Events
2021 Women of Distinction Awards
Wednesday, November 10, 2021
6:00 pm via Zoom
Free Virtual Event, though donations are welcome!
Register at: https://bit.ly/YWCAWOD2021
Week WIthout Violence--Beyond Resilience: From Surviving to Thriving
Thursday, October 21, 2021
5:00 pm - 6:30 pm
Join us for this FREE VIRTUAL PANEL moderated by Raelyn Monteiro, YWCA Race, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Facilitator. This panel discussion will be centering around healing and renewing our
collective commitment to addressing racism, domestic and systemic violence, as well as, the root causes of trauma that feed into the cycle of harm.
Panelists: Ashley Bendiksen, National Speaker & Award-Winning Activist
Pamela MacLeod-Lima, Executive Director, The Women's Center
Hassan Souto, LSW, Education & Outreach Coordinator, SDV Counselor, The Women's Center
Ashley Ruderman-Looff, PhD, Assistant Director, Advocacy & Education, CWGS, UMass Dartmouth
Jeffrey Glidden, VRP Counselor & Advocate, Fenway Health
FOR QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT RAELYN AT RMONTEIRO@YWCASEMA.ORG OR (508) 999-3255
Click here to register today!
Racism and the Latinx Community Virtual Panel
Wednesday, September 29, 2021
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Join YWCA SEMA for a virtual panel discussion on the impact of racism, prejudice and bias on the Latinx Community. Learn about the challenges Latinx groups face in our community and what we can do to make change.
Panelists:
Andrea Davidson, YWCA Director of Adult and Youth Services
Leimary Llopiz, YWCA Advocacy Assistant
Adrian Ventura, Executive Director, Centro Comunitario de Trabajadores
Maria Rosario, Executive Director, Northstar Learning Centers
Dr. Carlos Benavides, Associate Professor of Spanish and Linguistics at University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth & Chairperson, Department of Global Languages and Cultures
Click here to view the recording.
Cultivating Mindfulness Around Racial Justice
Wednesday, August 25, 2021
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Facilitated by YWCA Race, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (REDI) Facilitators, Raelyn Monteiro and Cullen Mulrooney
This workshop connects the benefits of mindfulness to deepening our understanding of racial justice and systemic racism. This session covers understanding key terms within racial justice, as well as covering the 3 levels of transformation within racial justice mindfulness.
Register today: https://bit.ly/cultivatemindfulness
Understanding Gender and Sexual Identities Free Virtual Workshop
Thursday, July 22, 2021
12pm-1:30pm
Facilitated by YWCA Race, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (REDI) Facilitators, Raelyn Monteiro and Cullen Mulrooney
This workshop provides an introduction to the various gender and sexual identity terms, an understanding of the difference between gender and sexuality, the importance of using the correct pronouns in conversations and documents, and recognizing manifestations of bias in regard to gender and sexual identities and its harmful consequences.
Click here to register today!
Juneteenth Celebration 2021
Juneteenth, aka Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Liberation Day, and Emancipation Day!
Thursday, June 17th • 11am - 12pm
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the UMass system celebrate Juneteenth for the very first time! Hear from UMass Dartmouth and Community panelists who will educate us about Juneteenth – the holiday that celebrates the emancipation of those enslaved in the U.S.
Moderator: Dr. LaSella L. Hall, PhD, Associate Director, Frederick Douglass Unity House UMass Dartmouth
Panelists:
- Lee Blake President, New Bedford Historical Society
- Gail Fortes Executive Director, YWCA Southeastern Massachusetts
- David Gomes, Esq. Chief Diversity Officer, UMass Dartmouth
- Ricardo Rosa, PhD, Associate Professor, Public Policy; Assistant Director, Office of Faculty Development, UMass Dartmouth
Click here to view a recording of this event!
Anti-Asian Racism: A Courageous Conversation
Thursday, June 3rd 5:30 PM - 7:00 pm
Join the YWCA and a diverse group of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) leaders and community members for a virtual panel discussion about current and historical Anti-asian racism, damaging stereotypes, and the impact on individual people and communities.
Click here to view the recording!
Let's Talk About It! A YWCA Wise and Wellness Program for Girls
Cultivating My Mind, Body, and Soul
Thursday, May 27, 2021
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Suggested Ages 10+
My Voice, My Strength
Thursday, June 3, 2021
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Suggested Ages 13+
Understanding Gender and Sexual Identities
Thursday, June 10, 2021
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Suggested Ages 10+
For questions, or if you'd like to bring these workshops to your school or program, please contact Shannon O'Neill at soneill@ywcasema.org or (508) 999-3255
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace: A Virtual Panel Discussion
Wednesday, May 26, 2021
10:00 am - 11:00 am
Please join us for this important webinar on how to integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion within your workplace. The workshop will be led by Gail Fortes, Executive Director at YWCA Southeastern Massachusetts, and feature panelists from the community who specialize in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategies. Together, our panelists will discuss the principles of inclusion, the difference between equity and equality within the workplace, and how DEI practices help to create and cultivate safe and inclusive workplace environments.
