Young Women Empowered

Y-WE CULTIVATES THE POWER OF DIVERSE YOUNG WOMEN* TO BE CREATIVE LEADERS AND COURAGEOUS CHANGEMAKERS THROUGH TRANSFORMATIVE PROGRAMS WITHIN A COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITY OF BELONGING. WE ENVISION A SOCIETY ROOTED IN SOCIAL JUSTICE, WHERE ALL YOUNG WOMEN* LIVE THEIR TRUTHS, ACHIEVE THEIR DREAMS, AND CHANGE OUR WORLD. *THOSE WHO IDENTIFY AS WOMEN OR GIRLS OR WHO WERE ASSIGNED FEMALE AT BIRTH.

IN 2020-2021, Y-WE SERVED 378+ YOUNG WOMEN AND GENDER EXPANSIVE YOUTH, AND 1,924+ COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THROUGH 178 PROGRAM DAYS AND COMMUNITY EVENTS HELD ONLINE AND IN-PERSON. 40+ ADULT VOLUNTEER MENTORS SUPPORTED YOUTH ENROLLED IN 18 DISTINCT PROGRAMS, AND 55 OTHER ACTIVE VOLUNTEERS SUPPORTED Y-WE IN A VARIETY OF WAYS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THESE PROGRAMS AND EVENTS KEPT US CONNECTED; WORKING IN SOLIDARITY TOWARD RACIAL, GENDER AND SOCIAL JUSTICE; AND FUELING EACH OTHER'S CREATIVITY AND RESILIENCE. WE ALSO CONTINUED TO ADAPT PROGRAMS, PROVIDE BASIC NEEDS SUPPORT, AND FACILITATE MUTUAL AID IN RESPONSE TO THE ONGOING COVID-19 PANDEMIC. 27 FAMILIES RECEIVED SOCIAL WORK SERVICES , 20 LAPTOPS WERE LOANED OUT TO YOUTH TO SUPPORT ONLINE LEARNING, AND OVER $40,000 OF EMERGENCY FUNDS WERE REDISTRIBUTED TO FAMILIES IMPACTED BY THE INTERSECTING PANDEMICS OF COVID-19, RACISM, SEXISM, CLASSISM, AND XENOPHOBIA. WE ALSO INCREASED PAID INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH AND GAVE OVER 20 SCHOLARSHIPS TO ALUMS AND SENIORS THROUGH THE DREAM FUND, TOTALING $45,000. WE ALSO OFFERED RACIAL JUSTICE HEALING SPACES FOR OUR COMMUNITY IN RESPONSE TO COLLECTIVE CHALLENGES. WE CONTINUED TO CENTER YOUNG WOMEN AND GENDER EXPANSIVE YOUTH FROM MARGINALIZED AND UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES, PARTICULARLY YOUNG WOMEN OF COLOR. OF 2020-2021 YOUTH PARTICIPANTS, 83% WERE OF COLOR, APPROXIMATELY 70% WERE LOW INCOME, AND A HIGH PERCENTAGE CAME FROM FIRST- OR SECOND- GENERATION IMMIGRANT FAMILIES. PROGRAMS OFFERED INCLUDED: YOUTH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL, Y-WE TECH, Y-WE GROW AT MARRA FARM, AND Y-WE LEAD (ENCOMPASSING SPECIALTY PROGRAMS LIKE CAREER CAMP, NATURE ART AND JOURNALING, AND DIY HEALING). PARTICIPANTS REPORTED INCREASED SELF CONFIDENCE, LEADERSHIP SKILLS, CONNECTION TO THE NATURAL WORLD, AND COMMITMENT TO TAKING ACTION FOR CHANGE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. IN OVER HALF OF Y-WE'S ENROLLED PROGRAMS, 100% OF PARTICIPANTS REPORTED AN INCREASE OF THEIR SENSE OF BELONGING IN A DIVERSE COMMUNITY. OF Y-WE GROW PARTICIPANTS, OVER 95% GAVE THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE POSITIVE RESPONSE TO EVERY SINGLE METRIC ASSESSED. OF ALL METRICS ASSESSED ACROSS ALL PROGRAMS, THE POSITIVE RESPONSE RATE AVERAGED TO OVER 90%.

Y-WE'S EDUCATIONAL EVENTS INCLUDED HEALTH DAY, CAREER DAY, DAY OF WELLNESS, AND STEM DAY, AS WELL AS A VARIETY OF SMALLER EVENTS SUCH AS THE WATER JUSTICE PANEL AND THE BLACK VOICES IN CLIMATE JUSTICE PANEL. COLLECTIVELY THESE PROGRAMS WERE ATTENDED OR VIEWED ONLINE BY 1000+ YOUTH AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THESE EVENTS FEATURED: TWO PANELS OF DIVERSE AND INSPIRING WOMEN PROFESSIONALS; STEM EDUCATION AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT; AND A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO GAINING KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND RESOURCE ACCESS THAT SUPPORT YOUNG WOMEN'S MENTAL, EMOTIONAL, SOCIAL AND PHYSICAL WELL-BEING. Y-WE ALSO OFFERED EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS FOR SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS WHICH ARE SEEKING TO IMPROVE THEIR EQUITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE FRAMEWORKS THROUGH CREATIVE COMMUNITY-BUILDING. 100% OF STEM EXPLORATION DAY PARTICIPANTS REPORTED AN INCREASED AWARENESS OF LOCAL JOBS AND CAREERS AND INCREASED CONFIDENCE IN THEIR ABILITY TO LEARN ABOUT STEM.

MULTI-DAY CAMPS FOCUSED ON CREATIVITY AND ENGAGEMENT WITH THE NATURAL WORLD PROVIDED TRANSFORMATIVE AND HEALING EXPERIENCES TO 65+ YOUTH AND 20+ ADULT VOLUNTEER MENTORS. CAMP OFFERINGS INCLUDED Y-WE CREATE, Y-WE WRITE, WATER JUSTICE LEADERSHIP CAMP, AND INTERNSHIPS AT MARRA FARM. YOUNG WOMEN WORKED DIRECTLY WITH RENOWNED WRITERS AND ARTISTS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND PROFESSIONALS ACROSS DIVERSE CAREER FIELDS. THROUGH THESE EXPERIENCES, PARTICIPANTS DEVELOPED THEIR VOICES AND CREATIVE VISIONS, GAINED PROFESSIONAL SKILLS, AND DEVELOPED STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS WITH LAND, ALL THE WHILE BEING A PART OF DIVERSE COMMUNITIES THAT HONORED THEIR IDENTITIES, EXPERIENCES, AND PERSPECTIVES. 100% OF MARRA FARM INTERNS REPORTED AN INCREASED SENSE OF CONNECTION TO THE LAND, INTEREST IN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ISSUES, AND FEELING OF CONFIDENCE IN WHO THEY ARE IN THE WORLD. 92% OF PARTICIPANTS IN THE WATER JUSTICE LEADERSHIP CAMP REPORTED AN INCREASED SENSE OF NATURE AS A PLACE OF HEALING, AWARENESS OF WATER-RELATED CAREER PATHS, AND AN INCREASE IN LEADERSHIP SKILLS. 97% OF Y-WE WRITE PARTICIPANTS REPORTED THAT THEY FELT SAFE AND FELT A SENSE OF BELONGING. 93% OF Y-WE CREATE PARTICIPANTS REPORTED THAT THEY LEARNED TO TRUST IN THEMSELVES AND IN WHAT THEY BELIEVE, AND GAINED IDEAS FOR BUILDING A HEALTHIER, BETTER WORLD.