AAUW Manhattan Branch Meeting Minutes
Meadowlark Hills
May 9, 2022
Marlene welcomed members and guests for the last meeting of the year. She introduced four guests, Julie Owens, Lisa Bietau, Marlene Dick and her sister Lois Ussary.
Marlene shared that we’ve had over 100 years of AAUW activism in our community. One of the first things our branch members did was raise funds to help young women complete their education. We still do that today in supporting scholarships for K-State non-traditional women. If you participated in our International Women’s Day event this year, you were able to hear from our most recent recipients. Amazing women! We also support STEM summer camp scholarships for 6th and 7th grade girls. We have two recipients this year that you’ll learn more about in the coming weeks.
Marlene thanked the vice presidents for programs for the incredible lineup of speakers we’ve had over the past few years. She announced that instead of a program speaker at this meeting, we would celebrate our branch and each other with the installation of our new officers and presentation of our branch awards. After the installation and awards, members and guests were given one more chance to check silent auction bids before bidding closed.
Installation of Officers: Officers take office on July 1 with the summer retreat as their first meeting. Officers serve for a term of two years.
The following officers were installed for the coming year.
President: Usha Reddi
VP – Program: Susanne Siepl-Coates, Dede Brokesh, Lynn Ewanow
VP – Membership: Chris Herald
Secretary – Board: Kathy Lanksbury
Secretary – Branch: Barbara Gatewood
Treasurer: Kathleen Jones
Directors-at-Large: Mary Stamey and Pattie Thomas
Each officer was given a long stemmed flower.
Marlene presented the following Manhattan Branch AAUW awards:
Outstanding Branch Member: Every year a member is chosen to receive this distinguished honor for their outstanding contributions to the Branch. Selected by the President, Membership VP, and a Director-at-Large.
The Outstanding Branch Member award was presented to Barbara Gatewood.
Barbara has done an exceptional job in keeping our branch visible through maintaining our website, posting on Facebook, submitting minutes to the Mercury Club News section and sending photos to the Mercury for display on their local pictures page.
President’s Award: The President’s Award was established in 2013 to recognize an exceptional member who is actively engaged in branch leadership and contributes to the vital and significant success of the branch.
The President’s Award was presented to three recipients – the Vice Presidents for Programs – Usha Reddi, Susanne Siepl-Coates, and Dede Brokesh. They did an incredible job finding speakers that support the mission and vision of AAUW. The award recipients received a small pot of flowers.
Claudia reported there were sixteen donors to our AAUW Grow Green fund with $1,747.62 before the 50% match. The funds will go to our scholarship program.
Chris shared instructions for renewing memberships or joining AAUW through the Community Hub on the AAUW website.
Next branch meeting: September 12, 2022
Next board meeting: summer retreat – date to be determined
The meeting adjourned and members and guests finalized their silent auction purchases. Thank you to all who brought items to the auction and purchased items.
Respectfully submitted,
Marlene VerBrugge
Acting AAUW Branch Meeting Secretary
AAUW Manhattan Branch Meeting Minutes
Meadowlark Hills and Via Zoom, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
April 11, 2022
The 24 members and guests attended the AAUW monthly branch dinner and meeting on April 11, 2022 at Meadowlark Hills, followed by President Marlene VerBrugge’s welcome.
PROGRAM
Co-program VP Usha Reddi introduced speaker Alex Van Dyke who resides in Manhattan with his wife and two daughters. He was a political candidate in 2021 and is currently a software engineer for a San Diego-based company. Alex organized the Manhattan March for Our Lives and is communication lead for the Manhattan Chapter of Moms Demand Action (MAD). In an informative presentation, Alex discussed the history of MAD, current initiative, victories, some myths (gun law talking points) and facts that debunk them to facilitate conversation without “ruffling feathers,” and ended with his survivor story. MAD was founded by Shannon Watts the day after the Sandy Hook shooting. There are now MAD chapters in every state, and together with Mayors against Gun Violence and Everytown for Gun Safety (lobbyist arm), it is the largest gun violence prevention group in the U.S. with over 8 million supporters.
MAD initiatives discussed by Alex were Emerge America (encourages women to run for office), Demand a Seat (supports “violence prevention” platform candidates), Demand Action App (to promote/access events), Wear Orange Day (initiative in June to raise gun violence awareness), Students Demand Action (advocate for gun safety), and 6) Be-SMART (promotes gun safety practices).
MAD victories noted were the recent BATFE designation of ghost guns (buy/build/shoot kits) as firearms and the H.R. 8, Bipartisan Background Checks Act (stalled in the Senate), requiring background check on all gun sales, including those sold by licensed gun dealers, online, and at gun shows. Stand Your Ground laws have been overturned in many states, and the passage of Extreme Risk (Red Flag) laws to enable police to confiscate weapons from at risk individuals.
