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Volume 9:January 2008 |
pasadena-foothill valley |
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A Piece of Our
Legacy Dorothy Height says, "The image of the Sankofa bird, which flies forward while looking backward, seems to me to be a particularly apt symbol for my life." Of her the poet Mari Evans wrote: "I/am a black woman/tall as a cypress/strong/beyond all definition still/defying place/and time/and/circumstance//assailed/ impervious/indestructible/Look/on me and be/renewed." Her memoir, Open Wide the Freedom Gates, speaks of her life of historical, social and uncountable accomplishments. In 1928 at fifteen, Dorothy won Pennsylvania's Impromptu Speech Contest. She stood up to face several thousand white people, and only one person of color – a janitor who smiled at her. She spoke about "No room in the inn" during the birth of Christ and coupled this to being turned away from the Harrisburg Hotel that very afternoon because she was a girl of color. Dr. Height came of age during the Harlem Renaissance. She personally knew W.E.B. DuBois, Marcus Garvey, Eleanor Roosevelt, and countless poets and leaders. Dr. Height was with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for his "I have a Dream" speech. She led the National Council of Negro Women for 41 tireless years, and Presidents, from Eisenhower to Clinton, sought her counsel. She was elected to YWCA national leadership where she influenced the YWCA to be involved in civil rights beginning in the 1960s and worked on desegregating all levels of the organization. "We are not a problem people; we are a people with problems. We have historic strengths; we have survived because of family." In 1994, President Bill Clinton presented Dorothy Height and Rosa Parks with the Medal of Freedom. Like the Sankofa bird,
Dorothy Height says, "I have found my life's work. I am the product
of many whose lives have touched mine, from the famous, distinguished, and
powerful to the little known and the poor. The past has taught me
many lessons—most especially that I have a responsibility to future
generations." Join our Parent Education
Class
WHEN:
Wednesday's starting March 5th and ending April 30th. Classes are
held from 6 - 8 p.m. with free childcare provided (prior reservations
required) contact Ashley Phillips
at the YWCA for more information:
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Just
For Girls (JFG) News:
'Success in Education' After a much needed Holiday Break, PUSD schools welcomed their students back to class on January 7th and the YWCA's Just For Girls program started the 2008 year off strong with the January theme of "Success in Education." All 5 of our JFG sites have been engaging their participants in conversation about how to reach their academic goals and begin securing a hopeful future for themselves. Girls at different sites talked about setting goals, reducing stress in their lives, exploring careers and different scholarship opportunities. Guest speakers from Campaign for College Opportunity and the Pasadena Youth Center were invited to different groups and gave presentations about different opportunities for the their future in academics and careers. In the month of February we will teach around the theme of Tolerance and Justice coinciding with the celebration of Black History Month. Science Day for Middle School Girls
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Your contribution to the YWCA Pasadena-Foothill Valley allows us to continue to offer our community:
Your generosity ensures that we cultivate the
next entrepreneur, the next engineer, the next scientist, the next U.S.
Speaker of the House!!
Make the YWCA
Pasadena-Foothill Valley your 'Vroman's Gives
Back' organization. This program allows Vroman's to
give 1% of all purchases to the local community organization of your
choice. |
We would like to thank the following foundations for their generosity: Ann Peppers
Foundation We could not do our work without you!
A Penny For Your Thoughts Do you have a question or concern about anything presented
in the eNewsletter or any of our activities? We invite you to drop
us a line at |
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YWCA Pasadena-Foothill Valley 1200 N. Fair Oaks Ave. • Pasadena, CA 91103 |
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Phone: 626-296-8433 • Fax: 626-296-8434 |
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