back in February 2025 the AAUW Board of Directors voted to increase AAUW National individual member dues by $2 per year for two years. Beginning April 1, 2026 the member dues will be as follows:

Individual Membership (renewable annually)
    National: $76, State: $30,  Branch: $21, Total: $127

To be a Life Member
    National: $1,520 one-time payment, State: $30, Branch: $21
Existing life members pay only State & Branch dues annually

College/University (C/U) Partner School Representative (ours is Cal Poly)
    National: $0, State: $0, Branch: $21
The College/University Partner School pays annual dues of $250 and is entitled to two representatives.

Memberships for Students of AAUW C/U Partner Schools
    National: $0, State: $10, Branch: $8

Memberships for Students of Non-AAUW C/U Partner Schools
    National: $18.81, State: $10, Branch: $8

New Member Campaigns
“Shape the Future” for new members who join AAUW at a public event
    National: $38, State: $30, Branch: $21

Current members of our branch will receive a renewal reminder email from AAUW National the month prior to their membership expiration.

Gail Wakefield
Membership VP

Welcome New Member Anne Ciesielski

Anne Ciesielski is a Senior Emerging Markets Manager – Business Development Manager for a book of hotels. She recently returned to the Central Coast to be closer to her parents. Her mother, Barbara Ciesielski, has been a long-time member of AAUW SLO Branch.  

Anne graduated from Columbia College with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a minor in Sociology. In her spare time she enjoys strategy board games, writing and painting. She has traveled to Central America, Mexico and Canada.

Gail Wakefield 

Membership VP

Welcome New Member Cheryl Vines

Cheryl Vines is a native Californian and has lived on the Central Coast most of her life. She grew up in Nipomo, where she resides with her husband of forty-three years and their dog Luckey. Cheryl enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, dancing, biking and taking long walks on the beach or a country road. 

She is Owner/Interior Designer of Mesa Design Group, a full-service interior and landscape design firm since 2008 (locally owned and operated). Cheryl received her formal education in Interior Design from UC Riverside. In 2022 she established WICK-IT CANDLE CO, which creates luxury, handcrafted 100% soy candles and more.

Cheryl is an active member in her community and is one of the founders and a charter member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) SLO County. Cheryl is passionate about women’s rights and currently serves as a Commissioner (She was appointed to represent District 4.) for the San Luis Obispo County Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, the advisory board that advocates for women’s rights and policies to improve the lives of women and girls across the county.

She is involved with other community associations including Cuesta College Foundation Board of Directors, SLO FOOD CO-OP Board of Directors, and the American Society of Interior Designers.

Gail Wakefield 

Membership VP

Tech Trek Update

While we had multiple nominations from math and science teachers, only nine girls completed their applications. Some had conflicting family vacations already scheduled, and at least one, according to her mother, was because her daughter “was being stubborn and wouldn’t listen”. If you have had a daughter, I think you can relate to the difficulty of getting a 12 year old girl to do what you want, especially if it is good for her! 

We have reserved 10 spaces, 5 at UCSB and 5 at UCSC. There are other branches in the county who will be delighted to take over our unused spot. Interviews and the selection will occur on April 11th. Thanks again to Mila LaBarre for opening up her classroom at Laguna Middle School on a Saturday for the interviews. 

Cindy Treichler and Susan Updegrove
Co-coordinators, Tech Trek

Update on new Tech Trek Alumnae group (TTAG)

There are nine members of the newly formed TTAG! I met with four of last year’s alumnae in December to discuss what our TTAG is and determine our goals. Seven lively alumnae gathered at our first meeting on 2/21/26 in a park. We determined executive board roles and made plans for our next meeting on April17, where a mother (engineer) of one of the participants will discuss the path to her career and about her career experiences. We had a potluck-type picnic and played games to get re-acquainted. We committed to meeting every two months. 

My request of AAUW members:
The alums are asking for STEM guest speakers to learn more about potential careers. A special request is to hear from someone who uses math in their job! If you or someone you know is willing to talk to this delightful group, please let me know. They also are interested in volunteering and fundraising activities for future tech trekkers, so please send your ideas to me.

