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Our Voices Blog
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While swimming can be fun at any time of year, it can also be fatal. No matter where you swim, remember the importance of safety rules in swimming.
Minneapolis local Tamara Moore played six seasons in the WNBA and overseas before becoming a trailblazing coach. She recently shared her journey and her connection to the YWCA.
Women’s Triathlon participant Mari Ruddy recently published the book “Extreme Healing.” We spent some time discussing the book, her health challenges and how they fueled her experience as an endurance athlete.
The Youth In Action (YIA) group at South High School (students who identify with girlhood — freshman to senior) meets every other week to share their views and experiences, learn about social injustice and discover how their values and identity can be transformed through advocacy and activism. By the end of the year-long program, the YIA cohort will implement an advocacy project that improves their community in a tangible way. YWCA has structured the TAC experience around community building, shared expectations, and learning through activities, field trips, and guest speakers.
Early Childhood Education Blogs
At YWCA Minneapolis Early Childhood Education centers we use the Social Responsibility “The We Care” Curriculum. Explore what that means, how it looks in an early childhood classroom and why it’s so important.
When a child is enrolled in an early childhood education program, it is often their first community outside the home and is very influential in children’s development. Community involvement and engagement produce long-term benefits in the lives of children. It gives them a sense of belonging and is crucial to building their identity.
In December, YWCA Minneapolis partnered with Delta Dental of Minnesota to get toys for our children. Each child made a paper ornament and wrote their name and one item they requested on the back of the ornament, and our staff passed these along to the Delta Dental of Minnesota team. Through Delta’s holiday “Give a Smile” Toy Drive, they gifted 150 children from our Early Childhood Education centers (ages 3 - 10 years old) a present!
YWCA Minneapolis Early Childhood Education equips children with the knowledge and skills to reach their potential. By delivering the utmost care, all our teachers create lasting impressions on children as they learn to grow with YWCA Minneapolis and beyond.
Leading architects of "playspace equity," KABOOM!, transformed our play area at YWCA Midtown. And this summer, we've been soaking up all the fun the space has offered our little learners.
Celebrating our preschoolers’ graduation is an essential step in their move to kindergarten. YWCA Minneapolis Early Childhood Education centers have been like a second home for many of our little learners.
Girls and Youth Blogs
The Youth In Action (YIA) group at South High School (students who identify with girlhood — freshman to senior) meets every other week to share their views and experiences, learn about social injustice and discover how their values and identity can be transformed through advocacy and activism. By the end of the year-long program, the YIA cohort will implement an advocacy project that improves their community in a tangible way. YWCA has structured the TAC experience around community building, shared expectations, and learning through activities, field trips, and guest speakers.
Franklin Middle School Beacons is moving full STEAM ahead with engaging students into project-based learning. Evidence of this was shown at Franklin’s recent 1st Annual STEAM Fest where students, families, and staff all participated in fun and engaging STEM and STEAM learning activities.
Carliene Quist, Girls & Youth Program Manager, arrived in Milwaukee for the October 2023 Women’s Convention with a suitcase and her work laptop. She returned home to Minneapolis with a truckload of donations for participants in Girls & Youth programs!
During the current school year and into summer 2024, YWCA Girls & Youth will serve upwards of 850 youth in Beacons afterschool programming. Among them are 450 students at YWCA’s new Beacons Learning Center: South High School!
As the largest all-women triathlon in the country, the race attracted participants ages 11 to 80+ with varying levels of experience, diverse backgrounds and powerful stories.
Over five days, ten of our Girls Inc. Eureka! youth put their science, engineering and creative minds to work and created milk carton floats!
Racial Justice and Public Policy Blogs
As we continue to explore the “Web of Racism” and its focus on systemic racism in the United States, health care stands out as an institution that historically reproduces race-based disparities. A closer look at what is meant by “health care disparities” includes the different ways that racism is manifest in the clinical and hospital experiences of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). Taking time to learn about the varied layers of racism at work within the healthcare system produces several different lenses with which to learn more about this topic.
The Web of Systemic Racism identifies areas wherein Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) experience unequal or lack access to resources everyone needs to thrive in mainstream society. Examined here is systemic racism in housing practices, touching on access to high-opportunity neighborhoods, access to basic housing quality and homeownership.
This year’s It’s Time to Talk: Forums on Race™ event will be one for the books — we are expanding to a half-day summit featuring keynote presenter Dr. Marc Lamont Hill and breakout sessions with local activist presenters Dr. Joi Lewis and Kyle "Guante" Tran Myhre.
We asked YWCA Minneapolis employees to identify their favorite Black-owned businesses and organizations in Minnesota to uplift National Black Business Month. The following is a list we compiled from their recommendations.
One year ago on June 24, the Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overturned the historic Roe v. Wade case protecting the right to an abortion under the Constitution.
Our racial justice learning manager created a learning guide for employees and board members of YWCA Minneapolis for the upcoming Juneteenth holiday. We're sharing it with you now as fundamental knowledge, a sequel to last year's Juneteenth blog.
Health and Fitness Blogs
While swimming can be fun at any time of year, it can also be fatal. No matter where you swim, remember the importance of safety rules in swimming.
Women’s Triathlon participant Mari Ruddy recently published the book “Extreme Healing.” We spent some time discussing the book, her health challenges and how they fueled her experience as an endurance athlete.
Kym Zest is returning to the YWCA Women’s Triathlon as Race Director! In her five-year break from the race she pursued other athletic achievements, started her own coaching business, and had a baby. Now, she’s back to serve the triathlon community, as it has been her home base since 1997.
As the largest all-women triathlon in the country, the race attracted participants ages 11 to 80+ with varying levels of experience, diverse backgrounds and powerful stories.
April is Adult Learn to Swim Month! To celebrate, we are sharing the story of one of our health and wellness members, Mae Brooks, who learned to swim with YWCA Minneapolis adult swim lessons. Read how Mae pushed herself to try new things in her personal and professional life, to lean into discomfort and push her boundaries.