November Meeting

November Meeting

Happy Hour at House of Bread Farmhouse!

Join us for our November meeting - A Happy Hour and Scholarship Fundraiser at House of Bread Farmhouse!

When: Friday November 15, 4-6 PM

Where: House of Bread Farmhouse, 1025 Farmhouse Ln #1F, San Luis Obispo

(off Broad St., opposite the airport)

Buy a glass of beer ($6), hard kombucha ($8), or wine ($9) from an AAUW SLO Branch Guest Bartender!! Enjoy a tasty meal or treat! Mix and mingle! 

Take home some baked goods or mixes! Do some early holiday shopping! Get a chance to win one of our two special door prizes: a gift basket of goodies OR a gift certificate for a bread baking class!

25% of ALL profits go to our AAUW SLO Branch for Cal Poly, SLO High School, and Tech Trek Scholarships! 

Spread the word! Bring your friends! The more, the merrier!

Watch for our Evite reminder. Rides can be arranged. And if you can't make it, but want to order something, contact Debra and we can make that happen! Donations are appreciated and will be accepted at the event or can be sent to DD.

Hope to see you on November 15!!! And hoping we'll have great things to celebrate, including a very successful fundraiser!

President's Message

"The first bill that President Obama signed into law was the Lilly Ledbetter
Fair Pay Act. I think it says something about his priorities that the first bill
he put his name on has my name on it too. As he said that day with me by
his side, "Making our economy work means making sure it works for
everyone.""

                                             — Lilly Ledbetter, Activist, 1938-2024

2009 Lilly Ledbetter Act Signing - taken by Patricia Ponce at the White House on a recent visit to Washington DC

 

 

The death of Lilly Ledbetter on October 12, 2024 at the age of 86 reminds us of the many challenges past, present, and future and the hard-fought triumphs on the path to achieving pay equity. In 2007, the Supreme Court overturned Ledbetter's suit against Goodyear Tire for the $200,000 in lost wages accrued over her work lifetime. In 2009, newly elected President Obama signed into law the act that bears her name and, although she never benefited from it herself, "this law overturned the Supreme Court's decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., Inc., 550 U.S. 618 (2007), which severely restricted the time period for filing complaints of employment discrimination concerning compensation." (US Equal Opportunity Commission).
 

In case you missed it, I encourage you to read about Ledbetter in the information sent by AAUW President Gloria Blackwell: AAUW’s statement honoring her legacy, as well this AAUW Q&A session. Ms. Ledbetter was a remarkable woman who wanted to — and did —make a difference. In our own small way, our branch was able to honor her legacy when Patricia Ponce, Delfina Medina, and I tabled at Cal Poly on Tuesday, October 15 for Latina and Indigenous Women's Equal Pay Day. We set up a spin
wheel that students could use to win Pay Day and 100 Grand Bars—as you can see from the picture, Ledbetter's name was one of the choices. We had about 50 students come up to our booth (including a couple of former Tech Trekkers). Students were able to learn about the pay equity gap and about student membership in AAUW. Pay Equity and Get Out the Vote stickers were also available. In all, it was a fun and effective outreach event.

 

Spin Wheel for Equal Pay Day at Cal Poly

A big THANK YOU to Diane Howard for both her work in bringing Ed Cabrera to present about the various California Propositions on behalf of the League of Women Voters at our very well-attended October Branch Meeting — I know I came away a more informed voter because of the that — and for her work as Lead Inspector for our two Adopt-A-Poll precincts, and all the responsibilities, organization, attention to detail, and patience that entails. Thank you, Diane!
 

By the time you read this, all the votes for this historic election will have been cast (I hope yours was among them!). Although the final outcome for the presidential and other contests may not yet be known, WHATEVER THE OUTCOME, we know that there will continue to be hard work ahead to secure and expand equity for ALL. With our action and support, AAUW will continue to play a significant role in that effort in the years to come.

 

 

Please help support our efforts by attending our SLO AAUW Branch Happy Hour, Branch Meeting and Scholarships Fundraiser at the House of Bread Farmhouse on Friday, November 15th from 4-6 PM. Owner Sheila McMann, who was a presenter on our Local Women in Business Panel last year, is hosting this event. With her generous support, we will bring home 25% of all proceeds from that evening to fund our SLOHS, Cal Poly, and Tech Trek Scholarships! We are planning to have a few Tech
Trek students there to talk about their experiences, too. 

