Forward Together
On Saturday, I felt like I was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. A breath that many of you were probably also able to take after four years of division, confusion, and hopelessness for the future.With a record-breaking number of ballots cast even before election day and the highest overall turnout of our time, Joe Biden is President-Elect number 46th of the United States, with Kamala Harris as his Vice President. For the first time in our nation’s history, a woman, and more notable – a woman of color - will be Vice President of the United States.Like me, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris is a woman, a woman of color, and the daughter of immigrants. Her speech on Saturday night inspired a generation when she said “While I may be the first woman in this office, I won’t be the last. Because every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities.” Because of her my nieces, cousins, young women, and girls across the country will see it possible that they too, can be Vice President, President, or anything else they aspire to be.In her speech on Saturday, the Vice President-Elect also issued the promise of a new day: a commitment to the world that we will forge a better path to reclaim hope, unity, decency, and truth for our country. The call to action illuminated in her remarks is clear—it’s time for each of us to get up and do our part to steer our nation in the direction of prosperity and understanding, with freedom, justice, and dignity for all. At YWCA, we’re proud to show up every day and do the work needed to build a better future.We must also take a moment to recognize the tireless efforts of so many women like Stacey Abrams and the countless Black and Brown activists, organizers, community leaders, and most importantly, voters. These champions mobilized, cast their ballots, and showed up to the polls in days leading up to election day. Without them, this outcome would have been unlikely.The presidential election may have concluded, but our work must continue to uplift the voices of women, especially women of color. We must utilize our renewed sense of hope to move forward together to tackle the disparities of the COVID-19 pandemic and move us toward a future filled with equality, stability, and security for all women, girls, and people of color.Alejandra Y. CastilloCEO, YWCA USA
History Making Moments from the 2020 ElectionOn Saturday, November 7th, Kamala Harris became our nation's first vice president-elect -- a woman, woman of color, and the daughter of immigrants -- after her running mate, President-elect Joe Biden, was declared the winner of the U.S. presidential election.Her election is one of many historic firsts in diversity and representation in election 2020.At YWCA, we firmly believe in breaking down institutional barriers, influencing change, and empowering all women and people of color. This year, it was obvious that voters shared the same beliefs. From the first elected transgender state senator to the first two openly gay Black men elected to Congress, this election season boasted several records and historic firsts.Read all the history making moments so far and our latest blog posts here. |
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YWomenVote 2020: A Conversation with Georgia's Women Virtual Town Hall & Candidate ForumAhead of the January 5th Senate runoff, women in Georgia want candidates and elected leaders to listen and develop solutions that address their deep concerns and priorities around the COVID-19 pandemic, women’s economic security, and the racial justice issues that have reeled the nation. And we are urging them to pay attention!Join YWCA Greater Atlanta and YWCA USA on Tuesday, December 15th, from 12:00 noon – 1:30 p.m. for a Virtual Town Hall and Candidate Forum where guest speakers, experts in the field, and YWCA will explore the economic, child care, and racial justice issues that matter most to the women of Georgia.Don’t live in Georgia? You can still join in on the conversation to learn about these issues and how we move forward together toward a future filled with equality, stability, and security for all women, girls, and people of color.Register today for a dynamic conversation that you won’t want to miss! |
YWCA Spotlights: The Work We DoWe are excited to spotlight YWCA of Greater Charleston this month and their work to advance racial equity in the Greater Charleston, SC community. YWCA of Greater Charleston has long been a pioneer in racial equity, evidenced through their inaugural MLK Celebration, which was one of the first national tributes of its kind, first held in January 1972. They also advance racial equity with such programs as their Racial Equity Institute workshops and Stand Against Racism, keeping this critical issue in the forefront of everyone's minds year-round.Recently, YWCA of Greater Charleston became one of four YWCAs to be selected in the Starbucks Foundation’s fourth round of Neighborhood Grants, intended to help build sustained local impact and inspire increased partner volunteerism with local nonprofits. The other YWCAs selected for this round of Neighborhood Grants are YWCA Lower Cape Fear, YWCA Northern New Jersey, and YWCA of Western New York.For more details, read the announcement here. |
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Giving Thanks at ThanksgivingThis year, our 200+ local associations met the needs of millions of women, girls, and families across the country in response to the COVID-19 crisis. Thanks to supporters like you, we have continued to serve over 1,200 communities across the country, providing child care, housing, food assistance, job training, and more.Each day that we do this work is another opportunity to share in the spirit of generosity, and ultimately, gratitude for the communities we get to empower daily and the supporters who help make it possible. This holiday season may look different, but it calls on that spirit of generosity that lives within us all like never before.We hope you’ll consider giving back this season and helping our communities by volunteering at a YWCA local association near you or by making a donation to YWCA USA or to a local association. |
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Organize Your ButterfliesOver the past year and a half, YWCA has been honored to feature a variety of conversations on topics from entrepreneurship, civic engagement, racial justice, and more.This holiday season, as you consider how you modify your holiday plans to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and keep your friends, families, and communities healthy and safe, take a quiet moment to check out an episode of Organize Your Butterflies.A few of our most memorable topics and guests include:
Check out these episodes of Organize Your Butterflies wherever you subscribe to podcasts, including:APPLE PODCASTS | GOOGLE PLAY | STITCHER | SPOTIFY | TUNEIN | RSS |
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