10/11/11: Annual AAUW-NYS Day at the UN

Reminder:

Join your fellow AAUW-NYS members on Tuesday, October 11 at the United Nations in NYC. This yera's program is Gender Equality and Sustainable Development. The achievement of sustainable development requires the integration of its economic, environmental and social components at all levels. Women will play a key role in achieving sustainability.

Let Rokki Carr know if you register to attend and would like to travel together.

Morning Program at the United Nations

9:15 to 9:45 Check In

9:45 to 10 Welcome by Carolyn Donovan, AAUW's Representative at the UN

10 to 11 Briefing 1: Women's Leadership in building a Sustainable Economy: Preparing for Rio +20 in May, 2012

11 to 11:30 Briefing 2: Jane Roberts, founder, 34 Million Friends of UNFPA

11:30 to 12:15 Group Tour of the UN

12:15 to 1:15 Lunch in the UN Cafeteria (pay on your own)

Afternoon Program at the ICO Center, 323 East 47th Street

1:15 to 3:15 Panel Discussion: Developing a Sustainable Future for Women

• Rebecca Tinsley, author of When the Stars Fell To Earth, founder of Network 4 Africa

• Kimberly Campbell, Director, Metropolitan New York Chapter of the US National Committee for UN Women

• Other panel participants to be announced

Space Is Limited!

Registration fee of $30 includes a tour of the UN. (Lunch in the UN Cafeteria is pay as you go.) Send check payable to AAUW-NYS with form to:
AAUW-NYS International Chair, P.O. Box 384, Valley Cottage, NY 10989

For more information, contact Melissa Guardaro, AAUW-NYS International Chair (914-906-0242, mmg4@netzero.net). Postmark your reservation by October 3.

AAUW-NYS Sponsors a Day at the UN, Oct. 11

From Rokki Carr, International Chair

Join AAUW-NYS October 11 at the United Nations.  The program: Gender Equality and Sustainable Development. The achievement of sustainable development requires the integration of its economic, environmental and social components at all levels. Women will play a key role in achieving sustainability. 

Let me know if you register to attend and would like to travel together.

Morning Program at the United Nations

9:15-9:45        Check In

9:45-10:00      Welcome by Carolyn Donovan, AAUW's Representative at the UN

10:00-11:00    Briefing I: Women's Leadership in building a Sustainable Economy: Preparing for Rio +20 in May, 2012

11:00-11:30    Briefing II: Jane Roberts, founder, 34 Million Friends of UNFPA

11:30 -12:15   Group Tour of the United Nations

12:15-1:15      Lunch (on your own) A list of restaurants will be forwarded to registered participants.

Afternoon Program Co-Sponsored with Marymount College, ICO Center, 323 East 47th Street

1:15 – 3:15      Panel Discussion: Developing a Sustainable Future for Women

• Rebecca Tinsley, author of When the Stars Fell To Earth, founder of Network 4 Africa

• Kimberly Campbell, Director, Metropolitan New York Chapter of the US National Committee for UN Women

• Other Panel Participants to be announced

Space Is Limited!

Registration fee of $30 includes tour of the United Nations. (Lunch is on your own.) Please send check payable to AAUW NYS with this form to AAUW NYS International Chair, PO Box 384, Valley Cottage, NY 10989

For further information please contact Melissa Guardaro, NYS AAUW's International Chair, at (914) 906-0242 or mmg4@netzero.net. Please postmark your reservation by September 27, 2011

Ulster County Office of the Aging Public Hearing, Fri., Sept. 9

The Ulster County Executive, Michael Hein and the Office for the Aging invite you to attend their annual Public Hearing.  It will be held on Friday, September 9, 2011, beginning at 9:00 am (registration will begin at 8:30 am), at Roudigan’s Restaurant, Rt. 28, Kingston.  A “Healthy Continental Breakfast” will be provided through donations to the Ulster County Office for the Aging.
 
Guest speaker will be Michael Burgess, former NYSOFA Director, to speak about the New York State Senior Wide Senior Council.  We will also have various Directors of Ulster County departments to speak about services provided to the senior community.
 
Make your voice heard
The Annual Public Hearing provides seniors the opportunity to comment on current programs, offer suggestions for improving services and share ideas for additional programs that would be valuable to Ulster County seniors.  For those seniors who cannot attend the Hearing but would like to share their ideas and comments, please call the OFA and speak directly to the Director, Anne Cardinale.
 
