This year, YWCA National Capital Area is hosting the Stand Against Racism Challenge. Previously known as the 21-Day Racial Equity and Social Justice Challenge & developed by YWCA Greater Cleveland, the Stand Against Racism Challenge, which will run April 4 to May 2, is designed to give you dedicated time and space to build more… Continue Reading Register TODAY for the 2022 Stand Against Racism Challenge!

“We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back.”–Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. On this day in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we invite you to commit to a 2022 filled with actions that move our country forward towards… Continue Reading Calls to Action for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Contact: Sarah Graham, Manager of Communications & Advocacy, YWCA NCA, sgraham@ywcanca.org Washington, DC–The YWCA National Capital Area is proud to welcome a new chair and four new members to its Board of Directors. All were approved unanimously by existing board members at a November 2021 meeting.  Tycely Williams, who joined the board in 2021, will… Continue Reading NEWS RELEASE: YWCA National Capital Area Welcomes New Chair, Members to Board of Directors

Today ends National Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15 to October 15 each year and honors the unique cultures and contributions of Hispanic Americans to the US. The observation was introduced in 1968, on the cusp of the Civil Rights movement, and was expanded in 1988 to cover an entire month.   Latinx and… Continue Reading Let’s Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Every Day!

Today is Indigenous Peoples’ Day. First, we acknowledge that Washington, D.C., sits on the ancestral lands of Nacotchtank/Anacostan/Piscataway people.  Today and every day, we honor this legacy and hope you will do the same. On this day, YWCA National Capital Area is reminded that Indigenous people–particularly women–continue to be impacted dramatically by inequity in our country. In 2020, the… Continue Reading Indigenous Peoples’ Day: Acknowledge-Educate-Celebrate

Today is Women’s Equality Day, a federal holiday that marks the passage of the 19th Amendment, which extended voting rights to some–but not all–women.  Today, we honor and recognize all the women involved in the suffrage movement, including the Black suffragettes who faced extreme racism and sexism during their fight for voting rights and the Black… Continue Reading  Happy Women’s Equality Day!

The freedom to vote is something our community has long fought for in the streets, at the ballot box, and in legislative offices. Yet, roadblocks to the ballot box including stricter voter identification laws, limited voting times, restricted voter registration, and inaccessible polling places continue to grow.  It is time to restore the key provisions… Continue Reading CALL TO ACTION! There’s Still Time to Protect Our Right to Vote!

As this Pride month comes to an end, YWCA National Capital Area wants to take a moment to honor our LGBTQIA+ community and their continued fight for justice. The freedom to thrive and be one’s true authentic self should be afforded to all people, not just some.  Pride began as a riot, with Black and… Continue Reading Happy Pride from YWCA National Capital Area!

Statement from Monica Gray, CEO of YWCA National Capital Area:  Today, a jury held former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin accountable for the murder of George Floyd. At the YWCA National Capital Area, we stand with Floyd’s family, the citizens of Minnesota, and our entire nation as we navigate this next stage of healing. Today’s… Continue Reading This is What Accountability Looks Like: Statement from YWCA National Capital Area