For more than a century, YWCA St. Paul has been committed to the work of promoting equity and uplifting those who are disenfranchised by society. Our roots in this community were planted 13 years before women were given the right to vote and 54 years before the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. Since then, we have fought tirelessly alongside our neighbors for justice and to fulfill our mission of eliminating racism and empowering women.
In recent years, this work has become more difficult…and as a result, even more critical. Widespread hate speech by those who hold the most power in our country, the murders by police of so many unarmed Black men in and around our community, the rolling back of basic civil rights like reproductive freedom, and the stripping of protections for LGBTQIA+ people are just a few of the affronts faced by those we serve.
We are deeply disturbed and saddened by the result of the 2024 presidential election. We are also committed to ensuring that the work we’ve been doing for 113 years will not be undone. YWCA St. Paul will continue to stand in this historic neighborhood as a haven for justice. For as long as it takes to achieve our mission, we will be here. We have never shied away from the hard work and determination required to build a racially equitable nation in which women and girls can thrive. Today, we will continue the work, as we have always done, to serve our communities and meet that mission.
