“Donde esta mi mamita? Donde esta mi tia? Dile que me portare bien.” “Where is my mommy? Where is my aunt? Tell her I’ll be good!” By Alejandra Y. Castillo, CEO, YWCA USA Be deeply troubled by the mishandling of children. For trauma, by definition, may prevent them from remembering everything, but their God-blessed bodies… Continue Reading Families Belong Together: Stop Traumatizing Children
Just last week, YWCA USA hosted our biennial Leadership & Capacity Building Institute (LCBI) conference in San Antonio, Texas, welcoming over two hundred YWCA leaders from across the country for four days of trainings, panel discussions, and more. Together, we focused on engaging and addressing some of the many critical issues that define YWCA health,… Continue Reading A Look Back at Our 2018 Leadership & Capacity Building Institute
By Debbie Johnson, Development Coordinator, YWCA New Hampshire I recently had to have a hard conversation with my ten-year-old daughter. She was working on an “Images of Greatness” project for her Key Club and chose to profile Coco Chanel. During her research, she discovered that Coco was rumored to be a Nazi sympathizer. She could… Continue Reading The Time Is Now To Talk About White Privilege
By Sarah Wolf-Knight, YWCA Dayton Grants & Advocacy Manager I was lucky enough to be chosen as a delegate to the 2018 United State of Women Summit (USOW) with support from YWCA USA. As I sat through the speaking presentations at USOW, I was struck by the level of representation achieved in the room. Truly, any… Continue Reading Smash Every Glass Ceiling: Reflections on USOW
By Joan Ryan, Women’s Wellness Manager, YWCA Alaska It was Saturday, May 5th, at 6:30 in the morning when I joined the different YWCA delegates at the lobby of the Hotel Figueroa in Los Angeles. It was as great start because I was so glad to meet other YWCA leaders from around the country, including… Continue Reading My Time at USOW 2018
By Desiré Bennett, Advocacy Manager, YWCA Greater Cincinnati I stealthily slipped into the cavernous Shrine Auditorium about 20 minutes before it flooded with hordes of more than 6,000 other anxious women and girls (and some men) eager to score good seats. The auditorium was abuzz with stage hands, sound technicians, and musical talent running a… Continue Reading It Starts with US!
At YWCA, we’ve been working for justice for 160 years. While we’re not new to this work, we also know that we are experiencing a watershed moment in the fight for racial justice. As civil rights continue to be eroded for women, people of color, and other marginalized communities, civic engagement has become even… Continue Reading Join Us In Taking A Stand Against Racism
YWCA USA is proud to support the incredible student movement against gun violence that is taking our nation by storm, and will mark the landmark March for Our Lives this Saturday, March 24 (the same day as our foremother, YWCA champion and civil right leader Dr. Dorothy I. Height’s birthday!) We encourage you to join… Continue Reading March for Our Lives: Centering Youth of Color
By Catherine Beane, Vice President, Advocacy and Public Policy, YWCA USA When the youngest of my four sons was born, everything seemed just fine. He was healthy and vivacious. Cute-as-a-bug’s-ear with all his fingers and toes. And his smile and happy baby sounds were a delight to his older brothers. While the first few… Continue Reading The Affordable Care Act: A Lifeline for Families
By Alejandra Y. Castillo, CEO, YWCA USA Generations of women began their paths to empowerment, safety, and economic security by entering the doors of the YWCA, because for over 160 years, YWCA USA has continued to #PressForProgress. From voting rights to civil rights; from affordable housing to equal pay; from ending gender-based discrimination to helping… Continue Reading The Road to Equality and Justice in the U.S. Runs Through the Women’s Community