YWCA of Greater Atlanta

A Reimagined Virtual Event

Only 1 Ticket away from $30,000! Have you gotten your ticket for our Salute to Women of Achievement event tomorrow? We are so proud to recognize and honor MSM President Valerie Montgomery Rice, president and dean of Morehouse School of Medicine tomorrow, May 19 at 12 noon. This year’s virtual event is a one-of-a-kind you won’t want to miss!... #YWCASalute

YWCA of Greater Atlanta is thankful for our amazing sponsors and friends who are so generously supporting our 2021 Salute to Women of Achievement virtual event! We extend our heartfelt thanks to our Community Partners, Atlantic Capital, Ann Stallard, Bari Love, Federal Home Loan Bank, Georgia-Pacific, Morehouse School of Medicine, Northside Hospital Healthcare System, and WestRock for their partnership and commitment to the work and mission of YWCA of Greater Atlanta! #YWCASalute Become a Sponsor, purchase tickets, or make a donation here: https://salutetowomenofachievement.swell.gives/

I, too, am America. ~Langston Hughes #TrayvonMartin was born 26 years ago today. We imagine him celebrating his life surrounded by love and it fuels us to do our part in eradicating injustice. We are praying for his parents and family.

Today we highlight a two-time YWCA Salute Woman of Achievement recipient, Ms. Shirley Franklin. At the age of 18, she participated in the March on Washington where she saw and was inspired by Martin Luther King and Coretta Scott King. She graduated from Howard University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology in 1968. She then attended the University of Pennsylvania and earned her master’s degree in 1969. Ms. Franklin taught for nearly a decade at Talladega College befo...re being appointed by then-Atlanta mayor, Maynard Jackson, as Commissioner of Cultural of Affairs for the city. Jackson’s successor, Andrew Young named Franklin Chief Administrative Officer and City Manager. In 1992, Franklin gained notoriety as one of the officials who helped bring the Olympic Games to Atlanta. In 2002, Franklin was elected Mayor of the City of Atlanta (City of Atlanta Government) from 2002 to 2010. She was the first woman to hold the post and became the first Black woman to be elected mayor of any major Southern city. TIME named Franklin one of the five best big-city mayors in 2005. She served until 2009, when term limits prevented her from seeking another term.

Today we highlight one of our YWCA 2010 Salute to Women of Achievement honorees, Stacey Abrams. Ms. Abrams is a political leader, voting rights activist, and New York Times bestselling author. She served as the Minority Leader in the Georgia House of Representatives from 2011 to 2017 and she ran as the Democratic Party’s nominee in the Georgia gubernatorial election of 2018 she did not win her seat but her campaign raised public knowledge of many public issues, including vo...ter suppression. Abrams was the first Black woman to become the gubernatorial nominee for a major party in the United States, and she was the first Black woman and first Georgian to deliver a Response to the State of the Union. Abrams is a key leader in voter rights activism, and she made history in the 2020 presidential elections. She and her organization, Fair Fight Action, were integral to increasing the turnout of Black voters in Georgia, not to mention 800k voters were registered! Her lifetime of accomplishments has led to her recent nomination of a Nobel Peace Prize and the depth of her impact will be felt for generations to come!

Mary Jane McLeod Bethune was a life-long educator, advocate of education, and a civil rights and women's rights leader. After attending college, she planned to become a missionary in Africa, but instead started a school for African-American girls in Daytona Beach, 1904. It grew and merged with an institute for African-American boys and became the Bethune-Cookman College (now Bethune-Cookman University) She was a member of the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs, Inc.... and was the 8th President, serving from 1924-1928. In 1930, Herbert Hoover appointed her to the White House Conference on Child Health. In 1932, she worked for the election of Franklin D. Roosevelt, and became a member of his Black Cabinet. In 1935, she founded the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW Headquarters) in NYC. In 1973, Mary McLeod Bethune was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame. Ms. Bethune's achievements exceed what can be written here, but she was a true champion of racial and gender equality and her work continues to serve communities in the USA. She died in 1955 at the age of 79. Photo of Mary McLeod Bethune at Phyllis Wheatley YWCA in Washington D.C. Credit: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information Black-and-White Negatives.

