TheGreat American Write-inwas a great success. We met several potential new members throughout Orange County. We displayed our new tabletop banner with our logo and website information.
Our Branch will be participating at the Sunset Market held in Old Town Tustin for five nights during the summer months, the 3rd Thursday from 5:00 to 8:30, May through September. We will need volunteers to help set up, staff the booth and take down. The Sunset Market will have live music, a Farmers Market, shopping, beer/wine, food trucks, and more! Please let me know if you would like to volunteer and then enjoy the event before or after.
Please plan to attend the AAUW-CA Annual Event on Saturday, April 26, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Go to:https://www.aauw-ca.org/2025-annual-event-pivoting-4-our-future/ to see the meeting details and to register. This meeting is a great opportunity to review the year’s progress and discuss what’s next for our organization.
Please look for an upcoming email from AAUW-CA regarding the increase in our state dues. Please take the time to read the information and vote.
Thank you to those who have agreed to be on the 2025-26 Ballot to serve our Branch. Please plan to attend the May 7 meeting to elect our new Board.
Both of our speakers were forced to flee Afghanistan in 2021 when the county fell to the Taliban. They will tell us their personal stories of getting out of Afghanistan, how they navigated the immigration process, what they are doing now, and what they anticipate doing in the future.
Wednesday May 7, 2025 @7 pm
Doors open @6:30 pm Speakers: Amb. Robina Mirzada, International Ambassador for International and Humanity, and Founder & Director of ROBI International Human Rights Organization, former school teacher, Graduate of Kabul University, Islamic Studies, 2015
and
Zuhal Atmar, Former President & Owner of Gul-Mursal waste paper recycling factory in Afghanistan
Graduate of Bircham International University, Business Administration, 2019
We are waiting to hear from AAUW-CA regarding the membership vote on changes to state dues for the branches before beginning Membership renewals for 2025-2026.
AAUW National dues will go up by $2 (to $74), but our branch dues will remain the same ($17 for the year).
We will be voting on our new officers at the May 7, 2025 branch meeting, please join us.
AAUW members have historically been generous supporters of our National philanthropy, the AAUW Fund. Last year our Tustin-Santa Ana-Orange branch members contributed $6,435 to the AAUW Fund.
A big thank you to the branch members who signed up to participate in the Charcuterie Board class! I want to encourage those who unfortunately are not able to attend to consider making a donation to the AAUW Fund.
Here are the ways you can donate:
· Mail a check to me in any amount and make it payable to AAUW Fund or hand it to me at our next meeting on May 7th.
Always please mention ‘TSAO branch’ so that our branch receives credit for your donation. The generosity of our members helps to insure that AAUW’s voice is heard on issues impacting women and girls.
Thank you!
Tech Trek
Hi, everyone! Thank you for your support for this year’s Tech Trek program! We have chosen 4 wonderful 7th grade girls to represent the AAUW Tustin – Santa Ana – Orange Branch at Whittier College June 15 – 21, 2025.
Our branch requires that each “winner’s” family pay a $50 registration fee as a “promise” that their Tech Trek student will attend camp. If our “winners” come to our September 3, 2025 AAUW meeting to share their experiences with us, they can “earn” their money back.
This is a win-win situation, by helping us encourage the girls to speak in front of a welcoming audience and giving our membership a glimpse of the wonderful STEM students who are involved in the Tech Trek program. 🪴
From AAUW-CA: 2025 Annual Event: Pivoting 4 Our Future:
We invite you to join AAUW-CA onSaturday, April 26th, 9 am-2:30 pm, for ourAAUW California 2025 Annual Eventon Zoom. Building off the concepts in The Four Pivots: Reimagining Justice, Reimagining Ourselves by Dr. Shawn Ginwright, we will explore how the pivots tie into the Volunteers First program that our own Branch Development committee created. This will be a wonderful opportunity to envision together how we can pivot to sustain our organization. We will gather with hundreds of members across the state to celebrate our accomplishments, honor our members and branches, and learn how we can continue the success of AAUW California and our branches into the future.
We have two exciting speakers who will join us: AAUW Board Chair Cherie Sorokin, with an AAUW update, and strategist Deepa Iyer, who will speak to us about the importance of our strengths, as well as connection and collaboration for our organization’s viability. We will have four breakout rooms for you to choose from based on the Four Pivots: From Lens to Mirror, From Transactional to Transformative, From Problem to Possibility, and From Hustle to Flow. Lots of connections, inspiration, and joy will be found! We hope to see you on April 26th from 9-2:30!
Our TSAO branch website is beginning to be updated.
Eventually it will contain our branch calendar, copies of the newsletter and more, take a look: https://tustin-ca.aauw.net/
Interest Groups:
If anyone would like to revive the Games Group, Happy Hour, Movie Goers, Lunch Bunch, or DIning Out groups – or start a new social group within the branch – Please let me know(Lenore@lenoresimon.com)and I will place your info in the newsletter!
