General Meeting and Potluck Breakfast

Saturday, September 13, 9:30 am

Gurnee Police Facility Community Room

100 N. O’Plaine Road

Children and Families Facing Deportation: Local Assistance

Julie Contreras, United Giving Hope (UGH)

Perhaps you saw the article in the Sunday, July 20th, Chicago Tribune titled “Chicago-area children get deportation letters.”  The online version of the Tribune continues, “At least 12 children in the Waukegan area — all unaccompanied minors from Mexico — received sudden deportation letters from the Department of Homeland Security last month, according to advocates.”

Our September meeting features Julie Contreras, who is an advocate for these children, through her organization United Giving Hope. These children reportedly entered the US legally within the past year as unaccompanied minors to be later reunited with family already in this country. Contreras will discuss the children’s various situations and the assistance being provided, including shelter, safety, and legal advice.

Julie Contreras describes herself as a human rights activist with over 35 years of service at the international level. She considers that her life’s purpose is to educate and empower the communities she serves to know and exercise their rights, regardless of race, creed, color, language, and legal status. As founder of the international United Giving Hope NFP based in Waukegan, Illinois, Contreras specializes in intervention against deportations and in securing family unity, which has assisted over 8,000 families over the past 20 years. Currently she is serving refugees under the UGH Sanctuary Program, which has 320 families locally seeking to obtain asylum through pro bono legal representation and support services to the children and their families.

Contreras has been involved in numerous advocacy roles. As a former Marrow Account Manager for the “Be the Match” Registry, she specialized in outreach to African American, Asian and Latino communities to increase the number of people of color becoming marrow donors. She considers life experience to be a primary source of her ongoing education. In addition, she received her degree in early childhood development & music and art theory for children from Chicago City Colleges and from St. Augustine College.

Contreras resides in Waukegan and is a married mother of three adult children.

Our meeting will begin with a potluck breakfast, which we will share with Contreras and possibly some of the children who have received deportation letters. We request that you bring your food to share in disposable or recyclable containers so that the leftovers can be brought back to families being supported by United Giving Hope.

June Stelter, Program Chair

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At the Movies

Sept 8 we are discussing an older film with a famous actor, SHADOWLANDS, starring Anthony Hopkins.  Note, there is another older version of this film, but we are interested in the Anthony Hopkins version.  It is available at the Waukegan Public Library and on You Tube.

We will meet on September 8, 1PM at Katie's house.  Email wabaauw@gmail.com if you need more info.

 See you then.

Dorothy Evenhouse

 

Potluck and Board Meeting

Thursday, August 28th

At Helen’s home

6:00 p.m.

Please bring a side dish 

or dessert to pass.

Call Karen at 630-337-1963 

if you have questions.

 Congratulations and Thank You to Janice Bodily who was elected President of The Waukegan Area Branch on Aug 14th. We are so grateful for your dedication to AAUW and our mission of Advancing Gender Equity.

Election Thursday August 14, 2025

 I am so excited to announce that we will be electing a new president on Thursday August 14 on Zoom. Janice Bodily has been nominated to be our president and I have volunteered to take over Janice's slot as VP of Membership. We have had no other members step forward to run for open board positions. We are always looking for new board members. If you are interested, please contact us at wabaauw@gmail.com

September 2023

 

• The Reflections on Reading interest group will meet at 1pm, Wednesday, September 6, at Heather Ridge to discuss Being Mortal: Illness, Medicine, and What Matters in the End.

• Feel free to join the At the Movies interest group at Heather Ridge on Monday, September 11, at 1pm, to discuss the film Women Talking.
   
•  Our monthly general meeting will be held at 7pm, Tuesday, September 19, at the Gurnee Police Facility Community Room.  Officer Kelly Hansen will discuss the latest information on scams and fraud schemes and how to avoid becoming a victim.

• The Travelogue interest group will talk about Belgium and Holland at its 1pm, Tuesday, September 26, meeting at a member's home.
• The branch board will meet at via Zoom at 7pm, Thursday, September 28.
   

August 2023

Be cool!

Stay cool!

Have a cool summer.

Our branch activities will resume soon. 

July 2023

 Enjoy your summer!

June 2023

The Waukegan Area Branch of AAUW 

is looking forward to a fundraising/social luncheon 

on Tuesday, June 6, at Lambs Farm in Libertyville. 

May 2023

•  Wednesday, May 3, 1pm...Reflections on Reading at Heather Ridge...Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder

• May 5 & 6...AAUW-IL convention in East Peoria'

•  Monday, May 8, 1pm...At the Movies at Heather Ridge...Land

• Tuesday, May 9, 7pm...WAB general meeting at Gurnee Police Facility...United Nations Commission on the Status of Women

•  Thursday, May 25, 7pm via Zoom...branch board meeting

• Tuesday, May 30, 1pm...Travelogue at a member's home...Portugal
   

April 2023

•  The Reflections on Reading interest group will meet at Heather Ridge at 1pm, Wednesday, April 5, to discuss Kristin Hannah's novel The Four Winds.

• The At the Movies interest group will meet at 1pm, Monday, April 10, at Heather Ridge, to discuss The Eyes of Tammy Faye, the 2021 film with Jessica Chastain.

•  The 16th Annual AAUW-IL, Inc., Lunch with Fellows will be held on Saturday, April 15, at Lambs Farm in Libertyville.  Four AAUW Fellows are expected to share experiences.

