Blog Archives - YWCA of the City of New York

Going Above and Beyond

mainywca — Sat, 08 Apr 2023 15:03:37 +0000

JawnAnthony Bramble
OST Director

OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME (OST) nurtures the social development and academic success of youth, providing them with a safe and enriching environment outside of school and home. This free after-school program serves elementary and middle school students in 6 program sites across Central Harlem, Carroll Gardens, Coney Island and Brownsville, Brooklyn.

OST students participate in age-appropriate conflict resolution sessions through our Adventures in Peace Keeping program, learn about environmental science and grow produce through the Gardening Project, and reflect on self-empowerment and racial justice through Everyday Heroes. These programs reflect OST’s intention of serving the whole child and, in turn, meeting the needs of the community.

“We consider ourselves the nucleus of the community,” says OST Director JawnAnthony Bramble. “We take on a holistic point of view, asking ourselves ‘How are we serving the student and how are we serving the family?’”

JawnAnthony joined YWCA NYC in 2021, serving as a site program director and becoming OST Director later that year. He knows what it’s like to find a second home in Out-of-School programs. A self-described after-school kid from West Harlem, JawnAnthony joined the YWCA NYC with a passion for youth development and a love of coaching and developing staff.

“If there’s anything I wish people would know about us it’s that we go above and beyond. We’re not just a tutoring program. We ask what the students and community need, and we develop the resources to meet that gap,” says JawnAnthony.

And the gap has grown larger following the COVID-19 pandemic. Test scores are down and there’s increased social disconnect among youth. “We want to bridge that gap,” says JawnAnthony. OST is committed to resourcing students and families, hiring specialists within OST programs to address academic and social needs, and connecting families to social services, community forums, and other city resources.

“I understand the support the kids need. I remember being that kid,” says JawnAnthony. “This is what’s possible through OST: equity. Through OST, we shine the light on inequity and offer space for the community to advocate for themselves.”

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A Letter from KHATUNA KORIDZE

mainywca — Fri, 18 Nov 2022 02:01:25 +0000

Dear Friends,

They say time flies when you’re having fun. After a whirlwind month as the CEO of the YWCA of the City of New York, I can honestly attest to that statement’s veracity. From meeting with longtime funders to attending my first YW-NYC event, the depth of warmth and camaraderie I have felt is enormous. I am excited to share with you some of the highlights during my time here that has truly made it an absolute joy.

The 49th annual Salute event on October 20th was a huge success! It has been wonderful learning about the YW-NYC’s rich history, including the significance of honoring incredible women who are making real contributions as leaders in their workplaces and communities each year. This year, we had close to 150 YW-NYC supporters celebrating Salute with us at City Winery and 80 people screening from home. Not only were we able to reach our fundraising goal, but we were privileged to shine a light on four incredible leaders:

Changemaker Champion
Jolen Andersen, Global Head of Human Resources, BNY Melon
Distinguished Service Award
Mary Crawford, Former YWCA NYC Board Chair and Philanthropist
Emerging Leader Award
Audrey Elliott-Barnes, Department Manager in Shared Financial Services
Planning, ConEdison
Grace Hoadley Dodge Honoree
Elsie McCabe Thompson, President of the Mission Society of NYC

I also spent time visiting our incredible programs in Brooklyn and Manhattan. From Coney Island to Harlem, our after school and girls programs serve 1500 young people annually. It is truly a gift to work directly with staff who are committed to working every day to ensure that YW-NYC children and youth are developing their academic, social-emotional, and leadership skills. Their dedication and passion to the mission of the YW-NYC is unmatched.

There is so much more to look forward to as I continue our collective work at the YW-NYC in service to New York City communities. Thank you for your continued investment and belief in this city’s youth.

With gratitude,

KHATUNA KORIDZE

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Steelcase, NYSID & The YWCA-NYC Are Expanding The Pipeline To Design

Blayne Jeffries — Wed, 11 Aug 2021 15:16:29 +0000

Authored and posted by NYSID (photocredit: nysid.edu). Original Post >

By Jennifer Dorr, Freelance Writer NYSID | August 11, 2021

How a Pre-college Program Brought Interior Design Experience to Young Women Who Might Not Have Considered the Profession

This is the first installment of a series on how NYSID is partnering with nonprofits and corporations to expose diverse communities of high schoolers to Interior Design through its Pre-college program.

