Racial + Social Justice Events

Equity For All 2023: Ensuring Equity For All!

This year, YWCA Spokane’s courageous conversation will align with YWCA USA’s national theme: Ensuring Equity For All!

The goal of this annual, free public event is to unite our community in a bold demonstration that delivers a clear message: we are on a mission to eliminate racism. Each courageous conversation provides an opportunity to broaden perspectives, learn new tools, and connect with a diverse community of citizens passionate about eliminating racism in our community.

- What: Equity For All
- Topic: Advancing Equity For All: Mental Wellness in Communities of Color
- When: Friday, April 28th, 2023
- Time: 5:00pm – 7:00pm
  - Doors open at 5, followed by performance & panel discussion w/Q&A
- Where: Woman’s Club of Spokane
  1428 W 9th Ave, Spokane, WA 99204
  (venue is ADA-compliant)
- Cost: Free, open to all (registration required)
- Food: Light refreshments will be provided
- Accessibility: American sign language interpreter services will be available at the venue. Captions will be available for the virtual audience. The in-person venue is accessible by STA routes 42, 43, and 66.

This event will also be streamed online for virtual audience engagement.

Make sure to check out our blog and social media for updates about this year’s event, including information about our panelists and performers! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.

Questions? Contact equity@ywcaspokane.org or 509-378-4807.

Share about the event on social media with the hashtag #E4ASpokane

Monthly Diversity Calendar

Each month, we are excited to share with you a calendar of local and national activities, events, and resources that celebrate diversity created by Yvonne C. Montoya Zamora. Consider bookmarking this page and check back often to learn about engagement opportunities happening in Spokane and across the nation.

MONTHLY CALENDAR

Equity For All (Formerly known as Stand Against Racism)

Every April, YWCA agencies across the nation host public events that engage in open and honest dialogue that confront stereotypes and bias as a community. The goal of the annual event is to unite our community in a bold demonstration that delivers a clear message: We are on a mission to eliminate racism.

Each courageous conversation provides an opportunity to broaden perspectives, learn new tools, and connect with a diverse community of citizens passionate about eliminating racism in our community.

THE PLEDGE

Learn more about Equity For All as a YWCA USA signature campaign. Click or tap the links below to view past Stand Against Racism events.

SAR 2022 | SAR 2021 | SAR 2020 | SAR 2019 | SAR 2018

Share about the event on social media with the hashtag #E4ASpokane

Racial Justice Challenge

The Equity Challenge was originally developed by Dr. Eddie Moore Jr. (#BlackMind) and co-developed with Debby Irving and Dr. Marguerite Penick (#DiverseSolutions). The plan has been adopted by organizations, associations, and corporations all over the world. Dr. Moore is director of the Privilege Institute in Green Bay, WI., and created the Challenge to not only help people better understand issues surrounding equity, inclusion, privilege, leadership, and supremacy, but also to do so in a way that would build a habit of learning by stretching it a number of days.

Earlier this year, YWCA USA announced the launch of YWCA Racial Justice Challenge.

The Racial Justice Challenge is the action component for the Until Justice Just Is campaign, which will begin the month of September (locally) to raise awareness of systemic racism and how each of us can take action to advance justice.

Previously known as the Stand Against Racism Challenge or 21-Day Racial Equity and Social Justice Challenge, the YWCA Racial Justice, the YWCA Racial Justice Challenge was developed by YWCA Greater Cleveland in 2019. YWCA USA is excited to be partnering again with YWCAs across the country to offer this unique virtual learning community to participants across the country.

The YWCA Racial Justice Challenge is designed to create dedicated time and space to build more effective social justice habits, particularly those dealing with issues of race, power, privilege, and leadership. The Challenge works to foster personal reflection, encourage social responsibility, and motivate participants to identify and act on ways to dismantle racism and other forms of discrimination.

For two weeks, daily challenge activities (reading an article, listening to a podcast, reflecting on personal experience, etc.) are distributed via email and the website, allowing participants to connect with one another, discover how racial and social injustice impact our community, and identify ways to dismantle racism and other forms of discrimination. Daily activities are not posted on the weekends.

To continue the conversation and explore other topics, consider joining our Racial and Social Justice Facebook Group.

HONORING Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Each year, YWCA Spokane is proud to honor the life and accomplishments of Martin Luther King Jr. by joining the annual march, rally, and resource fair facilitated by the MLK Jr. Family Outreach Center.