• The branch board will meet via Zoom at 7pm, Thursday, April 27.
   

March 2023

•  The Reflections on Reading interest group meets at 1pm, Wednesday, March 1, at Heather Ridge to discuss Nine Women, One Dress by Jane L. Rosen.  

• As a founding member organization, AAUWWAB is pleased to join The Lake County Women's Coalition at its Saturday, March 4 (10am) Women's History Month event at Maravela's in Ingleside.  In addition to presentations after lunch, Jenny Riddle will portray Barbara Walters.

• Hope you can join us via Zoom for our March general meeting, "No One Ever Sees Indians: Native Americans in Media," at 10am, Saturday, March 11.  Ernest M. Whiteman III will speak and answer questions.  This program is provided by the Illinois Humanities Road Scholars Speakers Bureau.

• Dances With Wolves will be discussed by the At the Movies interest group at Heather Ridge, 1pm, Monday, March 13.

• The branch board will meet via Zoom at 7pm, Thursday, March 23.
  

 

February 2023

 

• Join us at the 10am, Saturday, February 11, Waukegan Area Branch general meeting at the Gurnee Police Facility (Washington & O'Plaine), open to the public.  Sylvia England will share highlights of the African American Museum, including "40 Acres and a Mule."

• The At the Movies interest group will meet on Monday, February 13, 1pm, at Heather Ridge, to discuss the movie Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.

• Shine Bright by Danyel Smith will be discussed by the Reflections on Reading interest group at 1pm, Wednesday, February 15, at the Heather Ridge Club House.

• The branch board will meet via Zoom on Thursday, February 23, at 7pm.

• The Travelogue interest group will see photos of the trip to Iceland that two members took in autumn.  The meeting will be at 1pm, Tuesday, February 28...location TBA.
   

January 2023

 

• The Reflections on Reading interest group meets Wednesday, January 4, at 1pm, at the Heather Ridge Clubhouse.  The book to be discussed is The Woman They Could Not Silence by Kate Moore.

 

• The branch board will meet via Zoom at 7pm, Thursday, January 26.

 

Have a happy & healthy 2023!

 

December 2022

 

• Reflections on Reading...1pm, Wednesday, December 7...Heather Ridge Club House...discussion of Michael Chatlien's novel Northern Lights.  The author will attend

• Branch Board meeting...7pm, Thursday, December 8 via Zoom

• Waukegan Area Branch Holiday Luncheon...11am, Saturday, December 10...The Chocolate Sanctuary, Gurnee...silent auction, quilt raffle, and 50/50 drawing

 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

November 2022

• Reflections on Reading will meet at 1pm, Wednesday, November 2, at Heather Ridge.  The books to be discussed are The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek and The Book Woman's Daughter. 
  
• We'll be back to in-person general meetings this month!  At 10am, Saturday, November 12, we will assemble at the Gurnee Police Facility to hear from Dulce Ortiz, a founder and co-chair of Clean Power Lake County.  Hope you can make it!
• At the Movies will meet at 1pm, Monday, November 14, at Heather Ridge to discuss Dear Evan Hansen.
• RSVPs for our branch holiday luncheon - Saturday, December 10, Chocolate Sanctuary, Gurnee - are due to the branch treasurer by November 28.
  

October 2022

 

• October 5, Wednesday, 1pm...Reflections on Reading...Heather Ridge...discussion of Chris Bohjalian's novel Hour of the Witch
•  
  
• October 10, Monday, 1pm...At the Movies...Heather Ridge...discussion of the 1993 movie Tombstone
• 
  
• October 11, Tuesday, 7pm...General Meeting via Zoom...Using AAUW Values to Protect our Public Schools, presented by Paula Purdue (co-director, Public Policy, AAUW-IL, Inc.)
• 
   
• October 27, Thursday, 7pm...Branch Board via Zoom
   

September 2022

•  The Reflections on Reading interest group will meet at 1pm, Wednesday, September 7, at Heather Ridge to discuss Anthony Doerr's novel Cloud Cuckoo Land.

• The film The Mercy (2018) will be the topic of discussion when the At the Movies interest group meets on Monday, September 12, at 1pm, at Heather Ridge.

•  The Waukegan Area Branch will hold its first general meeting of the new AAUW year via Zoom on Tuesday, September 13, at 7pm.  Julie Strauss, Ph.D, will talk about "Women in Politics: The Difference They Make (The Highest Glass Ceiling)."

• The branch board will meet via Zoom at 7pm on Thursday, September 22.

• AAUW-IL, Inc., will hold its annual Fall Conference 9-11am, Saturday, September 24, via Zoom.
  

• The Travelogue interest group will meet Tuesday, September 27, at 1pm...program and place TBA.
   

August 2022

 

Enjoy summer!

Be well! 

 

AAUW activities resume soon.

July 2022

 The branch board will hold it's summer meeting/pot luck at 6pm, Thursday, July 21, at a member's home.

Although our general meetings and interest groups are on hiatus during the summer, plans are being made for wonderful gatherings for fall.  Stay tuned.

Have a healthy, productive summer!

June 2022

 

The Waukegan Area Branch summer luncheon is Tuesday, June7, 11am, at Lambs Farm in Libertyville.

 

JUNE 15:  DUES ARE DUE!  See the May branch newsletter for details.

 

HAVE A WONDERFUL SUMMER!