“This experience made me think about all the rooms and restaurants I have walked through and realize, Wow, someone designed this in order to make me feel a certain way. It’s someone’s pride and joy, and also, their plan.”

Iris Seal, YWCA NYC member & NYSID Pre-College student

On July 23, at the YWCA of the City of New York’s headquarters in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan, ten high schoolers presented their plans for re-designing the interiors of the YWCA Family Resource Center, which due to the pandemic and the YWCA’s online programs, most had never seen. Each team of students presented a plan for redesigning one of two rooms or the main reception areas at the YW (aka YWCA), spaces they came to know well the prior week. They used mood boards to show their color palettes, furniture and art selections, and perspective drawings and layouts to communicate new member-focused uses for the spaces. NYSID Dean and VP for Academic Affairs Ellen Fisher attended the presentations and said to the young women, “You should be proud. What you tackled is the equivalent of a first semester assignment in a BFA interior design program. This is college-level work.”

The presentations were the culmination of a 3-week, hands-on, summer immersion into the work and culture of interior design made possible by the Steelcase Social Innovation Fellowship, which Ellen Fisher won on behalf of the New York School of Interior Design. The concept was to create a pilot program at the YW of NYC through the mechanism of NYSID’s Pre-College program, a model that could be extended to other nonprofits that work with diverse populations of high school students. Says Ellen, “There’s a crisis in design practice today: students from underrepresented and/or underserved communities often do not pursue a career in interior design because they may be unfamiliar with the field, and do not see themselves included in the design profession. Our communities and clients suffer because important viewpoints are missing from the design process.” This program is designed to address this problem by exposing high school students from many different backgrounds to the practice of interior design early in their lives. When you reach students early in their academic careers, you can have a tremendous impact on their futures.

As a result of the Steelcase Social Innovation Fellowship, these YWCA members were enrolled in the first session of NYSID’s virtual Pre-College program. At NYSID, Pre-College students learn the basic how-to’s of interior design from professional designers who teach in NYSID’s undergraduate or graduate programs. Participating students design for a theoretical client, providing drawings, layouts, mood-boards and selecting furniture, fixtures and textiles. The introductory session challenges students to design a one-bedroom apartment and present it to their teachers and peers. The students of the YWCA NYC participated in NYSID’s PreCollege I, and then, for the third and final week of the program, they put their new skills to the test in a special workshop, working on designs specifically for the YWCA NYC. Ellen Fisher led them on tours of Steelcase, where they could see and touch materials to use in their designs; and brought them to the offices of the interior design firm Pembrooke & Ives, where they talked to interior designers about the day-to-day of the profession. Along with instructor and NYSID alum Ajaee Shepard (BFA ’17), Ellen taught the students how to apply what they learned in a basic residential design project to the YWCA’s community spaces. They measured, sketched and designed intensively for four days, leading up to presenting on July 23.

Says Mary Crawford, Interim C.O.O. of the YWCA NYC, “This program has opened a world to them that they weren’t really exposed to before. I was so impressed with the presentations, especially the fact that they got that racial and gender justice are part of our mission at the YW. They wove these themes into their designs to create welcoming and inclusive spaces.” The students were all participants in the YWCA Girls’ Initiatives, designed to empower young women.

Perhaps no one is better equipped to summarize the impact of this pilot program than the students themselves. Here are some examples of what they had to say:

● “I’ve always wanted to understand how to do a floor plan, and learning how to do perspective drawing was eye-opening for me and changed the way I see space. I loved visiting the showrooms and design firms, because it gave me insight into what people really do. This was a lens into what life might be like as a designer after college.”- Alesa Spinella, YWCA NYC member & NYSID Pre-college student

● “I am a Muslim, and there is the expectation for one to have a profession like law or medicine. In fact, I am a rising senior in a pre-law program at my high-school, and there was always the idea I would go into law. But I wanted to understand the perspective of other careers. . .You can’t have a courtroom if it’s not designed first. This program showed me all of the options in design; you can go into residential or commercial design, for example. I talked to my parents about this. Maybe interior design might be my thing for my future.” ”- Ayesha Tirmizi, YWCA NYC member & NYSID Pre-college student