Alex presented a series of myths versus facts related to gun violence and gun safety. Current laws do not prohibit all domestic abusers (e.g., “boyfriend loophole”) from having guns. Suicide rates are much higher (90% versus 4%) when a gun is involved. People are 2X more likely to be killed by a gun if they own a gun. Gun laws and background checks have significantly reduced the ability of criminals to access guns. The Kansas concealed carry gun law has resulted in a 50% increase in aggravated assaults/batteries. Threat assessment programs and gun safety laws are more effective in keep kids safe in schools than arming teachers. Active shooter drills cause trauma in children. Hundreds of unintentional shootings occur each year among children 17 and younger. Firearms were the leading cause of death in ages 1-19 in 2020. Black people are significantly more likely to experience gun homicides (10x), assaults (18x), and police shootings (3x), compared to whites. Alex ended by sharing his personal experience with gun violence in his family. The Everytown Survivor Network provides services for gun violence survivors.
Alex addressed topics on discouraging the glorification of guns and violet video games, cross intervention training to reduce the use of guns by police, and supporting “gun sense” candidates. For more information read “Fight Like A Mother: How a Grassroots Movement Took on the Gun Lobby” by Shannon Watts. Mary Stamey announced that the book We Can Be Heroes by Kyrie McCauley will be donated to the Manhattan Public Library in Alex’s honor.
MEETING
Officer Slate: The slate of 2022-2023 officers was approved and will be installed at the May meeting: President – Usha Reddi, Vice President for Membership – Chris Herald, Co-secretaries – Barbara Gatewood and Kathy Lanksbury, Treasurer (open), Co-Vice Presidents for Programs – Suzanne Siepl-Coates, Dede Brokesh, and Lynn Ewanow, and Directors-at-Large – Mary Stamey and Pattie Thomas.
Spring Event Highlights: Marlene gave updates on our International Women’s Day events on March 7 and the booth at K-State on March 8; the AAUW-LWV Mid-term Legislative Forum at the Public Library on April 2; and participation in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 19.
AAUW State Conference: Members were encouraged to attend the 2022 AAUW Kansas Conference, April 23, 9:00 a.m. to noon, via Zoom and can register at the state website.
The Manhattan Branch will have a slide show in recognition of our 100th anniversary.
Star Branch Report: Marlene submitted the 2021-2022 AAUW Kansas Star Branch Report for the Manhattan Branch to the State AAUW Board on April 8, 2022 and will send it out soon.
2022 Grow Green Match Day: Chair Claudia Jones reported that the event is on April 22. You can give in person, online, or mail in a check using a form to designate the organization(s) and specified amounts. Gifts between $25-$1,000/agency may be matched by 50%. Applications for the GMCF AAUW K-State Scholarship are still being accepted (deadline April 29).
STEM Scholarships: Coordinator Chris Herald announced that the AAUW 2022 STEM Summer Institute Scholarship Applications for two 6th or 7th grade girls in the USD 383 School District are due by April 21. Notify Marlene if you are interested in donating to the scholarship fund.
May Meeting: The Manhattan Branch in-person only meeting on May 9, 2022 will be held at Meadowlark Hills. Bring items for the silent auction by 6:00 p.m. for viewing prior to dinner at 6:15 p.m. Contact auction coordinator Jane Mullen for assistance if needed in delivering items.
NCCWSL: Coordinator Tresa Landis announced that the AAUW Kansas State Board is accepting scholarship applications util April 30 to attend the NCCWSL Conference, May 25-26.
AAUW Manhattan Branch Meeting Minutes
International Women’s Day Celebration
Via Zoom, 7:00 – 8:15 p.m.
March 7, 2022
Opening Remarks and Moment of Silence for Ukraine
The AAUW Manhattan Branch hosted its 7th Annual International Women’s Day (IWD) celebration on March 7, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom. President Marlene VerBrugge opened the event by asking participants to observe a moment of silence to think of the Ukrainian women and their families as they go through unimaginable suffering as they fight, support members of the resistance, take children to sheltering countries, and worry about loved ones who have stayed behind to fight the Russian aggressors.
Significance of IWD, 2022 Theme, Event Sponsors, and Community Leaders Present
IWD is a global day honoring the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The 2022 theme #BreakTheBias encourages us to call out gender bias and inequality to create a more inclusive world. The AAUW-IWD event is the branch’s signature program. Marlene thanked the panelists, participants, IWD committee (Chair and Moderator Usha Reddi, Dede Brokesh, Susanne Siepl Coates, Mary Stamey, and Barbara Gatewood), and event sponsors at the Diamond Level: Barbara Rees and League of Women Voters of Manhattan/Riley County; Silver Level: Steve’s Floral, Barbara Gatewood, and Usha Reddi; and Bronze Level: Susanne Siepl-Coates, Mary Stamey, and Marlene VerBrugge. Community leaders in attendance were Riley County Commissioner Kathryn Focke, Mayor Linda Morse, and State Representative Sydney Carlin.
