CALENDAR

* Saturday, April 6, UU Event. Tony Lu in Concert. UU Meetinghouse at 7 pm. 
A solo concert of piano compositions in the style of Bach to Rock will be performed by Tony Lu. For more information, read Chuck Putney’s article.

* Thursday, April 9. Malinda Lo, author of Last Night at the Telegraph Club. Hybrid event at the South Burlington Library from 7-8:30 pm. Register here to view a live stream of the event.  See below for more information about the book, which will be the focus of Branch events in May and June.

* Thursday, April 11. National AAUW Webinar: “The Demands of Justice: Enslaved Women, Capital Crime, and Clemency in Early Virginia” at 2 pm on Zoom. Click here for more information and to register. 

* Sunday, April 14. April Branch Program. Can Ethical AI Reduce the Risks of AI? UU Meetinghouse at 2 pm.
Dr. Anthony Hoogs, who has been working in the AI field for decades, will speak on “Can Ethical AI Reduce the Risks of AI?” on Sunday, April 14 at 2 pm. The talk is co-sponsored by the Bennington Branch of the American Association of University Women and the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. He will discuss what AI is, the risks it poses, and what the AI community is doing about them.

* Wednesday, April 17. Book Group Meeting. UU Meetinghouse at 1 pm.
Library: An Unquiet History by Matthew Battles. All branch members welcome.

“Through the ages, libraries have not only accumulated and preserved but also shaped, inspired, and obliterated knowledge. Now they are in crisis. Former rare books librarian and Harvard metaLAB visionary Matthew Battles takes us from Boston to Baghdad, from classical scriptoria to medieval monasteries and on to the Information Age, to explore how libraries are built and how they are destroyed: from the scroll burnings in ancient China to the burning of libraries in Europe and Bosnia to the latest revolutionary upheavals of the digital age.” (Description by W.W. Norton, Publisher)

 

 

* May and June: Branch Program.  A series of events related to the background of Last Night at the Telegraph Club—the “Vermont Reads” selection for 2023-24. Locations and times will be announced in the May Newsletter.

Events will include background information related to Malinda Lo’s book that promise to be of interest to all: swing music, Chinese cooking, lesbian relationships, the red scare, a film screening, and more. Consider attending the events, whether or not you plan to read the book.

A facilitator from “Vermont Reads” will lead a discussion of the book after these background programs. Events are made possible through a grant from “Vermont Reads” and are  cosponsored by the John G. McCullough Library, AAUW, and Brookdale Fillmore Pond. We have free copies available to all AAUW members. Let Berta Winiker know if you would like a copy. Email Berta at <bertleberries@yahoo.com>.

Read a review by Publishers Weekly. 

 

CONTENTS

* President’s Message by Suzanne Kirkpatrick

Suzanne urges members to express their support for a proposed pay transparency act by writing to Vermont legislators.

 

 

 

 

 

 

* Vote in the AAUW Election

Vote to eliminate the degree requirement for AAUW membership. AAUW’s third-party voting vendor, Simply Voting, will provide Elector IDs and Passwords to all members. This information will be emailed to members before voting begins (and voters will receive regular reminders if they have not yet voted). Voters without a valid email address on file will be mailed a paper ballot. To learn more about this vote, click on Vote in AAUW Election!

* June 22 at noon at The Barn.  Potluck and Business Meeting.

ANNOUNCEMENTS 

— Stay Connected: Re-Subscribe to AAUW Emails

Are you missing out on vital updates and important announcements from AAUW? Don’t let valuable information slip through the cracks! Ensure you stay connected by re-subscribing to AAUW emails. Simply use this link, aauw.us/emailoptions, to re-subscribe.

— AAUW’s Impact in 2023: Read the Report

In the face of persistent challenges hindering women’s progress, AAUW stood unwavering, advocating for gender equity in 2023. AAUW members actively engaged in advocacy, sent messages to legislators, and championed legislative change on Capitol Hill. Learn more about some of the organizational achievements that you can share with your members and supporters by reading AAUW’s 2023 Year in Review now on the website of AAUW National.website.

PHOTOS FROM THE SPRING FLING TEA