CAA Chapter Leader Newsletter

FEBRUARY 2023

Black Engineering & Science Alumni Club Spotlight, Cal @ SIX, & More!

Alumni Spotlight Introducing...

Rori Abernethy

’00 Pure Mathematics

Pronoun: She/Her

I am a Middle School Math Teacher and a Union Advocate. I have also been a CalTeach Mentor for the last 10 years. I organized a ~1000 educator Wildcat Sick Out on January 6th 2022, and supported the media coverage for the SFUSF #2WeekPause Petition.

Rori Abernethy ’00, a math teacher at James Denman Middle School in San Francisco, featured in the San Francisco Examiner

What was your undergraduate life like at Cal? It was fun and a lot of hard work. When I was an undergrad, we had wonderful programs like Multicultural Education Program (MEP), Mathematics, Engineering, Science, Achievement (MESA), and Professional Masters Degree in Product Development (PDP) to support STEM students of color. I strongly support these programs and hope they can be brought back to support Cal students.

What advice would you give your undergraduate self? Keep doing what you are doing. You are doing fine!

What life lessons did you learn at Cal that still impact your daily life? Cal is a humbling place where you learn a lot. I think the education I got was priceless but it also teaches all graduates to be humble and realize that you don’t know it all but you can certainly figure it out!

What are some current projects you are working on? I am an elected state representative for the California Teachers Association and elected national representative for the National Teachers Association. I serve on several union committees and am also a representative for the American Federation of Teachers. I am working on green policies emergency work visas for undocumented credentialled educators in the U.S. I am also a MESA coordinator in my school. MESA is an impactful program for STEM students of color from kindergarten to the graduate level and I am passionate that this program should be widely available in the Cal community.

How do you tap into your Cal Alumni network? I went to the life changing Anniversary Celebrations for the Black Engineering & Science Student Association (BESSA), Black Graduate Engineering & Science Students (BGESS), and Black Engineering & Science Alumni Club (BESAC) where we celebrated the 50th, 35th, and 5th Anniversaries for these organizations. This event was amazing and made me want to reconnect. I am the communications coordinator for BESAC and a member of our founding Board. BESAC was Charted through the CAA in 2019. Please check out our Website Link coming soon.

What is something that you've learned from being involved with your alumni chapter? I have learned how awesome our Alumni are, and that we have a powerful network!

What else should we know about you? I am a third generation UC Berkeley STEM Graduate. Before me the other family STEM graduates from UC Berkeley were Charles G. Abernethy in Chemistry, Edward Abernethy in Bio Chemistry, and Charles E. Abernethy in Genetics. My Great Aunt Jewel Abernethy attended Berkeley but did not graduate. My grandfather was the first African American chemist hired by the department of CA Food and Agriculture. Both my parents were both in the Black Panther Party and my mother is featured in the recently published book Comrade Sisters along with other books about the Party. My stepmother is Ericka Huggins, the co-author of the book.

What Else is Going on at CAA...

Meet the 2022 - 2023 Cal Pride Scholarship

Honoring the three recipients of the Cal Pride Scholarship in 2022 – 2023.

Career Connections

Help students explore future career fields through casual conversations with Cal alumni and professionals—like you!

Career Connections give students an opportunity to meet alumni and learn their insights about different types of roles, companies, or industries.

Interested in supporting? Volunteer for a session today!

Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Roles - Tuesday, March 7, 2023
Finance - Wednesday, March 15, 2023
Esports & Gaming - Wednesday, March 22, 2023
Biotech - Wednesday, April 5, 2023

Sports Industry - Thursday, April 13, 2023

Volunteer Today!

Save the Date: Big Give Returns on March 9!

Your gifts made to The CAA Fund during Big Give keep Cal alumni and students connected to UC Berkeley for life.

Mark Your Calendars

Cal @ SIX: The Musical

In collaboration with Night Out/Night Off for Graduate Students of Color

Photo credit: Joan Marcus

From Tudor Queens to Pop Icons, the SIX wives of Henry VIII take the microphone to remix five hundred years of historical heartbreak into a Euphoric Celebration of 21st century girl power! This new original musical is the global sensation that everyone is losing their head over!

SIX: The Musical - Orpheum Theatre
Balcony Price: $55.50
Promo Code: T4AGC
Matinee show - Wednesday, March 8 @ 1 p.m.
Evening show - Wednesday, March 8 @ 7:30 p.m.

We look forward to seeing you at SIX!

Purchase Tickets in Cal Section

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CAA Chapter Leader Newsletter

FEBRUARY 2023

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