Below are some actions from the MLK Center to step into service this MLK Day and everyday.

- Lasting Legacy Campaign: Support the MLK Center with a donation benefiting MLK’s Food Bank. Visit their website here.
- Create winter care packages
- Host a food drive
- Donate a book: Choose from this list created by the MLK Center.

To learn more about the ways you can step into action, please contact the MLK Center by calling 509-858-0856 or by visiting their Facebook page.

MLK Day is also an important day to acknowledge the work of Coretta Scott King, Dr. King’s wife. As shared by Bernice King, Dr. King’s daughter, “As you honor my father today, please honor my mother, as well. She was the architect of the King Legacy and founder of The King Center, which was founded less than three months after Daddy died. Without Coretta Scott King, there would be no MLK Day.”

In beloved community, we honor both Coretta Scott King and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Learn more about The King Center.

Black History Month

February is recognized across the United States and Canada as Black History Month. Some have begun to refer to February as Black Herstory Month, celebrating Black women throughout history who have changed our world for the better.

Take a moment to read a recent blog post that acknowledges Black history as ongoing.

Make sure to check our blog regularly and visit us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn to celebrate amazing local and national women making history and receive updates about upcoming news and events.

Check out this Black business directory curated by the Carl Maxey Center.

Black History Is Ongoing

Women’s March & Women’s History Month

Each March there is a celebration of Women’s History. As we celebrate the progress of women, we can’t forget that no woman is uplifted until all women are uplifted. Both Black history and women’s history are still being written in our community, and our efforts to progress each story rely on one another for mutual success.

YWCA Spokane, along with YWCA agencies across the nation, proudly support the annual Women’s March. The Women’s March is an opportunity for us to unite as a community and express our solidarity and commitment to the protection of the rights of all women. The Women’s March is a women-led movement bringing together people of all genders, ages, races, cultures, political affiliations, disabilities, and backgrounds to affirm our shared humanity and to stand in solidarity for social justice, racial equity, and women’s rights. Local marches take place in cities all around the nation and world.

Please consider joining YWCA Spokane as we gather and march together with other local agencies, individuals, and businesses for peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. Please follow us on social media to receive updates about the next Women’s March. Through unification and inclusion, we will light a fire of change. In solidarity, we will make a difference! Hear our voice!

Follow YWCA On Facebook

Transformations Camp

It is through our valued partnership with Jaime Stacy and SWAG that we are able to bring Transformations Camp back to the Spokane community after a two year pause due to COVID. In addition to championing this camp, Jaime has done an incredible job of lifting up and supporting young people in our community through her work at SWAG and through Garry and Shaw Middle Schools and at Rogers High School.

This week long, empowerment camp, facilitated by Jaime Stacey, centers the experience of 11-16 year olds who identify as young women of color. We cannot express enough how amazing Jaime is as a facilitator and leader in Spokane. It has been inspiring to watch her light up young people with sincere passion, care, joy, and love.

Read Jaime’s Racial and Social Justice Partner Spotlight here.

pathways forward

Pathways Forward is a free, virtual, educational, roundtable discussion series designed to pave a path forward by engaging the community in conversations with local experts, leaders, and YWCA staff members.

With our Pathways Forward discussions we work to engage the community in learning about current issues affecting our work and mission, and empower everyone to make change.

Spokane PRIDE

Each year (usually in June), the Spokane community comes together to celebrate LGBTQ+ liberation during national PRIDE month. PRIDE is an annual celebration that honors the brave individuals who fought back against police raids in 1969 at the Stonewall Inn in New York. Our team at YWCA Spokane is excited to participate in the parade and celebration each year as well as in the annual resource fair.

In 2022, YWCA Spokane was proud to participate in the Pride Parade & Festival, brought back by Spokane Pride!

PRIDE 2022 | PRIDE 2021 | PRIDE 2020

YWCA Spokane Calendar

Watch out for upcoming events from YWCA Spokane on our calendar. On this calendar, we will share with you our public domestic violence education trainings, YWCA facilitated racial and social events, and upcoming opportunities to engage with our campaigns and fundraisers. Make sure to also follow YWCA Spokane on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube for resources, tools, and updates about our work and mission as well as shared information about community partner events.

YWCA Spokane Calendar | Campaigns & Activities