Mission
YWCA of the Greater Triangle is dedicated to
eliminating racism, empowering women
and promoting peace, justice, freedom
and dignity for all.
Racial Justice
Initiative
Racial Justice Programs
and
Advocacy & Community
Initiatives
Racial Justice Mission and Goals
Through action, dialogue and advocacy:
• Increase public understanding of systems of
oppression, particularly structural racism.
• Support programs and policies that move toward
a more equitable society.
• Nurture impactful collaborations with allied groups
and organizations working for an end to racism
and sexism.
Racial Justice Programs and Activities
• Study Circles: Removing Barriers to Equity
in Education
• Building a Better You
• Advocacy and Community Initiatives
• Strategic Partnerships and Collaborations
Study Circles
2010-11
Growth,
dynamism, and
building beloved
schools in Wake
County
Study Circle Achievements
Moore Square Middle School
“The Study Circle program was one of the most powerful
experiences of my life. I had never spoken to people of a
different race about the issues we covered. It changed my life.”
–Moore Square Middle School Staff
• Principal Kershner and his Circle created an Equity Committee,
still active today.
Study Circle Achievements
Hunter Elementary School
“I never knew that the magnet program in Wake County wasn’t
working for all students. This was one of the biggest eyeopeners I learned through our Study Circle.”
–Hunter Elementary Parent
• The Hunter Circle decided to create a parent survey to learn
more about how they feel about the magnet program and to
address the “base parent”, “magnet parent” dynamic. A Study
Circle participant and NC State professor is leading this process
and the team would like to engage local grassroots and
statewide research groups.
Study Circle Achievements
Fuller Elementary School
“ The Study Circles alerted us teachers’ needs around supporting
a diverse community of learners.”
–Fuller Elementary Teacher
• Fuller’s Circle resulted in broader support for teachers, to assist
them in meeting the needs of all students. Circle members also
spearheaded the creation of a Data Committee to share
statistics with the school community to identify and address
racial disparities and other issues.
Growth spurt: 2010-2011 School
Study Circles
CONFIRMED: community buy-in, site coordinator, at least 8
enrollees, and a start date or month
•
•
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Briarcliff Elementary: September 28th-November 16th, 2010
Fuller Elementary: November 16th-December 21st, 2010
Moore Square Elementary: January 10th-Feb. 14th, 2011
Hunter Elementary: January-February, 2011 (Day TBA)
Growth spurt: 2010-2011 School
Study Circles
IN PROCESS: interest by parent, teacher, or administrator,
Study Circle Coordinator acting as interim site coordinator,
active participant recruitment, target start date or month
• Ligon Middle School: January 2011
• Enloe High School: January 2011
• Broughton High School: January 2011
• Southeast Raleigh High School: February 2011
• Magellan Charter School: February 2011
• Millbrook Middle School: February 2011
• Conn Elementary School: February 2011
• Carnage Elementary School: February 2011
Growth spurt: Community Circles
CONFIRMED: YWCA MLK Day On for Justice event and
Community Study Circle Kick-off
• Co-sponsors: North Carolina Social Justice Project and
Community United Church of Christ.
• Purpose: to kick-off 3 community study circles Jan. 18,
2011 as a way to honor Dr. King’s legacy through action.
Kick-off will be preceded by half hour program and light
reception.
Growth spurt: Community Circles
IN PROCESS: Progress Energy Circle
• Sheilah Sutton, Study Circle graduate and chief HR
executive at Progress Energy is making a pitch to
introduce Study Circles as part of Staff Development!
• Progress Energy: Fortune 500 energy company
headquartered in Raleigh (right around the corner) with
3.1 million customers in the Carolinas and Florida.
Growth spurt: 2010-2011
Study Circles
We are on schedule to meet or exceed our current
goal of 8 confirmed School Study Circles by
December 31, 2010 and we have already exceeded
by 2 our goal of confirming 1 Community Study
Circle by that date.
Dynamo! Study Circle innovations
• Student inclusion: in 1) recruitment through Shades of US
activities for elementary and middle school students and 2) actual
participation in the Circles by high school students (i.e. Enloe as a
pilot)
• Stronger together: YWCA Afterschool Program, Wake Education
Advocates, NC HEAT, NC Social Justice Project, Community United
Church of Christ, PolicyLink national discussion on race
• On the house: Volunteer appreciation gifts courtesy of Marbles
Kid’s Museum, Total Wine Brier Creek, and more
• Volunteer Base building: Raleigh Jaycees
Dynamo! Study Circle innovations:
Student inclusion through
SHADES OF US
SHADES OF US debut at Hunter Literacy Night
October 14, 2010
Dynamo! Study Circle innovations:
Art as a crucial community organizing,
building tool
SHADES OF US Face Painting Activity, Song lyrics
SANKOFA: RETURN & GET IT
Symbol of the importance of
learning from the past. School
Study Circles include a
discussion of our history in the
United States to understand
where racial disparities come
from so that we can address
them together, as an informed
community.
Learn about the Adinkra symbols of the Akan and Gyaman peoples
Adinkra are visual symbols, originally created by the Akan of Ghana and
the Gyaman of Cote d'Ivoire in West Africa, that represent concepts or
aphorisms. Adinkra are used on fabric, walls, in pottery, woodcarvings and
logos. Fabric adinkra are often made by woodcut sign writing as well as
screen printing. They also can be used to communicate evocative
messages that represent parts of their life or those around them. From
wikipedia.org. Learn more online or at your public library.
