Five Years Forward: Continuing the Work of Justice at YWCA Lancaster
A Call to Action Born from Tragedy
This October, YWCA Lancaster’s Center for Racial and Gender Equity (CRGE) will be celebrating its 5th anniversary. The CRGE was born in 2020, after the murder of George Floyd, and the obvious responsibility our mission requires. During that time, many of us who value justice work responded in our own ways: we educated ourselves, we marched in the streets, we attended events that educated our communities on the harms of white supremacy culture. Many of us felt the need to do something to prevent the needless deaths of Black Americans. In 2020, YWCA recommitted itself to being a catalyst for change.
The Reality Five Years Later
We recently saw the 5th anniversary of George Floyd’s death. News outlets reported that things have not improved. The number of individuals killed by the police has increased each year, the vast majority of whom are Native American and Black. Meanwhile, the pavement that once displayed a massive Black Lives Matter sign in DC was intentionally dismantled.
Many companies that once committed to improving the health and well-being of Black people have largely discontinued their efforts. Programs specifically aimed at righting the wrongs resulting from the legacy of slavery are repeatedly under threat.
Staying the Course Amid Challenges
At YWCA Lancaster, we remain committed to our mission to eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, dignity, freedom, and justice for all. It has not been easy. Many nonprofits with explicit missions to support the most marginalized among us have been frozen into submission for fear of a loss of funding. Some have already lost funding but are still doing what they can to meet the needs of their communities. It is an uneasy time for many of us. No one wants to be in the crosshairs, but by the same token, to be in the crosshairs likely means you are doing your justice work effectively.
Justice in Action: Programs and Progress
For our part, YWCA Lancaster remains undeterred in our work. Currently, we are rolling out our monthly Justice Now series—free to the community and aimed at those who care about social justice.
Sustaining Ourselves, Sustaining the Movement
We have revamped our Workplace, Excellence, and Belonging (WEB) workshops for employers and organizations who want to ensure their spaces are accessible and welcoming for all—which is simply good business sense. We offer these sessions on a sliding scale and for various topics related to inclusion and belonging.
We are also reviving our Dorothy Height Social Justice Club, because this is what the moment continues to call for. The club will be another way to engage the community in thoughtful discussions around justice work. Our first event is a “Rest is Resistance” book and yoga club beginning at the end of June. “Caring for myself," wrote the poet Audre Lorde, "is not self-indulgence. It is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.”
We recognize this work can be exhausting, and it is not for the faint of heart. People still need spaces to rest and find joy, as well as inspiration, while in community with others.
Justice is a Long Journey—Join Us
We recognize that the work of our mission is generational work. While it often feels like the arc of the moral universe is bending away from justice, it does not relieve any of us from our responsibility to move the needle towards a more just and safe future for all. YWCA Lancaster has been here since 1889, and we do not plan to abandon our post anytime soon. We invite you to join us: attend and/or volunteer in our programs, nominate a Woman of Achievement, join our team if you have the skills, join one of our advisory committees, or partner with us on community projects. We proudly continue our work to ensure that justice just is.
About the Author
Susan Knoll's exemplifies the values at the heart of YWCA Lancaster’s mission to eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. She has a deep commitment to fostering equitable environments, championing social justice, and driving systemic change. Whether advocating for marginalized communities, shaping policies to address pressing social issues, or creating innovative programs to support diverse populations, Susan has demonstrated a passion for building inclusive, supportive spaces where individuals and communities can thrive.