January Branch Meeting: KOR Kitchen SLO: An Afghan Success

Our AAUW SLO Branch is joining AAUW Five Cities–Pismo Beach to welcome speaker Sophia Zekria, refugee, immigrant, and entrepreneur as she presents KOR Kitchen SLO: An Afghan Success.

When - Saturday, January 25, 2025 at 10:00 a.m.

Location - Mesa Dunes Mobile Home Park Club House,

765 Mesa View Drive, Arroyo Grande (located at the top of the hill in the park)

Guest Speaker, Sophia Zekria, is a refugee from Afghanistan who relocated to San Luis Obispo. Learn about Sophia’s life and her accomplishments as an entrepreneur. She started KOR Kitchen in San Luis Obispo. Learn first-hand about her efforts to adjust to life in the United States.

Rides can be arranged! Let Gail or Debra know if you're interested in attending! We hope to see you there!

From KOR's website:

“At KOR, we are more than just a restaurant - we are a testament to resilience, passion, and the enduring spirit of Afghan culture. Founded by Sophia Zekria, KOR is a culinary haven where traditional Afghan recipes come to life with modern flair.

Our journey began amidst the chaos of relocation from Afghanistan to the United States, fueled by a deep love for our heritage and a desire to share it with the world. Through KOR, we aim to not only tantalize taste buds but also to shed light on the resilience and talent of Afghan women who continue to inspire hope in the face of adversity.

From the fragrant spices of Qabuli pallow to the delicate sweetness of rice pudding, each dish tells a story of survival, perseverance, and the indomitable spirit of our people. Join us at KOR and experience the warmth of Afghan hospitality, one delicious bite at a time.”

President's Message

Our December branch meeting was a grand success and a great way to end 2024! The generosity and work of our branch members in gathering and donating items and then assembling them in holiday packages for those in need is an exemplification of good people coming together to do good work ― and we had fun, too!! Thank you to all who participated in this effort, with special shout outs to Mary Howell for coordinating this effort (see her story for more details) and to DD Patrick for hosting the event at her home, providing myriad tasty treats, and making the arrangements for the carolers to delight us with their spirit and songs!

As we consider other ways to be involved with the SLO community this year, I am reminded of our interest in helping with the SLO Food Bank and/or Glean SLO. I will be finding and sending out information on how we can proceed with these as volunteer activities for the branch. In this month's newsletter, there is also some information on AAUW's Lobby Days (Tuesday, April 8 in-person in Sacramento; Wednesday, April 9 via Zoom). Unfortunately, I won't be able to participate this year, but it would be super if our branch had at least one representative participating. I would be happy to answer any questions if you have an interest. If you've made a resolution to be more involved with AAUW or the community in 2025, any of these opportunities may just be the ticket!

Happy New Year!!?? To continue last month's theme of self-care in troubled times, I am wishing all of us a 2025 where we experience joy and purpose with the people, activities, and causes that our closest to our hearts, that we take care of ourselves, and that we extend grace and generosity to others, especially those who are facing challenging times.

Finally, we commemorate two Nobel Peace Prize recipients this month. The National Day of Mourning for President Jimmy Carter is Thursday, January 9 and Martin Luther King Jr. will be commemorated this year on Monday, January 20. Although the two never met, they shared many of the same values. Here are two short quotes from each to inspire us in this year ahead.

"If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way."
— Martin Luther King Jr.

“We must adjust to changing times and still hold to unchanging principles.”
― Jimmy Carter

Debra Valencia-Laver
President

A Holiday Short Story: It All Happened at DD's

The December AAUW Branch Meeting was, once again, a social—(and, Lo, these many years) a social service—Success! December 14th was the time of this event; DD Patrick's home was the spot where it all happened. Rain was expected, so the entire Affair occupied much of the Patrick family home. The Weather turned sunny.

And cutting to the chase, the intrepid group of members and guests who prepared our Holiday Gift Bags to distribute to CAPSLO (Community Action Partnership) made quick work of this annual project—providing many dozens of practical and cheerful gifts! Glittery, be-ribboned, and filled with dental products, shampoos, toiletries and other gifties, the bags made for a festive sight.