For additional information and reservations, please call the Office for the Aging at (845) 340-3456 or toll free 1-877-914-3456.  Reservations are required to attend by Wednesday, September 7, 2011

GASLAND at 6:30 PM tonight at Rhinebeck Town Hall

7/12/11: Branch Strategy, Part 2 - please come!

I hope everyone's having a great summer! A little branch business:

Unless otherwise noted, AAUW Kingston Branch Board Meetings, which are open to all, are held in the Community Room on the 2nd Floor of the Kingston Library (55 Franklin Street, Kingston) from 3 PM to 5 PM on the 2nd Tuesday of each month. Here are the dates for the rest of the year; please add them to your calendars:
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7/12 (Story Hour Room, 2nd Floor, next to the Children's Library, on the right)
8/9 (Story Hour Room)
9/13
10/11
11/8
12/6 (1st Tues.)

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The 7/12 meeting (and beyond?) will be a continuation of the
6/26 strategy meeting facilitated by Ruth Wahtera and hosted
by ViVi Hlavsa. Please join us as continue to strategize!....

(photo: from 5/21 Chalk Walk, see Kingston Library Facebook page for more!)

No Surprise: Capitol Hill Staff Mostly Male, White

No Surprise: Capitol Hill Staff Mostly Male, White
A 2011 demographic survey

of 319 congressional staff members revealed that 68 percent are male and an overwhelming 93 percent are white. One former congressional staffer noted

that because staff members often serve as gatekeepers for hearings, meetings, and other critical steps in the policy-making process, a lack of diversity among staff can have serious implications for women and people of color.

AAUW advocates the importance of closing the long-standing political leadership gender gap. Click here

to learn more about Elect Her, an AAUW initiative that empowers and trains women to run for office at all levels—an effort that could change the face of politics in America.

Pamper Yourself at SPAC July 16, 2011

Linda Gold and AAUW present a Bus Trip

NY City Ballet at Saratoga Performing Arts Center

Magic Flute/ Circus Polka/ Apollo/ Serenade

Saturday, July 16, 2011    Cost $122

                               

                    

Pamper yourself for a day! The cost of $122 includes luxury coach, gratuities, mimosas with breakfast en route, an hour to explore the charming town of Saratoga, elegant lunch at the Hall of Springs restaurant and superb seats for this wonderful combination of four ballets. Hors d’oeuvres with wine and chilled beverages will be served on the return trip.

The bus departs from the front of the Monticello Government Center on North Street at 8am and from the back of the former Ames, Kingston Plaza at 9:15am. We return to Kingston at approximately 7pm and Monticello at approximately 8:15pm.

A highlight of the performance is Peter Martins’s Magic Flute, which is revived for the first time since City Ballet performed it in 1983. This Magic Flute has nothing to do with the famous opera by Mozart, although the story does contain the wondrous instrument of the title. This one has a score by Riccardo Driga and was originally danced by Peter Martins. It’s a tale of a pretty heroine who loves a poor but proud village lad, but her parents have their sights on a wealthy, but elderly buffoon.

Circus Polka, was originally choreographed by Balanchine for circus elephants – a commission by Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey Circus. The story is told that after receiving the commission, Balanchine asked his friend Stravinsky to compose the music. “What kind of music?” asked Stravinsky. “A polka.” was Balanchine’s reply. “For whom?” “Elephants.”  After its premier in 1944 the ballet was  re-choreographed by Balanchine and later by Jerome Robbins (1972) for young students with a Ringmaster (who was often a notable guest such as the Russian dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov).

Apollo is a charming ballet choreographed by Balanchine with a score by Stravinsky. It is with this ballet that Balanchine, at age twenty-four, achieved international recognition and began his lifelong partnership with the composer. Apollo, the young god of music is visited by three muses: Terpsichore, muse of dance and song, Polyhymnia, muse of mime, and Calliope, muse of poetry.

Serenade with a score by Tchaikovsky, is the first original ballet Balanchine created in America and is one of the signature works of New York City Ballet’s repertory. It’s an exquisite ballet – ethereal and hypnotic­ - in four movements.

We always have a full bus for our Saratoga trip, so sign up early to insure a spot. Make your check payable to AAUW (American Association of University Women) and mail it to: Linda Gold, 1 Jacobs Lane, New Paltz, NY 12561. For further information call Linda at 845-255-5256 or email artladyLG@aol.com. Specify “art tours” in the space for “subject” so that your message is not deleted.