Click here to view the recording!
Financial Literacy for Massachusetts Military, Veteran Families, and Survivor Families
May 26th, 2021
5:30 - 7:00 pm
In this workshop, we will address ways to map out your individual finances, discussing strategies for budgeting your income and expenses, paying down debt, and working towards a clear savings goal. Participants will create individual budgeting systems for using Google Sheets, with the hopes of implementing the strategies we discuss. The workshop will close with an overview of accessing veterans' benefits.
Thanks to our funder, Operation MoneyWise, MA Office of Economic Empowerment!
Community Reading Circle and Book Discussion
Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong
4/27/21 - 6/1/21
Tuesdays- 5:30pm -7:00pm
Facilitated by Andrea M. Garr-Barnes, MSW, Equity and Inclusion Practitioner & Facilitator
Binding these essays together is Hong’s theory of “minor feelings.” As the daughter of Korean immigrants, Cathy Park Hong grew up steeped in shame, suspicion, and melancholy. With sly humor and a poet’s searching mind, Hong uses her own story as a portal into a deeper examination of racial consciousness in America today. This intimate and devastating book traces her relationship to the English language, to shame and depression, to poetry and female friendship. A radically honest work of art, Minor Feelings forms a portrait of one Asian American psyche—and of a writer’s search to both uncover and speak the truth.
For inquiries, email andreagarrbarnes@yahoo.com and put community reading circle & book discussion in the subject
This 6-week book series is a collaborative effort of the NAACP New Bedford Branch and YWCA Southeastern MA. Thank you to our sponsor, BayCoast Bank!
From Declarations to Change: Addressing Racism as a Public Health Crisis
2021 Stand Against Racism
From Declarations to Change: Addressing Racism as a Public Health Crisis
Thursday, April 29th, 2021
12:00 PM-1:00PM
The panel will discuss the myriad of racial justice issues that impact the health and safety of communities of color. During the panel we will explore how structural racism plays a large role in determining the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live and age. These factors affect people's access to quality housing, education, food, transportation, and other social determinants of health. Understanding and addressing systemic racism from this public health perspective is crucial to eliminating racial and ethnic inequities and to improving opportunity and well-being across communities.
Missed the virtual panel? Click here to watch the recording on YouTube!
We Are the Prey: Racial Profiling and Policing of Youth in New Bedford
We Are the Prey: Racial Profiling and Policing of Youth in New Bedford
A Community Conversation
Wednesday, April 14th 5:30pm - 7:00 pm
The YWCA and our fellow co-sponsors hosted a community conversation where Citizens for Juvenile Justice (CfJJ) launched the report, "We Are the Prey: Racial Profiling and Policing of Youth in New Bedford." Analyzing New Bedford Police Department data, the Citizens for Juvenile Justice (CfJJ) report documents how the NBPD targets young people of color in lower-income neighborhoods in a white-majority city.
The Citizens for Juvenile Justice (CfJJ) report contains recommendations from CfJJ and from New Bedford youth to reform policing in the city, including in the areas of racial profiling, gang database, and school policing.
Click here to view a recording of the CfJJ report presentation.
Click here to view CfJJ's report.
Economic Empowerment Series: Teaching Gen Z and Millennials How to Control Money and Not Let It Control You!
Join YWCA Southeastern MA for a fantastic new (and free!) "Economic Empowerment Series: Teaching Gen Z and Millennials how to control one's money and not let it control you" with Brielle Bryant-Erales, Financial Coach.
Financial freedom isn't just about how much money you have. It's also about having the confidence to make your own decisions. No matter who you are we all need to take control of our own financial lives.
Workshops:
- Tues. 3/30 @ 7:00pm Spending & Managing Money Wisely(Ages 21-35)
- Tues. 4/27 @ 7:00pm Planning Today for Tomorrow (Ages 14-18)
- Tues. 5/25 @ 7:00pm Money Mindset (Ages 21-35)
- Tues. 6/29 @ 7:00pm Planning Today for Tomorrow (Ages 21-35)
Register Here: http://bit.ly/ecoempower
Thank you to the funders of the YWCA Economic Empowerment Series: Hawthorn Medical Associates Charitable Fund; Operation Money Wise; and United Way of Greater Fall River!