● “I loved this program. It gave me an opportunity to explore what I really want to do with my life. I wanted to pursue baking, but this program has made me rethink that. This experience made me think about all the rooms and restaurants I have walked through and realize, Wow, someone designed this in order to make me feel a certain way. It’s someone’s pride and joy, and also, their plan. The visit to Steelcase was beautiful: seeing what it has to offer, getting to touch and see the materials.” – Iris Seal, YWCA NYC member & NYSID Pre-college student

“I know now that other career paths are possible for me…”

“I’m Middle Eastern, so many people expect you to become doctors or lawyers. When you go back to your country of origin, which in my case, is Egypt, that’s what’s expected. But I am artistic and I wanted to find my own path. From this program, I got a sense of people who followed their interests without being encouraged by others to do something more ‘useful,” like be a doctor. Keep in mind: a doctor’s office was designed. Without interior designers and architects to create the space, doctors could not do their jobs properly. This program opened a new space in my mind that made me think about how interiors are made. I know now that other career paths are possible for me…”

– Aliaa Elkallini, YWCA NYC member & NYSID Pre-college student

Look out for the second post in the series, which will explore how Kravet, NYSID & the Kips Bay Boys & Girls’ Club are partnering to give high schoolers early exposure to interior design and work experience through the Pre-college program.

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Pride Month

Blayne Jeffries — Wed, 16 Jun 2021 16:45:40 +0000

By: Kristi Stephens YWCA NYC Communications Intern

June is Pride Month, a time to celebrate how far the LGBTQ+ community has come, but also a time to reflect on the strides that still need to be made. The first Pride march was held in New York City on June 28, 1970 and is continuously celebrated each June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan (The Library of Congress, 2021).

The history of the NYC Pride Parade goes back to these events: A few weeks after the Stonewall Riots, LGBTQ+ gathered for a “gay power” rally in Washington Square Park. A new annual protest was formed and was to be called “Christopher Street Liberation Day”. This was organized by representatives from groups like Gay Activists Alliance and Gay Liberation Front, and eventually led to the first parade in NYC in 1970 (Baume, 2020).

Although many accomplishments have been made in the LGBTQ+ community such as the legalization of gay marriage, there are still many improvements that need to occur. For example, individuals within the community still face discrimination in their education, work, home, sport, and health lives. Click here for a full list of facts and figures detailing the troubling circumstances that the community faces to this day.

We must do the work to support and encourage the LGBTQ+ community. In 2021, there are several ways in which this is possible. Whether it be educating yourself on the history, importance, and correct terminology, using pronouns, attending a parade, raising your voice against hate, donating, etc., there is always a way. Here you can find a list of 18 LGBTQ+ organizations to donate to for Pride Month.

Here at the YWCA of the City of New York, we focus our work on inclusiveness and equality. Our Girls Initiatives programs are open to femme-identified high school students, who lead Bystander Intervention Training for the public, which focuses on combating discrimination based around race, gender and sexual orientation. It’s important that we do our part to fight the “social norms and standards” that have held back our society for centuries.

Each person has the right to love who they love and be who they are. This Pride Month take time to educate yourself on why we spotlight the LGBTQ+ community and what they have faced as a whole. Becoming an activist and an ally is only the beginning. To join in on the Pride events happening in NYC this year, check out this link.

References:

About : Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Pride Month : Library of Congress. The Library of Congress. (2021). https://www.loc.gov/lgbt-pride-month/about/.

Baume, M. (2020, June 25). What Is Pride Month and the History of Pride? them. https://www.them.us/story/the-complete-history-of-pride.

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Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Blayne Jeffries — Wed, 26 May 2021 14:23:00 +0000

By: Kristi Stephens YWCA NYC Communications Intern

May is Asian/Pacific American (AAPI) Heritage Month, a celebration and recognotion of Asians and Pacific Islanders for their contributions and influences on the United States. This month encompasses the history, culture, and achievements of AAPI. May was chosen as AAPI Heritage Month to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843. It also marks the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. Most of the workers who laid these tracks were Chinese immigrants (“Asian American Heritage…”, 2021).

