As an agency serving the entire community, why close on International Women’s Day?
We are an agency with an origin story led by women. For over 132 years the agency, the building and the programs have been built and conceived by women and often for the women of Lancaster county.
While our programs and staffing are far more diverse today, we recognize the many examples of barriers that keep women’s progress stagnant.
It is for this reason that we pause on March 8, in solidarity with women around the world who face obstacles even larger than we face but together we know we are critical to the future of our countries and our world.
We stand in support of gender equality and women’s rights which includes trans women’s rights and marginalized women’s rights.
We stand in gratitude for the hundreds of childcare workers who have helped to raise this counties children within our childcare programs and the hundreds of women who have laid their head in the safety of our residence rooms and the hundreds of women who call us every year seeking support from sexual abuse.
Take a moment to thank a woman on March 8, and throughout the month of March, take an opportunity to expand your knowledge of Women’s history.
This year’s theme is #ChooseToChallenge. A challenged world is an alert world. Individually, we're all responsible for our own thoughts and actions — all day, every day.
We can all choose to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality.
We can all choose to seek out and celebrate women's achievements. Collectively, we can all help create an inclusive world. From challenge comes change, so let's all choose to challenge.
To celebrate International Women’s Day, YWCA Lancaster’s Facebook page will have ways of getting involved, such as:
- Lists of stories about women who changed the world.
- Highlights of female-led podcasts that explore issues of gender equality, social justice, and empowerment.
- We’ll share Lancaster’s Small Business Directory, Created by ASSETS, that features diverse and inclusive local businesses and allows viewers to filter their search by industry, as well as woman-owned and person of color-owned businesses.
- We’ll have information on YWCA Lancaster’s Mobilize Through Movies that focuses on movies, TV series, and videos relating to issues of social justice and takes place monthly on Zoom. The next discussion will take place on March 9th and will focus on Kimberle Crenshaw’s TED Talk on the Urgency of Intersectionality and Ericka Hart’s speech from the Women’s March in Philadelphia, in honor of Women’s History Month.
- Plus, we’ll explore LancasterHistory’s timeline of Women of Lancaster County, and learn about the many contributions of women from the 17th century to the present day.
There is still a need to celebrate International Women’s Day. According to their website, “There's no place for complacency. According to the World Economic Forum, sadly none of us will see gender parity in our lifetimes, and nor likely will many of our children. Gender parity will not be attained for almost a century. There's urgent work to do — and we can all play a part.”