It was a hybrid Social Occasion, starting with the Big Sorting of toiletries and care-and-comfort items (donated by members and some guests and also purchased by the Branch). Among all the Largess, we were fortunate to have large numbers of toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes, dermatology samples, socks, and fresh new white washcloths acquired and donated by members and guests. The many and varied items filled numerous boxes and tubs on large tables.

Following the Sort there was a mini-Holiday Concert with guest singers who harmonized for us and a festive Lunch, (including warm Chicken Chili and Desserts laid out by hosts DD Patrick and Family and enjoyed on a huge dining room table, by many). All of this was followed by a speedy gift assembly production, next to the grand piano! The result was 153 shimmery Gift Bags.

And after all the Activity, the attendees were handed small succulent plants, potted in coffee- and teacups by, again, our Hostess DD, and sent on their Merry way.

At this juncture, the many boxes and bags of Bags were driven away in Mary's car, and handed off to the very appreciative staff at CAPSLO.

The End.

Except for another run by me to the stores, to buy more goods to utilize remaining supplies and fill more Gift Bags. Our grand Total was 171 AAUW Gift Bags.

The Solo method was utilized to finish that additional Extra, which illustrates (as it did during the Pandemic) that many hands really Do make light work!! The Score: group of great volunteers "Zowie." Soloist: "Fair—& Points for Participation."

Please send our thanks to everyone who participated!
Yours Truly, "P for P!"
And Thanks, All!

Mary Howell

Pictures from December Gift Bag Meeting

A wonderful time was had by all as shown by these photos of our gift bag assembly and musical entertainment.  Thank you also to DD for arranging a delicious meal!

                              

Congratulations on Our Five Star Achievement!

In mid-December, I received the following from AAUW National:

It is with great pleasure that I share some exciting news—AAUW San Luis Obispo (CA) Branch has achieved a star in AAUW’s FY24 Five Star Program! Your branch attained the Programming star. This recognition is a testament to the dedication, hard work, and commitment of your branch members to advancing AAUW’s mission of gender equity for women and girls.

The Five Star Program is designed to honor branches that align their work with AAUW’s strategic priorities in areas such as Advancement, Public Policy & Advocacy, Governance & Sustainability, Programming, and Communications & External Relations. Earning a star is an incredible accomplishment, and we are thrilled to celebrate this success with you.

While we will be updating the AAUW website soon to reflect all the branches that have earned stars this year, we wanted to ensure your branch received this good news first. Your achievement will be highlighted alongside other winning branches, showcasing your vital role in supporting AAUW’s mission both locally and nationally. State leadership will be informed in the coming days.

Congratulations again on this well-deserved recognition. Thank you for your continued leadership and dedication to creating a more equitable world. If you have any questions or would like additional resources to help your branch continue its progress in the Five Star Program, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Tremayne A. Parquet (he/him/his)
Deputy Director of Advancement, AAUW

Thank you all for the good work you do to support our branch!

Lobby Days 2025 - Save the Date!

by Rhonda Skipper, Member AAUW California Public Policy Committee

Get ready to advance legislation that makes a difference! This spring the AAUW California 2025 Lobby Days event will be held over two days: an in-person meeting day at the State Capitol on Tuesday, April 8 and a virtual meeting day over Zoom on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. We encourage all AAUW California members to participate in this opportunity for advocacy that is essential to achieve our legislative priorities!

Starting in January, the Public Policy Committee will evaluate new bills introduced in the state legislature which are aligned with our Public Policy Priorities. In mid March, the committee will meet to select 30-35 bills to make up AAUW California’s 2025 Legislative Agenda, including the top three bills that we will advance during Lobby Days. Training materials on these three bills will be posted on the state website by March 26, 2025, and a mandatory training webinar will be held on March 31, 2025 at 7:00pm.

A registration form will arrive in your inbox in early January 2025. Please be sure to complete and return the form so that you get necessary updates about Lobby Days, including your team and meeting details.

