Community Awareness & Education
Educating And Mobilizing The Charlotte Community
YWCA is a nonpartisan organization that believes in supporting policies that promote the well-being of women and girls of color. We educate and mobilize our neighbors and community members through racial justice forums, book clubs and various shared resources.
Racial Justice Forums
YWCA Central Carolinas hosts multiple racial justice forums every year where we invite people of all socioeconomic backgrounds, ethnicities, genders and ages to have open conversations around challenging topics. The free community events draw audiences from all over our community and leave participants with an urgency to take action. After each forum, we collect feedback via anonymous surveys. Participants frequently say that the forums are extremely eye-opening, informative and give individuals the opportunity to share experiences in a brave space.
Click here for a list of previous Racial Justice Forums. Want to learn more about our next Racial Justice Forum? Visit our Events page!
Grow Your Capacity As A Racial Equity Advocate
YWCA Central Carolinas provides multiple resources and events for individuals to grow in their capacity and efforts as advocates for racial and social justice.
Learn what terms like implicit bias, institutional racism and ally mean as well as the difference is between advocacy and activism.
You can explore our YouTube page and learn how to become a court watcher with ACLU of NC, see how COVID-19 has impacted Charlotte institutions and watch our virtual forums like Addressing Racism as a Public Health Crisis.
YWCA hosts a quarterly book club that focuses on social justice issues. Each of our books connects to our mission. Need some more books to dive into outside of book club? See what readings our CEO, Kirsten Sikkelee, recommends.