Three Lodi women earn Susan B. Anthony awards

Jan. 23—STOCKTON — Each year, the San Joaquin County Commission on the Status of Women honors several women in the region for their achievements in a variety of careers through the Susan B. Anthony Awards.

Typically, one woman from each incorporated city in the county receives an award, as well as those who lives in the unincorporated areas.

However, this year, three Lodi women will be recognized at this year's awards ceremony, to be held Thursday, Feb. 15 at the Stockton Hilton, 2323 Grand Canal Blvd.

Elise Forbes, nominated by the Lodi branch of the American Association of University Women; Kathryn Siddle, nominated by Breakthrough Project for Social Justice; and Diane Marek Oren, nominated by the AAUW's Stockton branch, will be honored at the event.

A social worker in San Joaquin County for 36 years, Siddle is being honored for her involvement in a variety of Lodi nonprofit organizations, as well as local commissions.

This includes the Lodi Improvement Committee, Lodi Senior Citizens Commission, Lodi Committee on Homelessness, and Visit Lodi Board.

Siddle has created programs for the unsheltered which directly address barriers to housing and employment and currently does outreach social work for the homeless in Lodi.

She wrote the grants for Showered With Love Mobile Showers and provided social service support to their guests.

Lodi Adopt-A-Child supported her idea, which is now the "Play Lodi" program, providing funding for low- income children to participate in extracurricular activities.

As a member of Bike Lodi, she advocated for bike lanes and improved infrastructure for both pedestrians and cyclists in the community.

She also works with the Breakthrough Project for Social Justice as a responder to support victims of

hate crimes.

A teacher for 51 years, Oren is being recognized for her commitment to secondary and post-secondary education.

Oren taught English at both the high school and community college level in San Joaquin County, but also sponsored several extra-curricular activities including cheer, Hispanic Student Club, Black Student Union, and California Scholarship Foundation, among others.

At San Joaquin Delta College, not only did she teach English and reading, but she served on the Academic Senate for several years, including six as president. She also volunteered as academic tutor for the Mustangs' men's basketball team during her career at Delta.

After retiring, Beverly Fitch McCarthy, founder of the San Joaquin County Commission for the Status of Women, asked Oren to serve on the board, as well as to chair the Susan B. Anthony banquet.

After McCarthy's death, Oren regrouped and reorganized the San Joaquin County Commission on the Status of Women.

Forbes is also being recognized for her service in education and civic activity.

A former teacher at Lodi Unified School District, Forbes was instrumental in creating a three-week family life curriculum for the agency.

She is also a founding member of the Breakthrough Project, and is an active member of the AAUW.

Also being recognized Feb. 15 is Morada resident Dr. Mary J. Lomax Ghirarduzzi, the vice president for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Professor of Communication at University of the Pacific.

A Pacific alum, Ghirarduzzi has served as past president of the San Francisco Public Library Commission, was awarded the Human Rights Defender for Gender Equality in San Francisco

by Mayor London Breed and named one of Bay Area's Most Influential Women by the San Francisco Business Times.

She served as past chair of the Urban Libraries Council in Washington, D.C. where she focused on the

essential role of public libraries as an anchor for American education, literacy, and democracy.

In addition to teaching at Pacific, Ghirarduzzi is an affiliate faculty member at the Race and Equity Center at University of Southern California.

She also wrote a book entitled "Twice as Good: Leadership and Power for Women of Color" in 2020.

McCarthy created the Susan B. Anthony Award in 1975 when she observed that very little positive public recognition was given to women and their work in the community.

As many as 10 women are recognized each year for their achievements or commitments in the areas of business, community service, creative arts, education, government and politics, health care,

homemaking, law and legal services, labor and employment, media, peace, religion, research, science, sports, women's rights and women's services.

Also being recognized this year are Judy Ghio, nominated by Hospice of San Joaquin; Elena Mangahas, nominated by Virginia Navarro; Rhodesia Ransom, nominated by Allyson Aranda; Gina Valadez-Bracamonte, nominated by Angela Phillips; Diane Vigil, nominated by Georgette Hunefeld; and Nancy Young, nominated by Carol Rogers.