Governor Ige Signs Women’s Legislative Caucus Bills

SB 2637 secures funding for women’s community-based furlough programs ensuring the successful reentry of women from incarceration.

Today, July 6, 2022, Governor Ige joined us at YWCA Laniākea to sign five new bills into law, including SB 2637 that ensures that Fernhurst, our community-based work furlough program, can continue to help women reenter society after incarceration. The Hawai‘i Women's Legislative Caucus as well as members of the Judiciary and Hawaii Prison Project also attended to witness the signing of these bills that promote the wellbeing of women and their children in Hawai‘i.

YWCA O‘ahu is grateful to the elected officials and community members who supported these measures throughout the legislative process. In particular, Senator Rosalyn Baker has been integral in advocating for our community-based furlough program and we thank her for her tireless work to codify crucial funding into law.

CEO Noriko Namiki was present to celebrate this event and commented:

"Today we celebrate the Governor's signing of SB 2637, which mandates that there be a community-based work furlough for women in our state and provides an appropriation. We appreciate the work done by the Women's Legislative Caucus on this bill and for women's community-based work furlough over the years and look forward to working together with the Department of Public Safety to best utilize these funds."

Click here to view a complete photo gallery of the ceremony.

Click here to view the Women’s Legislative Caucus’ full press release.

Roe v. Wade Overturned: What You Need to Know

Posted by YWCA USA on June 24, 2022

Today, June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS), issued the anticipated ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. This means that abortion is no longer Constitutionally protected in the United States, leaving this fundamental right at the mercy of state governments and creating a patchwork of jurisdictions where abortion care will be available. Read on to learn more about what this means, some of the ways this ruling will impact the communities YWCA serves, and for action steps you can take to continue to advocate for safe, legal abortion. 

WHAT HAPPENED

Abortion has or will soon become illegal in 26 states, including 13 states – known as “trigger” states – that already had laws on the books to ban abortion as soon as Roe v. Wade was overturned. Before this publication and Supreme Court decision, 16 states and the District of Columbia had passed laws to protect abortion.

YWCA FULLY SUPPORTS ACCESS TO ABORTION

YWCA has supported abortion as a fundamental right for the last 50 years. In fact, YWCA USA led a coalition of partner organizations in submitting an amicus brief to the Supreme Court commenting on this case and outlining our unwavering support for access to abortion care.

Make no mistake; this is a devastating moment for all communities.

But, here are three key reasons why this means so very much for our YWCA family and the people we serve:

1. As the largest network of domestic violence service providers in the nation, we recognize the deep connection between sexual violence and abortion.
   

   • Abortion bans are unnecessarily triggering for survivors, who are already working to heal from attacks on bodily autonomy.

   • A number of states fail to provide for rape and incest exemptions – forcing disclosure and, deplorably, proof from survivors in order to gain a safe, legal abortion, further violating a birthing person’s power over their own body.

   • As our domestic and sexual violence service providers know all too well, there’s a wealth of research demonstrating the inextricable links between access to abortion and intimate partner violence.

   • Women of color, particularly Black women, will be disproportionately impacted, as they experience intimate partner violence at higher rates than their white counterparts.

2. As a federation of organizations dedicated to the elimination of racism and discrimination, YWCA recognizes abortion bans and restrictions as direct assaults on women and birthing people of color, people with disabilities, people who are low-income or living in poverty, and the LGBTQ community.
   

   • Thanks to deeply embedded racist and sexist legacies in the U.S. health care and other systems, these groups are already navigating and suffering the consequences of discriminatory systems.

   • We are at crisis levels for Black and American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) maternal deaths, which are three to four times higher than for their white counterparts. Banning abortion strips medical professionals and pregnant people – including those beyond 15 weeks – of making those decisions and will further exacerbate this crisis.

3. As an organization that fights for economic and educational justice for women and girls – especially women and girls of color – we know that lack of access to abortion has long-term negative consequences, impacting everything from educational achievement to financial security.
   

   • In particular, for low-income people and those living in poverty, abortion bans are especially devasting. Access to workplace accommodations, like paid sick days and reliable scheduling are critical for those seeking abortion care. However, women of color disproportionately occupy jobs that offer neither, adding another layer of barriers for these groups.

   • Low-income people are more likely to rely on public transportation or to share a car with a spouse or other household members, making physical transportation a very real barrier to accessing abortion care. Not surprisingly, several states that already had deeply paternalistic abortion and reproductive health care laws – like the trigger states noted above – are least likely to invest money in infrastructure and public transport.

   • For people with disabilities, who are disproportionately low income or living in poverty and who are less likely to have job stability than their non-disabled counterparts, experience the negative impacts of abortion bans even more acutely.

As Margaret Mitchell, CEO of YWCA USA, noted in a statement released earlier today, “We, and our communities, deserve better. We deserve leaders who trust pregnant persons to know what is right for their own bodies and lives. We deserve to live free from the threat of being criminalized for making decisions about our health, our lives, and our families. Bodily autonomy and the right to have an abortion are fundamental rights, despite what this Court has ruled.”

HOW TO TAKE ACTION

Despite the Supreme Court’s decision to ignore half a century of legal precedent, guidance from the medical community, and, of course, the wisdom of people to know how to govern their own bodies, we can – and must – fight back. These three next steps can help you get started:

• Tell your senators to support the Women’s Health Protection Act (4132), which would protect abortion access through legislative action.