Introduction of IWD Panelists
Usha Reddi introduced the five IWD panelists. Four of the panelist are K-State students and recipients of AAUW Manhattan Branch scholarships.
- Nadeeshani Ratnayaka (Sri Lanka) earned a B.S. from the University of Arts, London and is pursuing a M.S. in the Department of Interior Design and Fashion Studies (IDFS) with a focus on sustainable design methods using natural dyes.
- Taiwo Bamidele (Nigeria) is a doctoral student in IDFS with a research focus on reducing apparel consumption. She holds a B.S. in home economics education and M.T. in industrial design and is lecturer in textile design at Awolow University.
- Natalie Duling (United States) earned a B.A. in music education from K-State, is a former high school music teacher in Chanute, is completing her master’s in music education, and is a LBGTQ community member. Her research focuses on diversity and inclusion in high school curriculums.
- Pingping Chen (China) earned a B.S. and M.S in optical science and engineering and is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Industrial Engineering and Manufacturing Systems with a research focus on the interaction between high energy lasers and nanomaterials. She is also president of the K-State Graduate Student Council.
- Palwasha Yousofi (Afghanistan) obtained a B.S. in business administration in Kabul, moved to Manhattan with her husband and two children, faced challenges after immigrating to the U.S., and is now working in retail in Lewisville, Texas.
Panelists Questions
The panelists were asked questions on their biggest hurdles and challenges in coming to the U.S., how easily they became integrated into the university and Manhattan community, traditions from their home country they continue to practice, and any type of biases experienced, followed by open questions.
Hurdles and Challenges
Taiwo, Pingping, and Nadeeshani have experienced few obstacles and found the Manhattan community very welcoming. Palwasha’s family has struggled with finding suitable employment and housing. Natalie discussed the challenges of re-introducing herself after “coming out” upon returning to K-State for her graduate studies. Pingping, Nadeeshani, and Palwasha discussed the welcoming environment of the World Friendship organization. Taiwo developed a sense of belonging through church participation. She expressed frustration with some language issues.
Challenges noted by the panelists were the high cost of childcare and health insurance with limited options and lack of transportation outside Manhattan. Because of the large community of Chinese students, it was easy for Pingping to make friends. Even though Nadeeshani had been in the U.S. before, she experienced social isolation during COVID from online classes and the inability to interact with friends and classmates. With the lifting of COVID restrictions, many of panelists have become more involved in student life. Nadeeshani is now involved in community and campus activities, e.g., volunteering at the Konza Student Table, joining the International Coordinating Council, and working as a graduate assistant for the International Student and Scholar Services.
Practice of Traditions from Home Country
Some of the panelists continue to practice traditions from their home country. Taiwo and Nadeeshani have designated places for prayer. Pingping has tried to increase her observance of Chinese festivals for the benefit of her daughter. Palwasha has found acceptance in wearing traditional Islamic dress difficult. Nadeeshani still removes her shoes indoors and takes a gift when invited into people’s homes.
Biases Experienced
The biases experienced by the panelists varied. Taiwo elaborated on gender bias in Nigeria, e.g., female children are less desirable yet have more responsibility for chores and receive more at-home training, whereas boys spend more time playing and receive minimal instruction on how to be good husbands. Pingping discussed the preference in China for people that are taller, have lighter skin, and big eyes. She shared a personal experience of a K-Stater saying “I thought Chinese people were polite” when she expressed an objection on an issue. Natalie experienced male intimidation in a music teaching position and how being queer is sometimes an issue on campus and in the performing arts.
Nadeeshani discussed prestige disparity among disciplines, e.g., received condescending remarks because she chose an artistic field with lower salaries, compared to scientific disciplines. In predominately Islamic Afghanistan, women and men are not equal; women often times can’t work and are afraid to go outside.
Question and Answer Session
During the Q&A session the panelists discussed topics related to driving and future professional plans. Taiwo would like to return to Nigeria to promote reducing textile consumption, whereas the other panelists will seek out opportunities in the U.S. or abroad. Palwasha would like to pursue a master’s degree.
Gifts of Appreciation
In appreciation of their participation, the panelist were given AAUW paperweights and flowers from Steve’s Floral. Mary Stamey announced that the book We are Artists: Women Who Made Their Mark in the World by Kari Herbert will be given to the Manhattan Public Library on behalf of the panelists with an inscribed bookplate.