Peggy Papathakis, TTAG coordinator 

Lunch with AAUW CEO Gloria Blackwell

Seven members of our branch attended the February 7 luncheon in Lompoc sponsored by the AAUW Santa Barbara Interbranch Council. The featured speaker was our National AAUW CEO, Gloria Blackwell.

Everyone mentioned that they enjoyed the food and the opportunity to meet with members of other branches. Their impression of Gloria’s talk was that she focused a lot on grants, fellowships and partnering with other coalitions. She talked about the impact of the endowed Fellowships and Grants and explained the need for donations to AAUW’s Greatest Need Fund. Her emphasis was on what AAUW is doing in Washington, D.C., to make sure that our voices are being heard, including working in alliances with many organizations that have goals that are in concert with AAUW goals. She also described our role at the United Nations. At the local level we often feel like we are not very visible, but it seems that at the national level, especially in the Washington, D.C., area, AAUW and what it stands for is well known.

For those who aren’t aware, some current areas of AAUW effort are

• Title IX
• It's My Vote Campaign...Partnering with The League of Women Voters
• Belonging to Multiple Coalitions
• Working on Public Policies
• Partnering with the Commission on the Status of Women and Girls
• Alliance for Higher Education

Members were encouraged to become ‘two minute activists’ to contribute to the National office’s efforts to influence government policy. (https://www.aauw.org/act/two-minute-activist/)

There was also a short update from Mayra Puente, the AAUW Fellow who spoke at last year’s luncheon, about her research project “Rural Latinx Students’ College Access and Choice Processes in California’s Central Coast.”

The luncheon was not one-sided knowledge sharing. Gloria went back to her office with ‘brag sheets’ from the branches whose members attended so she could see the impact that we are having on our local communities.

The News section of AAUW's website references two articles in the Lompoc Record which will give you additional perspective on the luncheon.  (The group photo in the first article was supposed to be of past branch presidents, but not all past presidents present were found and included.)

https://lompocrecord.com/news/local/central-coast-aauw-branches-convene-to-fortify-national-local-priorities/article_6fd67d2f-96b7-516c-b4d1-8c86c5ae8c67.html

https://lompocrecord.com/news/local/aauw-ceo-gloria-blackwell-brings-national-message-to-central-coast/article_4be39b21-43aa-51b9-95e3-40e10c426d83.html

Shelly Johnson

Mayra Puente, former AAUW Fellow

Gloria Blackwell, AAUW CEO

Communications from AAUW California

 AAUW CA send two monthly newsletters to members.  The Board to Board (B2B) is sent to all branch leaders that are listed in the Branch Officer Report (BOR) that is submitted to AAUW California in June each year (and updated as necessary).  It is normally sent on the 5th of the month.  The California Compass (CC) is sent to all members, usually on the 10th of the month.

If you don’t think you’ve been getting the newsletters you are expecting, it’s possible you have inadvertently unsubscribed.  Write to webteam@aauw-ca.org to investigate or ask me for help.

If you want to read old issues of either newsletter, they are posted on the AAUW California website.  The latest of each is on the home page and the latest one can lead you to prior ones.

If you are considering taking on a leadership position in the branch, reading some of the old B2B will give you an idea of the kind of support that is provided to you from the state leadership team.  You won’t be on your own.

If you are interested in public policy, each issue of the monthly B2B has suggestions for taking action on an issue.  For more background information and ideas for action, look at the public policy newsletter.  Recent issues are posted on the AAUW California website in the Public Policy section and can be found with this link.

Shelly Johnson
Communications

Dining Out

Our February Dine Out Night was held at Milestone Tavern on Foothill and our hostess was Mary Howell. Seven members and three husbands enjoyed the food and company in the back room. Being seated there allowed us to talk without a lot of other conversation coming from the bar. The food was tasty and plentiful, and our server was eager for us to have a lovely evening. Best of all, separate checks were available.

