Category Archives: Branch Events

Monday, October 5, 2020

Monday, October 5, 2020

9:30 – 10:30                                             THE ARTS                                         on Zoom

Craft: Why Making Matters

Speaker: Christian Novak, Membership Manager, American Craft Council (ACC)

Novak will discuss the role of craft in contemporary society and the ACC’s vision to link and engage communities through craft. The ACC strives to connect and galvanize diverse communities in order to cultivate and advance craft’s impact on contemporary American life. It focuses on engaging new audiences, supporting and recognizing artists at every career and practice stage, and acting as a catalyst for the field. Annually, ACC hosts four national craft shows, including the St. Paul show, which takes place October 9-11, 2020.

11:00 – 12:00                                        ENVIRONMENT                                      on Zoom

The Urgent Need for Action to Combat the Climate Crisis

Speaker: John Dunlop, Engineer, Renewable Energy Policy Consultant based in Minneapolis

Dunlop managed renewable energy programs for 35 years for the Minnesota State Energy Office and then for the American Wind Energy Association. He will address urgent climate policy actions that can be addressed at the state and local level. These include eliminating carbon emissions from electricity generation by using renewable energy, electrifying the transportation and building sectors, and supporting a high-voltage nationwide transmission system.

12:00 noon                                ANNOUNCEMENTS

1:15 – 2:15                                        HEALTH                                                     on Zoom

Your Magnificent Microbiome: Latest Insights on Optimizing Your Health

Speaker: Gregory A. Plotnikoff, MD, MTS, FACP, Founder and Medical Director,
Minnesota Personalized Medicine

Plotnikoff previously addressed us about the science behind the statement, “Gut health is the foundation for all health.” Today he will introduce the latest data on the connection between the intestinal microbiome and non-intestinal issues, with a special focus on neurologic, metabolic, and mental health concerns. Included will be the latest information on the role of the oral microbiome in health and disease. He will give practical guidance on how to optimize your microbiome via lifestyle measures.

Branch Meeting 9-21-2020

9:30 – 10:30 MONDAY INTEREST GROUPS Please see the Bulletin page 17. NON-FICTION BOOK DISCUSSION on Zoom The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt Discussion Leader: Sheryl Sostarich  Jonathan Haidt, a professor of psychology at the University of Virginia, explores why humans can be so convinced that they are right. Haidt dismisses the idea that the human mind is rational. Rather, emotion and intuition determine our judgments, while reasoning serves to justify those judgments. The book helps guide us to better understand ourselves and respect those of differing religious and political beliefs.

LITERATURE DISCUSSION on Zoom American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins Discussion Leader: Gini Hickman.  A middle class bookstore owner and her eight-year-old son are fleeing Acapulco for America after their entire family was murdered on orders from a local narco-trafficking cartel kingpin. This was because her journalist husband profiled and thus exposed the cartel leader. During the treacherous journey that ensued, they traveled as undocumented immigrants, riding the rails on a freight train and traveling with a paid coyote smuggler. This book is filled with terror, violence, love, joy, and is compassionate and riveting!

11:00 – 12:00 WOMEN’S VOICES on Zoom ERA 2020 Speaker: Betty Folliard, Founder of ERA Minnesota, Former Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives     Folliard will talk about ERA 2020—the great modern push to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment 97 years after it was first introduced into Congress in 1923. In the wake of Virginia becoming the 38th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment in January and the ensuing lawsuits both for and against voiding the 1979 arbitrary deadline imposed on women’s rights, Folliard will give an up-to-the-moment presentation on state and national efforts to finally

1:15 – 2:15 PUBLIC POLICY on Zoom Voting Suppression Speaker: Steve Simon, Minnesota Secretary of State “Elections truly matter; our voice is our vote!” As the Minnesota chief elections official, Simon is committed to protecting and strengthening the security and fairness of Minnesota’s election process. His office works to ensure every vote is properly cast, counted, and recorded. While reliance on paper ballots is the cornerstone of Minnesota’s ballot security, electronic systems play an important supporting role. Simon will talk about election security, cyber security, and new security initiatives.

 

November 30, 2020

Monday, November 30, 2020 Focus Day

CULINARY INSIGHTS

Get ready for a variety of Culinary Insights. We will learn about The Main Street Project, a resilient agriculture system to create pathways out of poverty. Next, the Sioux Chef, a 2019 James Beard award winner, will tell of his emphasis on indigenous foods. Finally, we’ll have a discussion about a variety of wines.