Reserve now: Clark Institute Trip August 6, 2011

Linda Gold and AAUW present a Bus Trip to Williamstown, MA

Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute

for the exhibit, “Pissarro’s People”

Includes complimentary optional visit to Williams College Museum of Art

Saturday, August 6, 2011    Cost $100

     

The cost includes luxury coach, all gratuities, breakfast with champagne en route, tickets to the special exhibit, “Pissarro’s People” at the Clark Art Institute and optional transportation to Williams College Museum of Art. Lovely platters of cheeses and fresh fruit with a selection of wines will be served on the return trip. Lunch is on your own at the Clark’s Courtyard Café, Clark Café, or Stone Hill Terrace Café.

Don’t miss this glorious trip to the Berkshires. We’ll visit the Clark Art Institute - one of the most beloved and respected museums in the world. The Clark’s summer exhibit, “Pissarro’s People” is a highly personal and poignant exploration of this great Impressionist’s portraits, harvest scenes, and market views.  The paintings in this stunning exhibition reveal his personal relationships, profound social and economic concerns, and anarchist beliefs. While at the Clark, we’ll view its renowned collection of French Impressionist paintings by Monet, Degas, Renoir and Pissarro. The color and light-filled “Renoir Room” is extraordinary. The museum is also known for its 19^th century American paintings (Homer, Sargent & Cassatt), as well as a gorgeous collection of English and American silver.

During the afternoon, we’ll provide bus transportation for those interested in an optional visit to Williams College Museum of Art. Among the many exhibitions on view are: “Art Re: Art,” “The Gallery of Crossed Destinies,” and “Labeltalk 2011: Art of the Ancient World.” In addition to the special exhibitions, this museum houses the world’s largest collection of works by the artist brothers Maurice and Charles Prendergast. Bequeathed to the museum by Charles’s widow from 1983- 1995, the collection incorporates over 450 magnificent watercolors, oils and sketchbooks. 

The bus departs 8am from the front of the Monticello Government Center on North Street, and 9:15am from the back of the former Ames in the Kingston Plaza. We return to Kingston at approximately 6:30 pm and to Monticello at approximately 7:45pm.

  

To sign up, make your check payable to AAUW (American Association of University Women) and mail it to: Linda Gold, Gourmet Art Tours, 1 Jacobs Lane, New Paltz, NY 12561. For further info, call Linda at 845-255-5256 or email artladyLG@aol.com. Specify “art tours” in the space for “subject” so that your message is not deleted. Your early sign-up will insure a spot.

Protect the Reproductive Health of NYS Women

Tell Rep. Cahill what you think

The NYS Assembly is evaluating two pieces of proposed legislation right now. It's critical we let them know our position.

• Vote NO! Assemblyman Katz has introduced a piece of legislation (A-7841) which would defund vital health care centers that provide services to thousands of women in New York including Planned Parenthood.

• Vote Yes! The Reproductive Health Act introduced by Assemblywoman Glick (A-6112) needs to be passed to ensure New York State's laws are strong as it relates to protecting a women's reproductive health options.

Assemblyman Kevin Cahill is a member of the Health Committee and can play an important role protecting the women and girls of NYS.

Use the YWCA advocacy site to tell your elected representative how you feel.

Pay Equity Legislation in NYS

How can there be such a disparity between what women and men are paid for the same job? One reason -- employers give the same jobs different titles and slightly different job descriptions. Another? Workers who identify wage discrimination or even share salary information remain vulnerable to retaliation.

Tell Sen. Bonacic to get this bill passed!

For several years running, the New York State Assembly and the NYS Senate Labor Committee has passed the NYS Fair Pay Bill (A.6130/S.2200), which addresses these two issues. But, each year, the bill dies before passage. Sometimes it’s the Senate Finance Committee, sometimes an end run by the Senate leadership. 

The bill is currently in the Senate Finance Committee  once again. Senator Bonacic, who represents many of us, is a member of the Finance Committee.

Please take action. Call or write to Senator Bonacic asking him to support this bill to reduce wage disparity based on the centuries old bias against “women’s work.” Passing this Act will ensure that equivalent jobs are paid fairly despite the gender and/or race of those performing the work.

A quick way to make your opinion known is to use this link offered by the YWCA.