Lompoc-Vandenberg AAUW Launches 2nd Annual ChangeMakers  Celebration

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Lompoc, CA – The Lompoc-Vandenberg Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) will host its second annual live and virtual dual-language ChangeMakers celebration on Thursday, March 31 at 6:00 pm featuring a panel of women and leadership from  diverse fields known for blazing trails. 

Recognizing that women leaders, especially women of color, continue to make significant  positive change in our communities, yet receive little recognition, AAUW sought to highlight  and celebrate these ChangeMakers and inspire the next generation of individuals to make  change.  

The ChangeMakers 2022 celebration will feature a panel who are renowned for making positive  change. Tara Gomez is the first recognized Native American winemaker in the U.S., in 2021  was recognized as winemaker of the year and is the Co-Founder and Co-Winemaker at Camins 2  Dreams Winery. Ms. Gomez is joined on the panel by Mayor Jenelle Osborne, a city leader in Lompoc since 2016 and owns her own business. She served first on the city council then was  elected as Mayor for two consecutive terms. Devika Stallings is the first Black CEO of the  Lompoc Chamber of Commerce. Prior to her accepting the Chamber position served as the Director for the Boys and Girls Club in Lompoc; she is also a Co-Founder of Future for Lompoc Youth. Shay Allen is a student leader at Allan Hancock College where she will  graduate in the spring and transfer to Cal-Poly in San Luis Obispo or California State University  in Channel Islands to receive her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She is currently the  Director of Student Advocacy on the Associated Student Body Government at Allan Hancock  College and a permanent member of the Alpha Gamma Sigma (AGS) honor society. 

Pat Grijalva, President of the Lompoc-Vandenberg Branch of AAUW, said: “AAUW believes it is important to recognize the significance that women leaders, especially women of color, have  had in making positive change in our nation, state and communities. We want to celebrate and  

highlight leaders as ChangeMakers, hence the name of the celebration. Our branch believes it is  vital to bring these ChangeMakers together as a panel in order for our communities to hear 

their stories and to inspire us all to be ChangeMakers in our own way. We also thought it is  critical to have the event available in Spanish and English on Zoom to remove any language  barriers for our communities.” 

The event will be live in person at the Lompoc Library Grossman Gallery, and via Zoom where  it will be available with live interpretation on Thursday, March 31, 2022 from 6 to 7 pm.  Registration to attend in person or by Zoom is required at https://lompocvandenberg ca.aauw.net/. There is no charge to attend but donations are welcome.  

For those attending in person vaccination proof will be requested and following the state of CA  guidelines, surgical masks are suggested to ensure the safety of the community; the entry to the  Grossman Gallery is to the far left of the library main entrance. 

https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/guidance-for-face coverings.aspx

As Pat Grijalva put it, “The ChangeMakers celebration coincides with Women’s History Month  and these women are making history… today.”  

The Lompoc-Vandenberg Branch of AAUW was nominated for the 2021 Lompoc Peace Prize  for its work.  The American Association of University Women (AAUW) empowers women and girls through  advocacy, education, philanthropy, and research. Our nonpartisan, nonprofit organization has  more than 170,000 members and supporters across the United States, as well as 1,000 local  branches and 800 college and university partners. Since AAUW’s founding in 1881, members  have examined and taken positions on the fundamental issues of the day — educational, social,  economic, and political. Learn more at www.aauw.org.