YWCA is on a mission to Unite Against Racism

We Unite Against Racism every day by raising awareness about the impact of institutional and structural racism and by building community among those who work for racial justice.

- Thank you to everyone who attended our 2024 event! Read the recap below and keep an eye out for 2025 event information. -

On the evening of April 24th, YWCA Evanston/North Shore’s Equity Institute hosted our profound Unite Against Racism panel event, “Practicing Solidarity and Imagining New Futures”.

The speaker and panelists said they wanted to equip us with a better understanding of solidarity, and they did just that. We were asked to consider solidarity as a choice, a practice, and a lifelong commitment. They challenged us to ensure that those who are most impacted by a decision have a say-so at every step of the process, and named that nothing new needs to be created. Opportunities for being in solidarity abound – for example, the work of Justice for Evanston Tenants was elevated at the event.  

“This was the best panel discussion that I have ever attended. And I have attended many. Brilliant insights, no-nonsense.” 

“It will take days to unpack all that I learned tonight.” 

To see why the panelists received a standing ovation from the crowded room, watch out for the recording of the event coming soon! 

We'd like to thank the speaker, panelists, caterers, Fleetwood-Jourdain staff, and everyone who attended. We are excited to hear how you will carry what you got from the event in the future. 

• See the photo album here

Update on Unite Against Racism (formerly Stand Against Racism) in 2024:

After careful reflection that considered community feedback, research, and overall intended impact, we have decided to change the format of Unite Against Racism from a community public demonstration and post-event discussion to a single event that has both an education and action component.

YWCA E/NS is always striving to make our mission-driven work more meaningful by contributing to the dismantling of racial inequities. In our ongoing efforts to ground our work in the perspectives of those most impacted by racism, we recognize the disconnect and potential harm the public events created within BIPOC communities. The need to evolve was certain. We are dedicated to moving from an individual to a collective framework that supports our goals of action and structural change. For this year, Unite Against Racism will be an evening, in-person event that provides a framework and tools to grapple with how organizations can act in solidarity with the communities with whom they work. We are looking forward to exploring this question together.

We understand that an evening event precludes participation from students and recognize that racial equity work is essential for all ages. Please reach out if you work with school-age children and are interested in discussing ways to engage them. In addition, we will keep everyone updated about our plans for 2025 which will build upon our new framework and Unite Against Racism goals. We thank you for your commitment to anti-racism work and for partnering with YWCA E/NS to create change.

“You’re on the right path if you are intentionally trying to reduce the gap between your values and your actions.” – Mariame Kaba

For questions, please contact Heather Sweeney, Equity Institute Learning

Manager, hsweeney@ywca-ens.org

About Unite Against Racism

Until Justice Just Is and Unite Against Racism (formerly Stand Against Racism) is a signature campaign of YWCA USA to build community among those who work for racial justice and to raise awareness about the negative impact of institutional and structural racism in our communities.

Founded by YWCA Trenton and YWCA Princeton in 2007, Until Justice Just Is quickly grew to a national presence by 2010, when an additional 80 YWCAs across the nation, including YWCA Evanston/North Shore, organized demonstrations for racial justice. Over 2,000 organizations across 39 states joined YWCAs in the Stand Against Racism. This phenomenal success has attracted well over 250,000 participants and earned the endorsement of five U.S. Governors. The event has been widely featured by local ABC, NBC, CBS, and other networks.