Ghana
Ivory Coast
Dynamo! Study Circle innovations:
Art as a crucial community organizing,
building tool
SHADES OF US Face Painting Activity, Song lyrics
Learn about the Celtic people
The Celts (pronounced /kelts/ or /selts/, see
names of the Celts) were a diverse group of
A Celtic sign that was also used in Native tribal societies in Iron Age and Roman-era
America and in Greece. The circle, spiral Europe who spoke Celtic languages. From
and wheel are all powerful symbols
wikipedia.org. Learn more online or at your
representing the cycle of life, including
public library.
the seasons of the year. Study Circles
allow us to learn more about our unique
heritages and our common humanity and
apply that education towards a focused
goal: removing racial disparities in our
schools.
Lands where Celtic peoples lived
Dynamo! Study Circle innovations:
Stronger Together through relationship
building
Study Circle Reunion with special guests from
Wake Education Advocates
October 26, 2010
Beloved community building longterm: Institutionalizing Study Circles
• Board of Education engagement
• Principal outreach
• Area colleges and university student teacher
programs and teaching fellowships
Study Circle Past Achievements and Future
Moore Square Middle School
Welcome, Principal David Kershner and PTA
President Soyini Abdul-Mateen
“If you think you’re too small to have an impact, try going to
bed with a mosquito in the room.” – Anita Koddick
Study Circle Past Achievements and Future
Briarcliff Elementary School
Welcome, Co-facilitator Scott Secor
“At the heart of racism is the religious assertion that God
made a creative mistake when bringing some people into
being.” – Friedrich Otto Hertz
Building a Better You: Overview
Core Principles:
• Using the love for fashion as a segue to promote healthy body image,
an understanding of race, culture, and standards of beauty, and
positive self-esteem overall.
Personal Development Life Skills Fashion Program
• 4 Development Workshops
• 6 Week Sessions
• Offered After school & Weekends
Sessions
• All About Me
• My Body Is Important
• My Choice
• Fashion My Way
Building a Better You: Current Work
Outreach
• Wendell Middle School Butterfly group
• Southeast Raleigh High School
• Longview Alternative School
• Ligon Middle School
• Moore Square Middle School
• Wake County Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
• Shaw University
• Project 110%
• City Insight Magazine
Building a Better You: Events
• January 2011 Cabaret Fashion Show
Past BABY Events
Accomplishments
Advocacy and Community Initiatives
•
2nd “Creative Tribute to Diversity” in partnership with Meredith
College and Raleigh’s Visual Art Exchange.
– 62 student entries
– One of our Tribute students won 1st place in VAE
•
1st Annual Stand Against Racism with over 40 organizations and 300
participants in Raleigh.
– Nationally, YWCAs in 32 states and over 250,000 people participated.
– Governor Perdue proclaimed April 30 “YWCA Stand Against Racism Day.”
•
Over 80 community partners and 37 consistent, new Advocacy
volunteers
Accomplishments continued
•
Leadership role in building a “US for All of Us” network of white
allies organizing against the rise in right-wing racism since
Obama’s election.
•
Racial Equity Advisory Task Force
•
Building partnerships with national organizations on the front-lines
of anti-racism work
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Applied Research Center and Colorlines magazine
Advancement Project
US for All of Us
Advocacy Partners
• Advocates for Children’s Services/NC Legal Aid
• Black Workers for Justice
• Dismantling Racism Works
• Great Schools in Wake Coalition
• NC Equals
• NC H.E.A.T.
• NC Justice Center
• NC-NAACP
• PAWG – Parent Advocacy Work Group of WEA
• W.E.B. Dubois CDC
Upcoming Events
• Parent Advocacy Work Group trainings and workshops
• NC HEAT Institute, November 20
• NAACP Daisy Bates Conference, Raleigh, Dec 2-4
• Southern Human Rights Organizing Conference, Dec 10 – 12,
Birmingham, Alabama
• Stand Against Racism, April 29 – Join now!
• Great Schools in Wake website
http://wakeupwakecounty.com/cms/greatschools
Advocacy Accomplishments continued
•
Established Wake Education Advocates (WEA), strategic alliance with
12 partner organizations
•
Four WEA work groups: Parent Advocacy, Litigation,
Media/Communications and Youth Organizing
– Some significant successes with the BOE
– Leadership development with 100 grassroots SE Raleigh parents
– Inspiring outputs and action from local high school leaders
•
Emerging Strategic Partnership with Advocates for Children’s
Services of NC Legal Aid
– Focusing on equity in education and ending the school-to-prison pipeline
Racial Justice Initiative Partners
• Advocates for Children’s Services
• Hunter Thomas Neighborhood
Association
• Great Schools in Wake
• Black Workers for Justice
• NCCU
• NC Justice Center
• NC Social Justice Project
• Shaw University
• Applied Research Center
• Panera Bread
• Chik-Fil-A
• WEB Dubois CDC
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Parent Advocacy Work Group
Dismantling Racism Works
Heirs to a Fighting Tradition
Visions
MLK Committee
Meredith College
Hayti Heritage Center
WCPSS
NC-NAACP
Wake Education Advocates
NC HEAT
Policy Link
Total Wine Brier Creek
Z Smith Reynolds Foundation