AAUW advances gender equity for women and girls through research, education, and advocacy.
Celebrating 143 Years and Looking Ahead
AAUW of Virginia 2025 Conference
Conference 2025 Brochure is here!
On March 28, 2025, join us in Alexandria as the AAUW-VA centennial celebration begins, and we jubilantly begin our second century. Make a room reservation online now! More information on the Conference page HERE. CLICK HERE to register online for Conference 2025. Mail-in registration is also available by completing pages 14-16 of the conference brochure.
The 2025 AAUW Annual Art Contest is NOW OPEN! This is your opportunity to showcase your artistic talents and have your work featured in our annual notecard collection, distributed to members nationwide.
Women artists remain underrepresented in galleries and often face pay inequity. Our annual contest spotlights the creativity and contributions of women artists within our community, advancing gender equity through art.
How the Art Contest Works: AAUW members can submit up to two entries featuring their photography or a digital photo of their painting, drawing, sculpture, collage or other form of art through our AAUW Art Contest page.
The Wytheville Branch members have 3 entries in the AAUW Art Contest! They are below. Let’s vote for them!
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- Quiet Times
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- Normandy Flowers
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THE GENDER PAY GAP JUST GOT WIDER. HERE’S WHY.
EQUAL PAY DAY. Each year, this symbolic day is used to raise awareness around and combat the impact of pay inequities. Equal Pay Day 2025 is on March 25 and marks the current state of the gender pay gap for women: 83% for full-time, year-round workers and 75% for all workers (including part-time and seasonal).
Read more HERE.
Because the pay gap varies significantly among different communities, particularly for women of color, other Equal Pay Days have been added to the calendar over the years to reflect that fact that many women must work far longer into the year to catch up to men
2025
- Equal Pay Day – March 25
- International Women’s Day – March 8
- AAPI Equal Pay Day – May 3
The Simple Truth about the Gender Pay Gap
Is AAUW new to you?
Welcome! Learn about AAUW National HERE. Keep scrolling/clicking on these pages to learn about AAUW of Virginia. Find Virginia branches HERE. Contact us and we will respond quickly!
You don’t have to be a member to become a Two-Minute Activist! Sign up HERE. With this tool, it takes just minutes and an internet connection to make your voice heard on issues impacting women and girls! You will receive AAUW’s Action Network’s urgent e-mail notices and text messages when your advocacy is needed most.
Check out AAUW’s recent webinars.
The wage gap for many women of color is not only wider than the overall gender wage gap, but it is also closing more slowly. Read more HERE.
Imagine having to work seven extra months just to earn the same pay as a male co-worker. Read the research from AAUW: Systemic Racism and the Gender Pay Gap. (A supplement to The Simple Truth)
Honoring Over 50 Years of Title IX!
With 37 words, Congress changed the face of education. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 states: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”
AAUW Denounces District Court’s Decision to Vacate 2024 Title IX Rules
The decision by the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Kentucky to vacate the updated Title IX rules makes it easier for schools to dismiss cases, harder to hold perpetrators of sexual harassment and assault accountable, and more difficult for survivors to get the protections they need.
Students deserve better, and AAUW is prepared to fight on their behalf. Read the full statement HERE.
Don’t forget, if you need answers, attend AAUW Virtual Office Hours!
AAUW Branch Leader and AAUW Staff Meetings to Respond to Questions
Our virtual “office hours” are a unique way to share feedback with AAUW National staff and get real-time answers to your questions.
Learn More: Connect2AAUW Virtual Office Hours
Register for AAUW’s New Financial Literacy Program
When it comes to economic security, many women face significant challenges. A racial wealth gap and a wider-than-average gender wage gap make it difficult for many to get on firm financial footing. AAUW’s new series of free virtual workshops is aimed at supporting women at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Women’s Colleges and Minority Serving Institutions. Our goal is to help you budget, save and plan for the future. Learn More.
Empowering Women Through Innovative Programs
Our award-winning programs are specifically designed to address these challenges. Through our initiative, we offer:
- AAUW Work Smart: Know Your Value and Get Paid – Training for early and mid-career professionals on negotiating for fair salaries, better benefits, and advancement opportunities.
- AAUW Start Smart – AAUW Start Smart is specifically designed for college women entering the job market, teaching effective salary negotiation techniques to boost your confidence and negotiation skills.
- AAUW Money Smart – The AAUW Money Smart program is aimed at providing all women with the personal finance information they need to ensure their own financial security.
These programs have already impacted over 190,000 women across the U.S., empowering them with confidence, knowledge, and skills.
The Gender Pay Gap
THE GENDER PAY GAP JUST GOT WORSE. HERE’S WHY.
No matter how you analyze it, the gender pay gap is real, persistent and harmful to women’s financial well-being. GET THE FACTS. When women get equal pay — and equal opportunity — they, their families and all of society will thrive. To get there, we need to embrace diversity, equity and inclusion. LEARN MORE. We need to update our laws to ensure all workers can take home a fair paycheck, and the Paycheck Fairness Act is one big piece of legislation aimed at just that. We must call on all elected officials to listen to voters, who overwhelming support pay equity, and work to pass this important bill. And it must happen now.
Fast Facts: Mothers in the Workforce.
Urge your senators to do their part by supporting the Paycheck Fairness Act today!
Racial Equity: BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION
Find information, resources, activities and more on the menu bar above: “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” or directly on our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion page here.
How to Support AAUW’s Mission
Catch up on recent webinars!
AAUW is committed to staying connected during these difficult times, so we’re providing regular webinar content for our communities. National staff and outside experts bring you engaging programming on the issues most important to you. Check out the recordings from past webinars and look out for news of upcoming online events!
View a variety of engaging webinars HERE.
The Pay Gap: Why does it matter?
The pay gap has lifelong financial effects that grow over time, from the ability to pay for education and childcare to saving for retirement, impacting women in nearly every profession. The Work Smart program teaches women at all stages of their career how to negotiate their pay, resulting in improved financial futures for themselves and their families.
National Members!
We appreciate your membership and encourage you to attend upcoming events at an AAUW branch in your neighborhood. Click on Branches for information about a branch near you.