LEADERSHIP MESSAGE

Dear YWCA Toronto Community,

Today, on Transgender Day of Visibility, we honour the strength, brilliance, and resilience of trans communities. To commemorate the day, our Gender Diversity Inclusion Committee has curated a blog full of resources to support our learning and unlearning journeys. 

March 31 also marks the end of Women’s History Month, an opportunity to honour the women who have shaped history and the feminist movement. This year, we join feminists across the country in rejecting any attempt to frame trans inclusion as a threat to women through Queer Momentum’s Women for Trans Rights campaign. We have said it before and we will say it again, there is no gender equity without trans liberation. 

This month also included the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. At YWCA Toronto we used this opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to combatting racial discrimination, inequity and injustice. 

This period of heightened violence, inequity and uncertainty across the globe has rightly urged us to reflect on and consider how we show up for one another – at work, at home, in community. As a feminist organization committed to peace, equity, justice, and human rights, we take our responsibility to speak out against injustice seriously. Last week, we shared a statement denouncing war and the harm it inflicts, and we extended our solidarity to all those seeking peace and resisting oppression. You can read our full statement here. 

At YWCA Toronto, our advocacy is grounded in the belief that a more just world is possible. Now more than ever, we are called to anchor ourselves in our shared humanity – and to intentionally care for one another with compassion and respect. 

Thank you for your continued support and commitment to peace, equity and justice. 



In solidarity,

Sami Pritchard

Director of Advocacy and Communications

YWCA Toronto

Positive Journeys — Pregnancy, Strength and Living Well with HIV



Last year’s Young Woman of Distinction Award recipient, Dr. Aditi Sivakumar, used her Julia M. Ruby grant to produce a short film about the experiences of women navigating pregnancy while living with HIV.

The film, Positive Journeys — Pregnancy, Strength and Living Well with HIV, shares powerful stories and expert perspectives while challenging the stigma that surrounds pregnancy and HIV. Together, we learn that with the right care, support, and community, healthy pregnancies and thriving families are possible for those living with HIV.

Watch the video here.

Bill C‑12 Puts Migrant Women and Gender‑Diverse People at Risk

Bill C‑12, the Strengthening Canada’s Immigration System and Borders Act, threatens the safety and rights of women, girls, and gender diverse migrants. It will deepen vulnerabilities for survivors of violence, migrant workers in feminized sectors, and anyone living with precarious status.

We shared a letter to the Senate urging members to reject Bill C‑12, challenge harmful narratives that blame migrants for systemic issues like the housing crisis, and support permanent status for all.

Unfortunately, despite significant concerns raised, the bill became law last week.

Read our letter to the Senate to learn more.