Saturday, April 19th “Culinary” fundraiser to benefit AAUW’s Greatest Needs Fund, scheduled for see AAUW Fund above for details. Saturday, April 26 – AAUW-CA Annual Event
seePublic Policyabove for details and registration
Upcoming TSAO Branch Meeting Dates:
May 7– at Aldersgate church, 1201 Irvine Blvd, Tustin 92780
June – no meeting.
July– no meeting
August– no meeting – Summer Social TBD
September 3– Tech Trek girls recognition
October 8– moved to 2nd week in observance of Yom Kippur
November 5
December– no meeting – Holiday Party TBD
March 12, 2025, at Aldersgate Church, Beckie Gomez, President Board Meeting Minutes:
Attendance: Beckie Gomez, Tracey Clark, Tarry Goeden, Cathy de Mayo, Connie Smith, Lenore Simon, Mary Witten, Myra Radlow, Sylvia Borovay
Absent: Nancy Fidel, Judy Ortiz, Dana Cox, Donna Sutton, Debbie Knox, Celine Osborn
Called to order at 5:10 p.m
Minutes: Approved as corrected.
Treasurer’s Report: Accepted.
Membership Report:
– National will increase dues $2 in the coming year and another $2 in the following year; an increase in State dues is pending. New member applications should reflect the dues increases.
– Sylvia Borovay reported the branch now has 99 members.
Programs Report: Myra Radlow outlined program topics for the March, April and May meetings.
AAUW Fund: Connie Smith distributed flyers for the AAUW Fund fundraiser — a charcuterie board demonstration Saturday, April 19 from 10:00 a.m.-noon at The Annex at Tustin Legacy. Cost is a $100 donation to AAUW Fund and a $45 cash fee at the door to cover supplies. RSVP deadline is April 9.
Tech Trek:
– Mary Witten reported the Chick-fil-A fundraiser netted $200.11. The mail campaign generated $3,500. The branch now has enough funds to send four girls to Tech Trek next summer at Whittier College June 15-21.
– Tracey Clark moved and Beckie Gomez seconded a motion to underwrite Lauran Lansdon’s TSAO dues for the coming year in appreciation for her generous donation to Tech Trek. Passed.
Public Policy: Beckie distributed Public Policy handouts and reminded members that Lobby Days training is scheduled for March 31.
Interbranch Council: Mary circulated a signup sheet to staff the AAUW table at the Great American Write-In on March 29. Beckie advised to participants carpool and register in advance online.
Communications: Newsletter and Website:
• Tracey is in the process of updating the website calendar.
• Lenore confirmed the newsletter deadline for submissions is March 12.
Nominating Committee: Mary reported that the slate of branch board nominees is complete except for thepost of President-Elect.
President’s Report:
• Beckie ordered a retractable tabletop sign that will be ready next week.
• Fifty local organizations will participate in the Great American Write-In.
• Beckie proposed TSAO participate in the Sunset Markets held 5:30-8:00 p.m. on the third Thursdays, May through September, in Old Town Tustin at a cost of $25 per month, for the purpose of raising community awareness of AAUW.
• Mary moved and Sylvia seconded the purchase of a popup canopy bearing the AAUW logo at a cost not to exceed $500. Passed.
• Sylvia moved and Tracey seconded a payment not to exceed $125 to reserve spots for a TSAO booth at the Sunset Markets. Passed.
• Beckie announced a gift card drive to assist AAUW members who lost homes in the January fires. Details online.
• The Named Gift Committee met and submitted names of honorees.
New Business: Myra suggested renaming the “Wine and Whine” interest group so as not to play into female stereotyping. “Happy Hour” was proposed but no decision was reached.
Meeting adjourned at 6:25 p.m.
General Meeting Minutes
Called to order at 7:00
Attendance: 25
Robbin Burton introduced the speaker, the Rev. Sarah Heath, Community Engagement Manager, United Way Orange County, who reported on causes, approaches and programs to address homelessness.
Myra Radlow informed members of upcoming program topics.
Connie Smith promoted the upcoming AAUW Fund fundraiser and distributed flyers.
Mary Witten reported on the upcoming Tech Trek interviews and thanked members who donated to Tech Trek.
President Beckie Gomez reported:
• The branch newsletter deadline is March 12.
• Public policy handouts are available to members.
• The Great American Write-In is March 29, and she explained the purpose of the program and encouraged members to register and attend.
• The Board voted to participate in the Sunset Markets, May through September in Old Town Tustin, to educate the community about AAUW and recruit new members.
• State AAUW is collecting donations of gift cards for AAUW member fire victims.
• National dues will increase $2 for 2025-26 and will increase another $2 for 2026-27.
• The background of the decision to hold the Tech Trek fundraiser at Chick-fil-A.
• In honor of Women’s History Month, she saluted two Tustin women whose impact resonates even after their passing – Evelyn Ojeda, Olympic Gold Medalist and Tustin High track star, and Ursula Kennedy, the first female mayor of Tustin.
Meeting adjourned at 8:44
