Chicago— YWCA Metropolitan Chicago has announced an important initiative called “Stand Against Racism.” On April 27 YWCA’s across the country will sponsor events acknowledging the harmful impact of racism and ask thousands of people to take a pledge to achieve racial equity. In Chicago, the YWCA will host a free call at 9:00 a.m. CDT, inviting schools, organizations, faith-based institutions and public officials to “stand” together on the issue by taking the pledge and using “10 Simple Acts of Equity” in their daily lives. The event will also encourage participants to open the conversation of racial equity in neighborhoods around the Chicagoland area.
According to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), the number of hate groups operating in the United States has grown by 56% in the last eight years. (There are almost 1,000 active hate groups in the United States today). In response, the YWCA created “Stand Against Racism” as one way to combat the spread of hate and intolerance and to honor and celebrate the richness of inclusion.
The event will attract over 2,200 partnering organizations and over 300,000 participants. This powerful, unified effort will help raise awareness that racism hurts everyone. For details or to RSVP, please contact Pamela Bozeman-Evans, Chief Strategic Initiatives Officer, YWCA Metropolitan Chicago at 312-762-2740 or pamela.evans@ywcachicago.org.
Background: YWCAs in America and around the world have a rich history of advocating for racial justice. Throughout our history, the YWCA has been in the forefront of most major movements in the United States as a pioneer in race relations. We intend to affect real change in the lives of our family, friends and co-workers through a process that identifies and eradicates the barriers that divide us and that perpetuate racism and other forms of oppression. As individuals learn what has kept us apart, they will develop new ways of working cooperatively by creating new models of shared resources and perspectives.
About YWCA Metropolitan Chicago: Our mission to eliminate racism and empower women is actualized through a large breadth of programs and services. Regardless of race or economic status, the YWCA provides women with the support and tools they need to transform their lives, be confident in their choices and raise healthy families. Our four core programmatic areas include: economic empowerment services, sexual violence and support services, early childhood services, and the center for racial justice and activism. The YWCA serves over 138,000 women, children and families annually through these programs. And while our services are broad and varied, they are linked by a common thread—our dedication to promoting racial justice and personal empowerment across everything we do.