There are numerous ways to educate yourself on the rich history of AAPI Heritage month, whether it’s reading a book by an AAPI author, watching a movie by an AAPI director, or contributing to an AAPI non-profit organization. Official government websites and the US Department of Education also have valuable resources for both the general public and teachers for lesson planning (Davis, 2021). Listed below are links that provide abundant access to each of these categories:

AAPI books on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/aapi

HBO MAX spotlighting AAPI TV and film: https://www.adweek.com/convergent-tv/hbo-max-celebrates-aapi-heritage-month-with-a-newly-curated-platform/

AAPI nonprofit created in March 2020: https://stopaapihate.org/

Government website focusing on AAPI: https://asianpacificheritage.gov/about/

Unfortunately, the AAPI community faces multiple challenges today, including subjection to Xenophobia due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, hate crimes against Asian Americans in major U.S. cities grew nearly 150 percent. A total of 3,795 reported incidents of hate against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have been recorded since the early days of the pandemic. Most incidents take place against women, in businesses, and public areas. Asian Americans have been subjected to being coughed and spat on, as well as name-called, assaulted, and shunned (Ramachandran, 2021).

There are several ways to stand in solidarity with the AAPI community and stop the spread of hate. For example, it is important to speak out if you witness a hate crime or incident. The “Stop AAPI Hate” website provides easy and accessible ways to report incidents that occur in real-time (https://stopaapihate.org/). Some other ways to contribute include:

· Advocating for awareness in your workplace and checking in with your Asian American peers

· Reaching out to elected officials – https://www.asianamericanadvocacyfund.org/take-action

· Learning about the history of AAPI discrimination – https://www.vox.com/culture/22336712/anti-asian-racism-reading-list

· Attending bystander intervention trainings surrounding hate – https://www.ihollaback.org/bystanderintervention/

References:

Congress, T. L. of. (2021). Asian Pacific American Heritage Month 2021. https://asianpacificheritage.gov/about/.

Davis, L. M. (2021, May 16). AAPI Heritage Month: What it is and what you can do today. CNET. https://www.cnet.com/how-to/aapi-heritage-month-what-it-is-and-what-you-can-do-today/.

Ramachandran, V. (2021, March 18). What you can do to fight violence and racism against Asian Americans. PBS. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/what-you-can-do-to-fight-violence-and-racism-against-asian-americans

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Girls Initiatives: Bystander Intervention Training

Blayne Jeffries — Tue, 18 May 2021 17:19:45 +0000

By: Kristi Stephens
YWCA NYC Communications Intern

In these racially charged and gender oppressed times, it is more imperative than ever to equip individuals with the skills needed to intervene in times of oppression, especially those who femme-identify. Prejudice groups continue to arise and attempt to halt the progress we try to make as a whole. YWCA of the City of New York’s, Girls Initiatives Program has been hosting several youth-led webinars on Bystander Intervention Training. These trainings touch upon topics and skills on how to eliminate racism, gender oppression, and sexual violence. Sessions also teach the causes of bias-motivated harassment and effective strategies for safely intervening in a public situation. These free trainings are open to those that are interested in learning ways to stop bigotry and hate in their communities.

The high school female participants who lead this program are specifically trained around bystander intervention and sexual violence prevention, in order to teach this information to the general public. While explaining key definitions and the history of bigotry, racism and discrimination, , these participants show real-life examples and scenarios to the audience that keep everyone engaged and educated. Interactive videos and chat room questions allow for attendees to participate in real time. One of the most important aspects is the focus on the 5 D’s of Bystander Intervention: Direct, Distract, Delegate, Delay, and Document. Anyone can learn how and why these are important skills to remember in times of intervention.

As noted in these sessions, racism has a systemic grasp on society that can only be overturned by standing against it and learning from it. Unfortunately, sexual violence is also too-often occurring and many of the times is inflicted upon us by people that we know. Learning how to step-in and stop rape culture in its tracks is imperative as well. These sensitive issues are touched upon by our Girls Initiatives Program participants in a way that is meaningful, respectful, and informative.

The next training session will take place on May 21st, June 8th, and June 11th from 4-5 PM. The May 21st and June 11th trainings will focus specifically on the basics of Bystander Intervention Training. This will include everyday examples of racial and gender discrimination and exploring effective strategies for safely intervening in situations that involve harassment and violence. The June 8th training will focus on Bystander Intervention and Sexual Violence Prevention. Effects of rape culture and manifestations of sexual violence, and equipping participants with key competencies and skills for supporting targeted people will be discussed. As always, this is a safe space that allows for discussion and breaks if needed. Register now in the upcoming events section of our website!

