We were pleased and excited to welcome Dianne Owens, of Lompoc, to come and share her experience in China as part of the AAUW Delegation to China in the fall of 2012.
(from the AAUW National Website)
For a country so often in the news, the importance and role of women in China’s society is still not commonly known. That’s why, in the fall of 2012, a delegation of 24 AAUW members including President Carolyn Garfein and Executive Director Linda Hallman spent nine days in and around Beijing, Kunming, and Xi’an. They met with the All China Women’s Federation and faculty from the China Women’s University and Yunnan University of Nationalities, to name just a few. The trip was a memorable one in many ways, with gracious receptions from those they met with professionally as well as from the Chinese people they interacted with during the visit.
AAUW Goes to China & Tibet
At the April 20th meeting, the Santa Maria Branch of AAUW (American Association of University Women) invited its members, the public, and friends to travel with Dianne Owens to China and Tibet to meet the women of these two fascinating countries. Though the real life adventure in October of 2012 was far more exciting, Dianne entertained all with her PowerPoint show of the Great Wall of China, the Forbidden City, and the Terra Cotta Warriors. Dianne was traveling with a delegation from AAUW to research gender equity and to gain a firsthand understanding of the status of women in China. The goal of Dianne’s group was to learn what role women play in the Chinese society; the challenges unique to the Chinese culture; and the shared challenges faced by women in China and the U.S. The results of these inquiries are bound to fascinate and interest the attendees.
Guests attending the presentation enjoyed an afternoon at a “Chinese Tea Room” with tea, fortune cookies, almond cookies and an array of other Oriental foods. The proceeds from this tour of China and Tibet will be used to benefit AAUW’s Legal Advocacy Fund (LAF).
Members, friends and the public are invited to travel with Dianne from 2:00 to 4:00 PM at the Rancho Buena Vista Mobil Home Park Clubhouse on 2135 North Railroad Avenue in Santa Maria.