AAUW honors 2 local women
The Humboldt branch of the American Association of University Women celebrated Women's History Month by honoring two local residents who have made a difference in the county.
In a tradition the organization began in 1986, the branch used its March meeting to spotlight the contributions of Shoshanna of Arcata and Lynn McKenna of Eureka, both of whom have dedicated their time and efforts to the community over many years.
Shoshanna is a dancer, teacher, event creator and lover of libraries. She created a center for international dance in the community, founding Redwood Raks World Dance Studio in 2008, and then turning it into a nonprofit several years ago. It has become a place for a variety of dance classes, as well as a space for local performances and theater productions.
Shoshanna — who has been a part of Cal Poly Humboldt's dance faculty since 1998 — has long supported Arcata Main Street and events such as the Arcata Fairy Festival. She is now the youth services outreach coordinator at the Humboldt County Library, and travels to library branches and preschools with a mission to create family connections to books and transform libraries into welcoming spaces.
McKenna is a nonprofit volunteer, with special skills in organizing events, creative fundraising and recruiting other volunteers. After working as a school teacher for 34 years, she stepped in to support the many activities of the California Retired Teachers Association, including staffing the Little Red Schoolhouse at the county fairgrounds in Ferndale, serving as scholarship foundation chair and organizing blood drives for them as well as Humboldt Sponsors and the Elks Lodge.
Her love of music has driven countless hours spent developing the Redwood Coast Music Festival, enabling music and dance programs for seniors and partnering with schools to support music programs, making instruments available and helping students attend competitions.
McKenna's abilities creating innovative fundraisers and motivating others can be seen in her success raising money for Eureka's Visiting Angels team in the Walk to End Alzheimer's. In recent years, this team and McKenna herself ranked first in the nation for fundraising.
AAUW's mission is to advance gender equity through research, education and advocacy. The Humboldt branch provides scholarships to reentry students at Cal Poly Humboldt, supports middle schoolers' attendance at a science-based summer camp and hosts monthly meetings to promote community engagement.