After you register, you will be assembled into teams of 3 or 4 AAUW members and matched with Assembly and Senate districts. For in-person meetings, each team will be scheduled to meet with at least 3 legislative offices while for Zoom meetings, each team will be scheduled to meet with 1 to 3 legislative offices. Regardless of whether you are in-person or online, each meeting will last for 15 to 30 minutes.

Because legislators have many commitments during the busy legislative season, most Lobby Days meetings will be held with legislative staffers and it is not always possible to schedule AAUW members with their own legislators. However, be assured that these meetings are always impactful: because teams will be representing AAUW California as a bill sponsor and/or supporter, legislative offices will consider these meetings to be as important as constituent meetings.

Lobby Days 2025 is scheduled to take place just before the legislature adjourns on April 10th for Spring Recess. AAUW members are encouraged to participate in-person on April 8, 2025, and directly advocate at the State Capitol as these in-person meetings are the most effective way to advance our priority legislation. Even though we know that being in-person is impactful, AAUW California is not able to pay for your travel to Lobby Day in Sacramento. For those who are not able to come to the Capitol, there will be an opportunity to meet with legislative offices virtually via Zoom on April 9, 2025.

We understand that travel incurs a cost, and we appreciate you considering the in-person option. If you can afford to take a road trip, consider carpooling with your fellow members, and if driving a long distance, sharing accommodations to make in-person Lobby Day a more budget friendly event.

NOTE In addition to our members, this year some of your Lobby Days teams will include college students who have been invited to join in via a college outreach pilot project. Through this project, we will be distributing Lobby Days event flyers to several colleges and universities from November to February. Increased college student participation will enable us to reach more legislative offices; however, most importantly, we hope that this introduction to AAUW will inspire advocacy-minded young people who share our values to join AAUW.

If you have participated in Lobby Days in the past, we would love to hear your feedback on what worked and what didn’t. Please send your comments to publicpolicy@aauw-ca.org.

Lobby Days is a wonderful opportunity to meet with legislative offices and advance bills to promote gender equity and improve the lives of women and girls. We hope that you will join us in this important activity to promote our values.

In Memoriam - Linda Thompson

Former AAUW SLO Branch Member, Linda Thompson, passed away at the age of 84 on October 16th, 2024 in Tucson, Arizona. AAUW was an important part of her life. She held memberships in a branch in Oregon and then later in our branch. In our branch, she partnered with the Friends of the Library (FOL) to bring an in-school reading program to Hawthorne Elementary School. Later, the renamed FOL/AAUW In-School Reading Program expanded to C.L. Smith Elementary School, with former member Dolores Soll as co-coordinator. On Linda's obituary page, which can be read here, current members, Susan Updegrove and DD Patrick shared their remembrances of Linda, recalling her — and their — involvement in this very meaningful activity.

The reading program, which was suspended during COVID, paired "each adult volunteer with children for two weekly, one-on-one 30-minute reading sessions. Volunteers model the joy of reading while supporting each child’s efforts to read independently. Each student participant receives books to take home, as research has shown that shared book reading and the availability of books in the home during a child’s first formative years are the strongest predictors of early literacy skills."

Linda's passing reminds me that given the success that this program had, we have been considering if there's a way to revive this program post-COVID, which would require a new coordinator. Maybe that's you?

With condolences to Linda's family and friends, Debra

Equal Rights Amendment - The Fight Continues

Unfortunately, there is no longer a path for the ERA in the 118th Congress, but our work continues in coalition. AAUW joined the League of Women Voters and more than 140 partners in a recent letter calling on President Biden to act for publication of the ERA. As you may have seen, the U.S. Archivist and Deputy Archivist recently issued a statement on the ERA ratification process. Gloria Blackwell, AAUW CEO, responded: “We are extremely frustrated at the National Archivist’s refusal to publish the ERA. Her decision to side with the Trump administration and against legal scholars and the American Bar Association is reprehensible. Dr. Shogan, publish the ERA. Women around the country have waited long enough.”

AAUW will never give up on the ERA and encourages folks to continue taking action by making our voices heard. To read more about the ERA, please visit https://www.equalrightsamendment.org.

Are Gender-based Scholarships Problematic?