 

With the holidays right around the corner, this is a great opportunity to do a bit of holiday shopping of some baked goods and mixes while helping our branch meet its goals. You can also have a meal or snacks and some drinks at the restaurant -- it is a happy hour, after all! There will be door prizes, too: a gift basket of goodies OR a gift certificate for a bread baking class! And maybe you'll be back to order some breakfast breads and your pies and rolls for Thanksgiving dinner! Preview the House of Bread menus HERE. Tell your neighbors! Bring your friends! We're looking forward to a lively evening with a great turnout! A delicious time will be had by all!

 

With wishes to all of you for a bountiful and happy Thanksgiving!
 

Debra

Pictures courtesy of Patricia Ponce

Lilly Ledbetter: A Beacon of Equality and Justice

One of AAUW California’s Public Policy Priorities is economic security for all women, including equity in the workplace and enforcement of anti-discrimination statutes. Last week, an icon in the equal pay movement, Lilly Ledbetter, passed away at 86.

Ledbetter’s story is not just one of individual resilience; it embodies the ongoing struggle for women’s equality in the workplace. Lilly worked for nearly two decades at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and uncovered that she was being paid thousands less per year than her male counterparts. This revelation sparked a fire within her, igniting a campaign that would forever alter the landscape of equal pay in America.

In 2007, Ledbetter took her fight to the Supreme Court yet the Court’s ruling was disheartening; it stated that she had filed her complaint outside the statute of limitations. In response to the 5-4 majority opinion, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg provided one her infamous and noteworthy dissenting opinions, calling out the eight male justices for their apathy. “The court does not comprehend or is indifferent to the insidious way in which women can be victims of pay discrimination,” she said, imploring Congress to act.

Undaunted, Lilly remained a voice for many. Her activism ultimately led to the introduction of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, which President Obama signed into law as his first piece of legislation. This landmark act marked a significant victory in the fight for gender equality, sending a clear message that pay discrimination would not be tolerated.

Beyond the legislative impact of the Act, Lilly became an icon of empowerment and perseverance, traveling the world and encouraging others to stand up for their rights. Her memoir, Grace and Grit: My Fight for Equal Pay and Fairness at Goodyear and Beyond emphasized the importance of awareness and action in combating workplace discrimination. At the peak of the #MeToo movement, her opinion piece in the New York Times linked workplace sexual harassment to pay inequity. Lilly, a feature film based on her life, premiered at the Hamptons International Film Festival on October 10, 2024, just two days before her passing. 

Lilly’s journey reminds us that individual stories can catalyze monumental change and that every voice matters in the quest for equality. The AAUW Legal Advocacy Fund (LAF) challenges sex discrimination in higher education and the workplace. The Fund has provided millions in support of hundreds of cases. View Past Cases and Current Cases to learn more.

Ledbetter’s legacy shows us that change is possible through persistence, courage, and community. As we reflect on her contributions, we are called to continue the work of advocating for equality, ensuring that future generations inherit a world where every individual is compensated fairly for their contributions, regardless of gender. Together, we can continue to champion the cause of equality and ensure that Lilly’s legacy endures.

A Successful 2024 Legislative Agenda

By Amy Hom and Missy Maceyko, Co-chairs AAUW California Public Policy

2024 has been an exciting year for AAUW California’s Legislative Agenda. There were many excellent bills that were introduced in the legislature early in the year. The Public Policy Committee evaluated over 60 of these bills that were most closely aligned with our Public Policy Priorities. Our committee met virtually over a weekend in March to discuss and vote on the best bills to include in our 2024 Legislative Agenda, prioritizing them into A, B, C, and Watch categories. We selected 41 bills for our Legislative Agenda, not including the Watch bills, and from March through September we worked to educate about and advocate for these bills.

Thanks to the many AAUW members who participated in Lobby Days, to those who called or wrote to their legislators and the Governor through our Action Alert Network, and thanks in no small part to the tireless efforts of Kathy Van Osten, our Legislative Advocate, 29 of the 41 bills on our Legislative Agenda made it to the Governor’s desk, and 25 of them have been signed into law!

Excitingly, all three of our A priority bills were signed by the Governor:

Our signature bill AB 2843 was authored and sponsored by AAUW California. The bill eliminates cost sharing, including deductibles, from being imposed on any rape survivor seeking medical care following a rape. The bill was inspired when Kathi Harper, Public Policy Director, read an OpEd piece in the Los Angeles Times by Dr. Samuel Dickman, Chief Medical Officer at Planned Parenthood of Montana, describing the plight of countless rape survivors who do not seek medical care following their assault because of prohibitive costs. AB 2843 removes the cost barrier, ensuring that survivors can receive the care they need following a traumatic sexual attack.

