AAUW Hastings 2023-2024 Program Schedule
September 25, 2023
6:00 pm Salad Supper
7:00 pm Meeting followed by The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Task Force
Senator Mary Kunesh
Senator Mary Kunesh (DFL-New Brighton) will present on her work with the Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women Task Force. Senator Kunesh was instrumental in passing the task force legislation in 2019 and works with the project now.
The September meeting is a Shape the Future Event. Anyone joining AAUW for the first time at any of these events is entitled to reduced dues of $67.00 (regular dues are $103.00).
October 23, 2023 7:00 pm
Perspectives on Women in Law Enforcement
Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna S. Witt
Sheriff Witt spent a good part of her career with the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office before moving on to lead the Adult Detention and Court Services Bureau, the largest division of the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, before ascending to the top position as Hennepin County Sheriff in January 2023. She is the first person of color and first woman elected as sheriff in Hennepin County.
As an organization advocating and empowering women and girls, and equity for all, Sheriff Witt is the walking embodiment of what is possible when those goals are realized in real-life. She will share with us her path to the present position of overseeing a highly visible office in the most populous and diverse county in Minnesota. The present moment seems to be a seminal inflection point for the direction of law enforcement in our state and perhaps the nation. As a knowledgeable and influential participant in this conversation, Sheriff Witt’s background, experience, and position will help form the direction.
November 27, 2023 7:00 pm
Forecasting Minnesota’s Changeable Weather
Meteorologist Karen Filloon
Karen grew up in Michigan and Florida and moved to Minnesota in 1982. She has a B.S. in Meteorology from Florida State University and an A.A.S. degree from Dakota County Technical College in Landscape Design/Horticulture. She serves on the BATC (Builders Association of the Twin Cities) Workforce Development & Education Committee, promoting trades and raising awareness of the careers available in the construction industry – including Landscape Design/Build.
December 9, 2023 10:00 am
Holiday Brunch at Hastings Public House
Please save your spot by giving your $30 to Jody Rudh by December 1.
Our branch will once again participate in the Hastings Family Services Project Share “Adopt-a-Family.” Look for more information in the TWIG.
The Holiday Brunch is a Shape the Future Event. Anyone joining AAUW for the first time at any of these events is entitled to reduced dues of $67.00 (regular dues are $103.00).
January 22, 2024
6:00 pm Chili Supper
7:00 pm Meeting followed by Books Selection Process in Dakota County
Librarian Christy Wayne
Christy Wayne is the Adult Collection Librarian for the Dakota County Library System. She is responsible for purchasing all print and digital materials for adult audiences in Dakota County.
During her presentation, Christy will explain the process that is followed, the criteria for selections, and other Dakota County Library policies.
February 26, 2024 7:00 pm
How to Survive a Heart Crisis, and How to Prevent One from Happening
Cardiologist Dr. Retu Saxena and Danna Elling Schultz
One out of every 5 causes of death in women is cardiovascular (heart) disease. And often women don’t recognize or ignore the symptoms they experience because they are different than those experienced by men. Our February program will focus on women’s heart health.
Dr. Saxena is the senior consulting cardiologist at Allina Health Minneapolis Heart Institute. She is also President/Governor of the Minnesota Chapter of the American College of Cardiology and the co-director of the Cardio Obstetrics Program. She has expertise in women’s heart issues and research interests in cardiovascular risk factors that emerge during pregnancy.
As an AAUW member, Danna serves as a program vice president. She was diagnosed 9 years ago with atrial fibrillation—AFib—that was controlled with medication. But for 4 years, she
couldn’t keep up with an active lifestyle and the AFib was out of control. She will detail how she
ignored her symptoms, her journey with cardiovascular disease and how she remains healthy and active today.
March 25, 2024 7:00 pm
Diaries of Jane Doe: Historical Perspectives on Women’s Health in Dakota County
Caillean Magee
Caillean’s presentation will take a deep dive into how women have been viewed in Western Medicine throughout time and what that meant for women in Dakota County in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. We will start with the ancient Greeks, move through Medieval and Renaissance Europe then arrive in Colonial America. We will discuss not only the tools and techniques available to medicine at those times but also the societal contexts and pressures that influenced how women were and are treated in Western Medicine.
Caillean Magee got her Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry at Saint Catherine University.
She then went on to the University of San Francisco to earn her Masters in Museum
Studies. Currently, she works at the Science Museum of Minnesota as a Visitor
Experience Assistant Manager. In her downtime, she enjoys playing video games with her partner, reading mystery novels, and crafting.
April 22, 2024
Spring Social at Hastings Public House
5:30 Check In
6:00 Dinner
Amelia Earhart’s Life and Disappearance
Nancy Earhart Burt
Get ready for a “funtastic” night out! After the business meeting, Nancy Earhart Burt, AAUW
Hastings member, will present a program about her famous relative, Amelia Earhart.
