Our View – The YW Blog
July 2015
Corralling our video reactions
Somewhere over the years in the midst of the horses and country music, an increase in alcohol consumption and blatant sexism became prominent components of our annual celebration of western culture, the Calgary Stampede. This[...]
June 2015
Alberta’s minimum wage increase addresses poverty, women’s equality
As Calgary’s largest and longest serving women’s organization, we are focused each day on our vision of “women thriving in a safe and equitable community.” Through our front line work providing emergency shelter, housing, counseling[...]
Truth and Reconciliation – We each have a role
For over a century, the central goals of Canada’s Aboriginal policy were to eliminate Aboriginal governments; ignore Aboriginal rights; terminate the Treaties; and, through a process of assimilation, cause Aboriginal peoples to cease to exist[...]
May 2015
Reflections on my experience in a shelter
On May 7, Ayesha Hasaan joined us along with 50 other participants for our YWCA Keep A Roof Over Their Heads® fundraising event, where participants spend one night on a cot in our Winter Emergency[...]
It can start at the top
You cannot be what you cannot see. So goes the motto for the 2011 documentary Miss Representation. Through a critical analysis of media portrayals, the film highlights the criticality of role models in encouraging young[...]
Mother’s Day at the YW
Mothers’ Day has a lot of meaning here at the YW. It’s bittersweet. It’s a time when our little Pandas, Bunnies, Koalas and Chipmunks are busy creating artwork and crafts that will be treasured. It’s[...]
Voting for Justice
Over the past several weeks, provincial candidates have been sharing their thoughts and opinions on the future of Alberta as they campaign for the votes we will cast on Tuesday, May 5. As this article:[...]
April 2015
Sexist assumptions limit women
Remember when Barbie told girls math was hard? In October 1992, the Teen Talk Barbie uttered the phrase “math class is tough”, a statement that awarded Mattel Inc. a great deal of criticism from American[...]
Calling for a Safe, Respectful Red Mile
A great playoff start by our Calgary Flames is worth getting excited about but, this week, I’m also cheering the plucky upstarts behind an emerging campaign for a Safe Red Mile. In response to reports[...]
Volunteers key to our mission – a message of thanks!
National Volunteer Week, Canada’s largest celebration of volunteerism and civic participation, is April 12 through 18th. Albertans have a rich history of volunteering and community involvement, and have been celebrating National Volunteer Week for more[...]
Fundraisers return: a chat with Nadine and Aisha
“Is that the one where people sleep on cots?” We hear this question a lot in lead up to our annual fundraising event YWCA KEEP A ROOF OVER THEIR HEADS®. The answer in short is,[...]
March 2015
Stop cyberbullying: start with compassion
Cyberbullying, or the use of information technology to repeatedly and deliberately harass other people, is a relatively new term. Yet it has become such a common act since 1998 that we are already in need[...]
Fresh starts and opportunities
On the first day of spring, many of us are thinking about fresh starts, house cleaning and ideas for the garden that is yet to sprout. For many however, it is just another day when[...]
International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day is on Sunday, March 8, 2015. The first International Women's Day was observed on March 19, 1911 in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. More than one million women and men showed[...]
In Memory of Donalda Vine-Mutton
Donalda Vine-Mutton, a long-time ambassador, alumnae and supporter of the YWCA, passed away on Friday, February 20, 2015 at 88 years of age. Donalda was connected to the YWCA for more than 60 years. In[...]
February 2015
Reflections on the YWCA Canada Young Women’s Leadership Conference
Imagine calling up 130 of your best feminist lady-friends from across the nation and heading off to Southern Ontario for a weekend of growth, learning, and sharing. Recently I had the pleasure of doing just[...]