Weekly update: AAUW National Convention -- part 1

I had a grand time at the AAUW National Convention in Washington, DC.

The preconference, workshop, and round table discussion that my committee* presented were all well received.

(*Branch Program Resources)  










Judy Woodruff was the keynote speaker at the opening banquet Wednesday. "It's been an interesting 4-1/2 months for those of us in the news business," she said with understatement.

















We lobbied for Title IX and federal student aid. The 50-member Illinois delegation met with an aide to Sen. Durbin and in person with Sen. Duckworth.  The two of us from IL Dist. 10 met with an aide to Rep. Brad Schneider.  

Sen. Duckworth is the first Asian-American senator from Illinois. She deployed to Iraq as a pilot in the Army Reserve. She lost both legs  when her helicopter crashed.

Pollsters Celinda Lake and Linda DiVall broadened our understanding of the importance of women in politics and the work they do (one Democrat, one Republican) to gauge opinion and advise campaigns.

Dr. Tererai Trent was a 2001-02 AAUW International Fellow. She was honored with the 2017 Alumnae Recognition Award.  I got a copy of her autobiographical picture book, "The Girl Who Buried Her Dreams in a Can." She did exactly that as a child in rural Zimbabwe. Now she teaches at the Drexel University School of Public Health.








Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor is the 2017 AAUW Achievement recipient. WOW!  She walked around the banquet room shaking hands and hugging, talking the whole time.



The Secret Service agents were not far away.

Laura Dunn (r.) is executive director of SurvJustice Inc., a nonprofit to advocate for survivors of sexual violence. She received the Eleanor Roosevelt Fund award.

(contributed photo)

Alpha Gam sister Pat, a friend from Fargo days

This was the seventh national convention I've attended. (1997, 1999, 2001, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2017).

I saw long-time friends and met many new people.

Almost as many badge ribbons as ALA!