Overview of AAUW
Marlene ended the program with an overview of AAUW’s mission, history, and scholarships available to non-traditional women students at K-State, 6th and 7th grade girls to attend STEM Camp, and college students to attend AAUW’s National Conference for College Women Student Leaders. AAUW membership is open to anyone with an associate degree or higher from a regionally accredited college or university. All K-State undergraduate and graduate students are eligible for a FREE e-affiliate AAUW membership and can joining online at: https://www.aauw.org/membership/ .
Announcements
Alex Van Dyke will speak on the work of the Manhattan Chapter of Moms Demand Action (MDA) on April 11, 2022. For more information about AAUW, visit https://manhattan-ks.aauw.net/. or email manhattanksaauw@gmail.com.
Respectfully submitted,
Barbara Gatewood
Branch Meeting Secretary
AAUW Manhattan Branch Meeting Minutes
Via Zoom, 6:00 – 7:10 p.m.
February 14, 2022
President Marlene VerBrugge opened the AAUW Manhattan Branch virtual meeting and introduced guests Isabel Call and Jane Bowers. Chair Usha Reddi provided updates on the International Women’s Day (IWD) event on Monday, March 7 at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom. The five panelists include four AAUW K-State scholarship recipients from China (Pingping Chen), Sri Lanka (Nadeeshani Ratnayaka), Nigeria (Tauwi Bamidele), and the United States (Natalie Duling), plus a former Manhattanite from Afghanistan (Palwasha Yousofi). The committee has developed posters and a sponsorship form with four levels ($25, $50, $75, and $100). Please consider being a sponsor to support event costs and student scholarships. The committee will meet with the panelists on February 16 at 4:00 p.m. Susanne Siepl-Coates is preparing press releases for K-State Today and The Manhattan Mercury. IWD Proclamations will be presented at the Manhattan City Commission meeting on March 1 at 7:00 p.m. and USD 383 Board of Education meeting on March 2 at 6:30 p.m. Mary Stamey, Dede Brokesh, and panelists will speak on KMAN on March 4 at 9:30 p.m. Panelists and AAUW members are invited to attend these events. Dede noted a sponsorship narrative letter is available for talking with potential sponsors. Barbara Gatewood encouraged sharing the social media posts and printing/displaying the poster. Usha added that panelists bios and photos will be available soon.
Program:
Co-program VP Susanne Siepl-Coates introduced speaker Susanne Glymour, chair of USD 383 Committee for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) established in 2016. Susanne has been a social worker in three states and is director of the Manhattan Nonviolence Initiative, a project housed under the UFM Community Learning Center.
Susanne spoke on the history of CDI, who they are, what they do, and how and why they do it. The committee resulted from the concurrence of 1) a directive from the USD 383 Board of Education for the superintendent to create a diversity committee after the mascot retention decision was made and 2) community efforts underway to re-establish an advisory group for diversity in the school district. They developed and presented a model, mission, and vision to the superintendent and Board of Education in 2017.
CDI strives to have the membership as diverse as possible to guard against addressing diversity issues from a non-diverse perspective, as reflected in the diversity acronym ADDRESSING + M used in selecting committee members, i.e., diversity in age (A), developmental status (D), disability (D), religious/spiritual orientation (R), ethnic/racial identity (E), socio/economic status (S), sexual orientation (S), indigenous heritage (I), national origin (N), gender/gender expression (G), and military status (+M). CDI is composed of a broad spectrum of volunteers (parents, students, teachers, caregivers, etc.), representing intersectional categories.
Structurally, they have evolved and will be presenting a set of bylaws at the next Board of Education meeting. However, they still function on a non-hierarchical, “consensus model,” embracing a diversity of thought, considerable conversation, learning from each other, and establishing a common ground to foster inclusivity.
CDI is charged with advising, assisting, and making recommendations to the superintendent on issues of diversity awareness, educational equity, and reduction of racial, ethnic, economic, or other prejudices and their effects. The superintendent attends CDI’s monthly meetings and conveys their recommendations to other administrators and the Board of Education.
CDI’s five working domains are curriculum, policy, hiring/recruitment/ retention, calendar, and social engagement. They are not partisan or political and stay focused on the well-being of students. On hiring/recruitment/retention issues, they often work with the director of human resources and listen to the needs of teachers. On curriculum issues, they connect with administrators, educators, and parents. For example, CDI piloted an “equity tool” to evaluate curriculum diversity and recommended major changes in the discrimination reporting/ evaluation/follow-up process after extensive work, initiated by student dissatisfaction. The calendar committee promotes dates of importance with some not typically acknowledged. Students comprise the social engagement committee and work on raising awareness of struggles. CDI’s work is research based and data driven, but they seek to provide a “safe space” for students to tell their stories.