Cost: $35. Checks payable to THE HASTINGS PUBLIC HOUSE can be given to Jackie Rigelman
at the March meeting or sent to her home. Deadline for reservations is April 15.
April 26-27, 2024
AAUW State Annual Meeting
Confluence Hotel, Hastings, MN
On April 26, 2024, AAUW MN board of directors and Hastings branch planning team will welcome everyone to the 95th Annual Meeting of AAUW MN. Five more years until our 100th celebration. Imagine what we will achieve in 5 more years especially for our future members. We are poised to celebrate achievements by individuals and our organization. We will be at the Confluence. Confluence is defined by Webster’s dictionary as “a coming or flowing together, meeting at one point.” Our Annual Meeting will be held in Hastings, Minnesota, at the Confluence of three rivers – The Mississippi, the Vermillion and the St. Croix. Each join together to create a powerful force as it flows through the center of the United States to its final destination.
This year’s theme is Confluence = Inclusion, Collaboration, and Empowerment. Speakers are anticipated on the topics of gender justice, pay equity, and women entrepreneurship.
For more information about the AAUW MN Annual Meeting, see the Spring 2024 Pine.
To register, fill out the 2024 Registration Form and mail with your $130 fee by March 31, 2024.
May 20, 2024 7:00 pm
Book Sale before and after the meeting
Title IX, Impact on Athletes and Sports at the Collegiate Level
Vicki Davis
All meetings are held at St. Phillip’s Lutheran Church, 1401 W. 15th Street, Hastings, MN 55033 unless otherwise noted.
Visitors are welcome. If you are interested in visiting, please contact us via the “contact us” tab on this website. We’d love for you to join us!
Summer 2023
July 21-23, 2023
Rivertown Days
AAUW Book Sale Fundraiser to support Hastings Reads
Thursday, August 3, 2023 5:30 pm| Hastings Public House
Wine Out Summer Wine Soirée III
$75 if reserved by July 21st
$85 if reserved after July 21st
Register online via Google Form or mail in your registration
The theme, “Wine Out,” features red, white and rosé. Join the festivities….come dressed in your favorite wine color, drink wine, eat great food, possibly win a raffle, visit with your friends.
Reservations include 3 wine tastings paired with an appetizer, entrée, and dessert. Proceeds go to the Hastings AAUW scholarship fund.
Take home a bottle of wine by participating in a ‘wine pull’! Guests purchase a cork for $10. Each
cork matches a bottle of wine that guests take home. And possibly take home a raffle prize! Raffles include Hastings community experiences! Wine basket experiences from Cannon River Winery, Alexis Bailly Vineyard and Chankaska Winery! Or win a unique dining, reading or overnight experience! And MORE!
All are welcome! The summer soirée is for all, members and non-members. An event to grow membership and come together with friends!
The Wine Soirée is a Shape the Future Event. Anyone joining AAUW for the first time at any of these events is entitled to reduced dues of $67.00 (regular dues are $103.00).
Wednesday, August 9, 2023 7:00 pm | St. Philip’s Church
Member Recruitment Dessert, Tea, & Coffee
The American Association of University Women (AAUW) has the important mission to advance equity for women and girls through research, education and advocacy. It is the oldest and largest national organization working for women.
AAUW Hastings meets monthly with a business meeting followed by a speaker addressing a topic relating to our mission. Last year, our branch provided two scholarships to two Hastings High School senior girls pursuing a higher education as well as an annual scholarship to the National Conference of College Women Student Leaders (NCCWSL) in Maryland and an annual contribution to AAUW’s National Foundation. Book club, community action projects, and community outings are other opportunities offered to our members.
We would love to have you attend our recruitment tea to learn more about our
organization. If you plan to attend, please RSVP to the membership
committee by August 2, 2023: Jackie Rigelman jacann@comcast.net and Kathy Palmer majeski@embarqmail.com
The Member Recruitment Tea is a Shape the Future Event. Anyone joining AAUW for the first time at any of these events is entitled to reduced dues of $67.00 (regular dues are $103.00).
2022-2023 Program Schedule
September 26, 2022
6:00 pm Salad Supper
7:00 pm Meeting followed by Dignity at Home for Families with Parents with Dementia
Kathy O’Keefe and sisters
*At this meeting, new members can join Hastings AAUW at a reduced rate of $64.50! Our regular dues are $98.00. This reduced rate is offered by the National AAUW “Shape the Future” program.
October 24, 2022 7:00 pm
Hastings Art Center
Recognizing and Addressing the Gender Earnings Gap
Katherine Lim and Vanessa Palmer, Minnesota Federal Reserve
Co-Presented with the Hastings High School Feminism Club
*There will be no business meeting in October: the program will begin at 7:00.
