Reminders:

• NC Women United Women’s Advocacy Day, June 18. Organize a carload to come to Raleigh!
• Women’s Agenda Assemblies around the state this fall. Organize one in your community!

• AAUW Brevard Voter Guide - candidates for US Senate, governor, and more
• State Board of Elections Voter Guide (judicial and council of state races)
• Find your sample ballot - find what primaries are contested in your area

More info:

For talking points to urge your senators to vote for the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Act, http://capwiz.com/aauw/

Tell your friends about Equal Pay Day and urge them to call their senators as well by sending them an Equal Pay Day e-card. http://www.aauw.org/postcards/payequity.cfm

is now accepting applications for its 2008 Summer Institute,

an intensive summer leadership program that prepares women to seek elected or appointed office.

The Summer Institute will be held at Peace College in Raleigh over two extended weekends — June 26-29 andd July 17-20, 2008. Up to 20 women will be selected to participate in the 2008 Institute. Participants will hone their leadership skills, prepare for political campaigning and develop tools for effective and ethical public service. Featured presenters will include state and local elected officials, professors, media experts, leadership trainers, noted political strategists and successful Summer Institute graduates.

The Summer Institute is open to women of all backgrounds, interests, and political affiliations. Now in its fifth year, the Institute has graduated more than 50 women who are actively making a difference in their communities, including women who have sought and won election to public office.

The deadline for all applications for the Summer Institute is April 30, 2008. Application information is available online at www.nccwps.org. Tuition assistance and assistance with transportation or childcare costs is also available for qualified candidates.

US Senate
NC Governor and Lt. Governor
NC Council of State
NC Senate District 50
US House 11th Congressional District
NC House District 113

North Carolina races feature candidates’ responses to questions on health, mental health, environment, immigration, election/campaign reform.

US races feature candidates’ responses to questions on health care, the
Iraq war, social security, environment, immigration and
election/campaign reform.

The AAUW Brevard 2008 Non Partisan Voter Guide may be the only voter
guide available before the primary elections. It will be revised after
the Primaries to present only the candidates for the General Election
and remain on the web site until that Election in November 2008. This has been a project of the AAUW Brevard branch since 2002.

Our spring newsletter/annual report is now available for viewing online at http://www.democracy-nc.org/nc/newsltr/spring08.pdf. If you want to print it out for reading, be aware that there are two pages, and be sure to use 8 1/2 x 14 paper in your printer.

Thanks for helping us save on paper, printing, and postage by electing to receive the newsletter electronically. If you change your mind and would like us to mail you a hard copy, please let me know. And thank you, as always, for your ongoing interest in and support of our work.

We are excited to say that the time has begun to step forward and start the planning process for local Agenda Assemblies, which will be taking place from August through December 2008! There are already FOUR confirmed leaders of assemblies in Buncombe, Guilford, Orange, and Pitt counties - Buncombe has already set their date for September 20th! As usual, the website (www.ncwu.org) will provide updates on the local assemblies’ progress and leadership.

WHAT’S NEW THIS TIME? First, this year the Program Committee for Agenda Assemblies has divided the state along the Council for Women regional lines and has a committee member serving as technical assistance point person for the assemblies within each of those regions:

Western Region - June Kimmel
Northwestern Region - Becky Mock
Southwestern Region - Anne Mackie
Central Region - Shelisa Martinez-Howard
Northeastern Region - Polly Williams
Southeastern Region - Jenny Brobst (and Agenda Assembly Committee Chairperson)

Second, we are very fortunate to have the Council for Women regional representatives supporting our technical assistance folks in case anyone gets stuck finding additional leadership or speakers or locations.

Finally, the only other change is that we will be holding an “End of Assemblies” CELEBRATION for assembly leaders to gather and share their experiences and successes and challenges, as well as look ahead together to the NCWU Women’s Advocacy Day in Spring 2009.

NCWU MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS - take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to take a leadership role in your communities in support of women’s issues. Let your local chapters know that they can take the lead in this! In order for the assembly to receive full NCWU technical assistance there must be some NCWU member involvement in the assembly’s leadership.

If you are interested in leading an agenda assembly in your area, or if you would like the contact information for the leaders in your area, PLEASE CONTACT: Jenny Brobst (NCWU Program Committee Chair for Agenda Assemblies) at jbrobst@nccu.edu or (919) 419-3474 ext. 401.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
Congress’ FY09 Budget Resolution Process Begins

RESOURCES FOR ADVOCATES
Election Update
Presidential Candidates Watch
Attend the Women’s Equality Day Summit
Sign Up Your Friends and AAUW Colleagues for Action Network!
Dialogue on the AAUW Blog
See the Archives

UNIQUELY AAUW
Equal Pay Day Planning Call Held for Branches
2008 Student Leadership Conference Website Launched

Monday, March 17
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Interact, 612 Wade Ave., Raleigh [map]
(downstairs conference room -
enter from the rear parking lot)

Press conference at 11:30 a.m.
Box lunch at noon

RSVP to reportcard@ncwu.org or 866-519-7657 by March 10.

Come to see how the Women’s Agenda fared! Check www.ncwu.org after the event to review the report card and check on where your legislators stand.