All of the CDI members (35) are volunteers, they meet monthly on the 2nd Thursday, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. in the MHS West Campus Library, and welcome community involvement. They have a core group of involved members but rely on affiliates/supporters to provide expertise and guide them to resources. Susanne presents yearly to the Board of Education.
Susanne answered questions on diversity and inclusion committees in other school districts, their role in initiating issues versus responding to issues that come up, critical race theory, budget, and examples of CDI impact. She encouraged attendees to visit the CDI website https://www.usd383.org/community/committee-for-diversity-and-inclusion or contact her at sue.cdi.info@gmail.com
Mary Stamey announced that the book A Friend Like You by Frank Murphy and Charnaie Gordon will be given to the Manhattan Public Library on Susanne’s behalf with an inscribed bookplate.
Respectfully submitted,
Barbara Gatewood
Branch Meeting Secretary
AAUW Manhattan Branch Meeting Minutes
Via Zoom, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
January 10, 2022
Mary Stamey welcomed attendees to the AAUW Manhattan Branch virtual meeting on January 10, 2022 at 6:30 p.m. Susan Glymour, USD383 Committee Chair for Diversity and Inclusion will speak at the AAUW meeting on February 14th (location TBA). Usha Reddi announced that our International Women’s Day event will be held on Monday, March 7 with a focus on refugees. Fatima Jaghoori, organizer for the Afghan refugees in Manhattan, has been asked to be a panelist. If you have other suggestion, contact Usha Reddi, Marlene VerBrugge or Dede Brokesh. Lynne Ewanow introduced guest Rev. Dr. Isabel Call.
Program:
Usha introduced Sonya and Dave Baker, Director of the Frederick Douglass Recreation Complex who spoke on the history of the three buildings that comprise the complex on Manhattan’s south side: Douglass Community Center, Douglass Annex, and the new Douglass Activity Center. Dave grew up in Manhattan, took a coaching position in Muskogee, and returned in 2011. He noted Manhattan has significantly changed for the better. Little remains that reflects what it was in the 50’s and 60’s. He didn’t realize how segregated Manhattan was growing up. Sonya works in K-State’s College of Arts and Sciences.
Dave noted that the descriptors for people of color have changed more than any other ethnic group, e.g., colored (40’s-50’s), negroes (60’s), black (70’s – 80’s), and today African-American black and brown people of color. Yuma Street (3rd – 17th Streets) was the “main street” for the African-American people in Manhattan, but that is not true today, even though the population is greater. The construction of Fort Riley Blvd. (1987) along the corridor of the Rock Island passenger railroad, that stopped at the Manhattan Depot, resulted in significant changes on the south side (1st to 14th Streets). Few blacks lived past Yuma Street until the early 60’s, and most things they needed (grocery stores, hotel, churches, etc.) were available in their community.
The Douglass Community Center was originally built (1942) as a USO recreational facility for “colored soldiers.” The Community House (1917) on 4th Street was the USO for white soldiers. The Douglass Community Center was strictly for the black community until the 70’s. It was the only recreational center in the town for many years. The Douglass Annex, originally built as the Douglass School (1904), was one of the three grade schools in Manhattan, until it was closed in 1962. The city bought the building from USD383 in 1945/46, expanding the space available for activities and events. The Douglass Community Center and Annex became the “heart” of the black community.
The new Douglass Activity Center was built in 2021 along with two other recreation buildings attached to schools on the east and west side because a centralized space was unavailable. Manhattan had not built a recreation facility in 50 years. Considerable community effort (7+ years) was required to obtain city funds to build the Douglass Activity Center after the HUD loan fell through. Deb Nuss, Douglass Advisory Board, described the process of obtaining city funding in more detail, which was based in part on an equity issue that the city was not serving the recreational needs of the south side of town.
The Douglass Activity Center has fitness equipment and classes not found at the other centers. It is located on the site of the Douglass Pool (1939), which Dave’s mother managed for 20 years. The complex enables multiple activities to take place at “prime time” and hosts more than just sports activities. Sonya noted it is a “feel good” place with staff that encourage people to recreate and socialize.
The Bakers have also focused on preserving the history of the area and are working on the development of historic displays at the complex. Dave commented “Once history goes away, it doesn’t come back.” The historic display during the ribbon-cutting ceremony was an MPL exhibit based on 140 Years of Soul: a History of African-Americans in Manhattan, Kansas 1865 through 2005 by Geraldine Baker Walton, Dave’s second cousin. Mary Stamey also noted the importance of keeping historical records. The community should be proud that the Bakers are good stewards. When Pat Hudgins asked about the Baker family legacy, Dave commented that his father founded youth baseball in City Park, was one of the pillars of the community, and is the namesake of Baker Field Park. To help promote the Douglass Activity Center, Dave said “please come down and participate. Once you come, you’ll come back! If you have lived other places, you will realize that Manhattan is a pretty good place to be in.”