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Putting the Mission into Action

mainywca — Thu, 24 Sep 2020 17:09:44 +0000

Written By Vanne-Paige Padgett, Senior Director, Girls Initiatives, YWCA NYC | September 24, 2020

Since 2014 the YWCA of the City of New York (YWCA NYC) Girls Initiatives has empowered hundreds of self-identified femmes^[1], girls, and gender nonconforming (GNC) youth from across the city to be leaders who inspire others, and courageously act on their beliefs to bring positive change in their community. As our city, nation, and the world unites during this critical moment of Black liberation, Girls Initiatives stands in solidarity with the global demand for “radical, sustainable solutions that affirm the prosperity of Black lives”^[2], by launching a special year-long agenda themed: The Year for N.O.W (New Opportunities & Wins).

The Year for N.O.W agenda cultivates traditional Girls Initiatives programming and services to specifically address the effects of intersectional oppression, trauma, and high stress environments that have been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic and vicarious exposure to the murder of Black bodies. The nation’s most recent events continue to foster many challenges for Girls Initiatives participants – with our Black and Latinx change agents being especially disadvantaged by Covid-19, social isolation, and racialized gender oppression. Many of our courageous young leaders remain resilient despite the emotional toll of such unprecedented times of extreme police brutality and disproportionately high rates of Black and Latinx people dying. “The role of women, and particularly women and girls of color, in leading and shaping change is becoming more pressing, as demographic trends point toward women of color becoming the majority among all women in the United States by 2050”^[3] . In anticipation of this shift, The Year for N.O.W uplifts the city’s femme-identified youth, across racial and gender identities, to learn, lead, and liberate.

The Year for N.O.W agenda aims to create safe and inclusive, virtual and physical, community spaces for healing and eradicating the persistent traumas of systemic racism, gender inequity, and the perils of Covid-19. Providing a platform and vehicle for the next generation of activists, all workshops, activities, and services will equip the city’s most vulnerable femme-identified youth with vital tools and resources to improve personal wellbeing and socioemotional development. The Year for N.O.W agenda prioritizes that the needs and rights of all femmes, girls, and GNC youth in New York City are front and center in 2021.

As a racial and gender equity action plan The Year for N.O.W incorporates principles and frameworks that create a unique definition of leadership centered on racial and gender equity, ensuring that femmes across gender identities have their voices heard and participate fully in our society. The Year for N.O.W agenda confronts serious individual, community, and generational effects of living in social isolation in a city that systematically oppresses femme-identified individuals, people of color, and those living at the intersections of race and gender. In addressing the consequences of racism, gender oppression, and misogynoir this plan seeks to reduce the impact of social stress on the well-being of participants and restore vital relationships with self, community, and society.

^[1] Learn more about the term “femme” for gender diversity and inclusivity: https://wearyourvoicemag.com/women-and-femmes-femininity/; Contemporary understandings of femme identities and related experiences of discrimination; Experiences of femme identity: coming out, invisibility and femmephobia; Fear of a Black Femme

^[2] Learn more about the Black Lives Matter Movement and the global call to action for racial justice: https://blacklivesmatter.com/

^[3] Learn more about why the YWCA focuses on women of color and the benefits of intersectional approaches to gender equity: https://www.ywcasandiego.org/wp-content/uploads/Racial-Justice-Manual.pdf

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United we stand. Together we act. Until Justice Just Is.

mainywca — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 17:13:00 +0000

Authored and posted by YWCA USA (photocredit: ywca.org). Original Post >

By Yolanda Raine, Senior Director, Marketing and Communications, YWCA USA | August 28, 2020

Eliminating racism. Empowering women. Our mission lives in the soul of everyone at YWCA, because we demand a world of equity and human decency. We envision a world of opportunity and we commit ourselves to the work of justice. We’re not new to this, we’re true to this. Combating injustice and fueling equality is in not only in our mission statement. It is in our DNA and our legacy. We stand on the legacy of women before us, like our very own Dorothy Height, who pushed the boundaries and developed our bold stance against racism known as the One Imperative: ”the elimination of racism wherever it exists and by any means necessary,” making it the driving force behind all initiatives of YWCA.

