HER-StoryProud and Compelling

Compiled by Kay Phillips and Myrna Deckert

HER - Story

1855

The Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) began as two women’s groups, a prayer group and a social activist group, joined together in London.

– Religious fervor and practical social actionstarted from the beginning.

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spread to the USA in 1858

1860 - New York and Boston began residences– Boston focused also on Women’s

Health, installing pulley weights on closet doors for exercising.

– New York offered the first typing classes for women.

1873 - the first Student YWCA began at Normal University in Normal, Illinois

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1890 - 1915 1890 - the first Black Branch opened in Dayton, Ohio. The first YWCA for American Indian Women opened

in Oklahoma and seven Black student associationswere formed.

Blue triangles hung over doors in cities and on college campuses all over the USA.

1894 - the YWCA established Traveler’s Aid 1894 - the US, England, Sweden and Norway joined

together to found the World YWCA 1900s - 57 YWCAs had opened International

Institutes featuring bi-lingual instruction

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1890 - 1915 USA staff went to India in 1894 and

were financially supported by the Dayton, Ohio YWCA.

YWCA’s in the USA supported work in China, Japan and Argentina, as well.

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1906 186,000 members (22% students)

merged under one name - the Young Women’s Christian Association. Incorporated in New York City, this becamethe headquarters for the YWCA of the USA

– Grace Dodge, member of Women’s Labor Council, became first president. Mabel Cratty became the first ‘General Secretary’ (Executive Director).

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1913

With the help of Phoebe Hearst, the YWCA built Asilomar Conference Center near Monterrey, California.

– It was designed by the first certified female architect, Julia Morgan.

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during WW IThe YWCA saw tremendous growth

– The YWCA stepped up its programs more than 1.5 million women at industrial sites, and at the same time…became more and more aware of the conditions facing women in factories, such as low wages, long hours and no protective rights for workers.

– US Government asked the YWCA to provide recreational programs for service men and women in the USA and abroad. This started the USO.

– The YWCA sent 733 professional staff abroad. • They started hostess houses near military camps

recruiting thousands of staff and volunteers to run them, which became a home away from home for thousands of soldiers.

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1920s 1920 - National Convention resolutions were

introduced calling for 8-hour days, collective bargaining, and the right to organize -- building on the experience of YWCA members at the industrial sites.

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1930s 1930s - the YWCA was encouraging

associations to speak out against lynching, for interracial cooperation rather than segregation, and for protecting basic civil rights.

1936 - the first co-ed intercollegiate, interracial student conference was held in North Carolina.

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during WW II During WW II, job training

became the focus of many YWCAs and they trained ‘Rosie the Riveters’, lathe operators, bus drivers, etc.

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1940s 1942 - the YWCA extended services to

Japanese-American women and girls incarcerated in WW II relocation centers.

Immediately following WW II, USA YWCA’s raised 2 million dollars in two years to help YWCA’s in war ravaged countries restore leadership, programs and buildings.

1946 - the YWCA adopted its Interracial Charter…eight years before the US Supreme Court decision against segregation.

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1960s 1960 - the Atlanta YWCA

cafeteria opened to Blacks, becoming the first desegregated public dining facility in the South.

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1960 - 1970

1969 - Racial Justice Institutes were held in eight YWCA locations throughout the USA.

1970 - Resolution brought to Convention in Houston, to be known as:

The One Imperative: “To thrust our collective power toward the elimination of racism, wherever it

exists and by any means necessary”.

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1980s – 1990s

Work on racial justice continued through the 1980s and 1990s through public policy action on legislation, through collaborations, and by hosting a major event bringing together civil rights leaders, public officials, and college leaders at the YWCA Leadership Development Center in Phoenix for the YWCA of the USA's Racial Justice Convocation in 1990.

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funded programs…

During the 1980s to the 1990s, many YWCAs applied for multiple types of governmental funding and expanded programs such as:

– Shelters for Battered Women– Homeless Shelters– Child Care– Teenage Pregnancy Programs– Job Training, and more…

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most recent her-story 1998 - 2003

The National Association of YWCA Executives convened a meeting in 1998. More than 400 members from the USA called for a radical restructuring of the YWCA of the USA.

During the next four years, hundreds of volunteers and staff attended meetings and developed a plan entitled: “Steps to Absolute Change” which was adopted at a National Convention in 2001.

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and into the new century… empowerment and justice The YWCA of the USA membership implemented

the most extensive restructuring of any National Organization in the United States.

– Local Associations joined regions and regions became operating entities.

– Hallmark programs were adopted.– A new Brand identity is underway.

The YWCA is again positioned to be a national leader and advocate for women and their families in the USA.

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around the world,

YWCA Programs are amazingly parallel as they meet women’s needs:

– Advocacy – Child Care– Job training– Housing– Health Services– Education, and most importantly…– Leadership Training for women and girls

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for 147 years, the YWCA has always… intentionally broken race, age, education,

economics, and religious barriers valued and embraced diversity led the woman’s movement joined in a World movement been member supported combined service and social action utilized and valued volunteer-staff partnerships been committed to helping women reach their

full potential.

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the difference?

We are Service AND Action…

We are INTENTIONAL in our work to eliminate racism and are not just about diversity…

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We have a proud her-story

and a compelling future…

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As Lou Whitaker says:

“If we’re not living on the edge, we’re taking up too much space.”

Our legacy propels us to build on the work of our foremothers and to lead this new YWCA into the future!

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Are we as bold as our foremothers?

YES, we are!

THANK YOU

It’s our turn to go boldly into the future.

HER-StoryProud and Compelling

Compiled by Kay Phillips and Myrna Deckert