Questions? Contact Kayla Marshall at kmarshall@ywcasema.org / 508-999-3255
IGNITE: A Youth Showcase of Art Inspired by Historic Women of the SouthCoast
Until Justice Just Is Monthly Series: A Conversation About Feminism
Thursday, March 11th, 2021
6:30pm - 7:30pm
In honor of International Women's Day and Women's History Month, join YWCA Southeastern Massachusetts for this important panel discussion unpacking the racist roots of the American Feminist Movement, the urgency of intersectionality, and exploring the possibilities of a future where the voices and experiences of all women are included.
Until Justice Just Is Monthly Workshop Series: Race and Racism in New England
Thursday, February 25th, 2021
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Notions of white racial superiority were (and are) not limited to Southern minds. Anti-Blackness, xenophobia, and racial violence were found in New England and across the US. Together, we will consider what remains to be corrected as a result of this racial legacy. Additional items addressed include entitlement programs, redlining, the Racial Imbalance Act, and housing segregation.
YWCA Economic Empowerment Series: Practical Digital Skills and Digital Literacy during COVID-19
The Economic Empowerment Series operates on alternating Wednesdays at 6:00 pm on Zoom, beginning February 17th, 2021. Please click here to view a PDF of the entire series. Questions? Contact Jordan Latham at jlatham@ywcasema.org / 508-999-3255
- 2/17/21 6:00 PM COMMUNICATING IN A VIRTUAL WORKPLACE
- Click here to watch a recording of this workshop!
- 3/3/21 6:00 PM LANGUAGE AND TONE IN THE WORKPLACE
- Click here to watch a recording of this workshop!
- 3/17/21 6:00 PM NAVIGATING GOOGLE WORKSPACE
- Click here to watch a recording of this workshop!
- 3/31/21 6:00 PM THE JOB APPLICATION PROCESS
- Click here to watch a recording of this workshop!
- 4/14/21 6:00 PM RESUME AND COVER LETTER WRITING
- 4/28/21 6:00 PM VIRTUAL JOB INTERVIEW STRATEGIES
- 5/12/21 6:00 PM SOCIAL MEDIA & DIGITAL LITERACY IN THE MODERN AGE
- Click here to watch a recording of this workshop!
All workshops are facilitated by Josh Botvin, Lecturer in the English Department and Assistant Director of the Multiliteracy and Communication Center at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. He teaches courses in Business and Professional Communication as well as College Level Reading and Writing.
The YWCA's 18th Annual (Virtual) Red Dress Fashion Show
Thursday, February 25, 2021
6:30 pm on Zoom
Tickets: $30
YWCA Southeastern Massachusetts is hosting its 18th Annual Red Dress Fashion Show to raise awareness of heart disease in women. Even though we cannot be together in person, we can still WEAR RED, celebrate women in our community, and raise awareness about women's heart health.
The YWCA HEARTplus Program focuses on outreach, education, raising awareness and increasing understanding of the risks of cardiovascular disease, particularly among women of color, older women and low-income women. This program also assists women with obtaining health screenings necessary for them to identify their own personal risk.
Click HERE to view this year's virtual Program Book and HERE to watch this year's virtual Red Dress Fashion Show!
Understanding Cervical Cancer and HPV
Thursday. February 4th, 2021 at 6:30 pm, join us for a a Panel Discussion on HPV and Cancer, Including Information on Screenings and Prevention!
Come learn about HPV, or Human Papillomavirus - How common it is, how it is transmitted, how it is connected to cancer, and how to prevent HPV through vaccination.
Health Imperatives New Bedford Sexual & Reproductive Health Services
Team Maureen, a non-profit dedicated to ending cervical cancer
YWCA of Southeastern Massachusetts
Missed the Virtual Panel? Not to worry! Click here to view a recording of the panel on YouTube.
Ver la presentación en español - haga clic aquí
New Bedford LGBTQ Winter Film Series
- Bessie on January 31, 2021
- Love, Simon on February 14
- Brother to Brother on February 28
- Tucked on March 14
Mark your calendar now so you don’t miss out! To keep up to date for event listings, zoom links, and passcodes, follow us on Social Media at @NBLGBTQWinterFilmSeries or at www.sclgbtqnetwork.org, or email at nblgbtqfilmseries@gmail.com
Community Reading Circle and Book Discussion
Tuesdays, February 16th, 2021 - March 23rd, 2021
5:30 - 7:00 pm
On Zoom
Click here to register today!
