There’s a revival happening with AWIU chapters. Most AWIU members joined the organization to bring more collegiality and friendship into their lives; the pandemic suppressed the ability to congregate, but slowly, slowly, members – and chapters – are looking to gather in person and take up local projects.

“People want to get together,” says Carol Ann Warren, who lives in Pasadena, California. “Gatherings anchor people in an organization – and we all feel the need to socialize and get to know each other better.”

Carol Ann is working with AWIU consultant Miranda Cohen to revitalize AWIU chapter activities. They started in December, 2021, and have met twice with chapter chairs via Zoom. “Not all six chapters – Chicago, Los Angeles, Orange County, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, and Washington, D.C. – have chairs. And not all chapters know what direction to head in,” said Miranda, who noted that some chapters are more engaged than others, but that information on chapter direction and activities is hard to come by for everyone.

To fuel communication, Miranda produced a “Chapter Toolkit,” informing chapter chairs of the resources available to help them tell their stories to the wider AWIU membership.

Janice Colom, herself the Chicago chapter chair, unearthed an AWIU document from 2013 with guidelines on the role and responsibilities of a chapter chair. She chairs the Governance Committee, “so I’m always looking through AWIU documents,” she explains. “I was thrilled to discover this guide, as I think it will be really helpful to those members who may consider chairing a chapter.”

The Chapter Revival group is currently looking at establishing chapters in San Diego and Northern California/Washington State. “We also want to solidify a virtual chapter, for members who live far away from any of our established chapters,” explains Miranda. “We have members living in places such as upstate New York and Nashville. We have to find a way to make them feel more included in AWIU activities and meetings.” Miranda added that Passports, as well as members, live all over the country and that they need to be anchored in AWIU as well.

The AWIU community is deeply saddened by the loss of Secretary Madeleine Albright, who died on March 23, 2022 in Washington, D.C.

An American diplomat who served as the 64th United States secretary of state from 1997 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton, she was the first woman appointed to this position.

Albright immigrated with her family to the United States in 1948 from Communist Czechoslovakia and became a U.S. citizen in 1957. Albright graduated from Wellesley College in 1959 and earned a Ph.D. from Columbia University in 1975, writing her thesis on the Prague Spring. She worked as an aide to Senator Edmund Muskie before taking a position under Zbigniew Brzezinski on the National Security Council until 1981, when President Jimmy Carter left office. After leaving the National Security Council, Albright joined the academic faculty of Georgetown University and advised Democratic candidates regarding foreign policy. After Clinton’s victory in the 1992 presidential election, Albright helped assemble his National Security Council. Clinton appointed her to the position of U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations in 1993, a position she held until appointed secretary of state.

Later, Albright served as chair of the Albright Stonebridge Group, a consulting firm, and was the Michael and Virginia Mortara Endowed Distinguished Professor in the Practice of Diplomacy at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by U.S. president Barack Obama in May 2012.

AWIU Members Share their Thoughts and Memories

“Madeleine K. Albright was a pioneer who I admired and served with honor. She broke through the glass ceiling for women in American diplomacy with an unequivocal commitment to democracy and human rights. As a diplomat, I modeled my support for women’s empowerment on Secretary Albright’s advocacy for the crucial role women play in global peace, human development and prosperity. A caring leader, Secretary Albright was outspoken about American women having a seat at the table in U.S. domestic and foreign policy. I am among the many women who mentor because of Secretary Albright’s lasting legacy of women helping each other.”

– Ambassador Eunice Reddick, Vice-President, AWIU and Co-chair, COIR Committee

 

“It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent.”

– Laura Li Pollard’s favorite Madeleine Albright quote

 

“We’ve interviewed a lot of accomplished women on Satellite Sisters. It’s a humbling experience to talk to Nobel laureates or astronauts or great writers. Secretary Madeleine Albright was one such guest. I will never forget the photo of her being sworn in as the first female Secretary of State with her three daughters at her side. That representation of a woman, a refugee, a single mother ascending to the top spot at State changed the lives and paths of a lot of women to come. She was a delightful guest, explaining her Pin Diplomacy or laughing about the time she was at high level meetings with all men and had to request a window be opened because of hot flashes! But she was an even better role model. Her personal story is inspiring. If you haven’t read her memoir, now would be a great time. Thank you, Madam Secretary.”

– Lian Dolan, Producer, International Women of Courage Celebration

 

“I was in seminars with her at Columbia. She was such a modest woman, comfortable among the greats at a young age but never seeking to upstage them. She once said ‘There is a special place in hell for women who don’t help each other!'”

– Ellen Hurwitz

 

“I only wish I had known or worked with Madeleine Albright. Of the many wonderful things I’ve read about her since her death, I think one of the most pertinent to our present situation is that she was a refugee…a reminder that one of America’s basic strengths has been in its immigrants.”

