General Shadley Discusses "The GAMe"

It was a cold, sleety night outside, but a concerned group of AAUW members met at the Minnetonka Community Center to hear retired Major General Robert Shadley discuss his experiences with sexual harassment in the military, and how he tried to address it as the commanding officer at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland in 1996-97. What was eventually uncovered was an entire network of drill sergeants and others in authority abusing their power over female trainees in particular.

A recent press release from AAUW indicates that an estimated 26,000 service members (male and female) were sexually assaulted in 2012.  This is up from 19,000 in 2010.  AAUW supports an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2014, which will  remove reporting the crime of military sexual assault from the chain of command and place investigative authority with an independent body.

More on the Mills Health Clinic

Suburban Secrets - Newsroom
Click on this link to read an article about the establishment of the Mills Health Clinic that we learned about last month.  One of the founders is a UST graduate.

Test your STEM knowledge

  Promoting STEM education is a major focus for AAUW.  The Pew Research Center has conducted a study of the average persons knowledge of science and technology topics.  They have created an interactive version that you can take here. Your results will be compared with the national results (but are not added to them).  It's interesting and kinda fun!

ICA is Featured at October Meeting

Peg Keenan, the new executive director of ICA (Intercongregation Communities Association), spoke to us about the needs people have in the west suburban area and how ICA is addressing those needs. The nonprofit has been in existance for almost 40 years and serves residents in seven communities from Hopkins to Shorewood. They have seen an increase of 131% in needs since 2008. They are currently in a fundraising campaign to establish a new facility, which they hope to open in April 2014.  They also have established a healthcare clinic, called Mills Health Clinic; which provides free basic healthcare, free preventative care, and chronic disease management.  With an all-volunteer staff, the clinic is only open two evenings per week now, but hopes to expand in the future.  Information on the fundraising campaign can be found here.

Read this book, please!

In keeping with the theme for International Day of the Girl Child, we should probably make a point to real Malala Yousakzai's new memoir (I am Malala), released on October 8.  She is the brave young Pakistani girl who has faced down the Taliban in support of girls' education.  Book information from Amazon is here. She will be interviewed on 20/20 on friday at 9 p.m. Catch it if you can.

October 11 is International Day of the Girl Child

On December 19, 2011, United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 66/170 to declare October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child, to recognize girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world.

Girls face discrimination and violence every day across the world. The International Day of the Girl Child focuses attention on the need to address the challenges girls face and to promote girls’ empowerment and the fulfillment of their human rights.

The theme for the 2013 celebration is "Innovating for Girls Education".  Follow this link for more information.

Another great kickoff!

A nice group of AAUW members and friends gathered at the Medina Country Club on September 14 for lunch.  Author Bonnie Bley (whose program was snowed out in April), spoke to us about the ancient Maya including their history and social life and customs, the city of Tulum, and a bit about writing her book about the Maya. We also enjoyed a delicious meal of oriental chicken salad or pork tenderloin.  Here are a few pictures from the event.

A Day with the Maya

On August 8th, a group of 21 MetroWest members traveled to St. Paul to see the Maya exhibit at the Science Museum of Minnesota. We spent about an hour and a half there viewing and interacting with displays about Mayan architecture, history, religion, mythology, the famous calendar, and daily life and activities, among others.

 The museum uses technology in interesting ways, including this display where colored lights are turned on by a projector to show how the Maya used color in their temples and other buildings.

 

Another large work about Mayan kings from the beginning of the exhibit.

Here are some of our members at the Museum and at Fabulous Ferns, where we had a delicious lunch afterwards.

Thanks to the program planners for an educational and fun social event. Thanks also to Nancy Sommer for loaning her phone/camera (when mine hailed out!)  Plan to attend the September kickoff when  Bonnie Bley will speak to us about her research on the Maya.

We're Going to Visit the Maya

August 8 is the big day.  We're going to visit the Maya exhibit at the Science Museum of Minnesota.  This will get us in the spirit for our September kickoff where we will hear Bonnie Bley speak about her research about the Maya (she was supposed to visit us in April, but we had a BIG snowstorm that day).  After visiting the museum, we will have lunch at Fabulous Fern's Restaurant on Selby Ave. in St. Paul.  Hope you can join us.



How to Talk to Little Girls

Here are some thoughts about how we how we communicate with little girls.  Click on the link below to read.

Think about it.

How to Talk to Little Girls

Salad supper in May

The weather finally got better, and we had a beautiful evening for our annual salad supper on May 16 (although you may notice the leaves are just opening). David Coward, a librarian, storyteller and genealogist told us about his work to compile and publish stories from his family's history, and gave us a number of suggestions for how we might start compiling our family stories.



State convention representatives

The state convention was held in Rochester April 26-28.  These ladies were the MetroWest representatives.

Snowed out in April

Can you believe it?  We had a major snowstorm on April 18, and had to cancel our meeting.  It was almost the last straw for many, as the Minnesota winter that would never end slammed us again.

Sharing Women's Stories

The speaker for the evening at the March 21 branch meeting was Kathy

Magnuson,  Publisher/Editor for the

Minnesota Women’s Press.

She talked about the  history of the publication and it’s current role

in supporting women’s issues in Minnesota. It all started when a

group of women were gathered, and someone asked “What

would the news look like through women’s eyes?” The answer

became “We should find out”. The mission of the publication

is to “...tell women’s stories in ways that create community and encourage

change.” They believe that every woman has a story about real things

that matter, and that we are often reflected in other peoples stories.

The magazine is available free at 500 locations around the state,

and subscriptions for mail delivery are also available. To

find one of the free newsstand locations, go to their website,

www.womenspress.com, and click on ‘get a copy’, or call 651-646-3968. Kathy shared sample copies of the magazine
and of Book Woman (their bookclub journal) with attendees. 
It was an entertaining and informative presentation.

Evening Book Group Changes Meeting Date



The evening book group meeting for April has been moved to April 17, at the home of Louise Williams.  This is one week later than listed in the program book.

Check this out for Women's History Month

If you are on Facebook, search for and 'like' the National Women's History Project page.  Each day, they feature a pioneer in women's history, some you will know about and some will be new.  Always interesting!

Sojourner Project is February Focus

The Glenn in Minnetonka was the setting for the February luncheon.  Judi Nelson, Community Outreach Coordinator for the Sojourner Project, spoke to us about their programs.

Sojourner is a shelter agency for battered women and children in the western Hennepin County suburbs.  Services include a 24-hour crisis line, emergency shelter, safety planning, legal advocacy, individual and group therapy, support groups, and life skill groups.  Judi encouraged us to be sensitive to those we come in contact with, to recognize the signs of physical or emotional abuse, and to help the person seek safety and shelter.  As a service project, members brought donations, mostly baby items, and Judi graciously accepted them on behalf of the women currently housed at the shelter.

MAKERS coming to PBS

A special program will be aired on PBS on February 26.  It is a new documentary called MAKERS: Women Who Made America.  It tells the story of the women's movement through firsthand accounts of the leaders, opponents, and trailblazers who fought valiantly for women's rights in the last half-century.  Click this link for a short preview.  Preview here.

"Potato in a Rice Bowl"

 



(appologies for being a little quiet over the holidays)

MetroWest gathered on January 19, 2013 for a luncheon featuring Peggy Keener, author of "Potato in a Rice Bowl", an account of her life in several countries of Southeast Asia, especially Japan.  She related a number of stories from her experience as a young wife with small children, living on her own in an unfamiliar culture.  She also described how the role of women in Japan has changed over recent decades.