YWCA Toronto - The Feminist Edge

“I raise up my voice — not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard.”

~ Malala Yousafzai

LEADERSHIP MESSAGE

Dear YWCA Toronto Community,

I hope you are keeping well and enjoying your summer!

Thank you to everyone who participated in our #ShowUpTO campaign! Our collective commitment to showing up for a better Toronto must be and will be ongoing! We extend our congratulations to all who ran in Toronto’s mayoral by-election and to our new Mayor, Olivia Chow. Ahead of Mayor Chow being sworn into office on July 12^th we welcomed her to our 87 Elm St. office to discuss potential solutions to several of the issues our communities are facing. Notably, we discussed how the City could support affordable, supportive housing and addressing intimate partner violence. We look forward to working alongside Mayor Chow and the rest of City Council to advance gender and racial equity, and reduce poverty and violence in Toronto over the coming months and years!

Best,

Sami Pritchard

Interim Director of Advocacy and Communications

YWCA Toronto

Sami attended a powerful vigil to commemorate the anniversary of the Culleton, Kuzyk & Warmerdam (CKW) femicide inquest in Renfrew County.

ADVOCACY CORNER

Addressing Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)

Last month, Interim Director of Advocacy and Communications, Sami Pritchard, joined violence against women advocates in Renfrew County on the first anniversary of the Culleton, Kuzyk & Warmerdam (CKW) femicide inquest. Advocates assessed progress made on the 86 inquest recommendations and developed strategic advocacy plans to address IPV.

The provincial government responded to the inquest recommendations, ultimately denying that intimate partner violence (IPV) is an epidemic. We responded to that denial, urging them to reconsider, and amped up our advocacy efforts by requesting Toronto’s new mayor declare IPV an epidemic in Toronto.

We also proudly endorsed a strong and urgent call to action led by our colleagues at Aura Freedom International and Women's Habitat of Etobicoke. Mayor Olivia Chow has since presented a recommendation to City Council to declare gender-based violence and intimate partner violence an epidemic – this proves that community action works!

PROGRAM UPDATE

Do you want to advance your digital literacy and unlock your digital career potential?

Consider joining YWCA Toronto’s free five-week Digital Skills Training Program. Starting September 18, this program will provide women and gender diverse individuals with tools to succeed in a digital workplace while helping them to develop their digital literacy and knowledge of key software tools.

An information session will be held on August 7^th and 21^st.

To register for an information session and/or to learn more about and/or register for the program contact 416.269.0091 or digitalskills@ywcatoronto.org.

Deadline for program registration is August 31, 2023!

150^th Anniversary button creative.

PHILANTHROPY HIGHLIGHT

Celebrate YWCA Toronto’s 150^th Anniversary By Investing in the Future

To mark the milestone of YWCA Toronto’s 150 ^th Anniversary, when you make a gift (of $20 or more) or become a monthly donor this year, we will send you our commemorative 150^thAnniversary button as a sign of appreciation for your role in transforming the lives of women, girls and gender diverse people.

Donate at ywcatoronto.org and add a comment that you would like to receive a button.

Photo | Courtesy of WomanACT

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

Technology Can Support Women Experiencing Violence

The Woman Abuse Council of Toronto (WomanACT) has shared the Tech for Women’s Justice report examining the intersections between intimate partner violence, legal help and technology. Data for the report was gathered through interviews and surveys with survivors of intimate partner violence which explored their experience using technology to access or receive legal information and support. The report provides significant insight into technology-facilitated violence and the wider and complex barriers faced by women in accessing justice.

Read the report to learn more about how technology can increase access to supports and safety.

Photo | Courtesy of Progress Toronto

Tell Parliament to Fund Shelter Space for Refugees and Asylum Seekers

Toronto’s shelter system is in crisis and refugee claimants are in urgent need of shelter, housing and services.

Last week, we joined advocates in front of the Toronto Streets to Homes Assessment and Referral Centre (SHARC), for a press conference calling for action to address the growing housing and shelter crises impacting refugees in Toronto.

We spoke about this crisis with Mayor Olivia Chow and have written to our MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, urging action.

Learn more and join us in taking action by signing Progress Toronto’s petition here.

Edgy

Cell service in the TTC

We joined TTCriders in sending a letter to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commissioners calling for all transit users to have access to cellular service, regardless of who their provider is while in the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) subway system.

Read the letter here.

Celebrating and Empowering Women and Girls in the South Asian Community

Manvir Bhangu, YWCA Toronto’s 2023 Young Woman of Distinction Award recipient, joined Shannon Martin on Our Toronto CBC to share her experience as a changemaker focused on education, empowerment and engagement for women and young girls. Manvir shares how her work as Executive Director of Laadliyan, Celebrating and Empowering Daughters, has impacted over 5800 girls and women in the South Asian community, and her hopes for the future.

Watch the interview here.

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 webs ite.

87 Elm Street, Toronto M5G 0A8 | 416.961.8100 | ywcatoronto.org

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