YWCA Greater Los Angeles Area - Eliminating Racism, Empowering Women

Advocacy

The objective of this program is to track legislation across federal, state and local governments that may impact our service population. In accordance with the findings, the YWCA Greater Los Angeles acts in an advocacy position on such issues as child care, youth concerns, relationship violence, and employment training. With a rich history in advocacy and social activism, the YWCA leverages our collective voice to affect change for the women, children, and families of Los Angeles. Our key areas of focus include:

Racial Justice:

As a cornerstone of the YWCA, advocacy and community activism regarding racial justice is woven throughout all areas of the YWCA's outreach. We create activities that support this cause and increase awareness of racial issues while fostering interracial collaboration. The Racial Justice Advocacy program has worked with local efforts, such as those spearheaded by the Los Angeles Unified School District, the City of Los Angeles and the County of Los Angeles in the elimination of racism.

Community Without Violence:

We believe in and work toward a day when the streets of Los Angeles will be safe for women, children, and families. Led by YWCAs in thousands of communities in the United States and more than 40 countries worldwide, the YWCA Week Without Violence campaign emphasizes alternatives to family violence, violence against women, violence linked to racism and bigotry, and violence in the media. In Los Angeles, Week Without Violence activities over the years have included campaigns against violence, anti-violence marches and vigils, rallies in various schools, and youth conferences on promoting peace.

Affordable Child Care:

Not only is the YWCA a leader in providing top notch affordable child care in the greater Los Angeles community, we also advocate on behalf of this concern for the families we serve. The need is vast as the Los Angeles region has been facing a growing shortage of affordable quality childcare. County-wide there are approximately one million children, ages 0-13, with parents in the labor force. The existing county childcare facilities have a capacity of 230,000, covering only 20% of the need. Additionally, Los Angeles County childcare costs average over $6,800 annually.

Affordable Housing:

Since the inception of the YWCA, we have been assisting youth, women, and families through providing affordable housing. We advocate for this cause with the understanding that removing this barrier can be the key to an entire family thriving and growing. Through the support of Job Corps as a key area of service, the YWCA has advocated for affordable housing for the youth of Los Angeles. We continue to seek out legislation and activism opportunities in this area.

Equal Access to Education:

We know the road to self-sufficiency is paved with solid education for all age groups. From early childhood through adulthood, opportunities for success depend on access to quality education. We believe all people should have equal access to education. To meet the growing need amongst our service population, the YWCA provides financial literacy workshops and educational programs to directly impact opportunities for growth.