AB 2326, also sponsored by AAUW California, requires the Chancellors of the Community Colleges and the State Universities, and the President of the University of California, to provide an annual report of their schools’ compliance with Title IX. The report will be publicly, orally presented to the Senate and Assembly Budget Subcommittees on Education Finance.

AB 2099 makes it possible for the District Attorney to pursue felony charges for the posting of information about reproductive health care patients or providers if the posting and subsequent actions result in bodily injury.

Two of our B priority bills were signed into law: 

AB 1790 requires the CSU system to report on the implementation of recommendations provided in the California State Auditor report, to ensure Title IX compliance and protections against sexual harassment.

AB 1831 expands the law prohibiting the possession and distribution of material depicting minors performing sexual activities to include AI and computer-generated images.

And very significantly, AB 1955 was signed into law. 

This was a C priority bill only because it was added to our Legislative Agenda later in the process. AB 1955 prohibits public schools from notifying parents if their child uses a different name or pronouns or identifies as a different gender than assigned at birth. California is the first state in the nation to ban forced outing of transgender students.

For additional details on all the bills on the 2024 Legislative Agenda, see our bill tracking report HERE.

And if you have not yet signed up for Action Alerts, and would like to be notified about opportunities to advocate for AAUW California’s priority legislation in 2025, please sign up HERE.

AAUW Funds

In addition to the fundraising we do for our branch, fundraising for AAUW National through donations to the AAUW Funds allows our branch to recognize a member through the Named Gift Honoree program. Our branch can nominate one Named Gift Honoree for every $750 donated. So far, about 20% of our branch members have contributed! Thanks to all who have done so!

The AAUW National website fund donations page is currently being updated. At the current time, the only choice available is the Greatest Needs Fund. If you wish to make a donation to a different fund, please contact Tremayne Parquet at the National Office at (800) 326-2289.

If you plan to donate to AAUW Funds before the end of the tax year, please go online to do so. If you prefer giving DD a check to mail in, please try to do so by November 30, 2024. She will need to send those in at the beginning of December in order to allow some time for National to deposit your checks. If you have questions, please call or email DD or Debra.

Thank you for your support of AAUW National!

DEI and Native American Heritage Month

On October 24, 2024, President Biden made a long overdue apology to the US Indigenous Community for the US government's practice of forcing native children to enroll in Federal Boarding Schools over a 150-year span. The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition presents a very extensive website about Indian Boarding Schools in both the US and Canada and the historical trauma that has been their legacy.

In honor of Native American Heritage Month, here are two other sources to peruse.

The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum present a number of resources to honor Native American Heritage Month.

Learn more about the yak titʸu titʸu yak tiłhini (YTT) Northern Chumash Tribe of San Luis Obispo County.

Dining Out

Our October Dine Out night was held recently at Mirazur in Los Osos. It was recommended by Gail Wakefield, and the 7 of us who attended enjoyed the evening immensely. The food was tasty and the conversation lively. You will notice our smiley faces in the picture with this article. 

For our November Dine Out night on Wednesday, November 20, we will be heading back down to Pismo Beach at the request of many who attended our September outing to Rosa's. We will dine at Ada's Fish House right across the street from Rosa's and owned by the same family. I attended a birthday luncheon there, and it was delicious. I'm looking forward to experiencing a dinner as well. We will meet at 6 pm, and the address is 558 Price St. Their parking lot is behind the restaurant. They are updating the parking lot next to the restaurant. Please email or text me if you plan to attend. If you need a ride, do let me know, and one will be provided. I hope many of you will join us for the evening. Our group is growing, and I hope it continues to do so. See you on November 20.

Looking ahead to December, our annual Christmas Dine Out night will again be held in the Madonna Inn Copper Cafe. The date is December 18, one week before Christmas. A perfect time to celebrate with fellow AAUW colleagues. Please put it in your calendar and plan to attend. You do not have to rsvp for this now.

Esther Pudlo
Dine Out Coordinator

 

October Dine Out at Mirazur

Brown Bags & Books

In October the Brown Bags & Books group (BB&B) met for a lively discussion of Tommy Orange’s There There.

This group gathers monthly (usually September through May) on second Tuesdays. We’ll meet next on Tuesday, November 12 at 12:30 pm in the library room at the Laguna Lake Mobile Estates on Prefumo Canyon Road in SLO. Pat Gagala will lead a discussion of a work whose title sounds most topical, Lula Deans’s Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller.

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

Birthdays

 

Sandy Amborn: Nov. 23rd

Theodora Jones: Nov. 1st