“I want for myself what I want for other women, absolute equality.” ~ Agnes Macphail
LEADERSHIP MESSAGE

Dear YWCA Toronto Community,

March 21st, was the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which is observed annually on the day the police in South Africa, killed 69 peaceful, anti-apartheid, demonstrators in 1960.

At YWCA Toronto, we recognize the importance of this day and see it as an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to combatting racial discrimination, inequity and injustice. There is no denying that collectively, we have a lot of work to do to achieve racial justice but we are committed to doing our part.

Please take a moment to read our statement and view this beautiful poster with a simple, yet powerful message – We All Belong Here.

March is also Women’s History Month. In the pursuit of equality, women have been and continue to be leaders. This month allows us to recognize and applaud the contributions of women everywhere, including our very own Women of Distinction.  

On March 8th, International Women’s Day, we announced the names of seven trailblazing women who will be recognized at our 42nd Women of Distinction Awards Gala. These women are brave champions of gender equity and we are proud to celebrate them.

To all of the supporters in our YWCA Toronto community, thank you for being here and for all that you do to enrich the lives of women, girls and gender diverse people. 

Warmly, 

Heather McGregor
Chief Executive Officer
YWCA Toronto
ADVOCACY CORNER
Celebrating Equity

On March 4th, we took to the streets of Toronto with countless feminists to #EmbraceEquity at the 2023 International Women’s Day (IWD) march. It was energizing to be back in person for this event for the first time in two years!
 
Our IWD advocacy efforts continued on March 8th as we joined hundreds of other organizations to declare that ‘there’s no gender equality without trans women’ and signed a letter from #Women4GunControl calling for a federal ban on assault-style firearms.

And on March 17th, we joined our YWCA Ontario Coalition in sending a letter to Ontario’s Solicitor General to urge the province to take meaningful action on the Renfrew County Inquest recommendations. Read the full letter here.
PROGRAM UPDATE
Summers of the Bay

A past camper and now councillor at YWCA Toronto’s Camp Tapawingo shared her fond memories of spending the summers on the beautiful shores of Georgian Bay in our most recent blog post. Summers spent at camp helped her to build strong friendships, confidence and leadership skills. We are inspired by this story and so honoured to be part of her journey!

Camp Tapawingo continues to open its cabin doors to young campers, adults and families for the 2023 season. To register for camp or for adult and family programs, click here.
PHILANTHROPY HIGHLIGHT
Early Bird Tickets Available Now

Join us for the 42nd YWCA Toronto Women of Distinction Awards Gala to honour the achievements of seven remarkable women and raise vital funds for over 13,000 women, girls and gender diverse people in the GTA.

Purchase a ticket or table or donate now. You can help women, girls and gender diverse people flee violence, secure housing, find jobs and thrive.

For more information, contact:
Jacqueline Willis, Event & Stewardship Officer JWills@ywcatoronto.org or
Liz Chornenki, Annual Giving Officer LChornenki@ywcatoronto.org, 416.961.8101 x360.
COMMUNITY RESOURCES
YWCA Toronto’s policy priorities for 2022/2023

Earlier this month we shared YWCA Toronto’s policy priorities for 2022/2023, a resource intended to provide a general overview of the scope of our policy positions – a snapshot of the public stance we are taking on issues that impact the communities we serve. In this ever shifting political and social climate, we remain committed to systemic advocacy in support of gender equity, racial justice and poverty reduction. 

We hope you enjoy engaging with this document! For greater detail about our policy positions, you can also refer to this larger brief.
Photo | Courtesy of YWCA Canada
Survivor-led Recommendations to Inform Changemakers


The report highlights recommendations, key learnings and concrete calls to action co-developed by over 60 civil society organizations and communities across Canada. As the Federal governments’ National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence is being phased in, it is necessary to keep our collective attention on survivor-led recommendations for systems level change.
Edgy
Women. Life. Freedom.
 
Following the death of Mahsa Amini at the hands of the Islamic regime in Iran last September for wearing her hijab “improperly,” the cutting of hair became a potent act of protest in the women-led revolution in Iran. As a symbol of solidarity, we cut ours to stand with the women and girls of Iran.

In collaboration with YWCA Metro Vancouver and Rethink Communications, an external creative agency, we launched the Hopeful Hair campaign. Visit our site to learn how you can take action and protect the human rights and freedoms of women in Iran.
Announcing the 42nd Women of Distinction Award Recipients
 
On International Women’s Day, we proudly announced the names of seven incredible women who will be recognized at our 42nd Women of Distinction Awards Gala on June 8th. These women are trailblazers in their fields and committed champions of gender equity.
 
Please join us in celebrating Melissa Alexander, Manvir Bhangu, Agapi Gessesse, Dr. Notisha Massaquoi, Daphne Taras, Dr. Umut Duygu Uzunel and Charlie Wall-Andrews!

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
YWCA Toronto operates on the traditional territory of the Huron-Wendat and Petun First Nations, the Seneca, and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. We are grateful to work on this territory as we strive to build a more equitable and just city for women, girls, and gender diverse people. For a full land acknowledgment, please visit our website.