Fostering a Sense of Safety and Support for LGBTQIA+ Residents and Visitors in Our Community
Tuesday, November 11, 2025 * Mineral Springs Brewery
Gather at 6:30 PM to socialize, Program at 7:00 PM
LGBTQIA+ individuals of all ages indicate they feel threatened and unsafe in the current political environment. AAUW advocates for equality, individual rights, and social justice for a diverse and inclusive society and for freedom from violence and fear of violence, including hate crimes in homes, schools, workplaces and community gatherings. A resolution was passed at the AAUW State meeting in April 2025 that Minnesota AAUW branches will work to foster a sense of safety and support for LGBTQAI+ residents and visitors in their communities. Owatonna has work to do!
Our speaker is Kelsey Waits, MN State President of AAUW and mother of two children, one of whom is transgender. In her personal, professional and academic life Kelsey is an outspoken advocate for transgender rights. She has provided written and oral testimony to the Minnesota Legislature and worked tirelessly to pass Minnesota’s Trans Refuge Law. Kelsey previously served as School Board Chair in Hastings, MN and currently serves as the Vice Chair of OutFront MN Action. She is a PhD student at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs where she is studying the rise of anti-transgender policies and their impact on the LGBTQIA2S+ community. She is also working with the State of Minnesota as the Research Director for the Council on LGBTQIA2S+ Minnesotans. Kelsey runs a non-profit that supports LGBTQIA2S+ youth
It’s time to pay our dues!
Dues for the coming year are:
$74 Association + $9 State + $10 Branch = $93 total. Please send a check for $93 to Kay Oberle, 50 18th Place NE, Owatonna, MN 55060. Check payable to AAUW Owatonna Branch. (deadline is June 30, 2025)
For the coming year $84 of your annual dues will be tax deductible.
Membership voting concluded and did NOT pass on AAUW Bylaws Change to open eligibility to remove degree requirements for membership. Thanks to all who took the time to vote. Per the AAUW Election page:
-
- The open membership initiative did not pass. Changes to AAUW’s bylaws require 2/3 majority (66.6%) to pass. AAUW members voted 65.1% to approve the measure, just shy of passing.
*******************************************************************
Our officers for 2025-2026:
President: Mary Schwanke
Co-Program VPs: Alana Bunkers & Julie Fiske
Membership VP: Mary Overlee Olson
Secretary: Sandi Tobin
Treasurer: Kay Oberle
Co-AAUW Funds: Trudy Severson & Shelly Rockman
Finance: Eileen Newhouse
Visibility: Nancy Vaillancourt
Webmaster: Linda Hoffman
Fundraising (Taste): Mary Cronin & Linda Hoffman
******************************************************************
Dues for the coming year are:
$74 Association + $9 State + $10 Branch = $93 total. Please send a check for $91 to Linda Boorman, 1250 Edgewood Place, Owatonna, MN 55060. Check payable to AAUW Owatonna Branch. (deadline is June 30, 2025)
For the coming year $84 of your annual dues will be tax deductible.
******************************************************************
Here are the vendors for this year’s Taste event.
Be sure to thank them for their support – and support them!
-
- Basilleo’s Pizza
- Candullo’s Coffee
- Costas
- Grapeful Wine Bar
- Mizuki Fusion
- Mon Ferment
- Old Town Bagels & Café
- Owatonna Eagle’s
- Owatonna Elk’s
- Spare Time Entertainment
- Steve’s Meat Market
- Taqueria Jalisco
- Torey’s
Thanks to Thrivent Financial for supporting some of our Taste-related expenses.
Attendees gather at the Owatonna Eagles for Taste of Steele County, sampling a wide array of offerings from local businesses. (Josh LaFollette/southernminn.com)
Rachel Lee, of Steve’s Meat Market in Ellendale, serves up snacks at Taste of Steele County, an AAUW Owatonna fundraiser that supports scholarships for local women and girls. (Josh LaFollette/southernminn.com)
Jennifer Candullo, of Candullo’s Coffee, hands out samples at Taste of Steele County. (Josh LaFollette/southernminn.com)
Tom Lester from Basilleo’s Pizza dishes up some his delicious pasta at the Taste of Steele County.
******************************************************************************