Until Justice Just Is Community Conversation: Reflecting on the Siege at the US Capitol
Friday, January 15th, 2021 @ 11:00 am
On Zoom
Registration is now open for this Friday's monthly Community Conversation: Reflecting on the Siege at the US Capitol. At YWCA Southeastern MA, we recognize that all of us have a shared responsibility to confront white supremacy and hate in all its forms. As a country, we have allowed racism, sexism, antisemitism, xenophobia, and wealth inequality to fester for too long. We encourage everyone to continue to join us as we work tirelessly to building a more equitable future, demanding accountability and justice, and combatting injustices across economic, political, and daily life that pose as barriers for so many. We cannot wait any longer. Together, let’s continue to do the work, until justice just is.
"The Impact of Structural Racism on Maternal Health" Virtual Health Summit
Thursday, January 14th, 2021 @ 9:00 am - 12:30 pm
FREE virtual event, donations are welcome
The keynote speaker for the event will be Jai-me Rutledge-Potter, Program Manager for Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives at Brown University. Jai-Me is a mom, wife, student, and professional. She is currently a PhD candidate at Salve Regina University, researching the impact of racial trauma and storytelling on health disparities and achieving health equity. Jai-Me holds a faculty appointment at the Alpert Medical School at Brown University.
Besides Jai-Me, GNB Allies Chairperson and psychologist, Barbara A. Acksen, Ph.D., will moderate an informative panel which will include Gail Fortes (Executive Director, YWCA Southeastern Massachusetts), Barbara Schmidt (Director of Organizational Culture and Engagement and Chair of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council, Southcoast Health), Lucia Soraya DosSantos (Maternal Wellness Advocate & Innate Postpartum Provider, Maternal Nursing Collective), Valentina Martinez (Community Health Worker, YWCA) and two mothers from Southeastern Massachusetts.
Missed the virtual summit? Not to worry! Watch anytime here on YouTube!
Until Justice Just Is: Understanding Allyship - From Ally to All In
Thursday, December 9th, 2020 @ 10:00 am
FREE virtual event, donations are welcome
Join YWCA Rhode Island and YWCA Southeastern Massachusetts
for a seminar exploring how we can move beyond performative allyship into meaningful solidarity, capable of transforming systems of oppression.
“If you have come here to help me you are wasting your time, but if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together." ― Lilla Watson
YWCA 2020 Annual Meeting
Thursday, December 3rd, 2020 @ 6:00 pm
FREE virtual event, donations are welcome
The YWCA Annual Meeting features heartfelt stories of YWCA program participants, the annual business meeting, and election of Board members and officers.
Community Reading Circle and Book Discussion
Tuesdays, December 8th, 2020 - January 26th, 2021
5:30 - 7:00 pm
On Zoom
2020 Women of Distinction Awards
Thursday, November 19th, 2020 @ 5:30 pm
FREE virtual event, donations are welcome
Join us for our 11th Annual Women of Distinction Awards which recognizes outstanding women in Southeastern Massachusetts whose lives and accomplishments reflect the YWCA’s Mission of eliminating racism and empowering women. Honorees are recognized for their exceptional commitment to improving the lives of women and girls through their leadership, advocacy, and community service, while achieving success in their career fields. Congratulations to this year's awardees!
Click here to view a recording of the event, and click here to view this year's program!
YWCA Post-Election Panel
Register at http://bit.ly/YWpostelectionpanel20
We invite you to join us and our panelists as we review the state of affairs post election and outline priorities following the election. Panelists will provide information, resources, and updates on how to support our community during this year of tremendous and seismic changes. Together, we must continue to raise our voices to demand racial and gender equity for our community regardless of who holds power.
Panelists include Gail Fortes (YWCA Southeastern MA), Jennifer E. DeBarros, PhD (NorthStar Learning Centers, Inc.), Lisa M. Lemieux (1199 SEIU), Dr. LaSella Hall (NAACP New Bedford Branch), Andy Pollock (SouthCoast LGBTQ+ Network), Helena da Silva Hughes (Immigrants Assistance Center), and Dr. Juli Parker (UMass Dartmouth Center for Women, Gender, and Sexuality) Missed our event? Not to worry! Click here to watch anytime on YouTube.
Until Justice Just Is: Understanding Implicit Bias
Thursday, October 22nd, 2020
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
On Zoom
What is Implicit Bias? How can someone's race, sex, age, and other characteristics influence the way we see and treat them even when we are genuinely trying to be unbiased? What concrete steps can we take to help prevent this from happening?