– Marsha Niazmand, Co-chair, Grants Committee, AWIU board member

 

“She was the superwoman of the political world who had the courage to represent all women and voice our freedom in a time when we were still invisible. She dedicated her life to bridging cultures and the gender gap, achieving numerous feats and breakthroughs that will go down in history.”

– Chun-Chieh Lin, AWIU board member

 

“Madeleine Albright was one of the greats and her voice will be missed. She understood that human rights are women’s rights and women’s rights are human rights. Deeply committed to the power of democracy, Albright was a tough and gracious force for good in the world: a model ‘American Woman for International Understanding’ if there ever was one.”

– Maggie Sabbag, President, AWIU

 

“What a role model for women in the world! Madeline Albright’s global influence paved the way to encourage women to stand up for what they believe in.”

– Pamela Hillings Tegtmeyer

 

“The reason I made women’s issues central to American foreign policy was not because I was a feminist, but because we know that societies are more stable if women are politically and economically empowered.”

– A favorite Albright quote of Gayle Morin’s, Chair, Delegations Committee

 

“At the recommendation of Julie Pantiskas, I had the pleasure of attending an ‘Evening with Madeleine Albright’- a conversation and book signing event hosted by the Live Talks Los Angeles speaker series on February 6, 2018. Upon the signing of her book, Fascism: A Warning, I stood before a woman with keen global insight, a giant presence, and an admirable disposition. It was absolutely remarkable.”

– Diane Mitchell Henry, AWIU board member

 

“I had the pleasure of sharing time with Madeline Albright during a domestic flight. I was struck by her humor, candor, intensity, intelligence and her eagerness to truly listen. Described by Condoleeza Rice as a ‘true American giant,’ her diminutive stature in no way represented the fierce and formidable force she was – a champion for good, forhumanity and for women, advocating that societies are more stable if women are politically and economically empowered. As women leaders, we should be well aware of the responsibility we hold to best honor her legacy through our persistence in uplifting other women through our work. Her own words best summarize my respect and admiration for Ms. Albright: ‘Once you have climbed the ladder of success, you don’t push it away from the building—you are only strengthened if there are more women.’ Her impact will forever ring true, standing clear and strong as a reminder to what we must strive to be and to do as leaders, as women and as people.”

– Pooja Chandra Pama, board member and Co-chair, COIR Committee

At American Women for International Understanding (AWIU), we’re always looking for ways to stretch our mission – and our dollars – to new and truly global heights.

Early in 2021, we launched AWIU Conversations, a Zoomcast series designed to circumvent an inability for our members to gather in person due to Covid-19. These Conversations draw not only our members but also the heads of NGOs that are working on AWIU grant-funded projects and are looking for ways to leverage their work to exponential effect.

In a June 2021 Conversation with Rwanda Children, a 2021 AWIU micro-grant recipient, the non-profit organization talked about the launch of its fifth iteration of Fighting against Malnutrition and Stunting (FAMSP), funded by AWIU. The 38 children and their mothers who attend are benefitting from various lessons that include learning about preparing a balanced diet, hygiene and sanitation, communicable and non-communicable diseases, environmental protection, parenting skills, conflict resolution, and gender equality.

Also participating in the June Conversation was Teri Tan, founder of Sustainable Health Empowerment (SHE) Cambodia, another AWIU 2021 grant recipient. SHE and RwandaChildren have similar healthcare missions, and Teri voiced the desire to share SHE’s many educational programs about life-saving health services and practices with Rwanda Children. Serge and Espey Gasore, founders of Rwanda Children, jumped on the opportunity.

By October 2021, new health education posters and presentations (in Khmer, Kinyarwanda and English) were on display and in use at Rwanda Children Health Center. Now that’s leveraging!

American Women for International Understanding (AWIU) is honored to announce that it will receive the prestigious Gender Champion Award from the Secretary of State’s Office of Global Women’s Issues at AWIU’s 2022 International Women of Courage Celebration, to be held May 24th in Los Angeles. Past recipients of the award include the Albanian Government for its historic role providing safe shelter for Afghans in need.

“Being selected for the Gender Champion Award is a tremendous honor for AWIU,” said Maggie Sabbag, the president of AWIU. “It is a testament to years of dedication from every AWIU member who has been involved in or supported the IWOC Celebration, and a testament to what we stand for and who we are as AWIU in general.”

Founded in 1968, AWIU is a community of women who care deeply about improving international understanding. The heart of our mission is to build bridges of understanding, goodwill and cooperation between women leaders throughout the world. Katrina Fotovat, Senior Official for the Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues, will present the award to AWIU at its May 24th International Women of Courage Celebration.