It’s not often that you get to be part of something historic, but last week a team of three from our YW were with YWCA Canada as we made history. It was the first time that 32 member associations (other YWCA’s in Canada) have come together as “the movement” to advocate on a national [...]
Can you name the first black woman who was elected to Calgary's city council? Did you know that the first blind woman to earn a Doctorate in Musical Arts came from Calgary? If you’re silently shaking your head, worry not because there are many more than haven’t heard about women’s impact on history. At [...]
One year ago today we dropped the ‘of’ and became YW Calgary. It took five years of vision, programmatic and strategic organizational change to launch a brand that represented who we are today: an organization that is women-centred, brighter-future focused. The process began in 2012 with a market survey to help us clarify our [...]
On October 5th, three decades of alleged sexual harassment at the hands of Harvey Weinstein came to light from a New York Times expose. Media reports have highlighted the sad reality in which many knew, or heard whisperings and chose to do nothing creating a culture of complicity and environment where this behaviour thrived. [...]
Voting is a critical responsibility that we all have as citizens. It’s a right, and a privilege, to have the opportunity to partake in the political process and make our democracy work. As the largest and longest serving women’s organization in Calgary, there are many issues at a municipal, provincial and federal level that [...]
This week's blog post features an interview with YW's Crisis Shelter and Outreach Manager, Allison Mclauchlan. YW offers a safe place for women and children fleeing violence as they heal, and continued support as they plan for the next stage in their lives. Q: What misconceptions do people have about women and abuse? A: Foremost [...]
Can you name your current school board trustee? What about your city councilor? Heck, do you even know what ward you live in? Well for some, the deafening silence you’re experiencing is not uncommon, especially if you look at voter turnout for municipal elections. However, come October 16, the fate of Calgary’s mayor and [...]
The YW Sheriff King Home crisis shelter opened in Inglewood in 1984, and after more than 30 years in the community, YW is pleased to announce we’ll be growing our presence with a new location, a two-acre site at 1715 17 Ave SE (formerly the site of Westkey Storage). The YW Hub Facility is [...]
“’Was he physical?’ I wonder if they are imagining what my face would look like black and blue. I know they are asking for proof that my relationship was, by popular definition, abusive and then they want to know why I stayed. The truth is that the few times he hit me were tiny [...]
This week's blog is brought authored by B.H., a YW team member and advocate extraordinaire. Calgary Pride 2017 is this weekend and I find myself reflecting on change. Pride has grown in Calgary year-after-year resulting in a need to expand to a larger location to accommodate the crowds. Political controversy abounds at Pride events [...]
