In light of the violence that took place at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, Alejandra Y. Castillo, CEO, YWCA USA released the following statement:
“The scene that unfolded in our nation’s capital yesterday was a disgrace to our democracy and a bleak day for our nation. History will justifiably record the violent efforts to halt the confirmation of a fair democratic election decided by the American people as an insurrection and attempted coup.
While the news and photos of yesterday’s events will haunt us, let us remember that the day began with the historic election of the Reverend Raphael Warnock as the first Black Senator from the state of Georgia, and ended with the confirmed election of Jon Ossoff as the first Jewish Senator from the state of Georgia. Senators Warnock and Ossoff will join the most diverse Congress in our nation’s history, which includes 144 women, 52 of whom are women of color, as well as members of the LGBTQ+ community and other historically marginalized communities.
At this pivotal moment, YWCA calls on all in our nation to ensure the peaceful transition of power. We stand with the American people, especially people of color, who have endured unrelenting efforts to divide, derail, and dishonor our most basic human and civil rights, and to discredit and silence women and people of color who demand a world of equity and human decency. Ensuring that women, communities of color, and all those who are marginalized are represented and that their voices are amplified and heard, is at the core of our efforts to improve economic security, prevent gender-based violence, ensure access to health care, and to eliminate policies and practices that criminalize people of color.
We encourage everyone to continue to join us as we work tirelessly to champion equality, to end gender discrimination, and to combat injustices across economic, political, and daily life that pose as barriers for so many. Together, let’s continue to do the work, until justice just is.”
###
About YWCA USA
YWCA is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. We are one of the oldest and largest women’s organizations in the nation, serving over 2 million women, girls, and their families.
YWCA has been at the forefront of the most pressing social movements for over 160 years — from voting rights to civil rights, from affordable housing to pay equity, from violence prevention to health care reform. Today, we combine programming and advocacy to generate institutional change in three key areas: racial justice and civil rights, empowerment and economic advancement of women and girls, and health and safety of women and girls. Learn more at www.ywca.org.
