Speak Up

The YWCA’s annual Week Without Violence™ is this week October 14 – 20

The topic being discussed among the YWCA organizations are: 

Women and girls can face interlocking barriers, such as sexism and racism, which play integral roles in our understanding and awareness of how and why violence is propagated. The question for many on the frontlines becomes: how can we more effectively encourage our communities to help put an end to all forms of violence, while considering the influence of systems like racism and sexism? What will it take to end violence against women and girls?

Two other questions being posed in this national discussion are: What are the biggest challenges? What still needs to be done? 

As much as we would like it to be, the answer just isn't simple.  It is multi-layered and complicated.  It takes many people to be involved, not just the victims and the perpetrators. It takes a change in policies, ideas, and attitudes.  It takes improvements in our education and economic systems.

It takes change and effort on everyone's behalf:  Be the volunteer, write the check, send that email to the legislators, refuse to buy the violent game/movie/music, refuse to use or accept unkind words, speak up.

Actually that. Maybe the answer is simply that: SPEAK UP.  
No matter the forum or the method: Speak up. Violence hides and if we all speak up, it leaves violence no where to hide.

Her Choices Are Unlimited

Ally is my seven-year-old niece.  As she was opening presents at her birthday party (that included squirt guns, kites, and skateboards) it occurred to me that her life growing up will be quite different from when I was her age.  It will be still more drastically different from when her grandmother grew up.

Ally will never know what it is like to be considered a second-class citizen, without the right to vote, to own a business, or even be unaccompanied while shopping in town.  She won’t know that once the only option for women was to get married and have children.  In her world, there is no reason whatsoever not be an astronaut, computer technician, or politician. 

She will never understand why girls couldn’t play little league baseball or until recently, wrestling and football.  She will never know that it isn’t okay to wear pants to school or that black & brown aren’t “girl colors or that skateboards and squirt guns aren’t girl toys.

Ally won’t know that it was once unacceptable to love someone of the same gender and will think how funny we must have been to care about who someone loves.

Ally will know how to fix her own car.  She may also know how to sew on a button.  She can excel at science and know how to bake a birthday cake. These skills are not mutually exclusive in Ally’s world. 

Just thirty years ago women were expected to hold jobs like waitress or secretary, never CEO or airplane pilot.  Now Ally can be a racecar driver like her grandpa or run heavy equipment like her uncle. She can be a firefighter, biologist or detective.  There are no boundaries for her.

She probably won’t hear “You can’t do that because you’re a girl” or “Girls shouldn’t…” in her lifetime. Her choices are unlimited now.   What a wonderful world she is experiencing.

Clean Out Your Closets! Bring it Here!

There are many volunteers here at the YWCA Bellingham.  Our main volunteer program is The Boutique which provides free clothing for women in need.  

There are just over 400 women who use the Boutique annually.  We are able to provide everything from socks to coats and everything in between.  Volunteers work with the clients to choose clothing that suits their body type, their need, and their personality.

We estimate that approximately two shopping carts full of clothing arrive here each day.  That's a LOT of clothing!!  We share clothing with the Bellingham Theatre Guild's costume department, the local ARC association, and just recently agreed to share donations with Wise Buys.

The most often asked question is "What do you need?"  The list of what we take for the Boutique is quite simple: we aren't able to take used toiletries, cosmetics, or panties.  Everything else: clothing, coats, shoes, purses, bras, jewelry is welcome.  We only request that the items be clean, in good repair, and somewhat timely. (no 80's dayglo sweatshirts or Grammy's favorite polyester dress, please)

We have had many success stories from the Boutique, from successful job interviews to a beautiful prom dress for a teenager in need.

“I went to the Back to Work Boutique at the YWCA in Bellingham.  It is a great program and I got a lot of nice outfits.  The woman that worked there was very helpful.  She found clothes for me to try on and I really liked her selecting clothing that would look good on me. Thank you.”

The Boutique depends on the generosity of our community. The next time you clean out that closet or dresser drawer, think of us.  We have friends who would love to have it!