Programs

AAUW Nashville meets the second Tuesday evening of every month. Meetings for the 2020-2021 programming year will be held via Zoom unless otherwise noted.

Women and men interested in AAUW are welcome to attend up to 2 meetings in the program year without applying for membership. For questions, please email us using the link to the right.

2020/2021 Programs

Stay tuned for updates on our 2020-2021 programming!

    • August 11, 2020 – Finding a Path Forward: Pediatrician Dr. Whitney Sanders Talks COVID-19, Kids, and Schools
      • Dr. Whitney Sanders is a pediatrician with Memphis Children’s Clinic and a member of their COVID-19 Response Team. She graduated from Medical School at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and completed her pediatric residency at Lebonheur Children’s Hospital, where she also served as Chief Resident. She is also a mom to two small kids who are also heading to school in the fall. In this interactive presentation, Dr. Sanders will discuss what we know about kids and COVID-19, share her perspective on whether and how to re-open schools, and answer questions from the group. Please email questions in advance to Rachel Wright, Vice President of Programming.
    • Ongoing – C3 (Coffee, Cocktails and Conversation)
      • AAUW-Nashville is launching a new initiative to give members the chance to socialize and network with each other on a more personal level. Members who choose to participate will be “matched” each month with 1-2 other members. These groups will schedule either an in-person or virtual meet-up, such as a coffee, lunch, or Zoom chat. This program emerged initially during the COVID-19 pandemic to compensate for the socializing and networking that naturally occurs during in-person meetings, but we hope to continue this tradition even when the pandemic ends. To participate in C3, please email Rachel Wright, Vice President of Programming.
    • September 8, 2020 – A Better Balance: Feroza Freeland, Policy Associate
      • Balancing family, health and workplace safety are topics that are important anytime, but especially during the era of COVID-19. A Better Balance is a national organization that leverages the power of the law to ensure that no worker has to make the impossible choice between their job and their health or their family. Feroza Freeland, lead policy advocacy director for the Southern office, will provide an overview of what they do and share highlights from their work during Tennessee’s recent legislative session. For example, they helped pass a law that provides stronger protections for pregnant women in the workplace, and also they also did work around paid family leave.
    • October 13, 2020 – ThinkTennessee: Singh Hughey, President
      • With the upcoming election and ongoing pandemic, when, where and how people vote is a topic on everyone’s mind. Shanna Hughey, president of the nonprofit think tank ThinkTennessee will provide an overview of voting in Tennessee and the work that her group is doing to find pragmatic, commonsense solutions to protect public health and democracy during this time. ThinkTennessee is dedicated to the vision that public policy should focus on building ladders of opportunity for Tennesseans, As a nonpartisan research and advocacy organization, ThinkTennessee empowers leaders from across the state and both sides of the aisle to take action on pragmatic ideas that create civic and economic opportunity and move our state forward.
    • November 10, 2020 – Advocates for Women’s and Kids’ Advocacy (AWAKE): Kelli Nowers, Executive Director
      • AWAKE is an organization that, like AAUW, seeks to empower and advocate for women and girls. Executive Director Kelly Nowers will provide an overview of what AWAKE does and its current projects and initiatives. Since 2013, AWAKE has successfully researched, drafted and guided eight bills focused on the safety of women and children to passage; launched a state-wide educational campaign on child abuse prevention; developed a truancy intervention program; and designed curriculum that helps middle and high school students learn about healthy relationships and financial independence.
    • December (Date TBD) – Holiday Party and Auction
      • Since its inception, AAUW Nashville has hosted a holiday party during its December meeting as an opportunity for us to mix and mingle. This year will be no different, even if it means gathering virtually so we only spread holiday cheer! In recent years, we have also held an auction to raise money for scholarships to send students to AAUW’s National Conference for College Women Student Leaders (NCCWSL). Please mark your calendar for this special evening and think about what item(s) you might donate to support the next generation of women leaders.
    • January 12, 2021 – Dr. Sophie Bjork-James, Assistant Professor of the Practice in Anthropology at Vanderbilt University
      • In response to the recent Black Lives Matter movement, AAUW Tennessee leadership challenged its branches to host at least two events that address the topic of race in the United States. Dr. Sophie Bjork-James is an assistant professor of the practice in anthropology at Vanderbilt University who studies race, evangelicalism, reproductive politics, white nationalism and hate crimes. Dr. Bjork-James will discuss her new project on countering white nationalism. She is working on a book manuscript on race and evangelical politics in the U.S. and has engaged in long-term research on both the U.S.-based Religious Right and the white nationalist movement. Her work has appeared on the NBC Nightly News, NPR’s All Things Considered, BBC Radio 4’s Today, and in the New York Times.