Our March Dine Out Night was held at Mama's Meatball in the Creamery. Our hosts were Gail Wakefield and Ann Ciesielski. We had an excellent turn-out. There were 13 of us. This included four couples, which is our record. Most of us used the new parking garage. It was opened the day before with the first month free. The food was delicious and no one went away hungry. The service was superb and the separate checks were a bonus. I would highly recommend this restaurant for a night out.

Our hostess for April is Erin Egelkrout and she has chosen La Esquina Taqueria, a restaurant also in the Creamery. The address is 1049 Nipomo St. The Dine Out Night will be the fourth Wednesday, instead of the third, as Erin will be coming back from a trip. The date is April 22, but the time remains the same--6:00 pm. This restaurant has been described as "flavorful fine Mexican cuisine featuring a perfect twist on all classics." RSVP to Erin by April 20th, so she can let the restaurant know how to set up our tables. The manager has informed her that separate checks might be available, depending on the number of customers that night. Be aware of this, so bring cash just in case. Parking is best in the new parking garage. It is a short walk to the restaurant. We have been adding more to our group monthly, and I hope we continue to do so.

I have no hostess for May and June. If you haven't hosted yet, do consider one of these months. Just contact me and tell me which month you would be willing to set up the restaurant. I do everything else. If no one steps forward, I will handle both months. We do not meet during the summer but will resume in September.

Esther Pudlo
Dine Out Coordinator


The Dining Out group at Mama's Meatball

BBnB

Attention, April AAUW readers, 

Our final two books, for the final two months of the 2025-26 year, have been somersaulted. Consequently, we will read Fresh Water for Flowers for April 14 and The Glassblower of Murano for May 12. Descriptions below.

All AAUW members are invited to attend the April 14, 2026, meeting of our reading group. We gather at 12:30 PM on the second Tuesday, with our brown bag lunches or snacks and beverage, in the annex library at Laguna Lake Mobile Estates at 1801 Prefumo Canyon Road in San Luis Obispo.

At the March meeting, members agreed to busily gather their best-read book selections and send them to me for compilation. There is no limit to the number of books that may be submitted. Discussion and voting for the 2026-2027 reading list will take place at the May 12 meeting.

Nancy Page, Group Coordinator 

Fresh Water for Flowers, by Valerie Perrin, 2020, 482 pages. 

Violette Toussaint is the caretaker at a cemetery in a small town in Bourgogne, France. Traversing the grounds by unicycle, tending to her many gardens—and being present for the intimate, often humorous confidences of visitors—Violette's life follows the predictable rhythms of mourning. But then Violette's routine is disrupted by the arrival of Julien Sole, the local police chief. Julien has come to scatter the ashes of his recently deceased mother on the gravesite of a complete stranger. It soon becomes clear that Julien's inexplicable gesture is intertwined with Violette's own complicated past. Reviewer is Miki Gillman.

The Glassblower of Murano, by Marina Fiorato, 2009, 348 pages.  

Venice, 1681. Glassblowing is the lifeblood of the Republic, and Venetian mirrors are more precious than gold. Jealously guarded by the murderous Council of Ten, the glassblowers of Murano are virtually imprisoned on their island in the lagoon. But the greatest of the artists, Corradino Manin, sells his methods and his soul to the Sun King, Louis XIV of France, to protect his secret daughter. In the present day his descendant, Leonora Manin, leaves an unhappy life in London to begin a new one as a glassblower in Venice. As she finds new life and love in her adoptive city, her fate becomes inextricably linked with that of her ancestor and the treacherous secrets of his life begin to come to light. Reviewer is Debra Valencia-Laver.

February March April Birthdays

 

Pat Gagala   February 6th

Charlene Hopp   February 9th 

Maggie Bodemer   February 18th

Gail Wakefield   February 23rd 

Diane Reynolds   February 28th 

Mary Howell   March 11th

Erin Egelkrout   March 14th

Esther Pudlo   March 14th

Mary Jefferson   March 18th 

Pegi Vaudrey   April 2nd 

Elise Patrick Beem   April 5th

Denise Yaffe   April 8th

Dana Easton   April 11th 

Shay Blackburn   April 21st

Beverly Cohen   April 23rd