March 15, 2019
We are pleased to provide the following updates:
Biden Foundation Youth LEADS Report Launch: March 19
Next Tuesday, March 19th, YWCA USA, along with other organizations across the country that have partnered with The Biden Foundation, will help launch a Youth LEADS report.
Youth LEADS (Leverage, Energize, and Define Solutions) is an initiative that speaks directly to young people about their experiences with violence and their hopes for the future to give youth the support they need to combat violence in their communities.
The report features youth from local YWCAs such as YWCA Baton Rouge, YWCA Minneapolis, YWCA Hamilton and YWCA San Antonio.
Follow #YouthLEADS during Tuesday’s launch to see live coverage and updates on our social media platforms.
HUD Public Policy Webinar: March 27
Register now for our next Public Policy Updates Webinar on Wednesday, March 27th at 3pm EST/12pm PST. We’re thrilled to have Lisa Coffman and April Mitchell from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to share information about Continuum of Care funding, targeted funding for homeless youth, and other initiatives of the Special Needs Assistance Program office. If you have a question for Lisa and April, please fill out this form.
Stand Against Racism: April 25-28
We are excited to share with you the SAR Proclamation in this year’s toolkit. We encourage you all to work with your city/county council, mayor or other local elected officials to declare a specific date to Stand Against Racism.
Please continue to promote registering events for this year’s Stand Against Racism campaign. Encourage your partners and other groups in your community to register: log-in to access the online toolkit and register your events so we can track our national impact. The 2019
YWCA National Conference: June 5-8
Mark your calendars for June 5-8, 2019, for our national conference in Washington, D.C. Our theme this year is “DARE TO BE POWERFUL”. This biennial conference is a time for our organization to gather together, learn with and from one another, and identify opportunities that will allow us to unleash and leverage our collective power as a national movement.
YWCA at UNCSW
On March 14th, YWCA USA, World YWCA, and Hispanics in Philanthropy hosted a panel at the United Nations Commission on the Status on Women (UN CSW) entitled Refuge Denied: Women in Crisis at the U.S./Mexico Border. We explored conditions that are prompting so many to flee, factors that have exacerbated the crisis, and parallels with refugee crises around the globe. We are thrilled to work with and learn from women around the world at the 63rd UN CSW to support women in the intersecting and multifaceted issues we face.
(from left to right: Sylvia Acosta- YWCA El Paso, Alejandra Y. Castillo- YWCA USA, Ana Marie Argilagos- Hispanics in Philanthropy, and Juliet Choi- YWCA Board Member)
The DREAM and Promise Act of 2019 Introduced
The DREAM and Promise Act of 2019 was introduced on March 12 by Representatives Lucille Roybal-Allard, Nydia Velazquez, and Yvette Clarke with over 200 co-sponsors. This new piece of legislation would offer protections and a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as children and people with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or Deferred Enforced Departure (DED). Act now to ensure that this long-awaited legislation passes the House of Representatives!
President’s Budget
On March 11, the Administration released its FY2020 Budget Summary, which would deeply cut Non-Defense Discretionary (NDD) Programs in 2020 and beyond. The President’s budget proposes cutting fiscal year 2020 NDD funding by $54 billion (9%) below the 2019 level, and by $69 billion (11%) after adjusting for inflation. The summary provides limited details, but cuts are indicated to Medicaid, SNAP, affordable housing, TANF, and other social safety net programs. YWCA USA will continue to monitor the situation closely and will share more information about proposed spending levels in programs of relevance and interest to YWCAs
Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019
On March 7, the Violence Against Women Act was reintroduced in the House of Representatives. This critical legislation is headed for a floor vote as early as the week of March 25th. Here are 3 steps you can take NOW to support a strong bipartisan reauthorization:
- Urge your Representative to co-sponsor this bill and vote yes!
- Share the action alert with your staff and local networks
- Use this new VAWA toolkit to get the word out on social media and with a Letter to the Editor of your local paper
Since its original passage in 1994, VAWA has made a tremendous impact in changing culture and norms, reducing domestic and sexual violence, and improving critical victim services—and many YWCAs rely on VAWA to fund domestic violence programs. A strong bipartisan vote in the House will push the Senate to support this improved VAWA. Let’s act now!
Olympic Day Registration Is Open: Deadline April 15
Olympic Day registration is live and the Olympic Day Team at the USOC is at the ready to answer questions and provide support. Please note that the 2019 Host Agreement is in the final internal review stages and will be sent to all registered hosts later for their signature. Please feel free to send any questions to the Olympic Day Team at OlympicDay@usoc.org If you’d like to host an event, please register before April 15. Olympic Day events will be held between May 1 and June 30, 2019. If you’d like to host an event outside of that time frame, please email OlympicDay@usoc.org.
Please note your registration is conditioned on your acceptance of the Olympic Day Host terms and conditions, which the USOC will send to you separately at a later date. We are optimistic that we will have many YWCA’s participating in Olympic Day this year. GO TEAM USA!
YWCA USA in Washingtonian Magazine
Last week YWCA USA was featured in a story in Washingtonian about the importance of investing in women in order for a sustainable future. The article also highlights the YWCA WOMN ETF issued by Impact Shares.
Important Dates
Questions about what you read today? Contact communications@ywca.org.
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