By Alejandra Y. Castillo, President and CEO, YWCA Conversations surrounding the state of our union often paint the picture of a country divided. Our national survey of women and women of color across the United States suggests otherwise. Here’s what we learned about how women will shape the 2020 election. Spoiler alert: we’re together. In… Continue Reading YWomenVote 2020: We Mobilize Women
Every four years, YWCA leaders from countries around the world come together to move the World YWCA movement forward, recommitting to our powerful mission and sharing lessons and stories with one another. This week at the 29th World Council, representatives from 70 countries came together to focus on the leadership of young women and how… Continue Reading YWCA World Council: Young Women Transforming Power Structures
Episode #11 – September 5, 2019 Subscribe to the Organize Your Butterflies Podcast: APPLE PODCASTS | GOOGLE PLAY | STITCHER | SPOTIFY | TUNEIN | RSS Erin Vilardi, Founder and Director of VoteRunLead In the latest episode of “Organize Your Butterflies,” YWCA USA CEO Alejandra Y. Castillo sits down with Erin Vilardi, Founder and Director of VoteRunLead. In this episode, released in conjunction… Continue Reading Run As You Are: How VoteRunLead Inspires Women to Lead
YWCA’s new interactive data map helps tell the story of how critical our work is to women, children, and families throughout the United States. We’ve always known firsthand about the demand for social services in our communities, but this innovative online tool is a game-changer: it showcases the impact of our work at the local, state,… Continue Reading Introducing YWCA’s Data-Driven, Interactive Map Initiative
During the first 12 months since Norma Herr Women’s Center — the only publicly funded shelter for single-women in Cuyahoga County, Ohio — came under the management of YWCA Greater Cleveland, 300 women experiencing homelessness at the shelter transitioned to stable housing, an increase of more than 230 percent. YWCA USA CEO Alejandra Y. Castillo… Continue Reading YWCA Greater Cleveland: Providing Support for Women to Find Housing
YWCA USA CEO Alejandra Y. Castillo was recently interviewed by USA TODAY about the wage gap, as the organization joined the National Women’s Law Center and other nonprofits in “commemorating” Moms Equal Pay Day on June 10—the date marking how far into the year that the average working mom has to work to earn what… Continue Reading Moms Equal Pay: Closing the Wage Gap
Over 300 YWCA leaders from across the country gathered together last week to connect and learn together during our biennial National Conference in Washington, D.C. During several days of panel discussions, speeches, and workshop sessions, leaders focused on identifying new opportunities and forging new connections to help us unleash and leverage our power as a… Continue Reading 2019 National Conference: Dare To Be Powerful
As YWCA marked our 13th annual Stand Against Racism, we focused on raising awareness and highlighting the injustices faced by immigrant women and families. In DC, YWCA USA kicked off this year’s campaign by hosting a policy briefing on April 25th, on “Ensuring Safety and Opportunity for Immigrant Women.” As an organization dedicated to eliminating… Continue Reading Ensuring Safety and Opportunity for Immigrant Women
By Saida Agostini, Director of Capacity Building, YWCA USA When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid. — Audre Lorde When I first read these words in Audre Lorde’s Sister Outsider, I just sat the book… Continue Reading When I Dare To Be Powerful
As an organization that has been working for justice for over 160 years, we at YWCA know how important it is to continue having dialogue and building community among those who work for racial justice, and to relentlessly persist in raising awareness about the impact of institutional and structural racism in our communities. That’s why, every… Continue Reading Join Us: Take A Stand Against Racism