Not for AAUW, but the current legal and political climate has made universities wary to offer them.

by Missy Maceyko, Co-chair AAUW California Public Policy Committee

Title IX of the Higher Education Act of 1972 bans sex-based discrimination in educational institutions that receive federal funding. An outgrowth of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which offers workplace protections on the basis of ‘sex,’ Title IX was created to address historical marginalization on the basis of sex/gender in education. In sum, Title IX was created to provide women with equal access and success in educational institutions, to redress the historical marginalization of women in educational settings relative to men.

The definition of what counts as sex-based discrimination has necessarily expanded over the years, eventually coming to protect everyday Americans from things like pregnancy discrimination and gender-stereotype discrimination (e.g. not getting a promotion because you are not performing in a way that aligns with the gender you are perceived to be). In 2024, the Biden Administration extended a 2020 Supreme Court decision about LGBTQ+ workplace discrimination to Title IX, providing protections to the LGBTQ+ community by acknowledging that LGBTQ+ discrimination is often the result of animus derived from gender stereotyping.

The spirit of Title IX is to protect those who have been historically marginalized on the basis of sex/gender. However, as part of the larger pushback against social justice and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), we have seen a sharp uptick in watchdog efforts and legal action around educational programs and scholarships focusing on fostering gender (and racial) equity. Those bringing these lawsuits suggest that programs and scholarships that are explicitly for women violate Title IX because they discriminate against men. For instance, between 2016 and 2022, Mark Perry, an emeritus professor at the University of Michigan’s Flint campus and a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, filed 410 Title IX complaints against universities that offer programs or awards for women, but not men.

Lawsuits like those brought by Mark Perry lean in to the concept of equality, the idea that fairness is giving everyone the exact same things. This is opposed to leaning into the concept of equity, where fairness is reaching equilibrium by giving some individuals and groups different protections and support to make sure that everyone has what they need to succeed. If one student scrapes their knee and you give everyone a bandaid, this is equality. If one student scrapes their knee and you give only that student a bandaid, this is equity. Leaning into equality work does not make sense when equity should be the target to redress an historical and/or current harm.

However, given the threats of legal action to DEI programs, and given the ongoing legal wrangling over rules and guidance about gender equity and gender equality under Title IX, many educational institutions are unsure about the legality of their gender equity programs and initiatives. Furthermore, the threat of legal action has had a chilling effect as institutions with shrinking budgets fear the cost and burden of ongoing legal challenges based on gender equality and equity efforts.

Scholarships that seek to target protected groups to overcome historical forms of marginalization have become a target in the larger attack against DEI, Title VII, and Title IX. If a college or university is wary of listing your AAUW scholarship, this might be why. AAUW does not receive federal funding under Title IX, so can offer gender-specific scholarships and programs without this same fear.

Brown Bags N Books

This group gathers monthly (usually September through May) on second Tuesdays. We’ll meet next on January 14 at 12:30 pm in the library room at the Laguna Lake Mobile Estates on Prefumo Canyon Road in SLO. Susan Updegrove will lead a discussion of Take My Hand by Dole Perkins-Valdez.

BB&B readers often bring a lunch or something to share to our meetings. If you have questions, reach out to Gina Kirk.

Dining Out

I hope everyone had a lovely holiday season and a good New Year.  It's now time to kick off 2025 for the Dine Out Group.  Our December outing had to be canceled due to so many of our attendees having holiday conflicts with our date.  As a result, to have our annual Madonna Dine Out dinner, our January restaurant will be the Madonna Copper Cafe.  The date is Wednesday, January 15th at 6 pm.  I hope many of you will attend.  Please email me if you can join us.  A ride can be provided.  Just let me know when you rsvp.

 

Esther Pudlo

Watercolor Painting

January is for daffodils and flowers! Come paint watercolors with us!  

Saturday, January 18, 2-4:30 pm at our home

We will follow a video of your choice and nibble some healthy snacks.

Jeans and tennis shoes please.

Sherill and Robert Atkins

January Birthdays

Bette Kulp          Jan 5

Jenny Lapidus    Jan 8

Sherill Atkins     Jan 9

Shelly Johnson  Jan 30