Welcome to the 2012/13 program year. And what a year it is shaping up to be. We are hitting the ground running in Olympic style with our first event on September 18th “Sometimes It Takes a 4 Letter Word – VOTE!, a candidate forum at the University of Toledo Scott Park Campus. Lisa Lucilio, Gail Conrad and I have been meeting with members from the League of Women Voters and the ACLU to plan this event. This election could be the tipping point that protects or retracts many advances women have made over the last century. Take a look at the Top 12 Historic Advances of Women’s Lives Now at Risk.

At the Ohio Leadership Workshop, Melissa Jeter, Marge Lee, Jennifer Sader, and I heard about the new statewide public policy advocacy project, Jackie Evangelista’s latest project: AAUW Ohio Voting Record. It reviews important bills passed in these areas, and it scores Ohio legislators on whether they voted in keeping with the AAUW Public Policy Program. See more at aauwoh.org Other informative programs at the workshop included “The Problem with School Funding”–with vouchers & charters, money follows the child; and “Wildly Successful Women”– need mentors and balance. Both were informative and enlightening.

Did you know that Jennifer Sader represents NW Ohio as a new Ohio AAUW board member?

Much more is in store for this year! I look forward to seeing you at future AAUW/Toledo events.

-Michelle Radtkin, President