PAST MEETINGS

  • September 11, 2018 – Cocktail Hour at Germantown Cafe
  • October 9, 2018 – Movie Screening “She’s Beautiful When She‘s Angry”, Join us for a movie which examines the roots of the women’s movement in the 1960’s and ‘70’s and moves up through recent events and issues that we are still fighting for now.
  • November 13, 2018 – Renewal House, Renewal House provides specialized addiction treatment to women and their children. They are the only long-term residential addiction treatment program in Middle Tennessee that treats women and their children together.
  • December 11, 2018 – Holiday Potluck Party with Silent Auction, Bring your favorite dish and participate in our fundraising silent auction.
  • Tuesday, January 8, 2019, 7:00 pm (Regular Meeting Time and Place) – SIGN MAKING PARTY!!!
  • Saturday, January 19, 2019, 9:45 am – Downtown Nashville Public Library, where we will meet and walk together to the Women’s March, taking place at 10:00 am in Public Square Park. We will meet at the Library around 9:00 am.
  • Tuesday, January 29, 2019 – Lean In Nashville is going to the movies – Join them at the Green Hills Cinema to see On the Basis of Sex at 7:15 pm.
  • February 12, 2019 – Megan Barry, former Mayor of Nashville, on the Opioid Crisis
  • February 26, 2019 – Day on the Hill
  • March 12, 2019 – Panel of Women in Leadership, A unique panel discussion with women in leadership positions.  Women in Leadership, Journeys Women have earned the same number of degrees men have for several decades now, but are still represented in management, leadership and on boards at a fraction of the rate. On March 12, we will hear from women in leadership roles from various industries to learn about their career paths, successes, failures, and more.
    • Speakers Include:
      • Jessica Averbuch, CEO of Zeitlin Sotheby’s International Realty
      • Lillian Blackshear, Lawyer, Bass Berry & Sims
      • Lisa Campbell, Director of External Affairs for Mars Petcare
      • Dr. English Flack , Assistant Professor, Pediatric Cardiology, Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital
      • Loretta Stokes, Senior Software Engineering Manager at EVENTBRITE
  • March 16, 2019 – (Saturday) 12:30 PM – 2:30 PM – Clay Lady Campus / Ceramics, Tour a local woman owned business and artists’ co op community. Take part in a pottery project (fee of $22 to participate).
  • March 17, 2019 (Sunday) – 2:30 PM First Book/Movie Club Meeting. We will be watching the Netflix movie: “I am Jane Doe” 
  • April 9, 2019 – Shape the Future Event – We gathered to talk about @aauwnational core issues and where we’d like our branch to focus next year (on programming, events, recruiting and volunteering, etc). We broke into groups of 4 and had a chance to connect with other members and hear their stories.
  • April 21, 2019 – 2:30 PM – Book/Movie Club Meeting: We will be reading the book Notorious RBG by Irin Carmon, Shana Knizhnik, Ping Zhu (This book has a movie version which is also good)
  • May 18, 2019 – (10:30 am – 1:00 pm / East Nashville Library): Programming Retreat Potluck, Set the course for the next year! Come prepared with speaker and program ideas. We will leave the event with firm action items.
  • May 19, 2019 – 2:30 PM – Book/Movie Club Meeting: We will be watching the Netflix movie: “Reversing Roe” – Please Text Holly at 919-923-6416 if wanting to attend!
  • June 11, 2019 (7 pm – 8:30 pm): Sarah Imran, Director of Policy & Research at the Human Relations Commission joins us to speak about her position at the Human Relations Commission and projects she is working on, including housing inequality.
  • June 21, 2019 – 2:30 PM – Book/Movie Club Meeting: We will be reading the book The Power by Naomi Alderman
  • July 21, 2019 – 2:30 PM – Book/Movie Club Meeting: We will be watching the Netflix movie: “Invisible War” – Please Text Holly at 919-923-6416 if wanting to attend!
  • September 10, 2019 – Cocktail Hour and membership drive at Germantown Cafe
  • October 8, 2019 – Negotiation Workshop (RSVP) in partnership with Lean-In Nashville, Chances are, you deserve more. Lean In Nashville and AAUW Nashville have joined forces for a Negotiation Workshop. Attend this workshop to learn how to negotiate your way to a higher salary.
  • November 14, 2019 – Tour of the Tennessee State Museum – Join AAUW Nashville for a private, docent led tour of the Tennessee State Museum that focuses on the contributions and history of Tennessee Women.
  • December 10, 2019 – Annual Holiday Potluck, Bring your significant other, a friend and kids to our annual Holiday Potluck and silent auction.
  • January 14, 2020 – Journey to Jubilee, an African American History of Belle Meade Plantation with Brigette Jones. Journey to Jubilee follows the first African-Americans who were brought to Belle Meade in 1807, and shows how vital their presence was to the existence of the property and to the family until 1906. These men and women were here from enslavement to freedom. They endured, and we want to honor them by telling their story. In this tour, nearly one-hundred years of their history is explored through the research of primary sources. Come trace their existence through the history of Belle Meade Plantation on their Journey to Jubilee.
  • February 11, 2020 – Technology, Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace (Tracy DeTomasi)  – Join AAUW on February 11, 2019 (7:00-8:30 pm) to hear Tracy DeTomasi, Head of Training Programs and Social Impact with Good People Solutions speak about how her technology company seeks to make it easier for companies to increase diversity and inclusion within in their employee base.
  • March 10, 2020 – An Evening of Suffrage Join us for a Suffrage Exhibit at the Parthenon at 6:00 pm and stay through a discussion with Alma Sanford, Founder of the TN Suffrage Monument, who will share the statue’s story from inception to completion.