Dr. Dorothy Height was regarded by Barack Obama as "the godmother of the Civil Rights Movement. Dr. Height held many positions in government and social service organizations, but she is best known for her leadership roles in the YWCA USA, and the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW Headquarters) After moving to the National YWCA office from her post at YWCA Harlem, Dr.Height led the integration efforts, seeing desegregation at all YWCA’s in 1946. In 1965, Dr. Height was named the first director of YWCA’s Center for Racial Justice. Dr. Height’s legacy of leadership and activism still thrives in our mission.

Today is the start of #BlackHistoryMonth, a month for recognizing the achievements and contributions of the Black community. But we need to take it further. As ...#COVID19 rages on and our nation faces a much-needed reckoning on #RacialInjustice, the past year has made it clear that #RacismIsAPublicHealthCrisis that must be addressed. This month, as we honor Black history, we must also explore the history of American policies and practices that have led to inequities in public health for Black Americans and how we can and must address the issue moving forward, #UntilJusticeJustIs. See more

We have been selected as a finalist for an opportunity to be awarded $250,000 in in-kind marketing services from Ideabar and Cox Enterprises. The program is designed to award a metro Atlanta nonprofit organization advancing racial equality and social justice to create a more equitable society by addressing systemic racism. Please help us win by voting for us and sharing this post! https://empoweringequality.ideabar.agency/

YWCA of Greater Atlanta is thrilled to have been selected as a finalist for this awesome opportunity with Ideabar! Please help us win by voting for us and then sharing to ask others to vote for us too!

Be sure you vote today for the presidential election and for YWCA of Greater Atlanta for an awesome opportunity with Ideabar! Its quick and easy, just click this link to vote for us!

Early voting in Georgia ends Friday! Find your early voting location here: https://elections.sos.ga.gov/Elections/advancedVotingInfo.do #votingmatters #votingplan

Please join our CEO tomorrow in a discussion about advancing our mission in a time of national change. Register Here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/regist/5164563755790189069

YWCA of Greater Atlanta and Emory St. Joseph's partnered to provide free mammograms to eligible women. Another screening will be held again on October 31 for women 40-64 years old without health insurance. Women who qualify can call 404-835-1632 to register! https://ywcaatlanta.org/program/encoreplus/

Early voting has begun in Georgia! Find your early voting location here: https://elections.sos.ga.gov/Elections/advancedVotingInfo.do

Important issues impacting Georgians are on the ballot this election. Be informed. Vote!

TODAY is the last day to register to vote in Georgia! Civic engagement and racial equity have NEVER been more critical! Check your registration status: https://www.mvp.sos.ga.gov/MVP/mvp.do Register to Vote: https://registertovote.sos.ga.gov/GAOLVR/welcometoga.do ... Make your voice heard in November. #vote

Icon. Fighter. Feminist. Shero. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a true pioneer for equality under the law. Our YWCA USA CEO said it best. Read the full statement here: https://www.ywca.org//2/09/19/ruth-bader-ginsberg-passing/ Honor Justice Ginsburg's Legacy and demand the vacancy to be filled after the January 2021 inauguration here: https://ywca.quorum.us/campaign/28812/

As we prepare to host our 2020 Virtual Conversations Forum on Race and Gender today, YWCA of Greater Atlanta wants to extend our heartfelt thanks and appreciation to our amazing Racial Justice Partners. Thank you to all who have supported this event with your financial support.

There are still a few spots available! You must register prior to the program in order to join live and/or access the event recording. REGISTER TODAY! https://us02web.zoom.us//1815965/WN_brsFdcafS8K4XPGcSLNjxw