Deborah Wechsler
(November) We are almost there – election day! Many of us have already sent in our ballots. I trust everyone who is a member of AAUW is engaged in our elections, making informed choices and using the information from forums and reliable media sources to vote with our heads and hearts. While I was traveling in the Owens Valley last month, we visited Manzanar, one of the Japanese internment camps used during WWII, to our country’s shame. At the museum (which I highly recommend visiting) I encountered this quote from Charles Evans Hughes, who was Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court from 1930-1941. This statement is as valid today, perhaps even more so, than it was when Chief Justice Hughes expressed it:
“You may think that the Constitution is your security – it is nothing but a piece of paper… it is nothing at all, unless you have sound and uncorrupted public opinion.”
This speaks directly to our mission and values as members of AAUW – to identify, publicize and offer education opportunities for ourselves and for all in our communities, so as to ensure sound and informed opinions and actions.
– Deborah
(October 2024) I am writing this from the Eastern Sierra, where I’m camping with my husband and dog. The colors of aspens changing bring me joy.
At this season though, I am thinking about how I can make a difference. With so many on all sides of issues conveying impassioned rhetoric of fear and suspicion of anyone or anything “other”, what actions can we take? I think supporting our core AAUW mission, we can educate ourselves and then advocate and vote accordingly. This month our branch is helping to publicize several school board candidate forums, where you can learn about the people running for the school boards and support those who share our value of quality public education for all. Also, we know that school boards are often the first step for a political career, so voting for candidates now makes a difference for who you may see running for political offices in the future. A place for AAUW DAW members to take action!
Enjoy the autumn weather, and stay aware, stay kind, and support your community as we move into the election season.
– Deborah
(September 2024) So hard to believe that autumn is here! Especially when we are still experiencing the extra heat!
I hope you saw our recent email about the Membership Brunch on September 14. We will be trying an exciting new venue. Please join us to socialize with your DAW buddies and prepare to be wowed again by some of our 2024 Tech Trek campership recipients. In the same email was a request to review and vote on the 2024-25 budget to support our many activities. Speaking of which, later in this issue of the Advocate is a superb summary of some of our plans for educational events about the coming election, thanks to our Programs VPs Monika Witte and Ogie Strogatz and our Public Policy Chair Laurinda Ochoa.
We also are committed to continuing our presence at the San Ramon Valley Unified School District meetings, advocating for excellence and equity in our public school system. Consider attending these meetings; the next one is on September 10. Remember to proudly wear your “Equity for All” t-shirt! I am so grateful to our DAW board and committee members who have started this year with so much energy and enthusiasm, planning some excellent learning opportunities for our branch members and the public. And I am also grateful for the hard work done by Joanne Quijano, who not only edits this Advocate newsletter, but also is our Webmaster and maintains our DAW membership database.
See you soon at the upcoming brunch meeting or one of our programs.
– Deborah
(July-August 2024) Welcome to the start of our year! Like all of you, I am often overwhelmed with the “busyness” of my life. Was this what I really wanted retirement to be like? Nevertheless, I volunteered to be the DAW Branch President again. I did this for several reasons:
- I do not want to lose the momentum and energy created by our most recent past presidents, Monika Witte and Ogie Strogatz. Our branch has been strengthened by their dedication to Advocacy, Public Policy, and modification of our approach to one of our main mission projects – Local Scholarships. I think that their work enabled us to become more attractive to potential members, as well as carry out a very successful Garden Tour fundraising for our mission projects.
- Our branch membership (you!) has been showing up – at our Third Thursday Programs, at the School Board meetings, and volunteering for our committees. The energy and dedication is inspirational.
- It is always an honor and sometimes even fun (!) to meet and work with intelligent, caring women.
My goal for this year is to tone down the “busyness” but maintain the energy! I will continue to need your help and support to make this another great year.
– Deborah
Click here to see past 2023-2024 Co-President’s Messages