Mary Stamey announced that the book Our Community Center by Lisa Amstutz will be given to the Manhattan Public Library on the Bakers’ behalf with an inscribed bookplate.
Respectfully submitted,
Barbara Gatewood
Branch Meeting Secretary
AAUW Manhattan Branch Meeting Minutes
Meadowlark Hills Event Center and Via Zoom, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
December 13, 2021
Program Co-VP Usha Reddi welcomed members and guests (Kathleen Jones and Karen Penner-Johnson) to the AAUW Manhattan Branch hybrid dinner meeting in the Meadowlark Event Center on December 13, 2021 at 6 p.m.
Announcements:
National Fund donations were collected and will be sent in later this month. The branch balance is $5,960. The League of Women Voters is tracking redistricting in Kansas and will provide more information. Visit the Website (https://manhattan-ks.aauw.net/) for updates, including the 2021-2022 AAUW Yearbook and minutes in the Members Only section (password: manhattanbranch). The next branch meeting on January 10 is tentatively planned to held at the Frederick Douglass Activity Center, 6:00 p.m. David and Sonia Baker will give a tour and talk on the history and journey of the center in making our community more inclusive. Contact Usha if you would like to serve on the International Women’s Day subcommittee to begin planning the March 2022 event. A National webinar, “Exploring Tough Policy Issues Through an AAUW Lens, Political and Nonpartisan” will be held on December 15 and possibly posted later.
Program:
Usha introduced Deb Kluttz, founder and executive director of Homestead Ministries who spoke on “One Solution to Human Sex Trafficking.” The Homestead facilities in Manhattan and Salina provide long-term, transitional care for women who are survivors of the sex trafficking industry. She shared a poem “Lost Souls of the Night” written by a survivor that gave a bleak picture of sex trafficking victims and their uphill battle to survive.
Human sex trafficking is defined as a commercial sex act that is induced by force, fraud, coercion, or when the person involved is not 18 years of age or older. More women (45 million) are employed in the sex trafficking today than in any time in history. It is the #1 crime in the world (a $150 billion industry), and America is the #1 destination for victims with an estimated 100,000 – 300,000 individuals trafficked in our country each year. In Kansas, 2,300 underaged youth fall into sexual exploitation annually. Interstate 35 and 70 are the main corridors for sex trafficking, predominantly through the trucking industry, and Kansas City and Wichita among the top cities. Contributing factors are poverty, low education, physical and sexual abuse, broken homes, foster care, and drugs. Victims have higher rates of substance abuse, rape, STDs, and mental health issues.
As Pastor of the Westview Community Church, Deb was motivated to start Homestead after attending a seminar in 2009 on sex trafficking and learning about the nationwide need to help thousands of victims. With a monetary gift to get started, a donated house, furniture from Feldkamp’s, and contributions from churches, families, and local businesses, Homestead opened in July 2012 with offices in the Westview Community Church. A duplicate facility opened last April in Salina through the initiative of the First Covenant Church.
Homestead’s four-pronged approach is: #1 prevention and community awareness, #2 rescue, #3 restoration, and #4 reintegrate with a focus on the latter two. To qualify for Homestead, the woman must be 18 or older, speak English, have existed the sex industry, and is ready for a life change. Homestead provides a holistic network of free support for 9-24 months, ranging from medical/mental health services to school, jobs, and/or career training. Homestead Plus provides host homes for women with children. In 2019 Homestead Ministries received the Outstanding Victims Service Organization Award by the Office of the Kansas Attorney General for improving the lives of Kansas crime victims.
Deb addressed questions about strip club attitudes toward onsite outreach, community awareness efforts, demographics of victims and johns, impact of legalizing prostitution, and community support. Expanding the number of survivors in Homestead’s care would be difficult because of the cost per month ($250 @) and limited pro bono services. To donate or learn about Homestead volunteering opportunities, call 785-537-7173 ext. 115 or visit www.homesteadministry.org. AAUW members donated supplies and money. The book What Unbreakable Looks Like” will be given to the Manhattan Public Library on Deb’s behalf.
Respectfully submitted,
Barbara Gatewood
Branch Meeting Secretary
AAUW Manhattan Branch Meeting Minutes
Meadowlark Hills Event Center and Via Zoom, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
November 8, 2021
President Marlene VerBrugge welcomed members and guests (Josefa Ben-Arieh and Kathleen Jones) to the AAUW Manhattan Branch hybrid dinner meeting in the Meadowlark Event Center on November 8, 2021 at 6 p.m.
