Advocacy

YWCA Central Maine has its own unique history of advocacy within the broader national movement. Our current mission directly names the necessity of eliminating racism in order to empower women, and empowering women in order to eliminate racism. But this took more than a century to arrive at. Though BIPOC women have been leaders in the national movement since its founding, it wasn’t until the 1950s that YWCA USA began working toward full racial integration in the organization itself. And it wasn’t until the 1970 national convention, again led by BIPOC women, that YWCA USA passed a resolution “to thrust our collective power towards the elimination of racism, wherever it exists, by any means necessary.”

In attendance and voting in favor of this transformative and powerful resolution – one that was hotly debated amongst the smaller, majority white member organizations – was a single board member from the YWCA Central Maine. Today, we carry on this tradition of advocacy for policies that bring us closer to eliminating racism, empowering women, and ensuring peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all – creating healthy, thriving communities in Maine.