To help answer these questions, we invite you to join us on Thursday, October 22nd from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm for the second event of our monthly Until Justice Just Is Series, a workshop on Understanding Implicit Bias, facilitated by Executive Director Gail Fortes. Attendees will learn more about implicit bias and its impacts, and we will talk about what practical steps we can all take to try to reduce or eliminate it. We will acknowledge our unconscious bias and accept responsibility for it by increasing our understanding of how bias, racism, and privilege operate systematically and together.
#EnduringChange Women's March
If you'd like, you can RSVP for the event here: http://tinyurl.com/EnduringChangeSC. Though no RSVP is necessary, this will add you to the mailing list and you'll be kept up-to-date on the event.
Be sure to use the hashtag #EnduringChange to share your photos and videos next Saturday! Let's keep this important conversation going!
For more information, please contact ec.southcoast@gmail.com
"What Is Whiteness? Exploring White Racial Identity," a seminar and reflective workshop
On Zoom
Community Reading Circle and Book Discussion
Tuesdays, October 6th, 2020 - November 10th, 2020
5:30 - 7:00 pm
On Zoom
Women of Color Lighting the Way to Equality
Thursday, September 17th, 2020
7:00 - 8:30 pm
On Zoom
Regional Town Hall on Early Education and Care
Thursday, September 3rd, 2020
6:30 – 8:00 pm
On Zoom
Child care providers, educators, and parents from Southeastern Massachusetts will share their personal stories about the struggles of providing and accessing child care during the COVID-19 crisis during a virtual town hall on Thursday, September 3rd, at 6:30pm. During the event, hosted by the Southeastern Massachusetts chapter of the Common Start Coalition, local parents, educators, and child care providers will discuss the need for high-quality early education and child care to be affordable and accessible to all Massachusetts families.
Please contact Jordan Latham at jlatham@ywcasema.org with any additional questions.
Missed our event? Not to worry! Click here to watch anytime.
We Need To Talk About: White Feminism
Tuesday, August 18th, 2020
6:00 - 7:30 pm
On Zoom
Hosted by YWCA Southeastern Massachusetts and YWCA Cambridge, this virtual workshop is focused on unpacking white feminism and discussing strategies for dismantling it. Readings, videos, and podcast episodes will be shared one week before the workshop. Registration closes at midnight on 8/11/20. This workshop will NOT be recorded and distributed.
Please email Jordan Latham at jlatham@ywcasema.org or call (508) 999-3255 for more information.
What Is Whiteness? Exploring White Racial Identity
Stand Against Racism 2020 - Suppressed: The Fight To Vote
Saturday April 25, 2020
7:00 - 8:00 pm
On Zoom
Join YWCA Southeastern Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Alliance of YWCAs on Saturday April 25th for an engaging discussion of the documentary Suppressed: The Right to Vote and ways we can all work to remove barriers to voting and enfranchise individuals, families, and communities. We are #OnAMission to eliminate racism because everyone deserves equity and justice.
Join us this year to take a #StandAgainstRacism
Please email Jordan Latham at jlatham@ywcasema.org or call (508) 999-3255 for more information.
Period Poverty Consciousness Raising
Wednesday March 4, 2020
UMass Dartmouth Center for Women, Gender, & Sexuality
10:30 – 12:00 pm
Together YWCA and MassNOW are raising awareness about the I AM Bill, An Act to Increase Access to Disposable Menstrual Products in Prisons, Homeless Shelters, and Public Schools. All are invited to join and learn more about this Bill!
Please email Jordan Latham at jlatham@ywcasema.org or call (508) 999-3255 for more information, or to schedule your own consciousness raising!
2020 International Women’s Day
Thursday, March 5, 2020
YWCA Standish House
20 South Sixth Street, New Bedford, MA 02740
5:00 – 8:00 pm
Come celebrate International Women’s Day with us! Bring your friends for a casual night of networking in New Bedford. A cash bar and refreshments will be available. Please consider bringing a donation of menstrual hygiene products if you’re able!
Please RSVP to Jordan Latham at jlatham@ywcasema.org
IGNITE: A Youth Showcase of Art Inspired by Historic Women of the SouthCoast
Thursday, March 12, 2020 6:00 – 8:00 pm
New Bedford Whaling Museum
Free!
ART IGNITES HISTORY! See and experience powerful art created by young artists and inspired by remarkable women from history. Many of these original artworks – whether exhibited, written, or performed – highlight the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, honor the unfinished legacy of the women’s suffrage movement, or highlight civically engaged women featured in the New Bedford Whaling Museum project Lighting the Way: Historic Women of the SouthCoast. All pieces included in the IGNITE Showcase are eligible for a cash award based on their relevance, creativity, and originality.