Yes, we will march and yes, we will peacefully protest but we also do the work. We are rolling out Until Justice Just Is, an initiative designed to bring about national attention and awareness to the systemic and institutional racism that plagues our nation and to center the justice-oriented work that YWCA does every day. In communities big and small, we answer the cry for justice. We offer housing to women seeking safety. We take care of children, so their families can build their futures. We help dismantle systemic racism, because the future deserves all of us.

Our communities demand justice in a thousand different ways. This moment in the movement for racial justice isn’t the absolute solution to systemic inequities, but rather a starting point in our foundational push to meet those demands and to elevate and bring about change for women and people of color.

At YWCA, we lead conversations and set the model for talking to our children about racism, we are making sure that marginalized communities are counted in the Census, raising our voices against voter suppression tactics so that people of color have safe and equal access to the ballot box, pushing for equal protection under the law and demanding an end to racial profiling and targeted surveillance tactics and strategies, teaching women and people of color new skills that lead to better lives for their families, and leveling the playing field for those same people to become entrepreneurs.

Over the coming months, we will highlight the work of our 200+ local associations who are on the ground in over 1,200 communities breaking down barriers every day. We will also focus our civic engagement work, Week Without Violence, and other initiatives and campaigns on the specific the ways in which intersectionality is paramount to this work, and the different barriers faced by marginalized groups in pursuing and achieving justice.

This moment in time is exactly what our mission is about. And we will continue to do this work…

Until the land of the free is free of racism.

Until the home of the brave is brave enough to change.

Until “by the people” and “for the people” means doing right by all the people.

Will you join us? Learn more at ywca.org/untiljusticejustis.

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Celebrating International Women’s Day at the YW!

mainywca — Fri, 08 Mar 2019 22:16:23 +0000

[Submission by Noreen Wall, OST P.S.90 ]

In Honor of Women’s Day

You are the co-creators of Man
You are the life blood of nations, communities and homes
You are the collaborators of new life
You are the co-conspirators of deep rooted movements

You stand firm for all that is good and right and true
Even if you haven’t learned just how that’s done
Even when you make the mistake of breaking your other sisters down

You are the movers the shakers and the innovators….
Or the quiet, soft spoken gems that hold space for other people’s growth
You question the status quo…
Or maybe you haven’t found your voice enough to quite yet do that

TO THOSE WHO HAVE OVERCOME and those who are still going through.
Through?
Yes… through whatever you feel may have stirred or shaken your soul

To those who have answered their calling
Or
Those who are still questioning
Or
Those who are still awaiting a response.

To those chasing corporate dreams. Creative Dreams. Collective Dreams
Or Maybe you are busy chasing your own

The Hurt, the Broken, the Sacred sisters
The ones who are still healing or learning how to heal

To the mothers…
The stay at homes keeping their families together
Mothers of their communities
The mothers of each other. Mothers of other Mothers.
The guardians of stories or ideas, have given birth to ideas and oh yes of course! have given birth to actual babies too

I honor you. I humbly bow in your presence.
recognize my own light by observing yours
You have planted my feet on solid ground
I grow roots, and wings because of you
When I fall, You have lifted me up to the highest of heights once more

I’ve grown and learned, Until I’ve accepted the invitation to share your light

So now… I mean right now!

I want you to close your eyes.

Take a deep breath.
Yup!… inhale… DEEPLY
Exhale… Steadily and INTENTIONALLY

Feel that?
If not do it again with your hand against your heart.

That’s your POWER

Stand grounded in it. Its irrevocable.
It doesn’t need permission
It doesn’t have to be loud. It doesn’t have to be soft
The only requirement is that it’s yours

Feel it.
Emit it.
Extend it to the woman by your side
Encourage her to do the same

Hold her hand if you have to. Sit with her if you must! Until…

The climate becomes right. Then she’ll be ready… Ready to grow

We are a collective. Each of us are necessary. We are the might and the force that will shift the way we all experience the world.

But we must be bold enough to hold each other’s hand to do so.

Happy Women’s Day
Noreen

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