Kathy Pearre, AAUW NC Programs Chair
Programs Director, Kathy Pearre, is happy to announce a new series – EmpowerHer Tuesdays. The programs will be presented on the fourth Tuesday of October, January, February (CANCELED), and April and will feature speakers offering insights on current topics of importance to women and their friends. There is no charge for the series. Each program will be on Zoom from 7-8 pm.EmpowerHer Tuesdays will offer participants the opportunity to obtain deeper understanding of vital issues and gain ideas about advocating for matters impacting our communities and our wider society.
The dates for these Zoom events are:
- October 28, 2025, 7 PM: Topic: Are Public Schools First in NC?; Download flyer
- The speaker encouraged participants to visit the Public Schools First NC website and to subscribe to their newsletter. View her presentation.
- January 27, 2026, 7 PM: Topic: Immigration Issues in North Carolina; guest speaker, Maria Rosales, Executive Director of FaithAction International
- February 24, 2026, 7 PM – CANCELED
- April 28, 2026, 7 PM: Topic: Voting Rights in NC; guest speaker, Michael Bitzer, PhD
Voting Rights in NC – Upcoming EmpowerHer Tuesdays Program
The next offering of the EmpowerHer Tuesdays series will be Tuesday, April 28th, at 7 pm.
Michael Bitzer, PhD, is a professor of both Politics and History and the Politics Department Chair at Catawba College in Salisbury, NC. He is the author of the book, Redistricting and Gerrymandering in North Carolina: Battlelines in the Tar Heel State.
Dr. Bitzer’s research interests center in Southern politics, North Carolina politics, campaigns & elections, and voter behavior. He also directs Catawba’s Center for North Carolina Politics & Public Service, which oversees the Catawba-YouGov Surveys of North Carolinians.
In 2021, Dr. Bitzer authored the book, Redistricting and Gerrymandering in North Carolina: Battlelines in the Tar Heel State, which explores the past forty years of politics and litigation over one of the most partisan activities in American politics. In this study, Bitzer explores each decade, since the 1980s, of lawsuits and partisanship when it comes to drawing both congressional and state legislative district lines.
Dr. Bitzer will share his expertise on voting rights in NC with AAUW members and friends. We hope you will join us for this important and timely presentation. Questions may be submitted in advance to programs@aauwnc.org.
To register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/XUmRYdFaRQmmbb9y7_KmBg?os=ipad#/registration
EmpowerHer Tuesdays – Are Public Schools First in NC?
The series kicked off on Tuesday, October 28th, with a presentation by Lynn Edmonds of Public Schools First NC. She discussed school performance metrics relative to pre-pandemic performance, vouchers for private schools, known as the Opportunity Scholarships, and actions to take to support public schools in NC.
Lynn Edmonds is Director of Outreach and Engagement for Public Schools First NC and represents District 5 on the Wake County Board of Education. She joined PSFNC in 2013, having served as a volunteer with them for over 8 years prior to joining the staff. In addition, she serves as an at-large member of the Wake County Board of Library Commissioners.
Immigration Issues in North Carolina
Upcoming EmpowerHer Tuesdays Program
The next offering of the EmpowerHer Tuesdays series will be Tuesday, January 27th, at 7 pm. This event was coordinated jointly by the AAUW NC Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Chair, Tiffany jacobs and Programs Chair, Kathy Pearre.
Maria Rosales, Executive Director of FaithAction International, will examine immigration issues in North Carolina. The focus will include the reaction to ICE presence, the constitutional rights that keep people safe, and community response and advocacy. Tiffany Jacobs, our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Chair, will introduce our speaker and offer some opening remarks.
Join us to meet Dr. Rosales, a California transplant, former Provost, Chief Academic Officer, and professor at Guilford College, and hear her compelling personal story. Questions may be submitted in advance to info@aauwnc.org.
To register: Click here