Blogs

June 15, 2018

We are pleased to provide the following updates:

Take Action: Urge Congress to Protect Domestic Violence Victims Seeking Asylum

Attorney General Sessions just made a devastating decision declaring that being a victim of domestic violence in other countries cannot be the sole basis for asylum in the U.S. This decision undermines decades of progress toward humane policies that recognize the unique vulnerabilities of women and children who have experienced the trauma of violence and need secure immigration status to access safety. Read our public statement in response to this, and join us in calling on members of Congress to reject this decision. Take action and share this alert with your networks.

YWCA 160th Silk Scarves

In celebration of 160 years of service and action, YWCA USA is excited to unveil our limited-edition commemorative twill silk scarf designed by YWCA Metropolitan Chicago. Scarfs are available now through July 18 in persimmon and gray—please help advance our mission and place your order today or share the opportunity with your network of supporters.

New Board of Directors Members

YWCA USA is pleased to announce its new board members for 2018. See the full list on our press release and feel free to share our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram posts with your networks.

Follow Our CEO on Twitter

YWCA USA CEO Alejandra Y. Castillo has officially launched her Twitter account! Follow her @A_Y_Castillo now and check out what she’s up to, her insights, and various issues, articles, and leaders she is engaging with.

2018 Leadership & Capacity Building Institute (LCBI)

It was wonderful connecting, engaging with, and collaborating with people at last week’s 2018 LCBI in beautiful San Antonio, Texas. From pre-conference sessions and intensive workshops, to inspiring plenary keynotes and our special 160th anniversary celebration, LCBI was truly a way for us to convene, learn, and strategize around many of the issues critical to YWCA health, sustainability, and success. Together, we celebrated and organized around our “Mission, Moment, Movement.” Please stay tuned for links to photos, resources, and more—we plan on sharing many of the presentations and materials from the conference, as well as video from plenary sessions and keynote speakers. In the meantime, please check out the following:

• Read our recap blog.
• Watch our new, animated video that we premiered at LCBI. If you would like to request the hard file, please contact us at communications@ywca.org.
• View a select number of photos on our Flickr. We have received rave reviews for our LCBI photographer, Vanessa Velazquez, and we couldn’t agree more—we love her work! If you’re looking for a photographer in the San Antonio area, we highly recommend her (and you’d be supporting a young woman of color entrepreneur!) You can contact her, or even just drop her a line of thanks, on her website.
• Give us feedback on the data presentation from Friday’s lunch plenary via the LCBI conference app! On the app, go to “Schedule,” “Friday,” then “Moment II Keynote Lunch,” scroll down to “Surveys” and click on “Data Presentation.” This data will be key for the Jamii Group as they continue working on the map they showcased during their presentation.
• Check out fun photos and gifs from our on-site photobooth

The Dr. Dorothy Height Women Of Color & Native Women’s (WOCNW) Leadership Cohort

Congratulations to the 27 women of color and native women who came together during LCBI to share their stories, discuss authentic leadership, and deepen relationships and organizing skills with one another. This leadership cohort is the first of its kind for YWCA USA and it institutionalizes our commitment to women and girls of color, not only as service recipients, but as leaders of movements. Read more in our recap blog. For questions about the cohort, please contact Alicia Sanchez Gill.

Join the GOTV Initiative

YWCA USA’s nationwide Get Out the Vote Initiative will support at least 100 local YWCAs in registering and mobilizing 10,000 voters across the country, engaging in candidate forums, and empowering voters through voter protection education efforts. It’s not too late to join—sign up your YWCA now!

Join Us for In-District Advocacy Day

On August 8, YWCA leaders from around the country will meet with legislators in their home districts. We’ll raise our collective voices to advance our mission-focused policy priorities, and to build support for the programs, services, and funding streams that make a difference in our communities. Register now, then join us for a webinar on July 25 from 3-4 p.m. ET to learn more.

Northeast and Southeast Networks Meeting

The third and final network meeting for FY18, the Northeast and Southeast Networks meeting, will take place in Annapolis, Md., on August 2-3. Local association leaders will gather to meet and share with each other, learn about YWCA USA initiatives, and participate in the YWCA network-wide strategic planning process with La Piana Consulting. Learn more and register today.

YWCA Mission Minute Cards

New in the YWCA Online Resource Library is the first set of Mission Minute fact sheet postcards and an overview of this new offering. YWCA Mission Minute cards are designed for easy printing and wide distribution in order to increase visibility of YWCA’s mission and work. Starting this fall, a new card will be added each month.

On-Site DV/SA Mission Impact Group Meeting at YWCA Dayton

At the start of the month, our director of research and program evaluation, Alicia Sanchez Gill, hosted a Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Mission Impact Group (MIG) meeting at YWCA Dayton, which operates the only domestic violence shelters in Montgomery and Preble counties, and provides affordable housing and housing-related services for women and families who are victims of domestic violence or at risk of homelessness. In 2017, over 2,000 calls were fielded through their domestic violence hotlines, and 20,771 bed nights of emergency protective shelter were provided to 511 women and children.

Thank you to YWCA Dayton CEO (and new YWCA USA board member) Shannon Isom and her incredible staff for inviting YWCA USA and for hosting this visit with so much hospitality. Alicia enthused about her visit, noting that each staff member she talked to “really owned and embodied our collective mission of eliminating racism and empowering women.”

Important Dates

• June 27 at 3 p.m. ET: Engaging Candidates to Empower Communities webinar. Register now.
• July 18: Deadline for ordering YWCA 160th limited edition silk scarves
• August 1: Allstate Purple Purse Challenge application deadline
• August 2 & 3: Northeast and Southeast Network Meeting at the Annapolis Westin Hotel. Register now.
• August 8: In-District Advocacy Day

Questions about what you read today? Contact communications@ywca.org.