"I fight because I know that without water, we cannot live.
I do this work for the love of my community, for my granddaughters…so that they can live in a healthy world."
~ Reyna Ortiz
|
|
|
MESSAGE FROM OUR CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
March 21st marks the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
Our staff and program participants reflect the ethnic, racial, religious, and linguistic diversity of Toronto. We serve women of all ages and welcome non-binary, trans and Two-Spirit community members. We incorporate anti-oppression principles in our services and advocacy work. We strive to be a place for all to thrive.
And yet, we want to take this day to acknowledge that we have not always succeeded in addressing racial injustice in our community and in our own Association. We have not yet reckoned with our colonial roots.
We are firm in our commitment to do better. We are embarking on the process of conducting an Association-wide equity audit: Our aim is to ensure our systems, policies and practices are aligned with our commitment to racial justice and safety for all women, girls and gender diverse people.
Please read our full statement here. Thank you for your support.
As ever,
Heather
|
|
Heather McGregor
Chief Executive Officer
YWCA Toronto
|
|
Illustration | Nashid Chroma |
|
It has been a busy season of reflection and celebration at YWCA Toronto. Black History Month, International Women’s Day and a year since the pandemic changed everything about our work and lives were all opportunities to honour the resilience, strength and power of women, girls and gender diverse people. Here is how we marked these moments:
- Black History Month at YWCA Toronto began with a joyous virtual celebration hosted by our Anti-Black Racism Committee (ABRC). To wrap up the month-long celebrations, writer and speaker Bee Quammie joined YWCA Toronto staff for a discussion with the ABRC committee about her essay in Chatelaine titled “The Self-Education of Bee Quammie.”
- International Women’s Day was a chance to highlight the staggering impact of the pandemic on women and racialized communities. On our blog, our Manager of Advocacy, Sarah Boesveld, was ambivalent, then inspired. On a panel for CBC Toronto, Director of Advocacy & Communications, Jasmine Ramze Rezaee, highlighted the urgency of a comprehensive women-centred recovery.
|
|
|
|
|
Phase 1 of the vaccine rollout has included a number of our frontline positions, which has made us both excited and hopeful for the future. We are thrilled that so many of our staff have been able to access the vaccine and really appreciate the support of all employees as we navigate the changing landscape of vaccine distributions. We look forward to entering Phase 2 of vaccination distribution and for more staff to be able to access the vaccine.
|
|
|
|
|
2021 Women of Distinction Awards Gala 40th Anniversary
SAVE THE DATE:
JUNE 3, 2021
Join us for our first ever virtual gala as we celebrate the accomplishments of seven Toronto women who are driving change in their communities and around
the globe.
This year’s event is dedicated to YWCA Toronto’s heroic front-line workers and will feature entertainment by Canadian jazz music icon Molly Johnson and DJ Lissa Monet.
The proceeds from this event will make it possible for YWCA Toronto to provide vital programs and services for over 13,000 women and girls across the GTA.
For more information or to purchase tickets and tables, please contact Amy Rice, Manager, Events Corporate and Community Partnerships, arice@ywcatoronto.org.
|
|
|
|
|
Looking for a way to champion women during this global crisis?
Become a member of YWCA Toronto: For a yearly contribution of $20, you will have a voice and a vote at our Annual Members Meeting to help shape our advocacy, improve our programs, and change lives. You will be part of a vibrant feminist community championing women everywhere. Join us today!
|
|
|
Photo | Ehimetalor Akhere Unuabona_Unsplash
|
|
We continue to be horrified at the rise of gender-based violence during the pandemic, which includes a drastic increase in violence against Asian women. According to federal consultants, there has been a 20-30% increase of violence against women during the pandemic.
The new report by the Canadian Femicide Observatory also announced 160 women and girls were killed by violence in 2020. We continue to monitor the situation, support survivors and advocate for stronger preventative measures and resources to protect women, girls and gender diverse people from this violence.
Watch our Director of Advocacy and Communications, Jasmine Ramze Rezaee, draw attention to the intersections of racism, sexism and violence against women on CTV’s Your Morning program here.
|
|
|
Photo | United Nations_Unsplash |
This month we all marked the one-year anniversary of the COVID-19 global pandemic. In the spirit of reflection, we asked YWCA Toronto staff to share with us the biggest lessons they’ve learned over the last year. Read the two-part series on our blog.
|
|
Photo | Alexander Sergienko_Unsplash |
We are proud – along with our Ontario YWCA partners – to support the Toronto Youth Cabinet’s letter to Minister of Education, Stephen Lecce, calling for all Ontario public schools to provide free menstrual products.
“When people who menstruate don’t have access to the resources and information to manage their periods safely and with dignity, they are more likely to miss school and work, face higher health risks, and struggle to reach their full potential. There should be no stigma around something
as fundamental as menstruation. Menstrual products are a necessity
and not a luxury.”
|
|
 |
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
YWCA Toronto operates in communities that stand on the traditional territory of the Huron-Wendat and Petun First Nations, the Seneca, and most recently, the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. The territory was the subject of the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, an agreement between the Iroquois Confederacy and the Ojibwe and allied nations to share peacefully and care for the resources around the Great Lakes.
Today, the meeting place of Toronto is still the home to many Indigenous people and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work on this territory as we strive to build a more equitable and just city for all residents.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
