Category Archives: Membership

Empire State Virtual Branch New Member

Juliet Tarantino, Empire State Virtual Branch New Member

We are delighted to welcome, Juliet Tarantino, newest primary member of the Empire State Virtual Branch! During fiscal year 2015-2016.”

Juliet Tarantino joins the AAUW with international experience in education and academic training in anthropology (MA in Anthropology for The New School for Social Research). While an undergraduate student at the University of New Hampshire (Dual BA in Anthropology in International Affairs), she organized and led a week-long social justice awareness trip of twelve students to Nicaragua, where trip participants learned about the work of local grassroots organizations and facilitated classroom art activities. Her thesis, based on original research she conducted in Ecuador, examined the entanglement of Ecuadorian Otavaleño’s rejection of tradition alongside their utilization of distinctive traditional dress to bolster their sales of artisan-made items. After graduating from college, Juliet was selected by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Education for the position of North American Culture and Language Assistant and taught English in Madrid.

Back in the U.S. and determined to maintain the level of Spanish fluency she had gained in Madrid, Juliet took on the role of Bilingual Intake Coordinator at an immigrant legal services and refugee resettlement agency in Chicago. There, she compiled a series of client stories expressing how their lives had changed after gaining residency in the U.S. She also worked as an independent translator, translating personal statements in support of VAWA cases. Inspired to engage more critically with issues of social justice, Juliet gained her master’s degree in New York City, and began teaching academic research writing to college-bound seniors from underserved high schools. She also coordinates low-cost Spanish classes in her Brooklyn neighborhood as a means of building community. She is interested in immigrant and refugee issues, scholastic achievement gaps, and using research and education to teach social justice.

Empire’s Founders’ Day

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Maria Ellis, President

It is with great excitement that I announce the creation of AAUW NYS Empire State Virtual Branch! Our 1^st founders’ meeting was held at Cazenovia College on July 19, 2012 during our AAUW NYS Summer Leadership Conference in beautiful town of Cazenovia in upstate New York. We elected our officers, board of directors and welcomed all of our 25 founding members!

Our 1st founders’ members’ meeting was very special because Mary Lou Davis, AAUW NYS president and Eileen Hartmann, Nancy Mion, Diane Haney AAUW NYS past presidents as well as AAUW NYS state board members and branch presidents participated in our 1^st founders’ meeting. Also, there was representation from our many branches throughout our seven districts including the North Shore Branch, the Islip Area Branch, Westchester Branch, Staten Island Branch, Rockland County Branch, Kingston Branch, Poughkeepsie Branch, Amsterdam, Gloversville & Johnstown Branch (AGJ) , Oswego Branch, Jefferson County Branch, St. Lawrence Branch, Fairport Area Branch, Greater Rochester Branch, Buffalo Branch.

There are many AAUW friends that I would like to especially thank for their support in the creation of the AUW NYS Empire State Virtual Branch including Ruth Wahtera, Donna Seymour, Phoebe Forbes, Joan Monk, Ruth King, Melissa Guardaro, Roli Wendorf, Jean Havens, Doris McLallen, Dayra Bernal-Lederer, Dr. C.S. Rani, Lorrin Johnson and countless others.

Special thanks to the president of the Greater Rochester Branch, my friend Marilyn Tedeschi, who reminded us that “July 19th is a Special Day for AAUW Empire State Virtual Branch and a Special Day for Women’s Rights!”

First Women’s Rights Convention, Held July 19 & 20, 1848.

This Convention issued the first Declaration of Independence for Women, declaring that “all men and women are created equal.” While this may not seem radical now, in 1848 the new “women’s right movement” was very radical and the woman who started it met with much abuse. The Convention, which was organized in just a few weeks, took place in the Wesleyan Chapel in Seneca Falls, New York, and proves that “a small group of dedicated people have the power to change the world.” And, indeed, they did.

We, the women and men of AAUW now walk in these brave women’s shoes!

AAUW – Women Determined to Succeed

The 17 women who founded AAUW in 1881 were college graduates with great potential in a world that seemed reluctant to let them succeed. They were determined to make their own pathways and refused to wait for someone to do it for them. Thus, they founded the Association of Collegiate Alumnae in Boston. Forty years later, the organization would merge with the Southern Association of College Women to become the American Association of University Women. Currently, AAUW is composed of more than 100,000 members and donors, 1,000 branches, and 600 college/university institutional partners. From the beginning, our mission has always been to provide education and opportunities for women and AAUW’s fellowship and grant recipients exceeds 11,000 women.

Welcome to the Empire Virtual Branch

As your Empire Virtual Branch president, I welcome you and invite you to embrace our AAUW mission to advance equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy, and research. Our Vision is to continue to grow and to be a powerful advocate and visible leader in equity and education through research, philanthropy, and measurable change in critical areas impacting the lives of women and girls. As an active member of AAUW NYS Empire State Virtual Branch, you belong to a community that breaks educational and economic barriers so that all women have a fair chance. In principle and practice, AAUW values and seeks a diverse membership including men and women. There shall be no barriers to full participation in this organization on the basis of gender, race, creed, age, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or class.

If you are reading these welcoming remarks and you are not yet a member, I encourage you to join us by clicking on the membership tab and becoming part of AAUW’s powerful voice!

Gratefully yours,
Maria Ellis, President
Empire Virtual Branch

Why Join the AAUW Empire Virtual Branch?

A Virtual Branch Is Born: Meet Empire

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Baby Empire, July 2012

Like all new parents, we want to tell the world about our new babe, virtual branch Empire. Beautiful, isn’t she?

We have lots of hopes and dreams for what baby Empire will become. She could do anything. And we’d like you to be part of the AAUW village that will raise her.

Become a founding member and help raise her by joining before August 6, 2012. (Of course, you can join any time.)

Empire’s Gift Registry!

Empire will grow quickly this first year. She needs people to support her growth and shape her future. What would you like to do to welcome her to the world? What gift can you give so she’ll have a healthy start?

Here’s some of what Empire needs from the people who care about her:

Temporary officers required by national: administrator, treasurer, secretary/recorder.
Ideas and volunteers to develop special interest groups and events. For example, would you like to coordinate an on-line book group? Plan web-based events for special dates like International Women’s Day, Passage of the 19th amendment? Moderate our forums, etc.
Work on member recruitment and public relations
Work on constructing this website
Edit a periodic newsletter
Work on organizational issues like by-laws and policies

So, first join by following the steps here. You can be a Founding Member by joining (which means Phoebe receives your check) by August 6, 2010.

Then sign up to get emails about Empire updates by clicking the envelop in the upper right corner. Or add this site to your RSS reader.

Share your ideas for Empire’s first year to the comments below. And, let us know what you’d like to volunteer to do in the comments or send a note to Maria Ellis, Empire’s founder and temporary administrator. (Dare we say mother?)