PROGRAM:
Program Co-VP Usha Reddi introduced General Counsel Shari Crittendon who was appointed to lead K-State’s Office of General Counsel (OGC) in June 2020. Shari spoke on OGC’s role at a public university and her proactive, mission-oriented approach to providing counsel on the three K-State campuses.
Originally for the Big Apple, Shari received a bachelor’s from Syracuse University and a law degree from the Carey School of Law, University of Maryland. She has 25 years of experience in handling complex legal issues in private practice and in serving as counsel in tax-exempt, higher education institutions on issues related to employment, governance, and compliance matters. She has provided stellar leadership in enhancing OGC’s status as a valued and trusted strategic partner, establishing core values, and expanding services and resources.
A general counsel is basically a generalist lawyer or legal team that provides counsel or advise on complex issues, often requiring critical thinking and the ability to formulate answers. K-State’s five-member OGC general counsel team advises faculty/staff/student on legal/conflict resolution issues, develops and reviews policies and contracts, gives presentation on legal issues, and is involved in litigation and external proceedings. OGC’s vision and mission are aligned with the interests of the University. Based on OGC’s university-wide survey, five core (ICARE) values were developed for providing legal advice and support: I = innovative resource, C = commitment to mission, A = accessibility, R = respectful in educating personnel, and E = excellence in fulfilling the University’s legal and ethical obligations.
Shari noted that higher education is the most highly regulated industry sector and trying to keep up with all the laws is a big task. Sometimes policy is derived from law, other times it is based on what is best for the institution. The OCG is responsible for providing guidance on implementing federal and state laws, e.g., EO14720 Ensuring Adequate COVID Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors, which requires all University employees to be vaccinated by December 8, except for those with religious or medical exemptions. Tenured faculty in non-compliance may be in violation of employment condition, resulting in a cause for termination. Federal laws prevail if in conflict with state laws. OGC also writes numerous guides/handbooks and would like to develop a website for quick access to information on new laws and policies. As administrators, they also figure ways to better manage situations and be proactive by calculating risks and tolerances, formulate crisis management teams, and have collective conversation on how to respond to social media.
Some of the innovative OCG pathways moving forward are strategic use of technology, greater client outreach, website for online access to information, access to portals, development of boilerplates/templates, and greater collaboration to preserve the interests of the university. They want to be equitable, affordable and accessible and transactional.
Shari addressed questions on scope of faculty and staff issues handled by OGC, Title IX under the Biden administration, vaccination requirement complaints and job status of non-compliant tenured faculty, and concealed gun carry on campus. President Biden has created a burden on universities in providing men adequate due process in sexual assault cases.
Mary Stamey announced that the book, Know Your Rights and Claim Them will be donated to the Manhattan Public Library on Shari’s behalf.
Announcements
Marlene circulated a basket for AAUW National Fund donations and will be sending the printed portion of the AAUW Yearbook. Stem Coordinator Chris Herald announced that today is National STEM Day. A special webinar commemorating the 140th anniversary of AAUW will be held on November 17 with recognition of some of the 100-year old branches, e.g., Manhattan Branch.
Deb Klutz will speak at the December 13 branch meeting on Homestead, a long-term facility for survivors of human trafficking. Help celebrate December as the Month of Giving by donating needed supplies or funds to Homestead.
Respectfully submitted,
Barbara Gatewood
Branch Meeting Secretary
AAUW Manhattan Branch Meeting Minutes
Via Zoom
October 11, 2021, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
The AAUW Manhattan Branch held a hybrid (in-person/virtual) dinner meeting with the Riley County League of Women Voters on October 11, 2021 at 6 p.m. in the Meadowlark Event Center. Co-Program VP Usha Reddi introduced speaker Rich Vargo, Riley County Clerk and Election Official. He is responsible for all city and county elections as mandated by state statutes. Rich addressed questions on voter registration, voting procedures, and changes in Kansas voting laws. Paper ballots were used in Riley County prior to the Help America Vote Act of 2002, requiring at least one electronic voting machine at each polling place, so every individual has an opportunity to vote. Advanced voting has made it easier to vote, whereas voting by mail has increased voter participation and is the trend nationwide.
Because the COVID pandemic caused a significant loss of workers and increased safety concerns, all registered voters in Riley County were sent a mail-in ballot in the 2020 Presidential Election. Rich is working on a mechanism to enable all voters, not just sick or disabled, to fill out only one application to receive a mail-in ballot in perpetuity, if residing at the same address. The turnout at local elections for school board members and county/city commissioners is considerably less (22% in 2017) than Presidential Elections. Rich thinks the highest turnout should be at local elections.
Political parties, voter groups, and candidates are responsible for to getting people to register and vote. These groups should specify their affiliation on campaign materials. Voters make simple mistakes on voter registrations, e.g., omit signature, age, and driver’s license number. Non-Riley County students must cancel their registration in their home county to vote in our election.