9:30 – 10:30         Innovative Path Toward a More Just and Healthy Food System      on Zoom

Speaker: Julie Ristau, Chief Operating Officer, Main Street Project

The Main Street Project works to create pathways out of poverty for growing numbers of Latinx immigrants. By advancing a resilient agriculture system, the staff works to demonstrate the power to heal our lands, nourish our communities, and prepare aspiring farmers. Ristau will also update us on the Homegrown Minneapolis project she started with former
Mayor R.T. Rybak.

                 11:00 – 12:00    Indigenous Chef Revitalizes North American Cuisine     on Zoom

Speaker: Sean Sherman, CEO/Founder, The Sioux Chef

Sherman is an Oglala Lakota Sioux chef who created a company devoted to indigenous foods and the creation of recipes showcasing tribal diversity and the values of
traditional ingredients. His work is also a pushback against processed foods. He won the 2018 James Beard Book Award for his cookbook, The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen. Because of COVID-19, he has paused the opening of his restaurant and is preparing and serving many meals each day in the community. His cookbook revitalizes Native American cuisine and is an evolution of North American food.

12:00 noon ANNOUNCEMENTS

1:15 – 2:15

WINES: Today’s Delights and Insights

Speaker: Beau Farrell, Vice President, Marketing and E-Commerce, Haskell’s Liquors

What are good wines? What is happening in the Minnesota Wine industry? What is happening nationally and internationally with wines? How do we pair wines with food and with desserts? How much should we be spending for a good bottle of wine? These are all questions, the answers of which should quench our thirst!

 

November 23, 2020

Monday, November 23, 2020

9:30 – 10:30                                          MONDAY BOOK DISCUSSIONS

NON-FICTION BOOK DISCUSSION

The Library Book by Susan Orlean  Discussion Leader: Sheryl Sostarich

This is a story of libraries inspired by a fire that destroyed or damaged more than a million books in the Los Angeles Public Library. Susan Orlean tells the broader story of libraries and librarians that reveals how these institutions provide more than just space to house books and media.

LITERATURE DISCUSSION

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett  Discussion Leader: Sheila Lind

An enchanting house outside of Philadelphia becomes the anchor for a postwar story that spans decades. It is the story of a brother-sister relationship that transcends a complex childhood in the family home and highlights choices that impact and bond both through their lives.

 

11:00 – 12:00                                    LITERARY PURSUITS                            on Zoom

The Loft’s Wordplay Festival

Speaker: Steph Opitz, Founding Director of the Loft’s Wordplay

In May of 2019 the Loft Literary Center launched its first Wordplay Book Festival. It was a huge success with three days of participants engaging in literary pursuits. In 2020, Opitz was finalizing plans for the next Wordplay, when those plans went awry due to the COVID-19 shutdown. Opiz will tell about the launch of the first Wordplay, how it progressed during the shutdown, and plans for next year.

12:00 noon                                       ANNOUNCEMENTS

1:15 – 2:15                                         HEALTH                                                            on Zoom

I’m Okay, You’re Really Sick: Coping with Narcissists

Speaker: Rokelle Lerner, Senior Clinical Advisor, Crossroads Centre Antigua

Many in our society suffer from false pride, entitlement, and grandiosity. This narcissism interferes with personal and professional relationships that are so filled with conflict and pain that it starts to erode the spirit of those close to them. Often as a result of childhood trauma, narcissists spend their lives expunging shame, which can take on the characteristics of helpless victim, grandiosity, and cruelty. This lecture will examine the relational consequences of narcissism and offer tools in dealing with narcissists both personally and professionally.

Suggested reading to accompany this lecture is The Object of My Affection is in My Reflection: Coping with Narcissists by Rokelle Lerner.

November 16, 2020

Monday, November 16, 2020

9:30 – 10:30                                           SCIENCE                                                          on Zoom

The Scientist and the Spy

Speaker: Mara Hvistendahl, Author

Not since Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest has a cornfield produced so much excitement. This is a complex story, but it’s presented clearly and vividly, thanks to Hvistendahl’s background as a science journalist here and in China, her exquisite pacing, and her narrative skills. This true story of China, the FBI, and industrial espionage is hard to put down and harder to stop thinking about.

