racial justice initiatives

The YWCA Evanston/North Shore is committed to eliminating racism. The goal of our racial justice program is aimed at dismantling the beliefs, practices and policies that perpetuate racism while proactively working to eliminate the systemic barriers and inequities that result from them. We support policies that address racial profiling, increase immigrant rights, retain and strengthen affirmative action, reduce hate crimes and increase awareness of racism and discrimination.

Our efforts in this area include:

• YMCA/YWCA community collaboration on diversity, which, through a process of assessment and dialogue, seeks to develop strategies to reduce systemic and persistent discrimination, inequities, and barriers that prevent people from achieving their fullest potential in our community;
• education and outreach in the community to encourage young people and adults to challenge their own prejudices, and foster a dialogue about the impact of racism on all our lives; and
• Ricky Byrdsong Memorial Race Against Hate, an annual event which brings together thousands of runners and walkers from all over Chicagoland to say ‘no’ to racism, discrimination, violence and hate crimes, and to raise funds for YWCA Evanston/North Shore programming in areas of anti-violence and racial justice. The Race was founded in 1999 in memory of Ricky Byrdsong, who was murdered that year by a white supremacist.