• Do what you can to support state abortion funds and other, local abortion and reproductive health funds, like this one, led by YWCA Kalamazoo. These funds provide logistical and financial support for those seeking abortion care.

• VOTE IN NOVEMBER. This fall, thousands of seats — from the U.S. House and Senate to governors and state and local legislators and officials – are up for grabs. Visit our GOTV page — which will continue to be updated — to learn more and to help ensure members of your community are registered to vote.

We will rise together, we will hold space for the losses that are sure to come in our communities together, and — most importantly — we will continue to fight for the nation YWCA envisions; one free of racism and sexism, and one in which women and girls — particularly women and girls of color — can reach their full potential.

Supreme Court Overturns Roe v. Wade

THE SUPREME COURT AND ACCESS TO ABORTION

Abortion is no longer constitutionally protected in the United States of America. 

Posted by YWCA USA on June 24, 2022

For the last five decades, armed with the knowledge that the right to determine their reproductive future was protected by Roe, young women and others who are able to become pregnant have had the ability to invest in their futures — be it through education, training, vocation, career, and everything in between. We know that abortion bans push young people out of the workplace and limit their educational opportunities and careers, with lifelong consequences that can and will impact economic stability and opportunity for themselves and their families. For people of color, those consequences are more severe due to existing systemic racial inequities.

YWCA has supported access to abortion for more than 50 years. Most recently, to ensure the experiences and voices of young people are heard by the Supreme Court, YWCA USA proudly submitted an amicus or “friend of the court” brief in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the case that ultimately overturned Roe v. Wade. This brief clearly outlines why YWCA USA firmly believes that access to abortion is a fundamental right. In response to this devastating decision by the Court, YWCA USA CEO, Margaret Mitchell, issued this statement.

Today, we’re in solidarity with advocates, leaders, parents, survivors of violence, allies, and everyone who believes that abortion is a fundamental right. Join our call to Congress to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would codify protection for abortion and remove burdensome and often medically unnecessary restrictions, including mandatory ultrasounds, waiting periods, biased counseling, and irrelevant medical testing.

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For more than fifty years, YWCA USA has supported the reproductive freedom of all people to make fundamental decisions about whether and when to have children. We are striving to create a world in which all women—especially women of color—are free from racism and sexism, and can thrive. We refuse to sit on the sidelines during this historic moment.

Celebrating 50 years of Title IX

On June 23, 1972 President Nixon signed into law Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 later renamed the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act in honor of the late Congresswoman. Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any federally funded program, including higher education.

Click here to learn more about the history of Title IX and the protections it affords.

We Stand Against Racism because We Can’t Wait: We Need Equity & Justice Now!

At YWCA, we believe that our country was founded on the idea of building a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. However, more than two hundred years later, this vision has yet to be fully realized. That is why this year’s theme for Stand Against Racism, We Can’t Wait: Equity and Justice Now! was inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s book, “Why We Can’t Wait”, to honor generations of civil rights activism that led to important advancements in legal, political, social, and educational spaces for many people. The theme also reiterates the urgency by which we must collectively root out inequality in our communities and in the institutions that compose our society, by demanding justice and equity for people of color now!

During our national event, global thought leader, orator, peace advocate, and CEO of The King Center for Nonviolent Social Change, Dr. Bernice A. King, sat down with YWCA USA CEO Margaret Mitchell to talk the importance of protecting our voting rights, living wage and universal income, building beloved communities which center radical nonviolent action and justice, and how regular people, advocates, and social justice organizations can stand against racism and further the #FreedomStruggle.

Additionally, we were joined by Sharmen Gowens (CEO of YWCA of Greater Atlanta) and Shannon Isom (President and CEO of YWCA Dayton), who provided powerful remarks on the collective power of YWCA and how YWCAs across the country are working to root out inequity in the communities we serve every day. If you missed the livestream, watch the recording above. 

Every year, Stand Against Racism (SAR) is held to raise awareness about the negative effects of institutional and structural racism in our communities, as well as to foster community among people fighting for racial justice. During this year’s campaign, we were pleased to host over 50 events and reach thousands of individuals across the country and around the globe.

New this year, we offered people from all walks of life the opportunity to take the  Stand Against Racism (SAR) Challenge. This 21-day challenge is designed to help foster a virtual community of growth and learning around social, systemic, and institutional racial inequity by providing participants with dedicated time and space to build more effective social justice habits, particularly those dealing with issues of race, power, privilege, and leadership. This year, over 16,000 participants had the opportunity to learn more about critical race theory, reproductive justice, living wage, as well as equal representation in film and television.

Our annual Stand Against Racism was a success, but the fight for racial equity and justice doesn’t stop! You can continue standing against racism by contacting your Members of Congress and urging them to declare racism a public health crisis, pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, and support the Women’s Health Protection Act! You can also follow YWCA USA on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram, speak out, and stay connected with the movement by telling the world why you #StandAgainstRacism.

As we close out this year’s campaign, we ask our allies and comrades to heed the call to action offered by Dr. King during the event, “There has to be a galvanizing of a critical mass to bring about change. If we don’t work together, progress is going to continue to be incremental, not substantial.” With those words in mind, we hope you will continue standing with us as we carry out our bold mission to eliminate racism and empower women!

Published by YWCA USA on May 6, 2022.