The pandemic recession presented large and unprecedented challenges for workers and businesses. Unlike previous recessions, women’s employment suffered larger losses than men’s. School and childcare closures as well as loss of informal care led to increased demands on parents’ time with a disproportionate effect on mothers.
On October 24th, the Hastings American Association of University Women and High School
Feminism Club will host Katherine Lim and Vanessa Palmer from the Federal Reserve Bank of
Minneapolis. The speakers will give an overview of long-standing contributions to the gender earnings gap in the United States followed by a discussion of research on women’s employment and labor force participation during the pandemic. Understanding the effect of pandemic-related public health concerns, government-mandated shutdowns, and widespread societal changes on women’s careers and lives is vital to our ability to achieve a full economic recovery
November 28, 2022 7:00 pm
The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Task Force
Senator Mary Kunesh and Photographer John Kaul
Senator Mary Kunesh (DFL-New Brighton) will present on her work with the Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women Task Force. Senator Kunesh was instrumental in passing the task force legislation in 2019 and works with the project now.
Photographer John Kaul describes his presentation this way: “The subjects in the exhibition of Indigenous Women Water Protectors are strong, intelligent, deeply spiritual women. They have survived poverty, prejudice, and generational trauma.”
December 10, 2022 10:30 am
Hastings Golf Club
Holiday Brunch
Our branch will once gain participate in Hastings Family Services Project Share Adopt-a-Family. Details are available via email.
Please make your $30 checks payable to the Hastings Golf Club and send to Jackie Rigelman.
*At this event, new members can join Hastings AAUW at a reduced rate of $64.50! Our regular dues are $98.00. This reduced rate is offered by the National AAUW “Shape the Future” program.
January 23, 2023
6:00 pm Chili Supper
7:00 pm Meeting followed by “And Justice for All”: Exploring Social Justice and Social Responsibility through Children’s Literature
Gay Ward, Ph.D., Professor Emerita of Literacy, Child Development and Montessori Studies at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls
Highlighted by recent events in our country, we know that it is critical that educators nurture the seeds of social justice in classrooms. This is the action for equity part of peace education. Guided by UWRF Professor Emerita and AAUW member, Dr. Gay Ward, participants in this workshop will engage in literacy activities to explore social justice issues and social responsibility in the context of rich children’s literature. Participants will briefly examine the continuum of social justice learning from value of self to social change agent and will experience some literacy strategies that promote equity and a valuing of multiple stories rather than a single story…justice for all rather than justice for some.
February 27, 2023 7:00 pm
Books that Speak to the Female Experience
Rachel Haider, Hastings High School Media Specialist
March 27, 2023 7:00 pm
Women in Traveling
Jan Hertel
What does it mean to travel as a female? How can we use technology to make our travel safer and more comfortable? How can we move about new places in a responsible and mindful way? Whether we are going somewhere for the first time or returning to an old favorite, travel helps us add to the richness of our lives. We’ll share these experiences together on March 27.
April 24th, 2023
5:30 pm Spring Social
7:00 pm Meeting followed by Writing and Collaboration with Women Leaders
Lori Sturdevant, Reporter and Editorialist
Our April guest speaker is Lori Sturdevant, long-time reporter and editorial writer for the Minneapolis Star Tribune. She is a retired editorial writer and occasional columnist covering state politics and government for the Minneapolis Star Tribune. An alum of Coe College, she served as a reporter for the Star Tribune, covering the state Capitol political beat for 6 years. Her work in journalism led her to writing and editing of numerous books about and with some of the most notable Minnesota political figures. Sturdevant is the author, co-author or
editor of 12 books and a three-time winner of the Minnesota Book Award.
April 29th, 2023 9:30 am – noon
St. Phillip’s Church Youth Room
AAUW State Convention Viewing Party
May 22, 2023 7:00 pm
Book Sale before and after the meeting
Minnesota’s Changing Demographics
Megan Dayton, Senior State Demographer
Minnesota’s population has changed dramatically in the past 50 years. Our state is growing more diverse, which affects numerous aspects of our lives in the North Star State.
Our May speaker is Megan Dayton, a Senior Demographer at Minnesota’s State Demographic Center. Since 2012, she has been responsible for preparing demographic projections for the State of Minnesota, 13 Economic Development Regions, and 87 counties. Megan’s work involves the creation of school district estimates for levy cycle funding and providing data analysis for state agencies, councils, and legislators. Megan’s research interests include improving upon existing data modeling techniques used for state and sub-state areas, as well as social stratification and more general demographic trends related to fertility, mortality, and migration patterns.
All meetings are held at St. Phillip’s Lutheran Church, 1401 W. 15th Street, Hastings, MN 55033 unless otherwise noted.
Visitors are welcome. If you are interested in visiting, please contact us via the “contact us” tab on this website. We’d love for you to join us!