Stand up for Democracy on October 18
Join with AAUW members from DAW and other branches in our area to stand up for democracy and women’s rights on October 18! This peaceful event is organized by Indivisible ReSisters Contra Costa in partnership with Commit to Democracy, as part of a nation-wide movement to protest against the chaos, corruption, and cruelty of the current administration.
Bring your family, friends, and neighbors, wear your DAW T-shirt, and be part of the effort to make this the biggest day of action yet!
DAW’s participation on Oct 18 will mark the start of increasing our collaboration with other Contra Costa AAUW branches and raising our visibility together at various local demonstrations. We will build more power together! Plans are in the works for how to show our presence at this event.
Click here to register for the October 18 event.
California Proposition 50 at a Glance
You may have seen or heard recently about California Proposition 50, a crucial measure on the November 4, 2025, Special Election ballot. Here’s a quick rundown.
What is Proposition 50?
Prop 50 asks California voters whether the state should adopt temporary congressional district maps if other states redraw their maps mid-decade for partisan advantage. These temporary maps would apply only if other states redraw their maps, would be used only through the 2026–2030 elections, and would then expire after the next census-driven redistricting.
Why does Prop 50 matter?
Prop 50 preserves the state’s ability to serve all Californians in the face of federal encroachment. Federal encroachment in California in 2025 has included many problematic federal actions, such as:
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- Unwanted deployment of federal police and troops into our public parks and schools
- Unilateral defunding of valued research and educational institutions, based on their commitment to sound scientific inquiry, civil rights protections, and pluralism
These actions and the Project 2025 agenda (on which they are based) are highly unpopular in California, across the United States, and among members of AAUW California. They present a significant threat to many of the things we care about, including AAUW CA’s central mission and focus: advancing equity for women and girls.
We do not acquiesce to the prospect of our state operating in a federal system in which democracy is no longer functional, listing instead toward an authoritarian system that puts troops in our streets, that censors our speech, that erases historical facts, that does not rely on sound science in decision-making, that directly endangers the wellbeing of women and girls, and that dehumanizes important and valued members of our communities.
Supporting Prop 50 is a nonpartisan move to preserve wider democratic norms in California, oppose Project 2025 implementation in California, and continue to advance AAUW California’s mission and public policy priorities.
What is AAUW CA’s position on Prop 50?
AAUW National has advised that, as an organization, AAUW CA is not able to make a formal recommendation about Proposition 50.
AAUW California has committed to present strong education-focused, nonpartisan messaging that emphasizes the potential benefits of Prop 50 for all Californians.
What do I need to do?
- Come up to speed on Prop 50 basics: It’s easy! Check out the Proposition 50 and Get Out the Vote (GOTV) 2025 Guide prepared by the AAUW CA Public Policy team. The guide is clear, succinct, and very user-friendly, with lots of hot links so you can jump to the content of greatest interest to you. To access the guide, click here.
- Join the AAUW CA Public Policy webinar “Project 2025 Impacts on AAUW Values – One Year Later: How to Stop Ongoing Implementation” – Tuesday, October 7, at 7:00 pm. To register, click here.
- Come to our DAW Third Thursday Community Program meeting, on Thursday, October 16, at 6:00 pm, at the Danville Congregational Church to learn more about Prop 50 and many more opportunities to build and broaden civic engagement. To RSVP, click here.
- Contact Ogie Strogatz with any questions about Prop 50 or other AAUW public policy topics at ogstrogatz@gmail.com.
By Ogie Strogatz, DEI Coordinator and AAUW California Public Policy Team member