UNTIL JUSTICE JUST IS
YWCA Greater Cleveland is proud to be a part of the Until Justice…Just Is campaign. Each month this year, we have covered a different topic to explore some of the many areas in which true justice is needed, and what we can do to achieve equity in our community and our country until justice…just is.
We are on a mission to function as national and local leaders to achieve the goal of eliminating racism and empowering women. Our 2020-2025 Strategic Plan guides us on our mission, based on one overriding imperative: Leading with Racial and Gender Justice for Women and Girls of Color. Keep reading to explore our goals for change and how we plan to make them a reality.
We Advocate for Racial Equity & Social Justice
The Problem
- Many of the issues addressed by YWCA Greater Cleveland (homelessness, addiction, poverty, mental illness) are founded upon and fueled by racism and social injustice. A fact which is often ignored by federal and state funding mechanisms.
- There is a high & continuing demand for a wide range of services to meet the needs of marginalized communities, and insufficient resources to provide high-quality supportive services that can address those needs.
- Collaboration, advocacy, and insistence on quality in service provision are essential in creating supportive services that truly meet & address need.
Goals for Change
- Dismantle racism through the lens of racism as a public health crisis.
- Deliver racial equity and social justice education to the state of Ohio.
- Increase YWCA Greater Cleveland staff retention, resiliency, satisfaction, and agency impact.
We Advocate for Empowerment and Economic Advancement for Women
The Problem
- The financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have disproportionately affected the economic stability of women of color.
- Job loss and lack of childcare has forced women out of the workforce in record numbers.
Goals for Change
- Advance advocacy for pay equity especially for women of color
- Close the gender pay gap
- Increase racial parity in YWCA programming.
We Advocate for Health & Safety for Women & Girls
The Problem
- The opiate crisis and COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically increased the number of and need of youth residing in and aging out of foster care.
- Pressure to create behavioral health and social service efficiencies has accelerated local mergers and alliances threatening smaller agencies and the quality of services provided.
- Access to permanent supportive housing is a much safer alternative to shelter systems.
- Protection, instead of criminalization, of women experiencing homelessness is necessary.
Goal for Change
- Advance advocacy to improve the health and safety of women and girls of color.
- Reframe the health and safety narrative for women and girls of color.
- Develop health and safety initiatives especially for women and girls of color.
WHERE WE STAND
We are on a mission to function as national and local leaders to achieve the goal of eliminating racism and empowering women. Our 2020-2025 Strategic Plan guides us on our mission, based on one overriding imperative: Leading with Racial and Gender Justice for Women and Girls of Color.
We work to address community need by centering this imperative in our services and programing, such as:
- Providing supportive housing and services for youth aging out of foster care with community partners at Independence Place and A Place 4 Me.
- Providing high-quality, trauma-informed early childhood education at the Early Learning Center.
- Managing low-barrier service-enriched shelter at Norma Herr Women’s Center and Cogswell Hall.
- Empowering women through reFRESHed: A Personal Growth Series.
- Advancing advocacy through racial equity and social justice programming.