11:00 – 12:00                                      WOMEN’S VOICES                                         on Zoom

Protecting Immigrant Rights

Speaker: Teresa (Terri) Nelson, Legal Director of the
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Minnesota

Nelson is the counsel of record for the ACLU’s cases. She supervises and coordinates the work of attorneys and pro bono attorneys. An adjunct professor at her alma mater, Mitchell Hamline School of Law, she currently serves on the State Advisory Committee to the United States Commission on Civil Rights and is a member of the Advisory Board for the Minneapolis-St. Paul Lawyer Chapter of the American Constitution Society

12:00 noon                                         ANNOUNCEMENTS

1:15 – 2:15                                         PUBLIC POLICY                                          on Zoom

When Health Gets Political: A Comparison of the Affordable Care Act and COVID-19

Speaker: Sarah Gollust, PhD, Associate Professor, Division of Health Policy and Management, University of Minnesota School of Public Health

2020 was the 10-year anniversary of the Affordable Care Act being signed into law. It was also the year of the emergence of the most devastating public health crisis in a century. Gollust will compare these two issues, analyzing how politics and communication contributed toward polarized responses to these distinct—and continually evolving—public health events.

November 9, 2020

Monday, November 9, 2020

9:30 – 10:30                                            PUBLIC POLICY                                     on Zoom

“Fake News” and Media Ethics

Speaker: Chris Ison, Associate Professor,
University of Minnesota Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication

Ison will discuss the historical context of today’s “fake news” crisis. He will also share practical strategies for sustaining responsible journalism. This is a very important topic in today’s news climate and a program you won’t want to miss. The election will just be over, and it will be interesting to see what part “fake news” played in the national debate.

11:00 – 12:00                                           EDUCATION                                               on Zoom

The Quarantine Kitchen

Speaker: Karyn Tomlinson, Former Chef of Corner Table Restaurant

How do you cultivate an audience when your stage has disappeared? Many local chefs are using virtual platforms to share their talents and hosting instructional shows from their own personal kitchens. Because the restaurant she planned to open has been put on hold, Tomlinson’s videos help fill the void. She will talk to us about her journey as a chef, reconnecting with the importance of hospitality in the home, and building bridges in our community.

12:00 noon                                                 ANNOUNCEMENTS

1:15 – 2:15                                            THE ARTS                                                 on Zoom

Music, Medicine, and Wellness

Speaker: Jenzi Silverman, PhD, ATCL Instructor, Bakken Center for Spirituality and Healing,
OLLI Course Leader, University of Minnesota

Music therapy, medical musicianship, and clinical music practice—all involve the use of music as a healing modality. How are these distinct fields related and how do they differ? What makes music such a powerful healing tool in the first place? Silverman will explore these topics and suggest some techniques for improving wellness through music.

 

November 2, 2020

Monday, November 2, 2020

9:30 – 10:30                                  WOMEN’S VOICES                                               on Zoom

Tubman’s Response to Human Trafficking in Minnesota

Speaker: Tamara Stark, Tubman Senior Director of Housing and Youth Development

Stark will give an overview of human trafficking trends and how each of us can play a role in putting an end to these injustices. She will tell us about Tubman’s programs that address violence through research, prevention, and trauma- informed innovative interventions.
AAUW Minneapolis has supported Tubman through Community Outreach Committee Funds.

11:00 – 12:00                                             HEALTH                                                     on Zoom

Women’s Heart Health: A Matter of Mind, Body, and Spirit

Speaker: Dr. Courtney Jordan Baechler, MD, MS, Medical Director, Emerging Science Centers,
Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation

Expect the latest facts, figures, and theories on disparities in women’s heart disease, how to best prevent heart disease, how we ensure best outcomes in the long-term, and how to live a full life with heart disease.

12:00 noon                                         ANNOUNCEMENTS and BUSINESS MEETING

1:15 – 2:15                                      SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY                                             on Zoom

New Treatment for Spinal Cord Injury: What the Future Holds

Speaker: Ann M. Parr, MD, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Neurosurgery,
University of Minnesota

Spinal cord injury (SCI) can be devastating. It is unlikely that there will be one cure for SCI. Instead, a combination of treatments, tailored for each patient and each injury, may be optimal. Stem cells, scaffolding, and electrical stimulation therapies are all potential candidates. Their team has made some very exciting breakthroughs.

October 19, 2020

Monday, October 19, 2020

Monday, October 19, 2020

9:30 – 10:30                                                     HEALTH                                          on Zoom

Reimagining Hearing Aids by Providing a Gateway to Health and Wellness

Speaker: Dave Fabry, PhD, Chief Innovation Officer, Starkey Hearing Technologies

During the past decade, hearing aids have evolved from stand-alone devices that provide audibility for speech and other sounds to connected ones that facilitate phone/media streaming via smart phone technology. Today, the use of machine learning, artificial intelligence, and embedded sensors promise to further continue the hearing aid’s evolution into devices that can provide a gateway to health and wellness. This session will address recent advances in technology that challenge assumptions and stigma associated with hearing loss.

