38th Annual Women’s History Gala set for Sunday, March 20 in Ukiah

Article by Katarzyna Rolzinski 

The Mendocino Women’s Political Coalition (MWPC) with AAUW-Ukiah is launching the 38th Annual Women’s History Gala Celebration to be held on Sunday, March 20, 1 p.m., at the Saturday Afternoon Clubhouse, 107 S. Oak St., Ukiah.

The National Women’s History Month theme for 2022, “Women Providing Healing, Promoting Hope,” honors women who provide healing and promote hope for the betterment of all. The three Mendocino County 2022 Honorees selected to represent diverse paths as champions of healing and hope are: Cynthia Savage, Willits, director of Daily Bread; Shirley Matilton-Feather, Ukiah, entrepreneur and founder of Feathers Hair Artistry, and Camille Schraeder, Ukiah, Redwood Community Services.

Malia Cohen
Featured speaker will be Malia Cohen, chair of the CA State Board of Equalization and former president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. In the lead position of the BOE’s Second District, Cohen represents nearly 10 million people in California’s 24 coastal counties stretching from the Oregon border to Santa Barbara. BOE members are responsible for state tax systems, totaling over $50 billion, and their staff collect the state’s sales and excise taxes, oversee county property tax assessments, determine the market value of public utilities and railroad properties, and hear tax appeals.

During her career, Cohen has fought to put the needs of the people before those of special interests on the Board of Equalization. She also authored the Pregnancy Information Disclosure and Protection Ordinance, prohibiting limited service pregnancy centers from making false or misleading statements about their services. After passage, this measure was challenged in the United States District court and upheld in its entirety.

Wendy DeWitt
Poetry and music will provide inspiration and entertainment. Serving as MC and auctioneer will be internationally known and Ukiah-based Queen of Boogie Woogie Wendy DeWitt. She will guide the celebration of women’s important history and the dramatic changes in women’s roles in society. DeWitt will close the Gala Celebration by playing her high energy boogie woogie tunes.

Georgina Marie Guardado is the Lake County Poet Laureate, 2020-2024, the first Mexican-American to serve in this role. In June 2021 she was selected as a Poets Laureate Fellow with the Academy of American Poets. She is the literary coordinator and Poetry Out Loud coordinator for the Lake County Arts Council, co-creator for the Bloom’s Poetry Column, and Poet-in Residence for Bloom. As part of the Broken Nose Collective, an annual chapbook exchange, she created her first poetry chapbook, “Finding the Roots of Water,” 2018, and her second chapbook, “Tree Speak,” 2019. In 2020, she was an Anne G. Locasio Scholar for the Mendocino Coast Writer’s Conference.

Elizabeth MacDougall, a long-time Ukiah resident and Mendocino College piano instructor, is a highly respected pianist with the Ukiah Symphony and has been a guest artist with many other symphonies around the country. She also plays professionally and entertains in a variety of venues.

The Raging Grannies is an international singing group mocking the “sweet little old lady” stereotype and changing the lyrics to familiar tunes. They change the words the way they want to change the world, for peace and justice.

Sunday, March 20, 2022 – 1:00pm – 3:00pm The Saturday Afternoon Club located at 107 S. Oak St in Ukiah. Still just $10 per ticket.