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A Message from the Co-Presidents: Kathryn Brown & Amy Bisek

Our goal of attaining equity for women is under threat more than ever before in our lifetimes. DEI programs are slashed. Higher education subsidies are rescinded. The glass ceiling is reinforced by iron-clad minds that reject social justice progress. It’s hard to look at our granddaughters and feel confident they’ll live in a more equitable world than their mothers. Yes, we’re distressed, confused, and angry. We question: How can we make a positive, measurable, and immediate impact in this world?

In the US, Women’s Equality Day is celebrated this week, on Tuesday, August 26, to commemorate the certification of the Nineteenth Amendment, which gave women the right to vote. That was just the beginning. Now, it’s time to speed up progress toward gender equality and attain a more inclusive and equitable world for women and girls. At AAUW Redlands, we are amplifying our efforts to drive real change.

What is AAUW Redlands doing?  Driven by a revised 2025-26 strategic plan, together we will:

• Expand our college and university partnerships and community fundraising efforts over the next four years to increase the annual number of National Conference of College Women Student Leaders (NCCWSL) scholarships given to female students at our partner schools.
• Fine-tune our Nancy Yowell Memorial Scholarship criteria and processes to expand our reach and ensure we select the most deserving and high-potential applicants returning to a post-secondary education.
• Invest in our branch’s leadership and future leaders through improved financial literacy and Microsoft 365 Teams training, Leadership Redlands support, better documentation of leader responsibilities for easier role transitions, and targeted growth opportunities for our Members at Large.
• Support and educate our local communities about the risks of censorship of curricula and libraries in local public schools, advocate for diversity programs, support our professional educators, and advocate for protections of LGBTQ+ and women’s rights.

You’ll hear more about each of these efforts throughout the year.

And what are our recent AAUW Redlands results?

• Unafraid of potential changes in this past year’s NCCWSL format, we didn’t shy away or hold back. No, we sent two deserving Crafton Hills College students to participate. At our September branch meeting you’ll hear first-hand about their NCCWSL experiences this past summer. You won’t want to miss their recap!
• In 2024-25 we raised over $3700 to support higher education for women returning to college after an educational interruption. These are engaged, smart, persistent women intent on bettering their lives.
• We sent 647 middle school students to our STEM Conferences and Tech Trek camps, exposing them to imaginative and exciting careers with higher earning potential, opportunities for innovation, and a chance to make a significant impact on society.

And many, many other exciting and impactful results that you can find HERE in our AAUW Redlands 2024-25 Year-End Summary Report. Have a look and see what you’ve accomplished!

Together, AAUW Redlands continues our drive toward equity for women and girls through education, empowerment and advocacy. It’s not just a slogan. It’s resistance against stagnation and complacency. It’s positive action. It’s AAUW Redlands. If you’d like to become more involved, give either of us a call. Do it for your granddughters.

Amy & Kathryn
Co-Presidents, AAUW Redlands Branch