Volume 7:October 2007

pasadena-foothill valley

2007 Week Without Violence

 
Opening Ceremony; Left to Right: Davilena O'Connor, Chris Vincino, Councilwoman Margaret McAustin, Councilwoman Jacque Robinson and Mayor Bill Bogaard

When it comes to violence, the numbers speak for themselves. The City of Pasadena knows this too well with the amount of homicides documented this year alone. Though the YWCA has traditionally focused on mainly violence against women, the agenda has expanded to include broader issues of violence without losing this important focus.

The week started off on Monday morning on the steps of City Hall. The opening ceremony was a time to commemorate the lives of victims in the past year as well as declare the intention and hope for the week of events. That afternoon, Maria Elena Durazo, the Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the L.A. Union spoke at the Library with a powerful message about the role of jobs in preventing community unrest. Among other events later in the week, Peace Over Violence hosted workshops,and the YWCA's Racial Justice Committee put on an Action Forum on race relations.

Special thanks to Davilena Baily O'Connor for chairing the event, Gerda Govine-Ituarte for offering her professional services, the Allen Lund Company for their printing services, Councilwomen Margaret McAustin and Jacque Robinson and to Mayor Bill Bogaard for helping to make the week memorable.

We look forward to working with everyone again next year so mark your calendars for the third week in October 2008!

WELCOME!  Michelle Gavigan Our Interim Executive Director

Michelle has supported the YWCA for many years as a member of the finance committee and as a former board member

The YWCA Pasadena-Foothill Valley is pleased to announce its appointment of Michelle Y. Gavigan as the interim executive director. "The leadership, knowledge and financial management skills that Michelle brings to our YWCA will provide stability and focus in the pursuit of our mission of eliminating racism and empowering girls and women," said Edith Grady, board president.

Michelle has resided in Pasadena for many years, one of her earliest memories is having a tonsillectomy at Huntington Memorial at the age of four. Prior to joining the YWCA, she managed a small accounting practice after spending over 20 years as a CPA in the private as well as non-profit area. She is active in the Sierra Club, Habitat for Humanity and Whittier College and also brings a deep commitment to the programs we offer the community.

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• Just For Girls enrichment and development program for the school aged young women of Pasadena.
• Racial Justice work in our community.
• Community Building efforts through our public dialogue and program initiatives. 
• Ensuring that you and our young women, your sister, your wife, and our families have a voice in our city, region and nation!

Buy your favorite books while helping the YWCA!

Just For Girls (JFG)
News:
JFG programming continues to provide places of safety and conversation for middle school girls in PUSD


JFG participants at Blair IB School and facilitator Ashley Phillips pose in their after school classroom 

With Thanksgiving around the corner, and the school year's first semester at its halfway point, our Just for Girls groups have begun to look closely at many complex issues. Among other things we have talked about how to recognize abusive relationships, understanding and confronting our own biases, managing conflict and learning conflict resolution skills.

New participants in the program have begun to settle in to their groups, becoming more comfortable with this new place of growth in their lives. For other young girls, veterans to the program, this program has become part of their personal story. "I have been doing sports and Just for Girls with the YWCA for as long as long as I can remember," explains Blaze, an 8th grade student at Blair, "It's a part of my life."

Here is our current JFG schedule:

Monday:   Willard Elementary School - 12:45 to 2:15pm
                Wilson Middle School - 5:00pm to 6:00pm

Tuesday: Eliot Middle School - 2:30pm to 4:00pm
               Blair IB School - 3:00pm to 4:30pm

Wednesday:  YWCA - 4:00pm to 6:00pm

Thursday: Eliot Middle School - 2:30pm to 4:00pm
                Blair IB School - 3:00pm to 4:30pm

You can help us connect to more young women.  If you have a daughter at one of these schools or would like her to be a part of the group here at the YWCA then let us know! We would love to connect with more young ladies and are excited about the opportunity to continue to expand!

For more information about how to connect your daughter or someone else you know to a JFG group please call our Program Manager, Jasmine Guerrero at
(626) 296-8433 ext. 13

• Volunteer. We are always recruiting women and girls to be mentors, to join a committee, or for leadership opportunities.
  Contact the Program Office . 
• Make a gift of stock, real estate, or money.  
  Contact the  Development Office .

Join the RACIAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE!

Mission Statement

The YWCA USA in 1970 adopted the One Imperative "To thrust our collective power toward the elimination of racism wherever it exists and by any means necessary."

The YWCA Pasadena Foothill Valley seeks to implement this Imperative and has developed a program with an evolving action plan designed to:

• Improve the perception and understanding of disadvantaged groups by our members and our community through training, education and social action.
• Promote greater interaction and positive relations among diverse groups by and within our own programs and activities, as well as within our community.
• Develop the skills by board, staff and active members to appreciate the wealth of our community's diversity; proactively demonstrate our core values and commitment to inclusiveness; and work to reconcile differences.

If you have any questions or would like to participate with this committee please contact Denise Jones, Chair

In Memoriam
This past weekend Marilyn Sobieski and Rosemary Tyler, two long standing members and contributors to the YWCA Pasadena passed away.

We are saddened by the recent deaths of two women who played long and important roles in the history of the YWCA Pasadena-Foothill Valley.

Marylyn Sobieski passed away on October 23, just a few months shy of her 100th birthday.  A woman of tremendous energy and commitment to the YWCA, she served on our board for ten years in the 1970s and was president in 1976 and 1977.  An active Democrat, she ran unsuccessfully for Congress in a heavily Republican district.  Late in her life she moved to Fullerton to be near a daughter but continued to return to Pasadena for YWCA events and to attend All Saints Episcopal Church.  She is survived by a daughter Lada Marx and sons John and James. A memorial service will be held on 1 p.m. Saturday, November 3 in the All Saints Chapel. 

Rosemary Tyler passed away on October 27th, 4 months after her husband Ted.  As daughter Wendy Cobleigh says, "Altzheimer's has taken away the wonderful lady we all knew."  Rosemary had a 28 year career as a realtor, was passionate about Pasadena schools and better education, active in the League of Women Voters for more than 50 years, and together with Ted was always supportive of the YWCA.  She was an active member of the YW's 1980s Capital Campaign Blue Ribbon Committee.  She is survived by Wendy, son Tim, 5 grandchildren, and 4 great grandchildren.  A Memorial/Celebration Tea will be held November 18 at 4:30pm at the Athenaeum, Cal Tech.

Shop 10,000 Villages and support the YWCA
On November 20th between 5pm and 9pm a portion of all sales will go to support the YWCA Pasadena-Foothill Valley

Why Ten-thousand Villages?
At Ten Thousand Villages, we work with over 100 artisan groups in more than 30 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America to bring you fair trade jewelry, home decor, gifts and more. As one of the world's oldest and largest fair trade organizations, we build long-term relationships with artisans that are based on mutual understanding and respect. Fair trade enables artisans to earn a fair wage and provides the opportunity for a better quality of life.

YWCA Pasadena-Foothill Valley 1200 N. Fair Oaks Ave. • Pasadena, CA 91103

 Phone: 626-296-8433 • Fax: 626-296-8434

    www.ywca-pasadena.org