11:00 – 12:00 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY                                                                 on Zoom

International Trade Policy

Speaker: Dr. King Banaian, Dean of the School of Public Affairs,
Professor of Economics, St. Cloud State University

Trade increases wealth overall but with uneven effects. Modern technology has made more and more parts of the world accessible at lower and lower costs. How has this affected political views of developed and underdeveloped nations? Banaian will explain the reasons for and justifications given for trade policies being followed by nations
seeking trade to increase their wealth.

12:00 noon                                              ANNOUNCEMENTS

1:15 – 2:15                                               WOMEN’S VOICES                                                    on Zoom

The United Methodist Church’s Struggle for Inclusivity

Speaker: Rev. Judith Zabel, Senior Minister, Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church

The United Methodist Church is struggling for justice and inclusivity for gay and lesbian people as it determines ministry policies and practices for an extremely diverse church. Worldwide, the church ministers to people in 150 countries where cultural beliefs about homosexuality differ widely. Zabel will talk about the church’s historic struggle to allow gay and lesbian people to become ordained as ministers and to be married in the church. She will describe the work of Minnesota Methodists, an advocacy group formed to unite United Methodists in Minnesota who are committed to supporting an inclusive church.

October 26, 2020

Monday, October 26, 2020

9:30 – 10:30                                             MONDAY BOOK DISCUSSION                               on Zoom This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
This is the story of four orphans who travel down the Mississippi River during the Great Depression. They have escaped an orphanage where they had been abused. Over the course of one summer they meet others who are adrift: struggling farmers, displaced families, and lost souls of all kinds. This Tender Land is an enthralling story of an incredible odyssey.
Discussion Leader: Lynn Hjelmeland

11:00 – 12:00                                           LITERARY PURSUITS                                                 on Zoom

Eleanor’s Wars

Speaker: Ames Sheldon, Author of Eleanor’s Wars
During and after World War II, American women played many different roles, ranging from pilots, to riveters, to nurses. Sheldon will share her research about these heroic women and how she came to write her historical novels showcasing a few gutsy women.

Noon                                                 ANNOUNCEMENTS

1:15 – 2:15                                           ENVIRONMENT                                                         on Zoom

Restoring Malagasy Tropical Forests through Partnerships with Local Farmers

Speaker: Dr. Rebecca Montgomery, Professor, Department of Forestry Resources, University of Minnesota; Co-Founder, Minnesota Phenology Network;
Board President, Green Again Restoration

This talk will outline challenges associated with deforestation in Madagascar and introduce the work of Green Again Restoration, a small nonprofit committed to reforestation and restoration in the eastern lowland rainforest of Madagascar. Green Again partners with local farmers to co-generate tree planting projects that achieve both landowner and ecological goals.

October 19, 2020

Monday, October 19, 2020

9:30 – 10:30                                           HEALTH                                              on Zoom

Reimagining Hearing Aids by Providing a Gateway to Health and Wellness

Speaker: Dave Fabry, PhD, Chief Innovation Officer, Starkey Hearing Technologies

During the past decade, hearing aids have evolved from stand-alone devices that provide audibility for speech and other sounds to connected ones that facilitate phone/media streaming via smart phone technology. Today, the use of machine learning, artificial intelligence, and embedded sensors promise to further continue the hearing aid’s evolution into devices that can provide a gateway to health and wellness. This session will address recent advances in technology that challenge assumptions and stigma associated with hearing loss.

11:00 – 12:00                                       SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY                               on Zoom

International Trade Policy

Speaker: Dr. King Banaian, Dean of the School of Public Affairs, Professor of Economics,
St. Cloud State University

Trade increases wealth overall but with uneven effects. Modern technology has made more and more parts of the world accessible at lower and lower costs. How has this affected political views of developed and underdeveloped nations? Banaian will explain the reasons for and justifications given for trade policies being followed by
nations seeking trade to increase their wealth.

12:00 noon                                      ANNOUNCEMENTS

1:15 – 2:15                                         WOMEN’S VOICES                                                   on Zoom

The United Methodist Church’s Struggle for Inclusivity

Speaker: Rev. Judith Zabel, Senior Minister, Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church

The United Methodist Church is struggling for justice and inclusivity for gay and lesbian people as it determines ministry policies and practices for an extremely diverse church. Worldwide, the church ministers to people in 150 countries where cultural beliefs about homosexuality differ widely. Zabel will talk about the church’s historic struggle to allow gay and lesbian people to become ordained as ministers and to be married in the church. She will describe the work of Minnesota Methodists, an advocacy group formed to unite United Methodists in Minnesota who are committed to supporting an inclusive church.