The 2021 Kansas Election Laws are still in litigation and will have no impact on the current election. Some of the laws’ components are unrealistic and can’t be enforced. Riley County election officials have received training in signature verification.
Advanced voting runs October 13 – November 1, and General Election Day is November 2. Ballots can be dropped off at the Riley County Office Building or at any of the official 30 polling places. All school districts and cities in Riley County will have elections, and the county has a 0.2% sales tax option. Any person can fill out a provisional ballot if there are any discrepancies in their registration or previous balloting. It is a great tool to ensure registration for the next elections, and approximately 60-70% of provisional ballots are counted in each election.
Riley County’s procedures ensure the integrity of poll workers with yearly training and registration, and numerous safety checks are done on the election machines. They are not hooked up to a network and results are collected on a flash drive. State laws prohibit poll watchers from interfering with the voting process. Sample ballots can be obtained on-line, in-person, or by calling the Riley County Clerk’s Office.
Mary Stamey announced in appreciation that the book Thank you for Voting Young Reader by Erin Geiger will be donated to the Manhattan Public Library on Rich’s behalf. President Marlene VerBrugge closed the meeting by thanking the LWV for joining us and will send out announcements by email.
The next branch hybrid dinner meeting will be held on November 8 at Meadowlark. Shari Crittendon will speak on the roles and responsibilities of the general counsel for K-State.
Respectfully submitted,
Barbara Gatewood
Branch Meeting Secretary
AAUW Branch Meeting Minutes
Via Zoom
September 13, 2021, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
The AAUW Manhattan Branch meeting was held virtually on September 13, 2021 at 6:30 p.m. President Marlene VerBrugge welcomed fifteen members and four guests. Dede Brokesh introduced speaker Stacey Knoell, executive director of the African American Affairs Commission. Her presentation focused on her path to becoming involved in the political arena and her current position with the commission. At the urging of others, she ran for the District 9 Senate seat in Kansas. She lost by only four percentage points, but she emphasized how much she learned about herself through the process. The election got her on the governor’s radar and she soon became the executive director of the African American Affairs Commission, one of four of the External Affairs Commissions through the governor’s office. There are seven members on the commission with selections being politically balanced. Currently, 50 percent of
her job is dealing with the COVID vaccine among the African American population. She works closely with the senior advisor of vaccine equity in Kansas. She indicated Black churches have helped in getting vaccines out to their communities. Twenty-five percent of her job right now deals with redistricting which can have an impact on Black communities in Kansas. She had hoped to do listening tours throughout Kansas but COVID restricted that option for now. She embraces the quote: “If I want to go far, I need to take people with me, if I want to go fast, I go by myself.” The book Mighty Justice: My Life in Civil Rights, the memoir of activist and trailblazer Dovey Johnson Roundtree, by Katie McCabe, was selected on Stacey’s behalf for the Manhattan Public Library.
Program: Dede Brokesh announced the speaker for the next meeting will be Rich Vargo, Riley County Clerk. He will provide an update and discuss changes to voting rules, advance voting, mail-in ballots, and what to expect on ballots. The League of Women Voters will be joining us for this meeting. Marlene indicated that she is working on the yearbook updates and Dede is working on the program flyer. Both will be ready by the next meeting.
Finance: Marianne Korten, treasurer, gave the budget report and presented the budget for 2021-2022. It was approved as presented. The bank account stands at $5,765.57. Marlene submitted a grant, written by Dede and others, to Humanities Kansas for internet and Zoom equipment. There are opportunities for members to provide donations to support the books for the speakers and the STEM scholarships given to 7th grade girls to attend the district STEM camp. Members are encouraged to link their Dillons card to the Dillons Community Rewards Program. Instructions are in the yearbook.
Membership: Chris Herald gave the membership report. There are currently 53 members with 1 not paid. The Shape the Future membership is available to new members or members who have lapsed over two years. It offers 50 percent off national dues. Dues should be paid by the end of October.
Announcements: Marlene announced that the bylaws appointed officer position is open as well as the AAUW funds position. Please contact her if you are interested in either position.
Great Decisions will meet on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. via Zoom. Nancy Bolsen will continue to convene the Serendipity interest group that meets at Meadowlark.
Mary Stamey shared that Candice Macintosh, director of Girls on the Run, is interested in collaborating with AAUW.
The next branch meeting on October 11 will be a hybrid meeting. The in-person dinner/meeting will be held at the Meadowlark Event Center at 6:00 p.m. The Zoom meeting will open at 6:30 p.m. with the program starting at approximately 6:45 p.m. The League of Women Voters will join us for this meeting.