Center for Racial and Gender Equity

Start or continue your racial equity journey here. Together we can build a more just Lancaster County.

YWCA Lancaster’s Center for Racial & Gender Equity (CRGE) engages in advocacy and education to turn our mission to eliminate racism and empower women into action through community-building opportunities.

Our full range of consulting, training and education, community engagement programs, racial equity resources, and annual events offers opportunities for all to develop the knowledge and resources to move towards racial equity.

How the Center builds community:

  • Education and Training

    The Center for Racial and Gender Equity’s education and training sessions provide a powerful foundation for the equity and inclusion work you may be planning for this year.

    We offer our Racial Equity Institute, single or multi-day trainings, as well as customized experiences to help you, your organization, or your business build your capacity in the equity space.

  • Policy and Advocacy

    YWCA Lancaster’s mission is to eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. We advocate for community action and public policy that advances economic security, promotes equality and human rights, and improves safety and wellness for women and families. Our values are centered on equity and inclusion, and as a result, we pay particular attention to the issues impacting people of color, women, girls, female-identifying individuals, LGBTQ+ and other historically marginalized communities.

  • Community Engagement Programs

    When people of different backgrounds come together to share stories, learn a common vocabulary, and commit to “staying in the conversation,” change is possible. Through our meet-ups, community members gain the confidence to speak out about racial injustice, build alliances across color lines, and develop a deeper understanding of the effects of racism on all of us – and then we can identify strategies that will move us toward racial equity.

Community Engagement

Our community engagement groups offer individuals the opportunity to come together and discuss current issues of racial justice, learn from one another, and deepen our ability to effectively talk about racism. All programs are free and open to the public.

  • The Lancaster Equity Profile is a county-wide report detailing the many inequities we face as a community. YWCA Lancaster is committed to supporting our community as we explore these data points detailing the opportunities we have to address inequity as a community. Join our Equity Profile Action Group and be part of the efforts to raise awareness, build community connections, and move leaders to take action!

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  • YWCA Lancaster’s Lancaster Votes initiative is dedicated to empowering our community through voter education, registration, and participation. We believe that every vote matters and that civic engagement is essential to promoting equity, justice, and systemic change. As a volunteer, you can play a vital role in helping more people in Lancaster make their voices heard and advocate for the issues that impact their lives.

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  • The Black Artist Waystation works to amplify the visibility and support of Black Artists in the Lancaster community. Black Artist Waystation celebrates the link between Lancaster County as a Waystation on the Underground Railroad, the struggle for freedom and equity that continues today for Black Artivists, and the rich tapestry of artistic expression that has led us to this moment and propels us forward.

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  • Join your community to name the need, unite with your friends, neighbors, and coworkers, and create change. A 5K race cannot end racism but naming the need is vital, and every step we take together makes a difference. We will keep running until injustice is rooted out; institutions are transformed, and the world sees women, girls, and people of color the way we do: Equal, Powerful, and Unstoppable.

    All proceeds from the Race Against Racism support the Center for Racial and Gender Equity (CRGE) and our community education, training, advocacy, and change programs. 

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  • Each year, we honor the legacy of one of our nation’s most influential figures for justice and equity with readings, interactive activities, dancing, snacks, and more

Work with the Center:

Customized Trainings

We bring a deep commitment and intersectional approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, especially in facilitation and training. These customizable workshops are available for schools, businesses, houses of worship, and community organizations. Let us develop a program for you that helps you do the deep and sustained work of change to eliminate racism. Below is a list of some of our training and education focus areas.

  • Anti-Racism/Anti-Sexism

  • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

  • Socialization & Oppressions

  • Implicit Bias and Microaggressions

  • Moving Beyond the Gender Binary

  • Allyship and Accountability

  • Policy Review/Consulting and Customized Trainings as requested

Racial Equity Institute

This is an intensive, multi-day training that arms participants with a foundational analysis of the systemic and institutional power of racism. Participants come away with a common language and understanding to do the internal work needed to dismantle racism and to communicate with others about racism and its manifestations. Participants will also develop working tools to identify and address racism within their respective spheres of influence. We provide our Racial Equity Institute at no cost to all members of the community twice a year. Check our events calendar and/or follow us on social media to get the dates and sign up for the training. 

Work with us.

Whatever your needs may be, we would like to assist you. To begin that conversation please fill out this form!

Frequently Asked Questions:

  • Description textWe all have biases, regardless of our identities. Acknowledging our racial biases is a critical first step in building equitable communities. Harvard has developed a test to illuminate biases that you may not be aware of. Click here to read more. Want to learn more about how to identify your biases? Register for our next Racial Equity Institute!

  • To build a diverse and equitable workplace, leaders have to put in more work and ask difficult questions. Recruiters should put in more legwork to find candidates of color, and organization leaders should assess whether everyone is compensated fairly. Click here to learn how our Equity Training Coordinator can work with you to achieve your equity goals.

  • Our Racial Equity Education Programming is a great place to start for people who are looking to educate themselves on the role racism plays in their community. You can also visit the YWCA Action Center to take a stand on national legislative priorities. To receive YWCA Center for Racial and Gender Equity updates please sign up below!

Contact Susan, our Director of Aquatics for more information: