University Young Womens Christian Association Berkeley California

YWCA BERKELEY/OAKLAND IS DEDICATED TO ELIMINATING RACISM, EMPOWERING WOMEN, DEVELOPING LEADERS AND PROMOTING PEACE, JUSTICE, FREEDOM AND DIGNITY FOR ALL THROUGH: FINANCIAL LITERACY, TECHGYRLS (STEM PROGRAMMING), STUDENT LEADERSHIP BOARD & PROJECTS, YOUTH MENTORING, ANTI-RACISM & RACIAL JUSTICE PROGRAMS, ENGLISH IN ACTION, COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TEAM. DUE TO THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC, ALL PROGRAMMING SINCE MARCH, 2020 AND THROUGHOUT THIS FISCAL YEAR WAS VIRTUAL, A MAJOR CHANGE FOR THE ORGANIZATION. THIS PROVIDED NEW CHALLENGES FOR CONNECTING WITH VOLUNTEERS AND PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS, AS WELL AS FOR FUNDRAISING. THE ORGANIZATION ADDRESSED THESE CHALLENGES, MANAGING TO RETAIN ALL STAFF, ADAPT PROGRAMS TO A VIRTUAL FORMAN AND REMAIN A VITAL SOURCE OF SUPPORT FOR VOLUNTEERS AND PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

FINANCIAL LITERACY: YOUNG WOMEN FINANCIAL LITERACY PROGRAM (YOUNG WOMEN & MONEY) PROVIDES GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN AGES 14-30 IN OAKLAND, BERKELEY AND GREATER EAST BAY FINANCIAL EDUCATION AND PROGRAMS COVERING BUDGETING, CREDIT, AND INVESTING DESIGNED TO EMPOWER WOMEN WITH TOOLS, KNOWLEDGE AND SUPPORT AS THEY NAVIGATE THROUGH THEIR FINANCIAL WORLDS AND CAREERS AND BUILD FINANCIAL RESILIENCY. THROUGH AN ANNUAL YOUNG WOMEN & MONEY CONFERENCE, BIANNUAL FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT SUMMITS AND YEAR-LONG HIGH SCHOOL ONSITE PRESENTATIONS, THE PROGRAM ALSO PROVIDES PROGRAM LEADERS TO BUILD ON THEIR LEADERSHIP AND COORDINATING SKILLS WHILE EXPLORING HOW EXISTING SYSTEMS CREATE BARRIERS TO GENERATIONAL WEALTH AND ECONOMIC SUCCESS FOR BLACK,INDIGENOUS AND - CONTINUE ON SCH O

STUDENT LEADERSHIP BOARD: SLB PROVIDES PROGRAMS SUCH AS SHADOW DAY, WHICH AIMS TO RECRUIT & SUPPORT BLACK, INDIGENOUS, LATINX AND OTHER STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED IN THE UC SYSTEM BY PROVIDING THEM WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT WITH CURRENT CAL STUDENTS (CAL MENTORS) WHO SHARE SIMILAR BACKGROUNDS AND INTERESTS, LEARN HOW TO APPLY - AND PAY FOR COLLEGE, AND EXPLORE THEIR FUTURE GOALS AND WEEK WITHOUT VIOLENCE, WHICH IS PART OF A GLOBAL MOVEMENT TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE WORLD YWCA. THROUGHOUT THE FISCAL YEAR THE STUDENT LEADERSHIP BOARD CONTINUED TO PROVIDE PROGRAMS IN A VIRTUAL FORMAT. SHADOW DAY WAS HELD VIRTUALLY, PROVIDING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH THE SAME TYPES OF - CONTINUE ON SCH O

RACIAL JUSTICE & ADVOCACY (RJ&A): MEMBERS LEARN AND HAVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EDUCATION TO UNDERSTAND ANTI-RACISM WORK AND DEVELOP TOOLS THEY NEED TO ADVOCATE FOR CHANGE AND BUILD COLLECTIVE POWER IN THE OAKLAND, BERKELEY AND GREATER BAY AREA COMMUNITIES. RJ&A MEMBERS STRIVE TO TRANSFORM COMMUNITIES, SYSTEMS AND PUBLIC POLICIES THROUGH UNDERSTANDING HISTORY AND UPLIFTING CURRENT MOVEMENT WORK LED BY BI&POC COMMUNITIES AND LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS THAT SUPPORT RACIAL AND GENDER JUSTICE. MEMBERS FOCUS ON VOTING RIGHTS, GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND MAKE OFFICE VISITS TO CONNECT WITH CA LEGISLATORS. THROUGHOUT THE FISCAL YEAR THE STUDENT LEADERSHIP BOARD CONTINUED TO PROVIDE PROGRAMS IN A VIRTUAL FORMAT. - CONTINUE ON SCH O

ENGLISH IN ACTION: VOLUNTEERS MEET WITH UC BERKELEY INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS, VISITING SCHOLARS, AND THEIR PARTNERS, ON A ONE-TO-ONE BASIS OR IN A SMALL GROUP SETTING ONCE A WEEK. THESE WEEKLY MEETINGS HELP INCREASE THE PARTNER'S COMPETENCY IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND HELP THEM TO ADAPT TO THE LIFE IN AMERICA, AND GIVE BOTH PARTIES AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT EACH OTHER'S CULTURE. WHILE THE HEART OF THIS PROGRAM HAS ALWAYS BEEN LANGUAGE EXCHANGE, THE BUILT-IN INTERCULTURAL CONVERSATIONS CREATE FRIENDSHIPS AND DISCOURAGE STEREOTYPES. WE INVITE PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, RACES, AND NATIONALITIES TO FORM A PARTNERSHIP THAT OFTEN LASTS BEYOND THE ONE YEAR COMMITMENT. THROUGHOUT THE FISCAL YEAR EIA FACILITATED MEETINGS BETWEEN VOLUNTEERS AND ENGLISH LEARNERS WHICH ALL OCCURRED IN A VIRTUAL FORMAT. TECHGYRLS: TECHGYRLS MENTOR LEADERS AND PROGRAM MANAGERS BUILD INTEREST AND OFFER EXPERIENCES IN STEAM (SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ARTS & MATH) INSPIRED CURRICULUM TO GIRLS OF COLOR AT LOCAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN OAKLAND AND BERKELEY THROUGH HANDS ON SCIENCE PROJECTS, DEMONSTRATIONS, CAREER EXPLORATION AND SEL (SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING). THROUGHOUT THE FISCAL YEAR, THE PROGRAM CONTINUED IN A VIRTUAL FORMAT, REACHING CHILDREN WHO WERE ISOLATED BY THE PANDEMIC, AND FINDING PROJECTS THAT COULD BE PERFORMED WITH MATERIALS AVAILABLE IN ANY HOME. OFTEN OTHER CHILDREN IN THE HOUSEHOLD JOINED THE PROGRAM AS WELL AS THOSE WHO WOULD HAVE PARTICIPATED IN AN IN-PERSON SETTING. GIRLS GROUP MENTORING PROGRAM (GGMP): FEMALE IDENTIFIED MENTORS ENGAGE AND PROVIDE TOOLS TO EMPOWER MIDDLE SCHOOL GIRLS OF COLOR. GGMP MENTORS WORK IN SMALL, FOCUSED GROUPS TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OUR MENTEES ON ISSUES THE GIRLS DISCUSS INCLUDING BOUNDARIES, IDENTITY, ASPIRATIONS AND BROADER TOPICS SUCH AS INTERSECTIONALITY, OPPRESSION AND PRIVILEGE. THERE IS AN ONGOING EFFORT TO CREATE CURRICULUM THAT IS ACCESSIBLE AND INCLUSIVE FOR GIRLS OF ALL BACKGROUNDS. THROUGHOUT THE FISCAL YEAR, THE PROGRAM CONTINUED IN A VIRTUAL FORMAT, REACHING GIRLS WHO WERE ISOLATED BY THE PANDEMIC, AND PROVIDING THEM OPPORTUNITIES TO SHARE THEIR FEELINGS AND ASPIRATIONS. COMMUNICATIONS DEVELOPMENT: THE PROGRAM MANAGER ALONG WITH YWCA INTERNS FOCUS ON BUILDING A TEAM INTERESTED IN DEVELOPING THEIR OWN MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS TO GIVE VOICE TO RACIAL & GENDER JUSTICE IN OUR STATE, COUNTRY, AND AROUND THE WORLD, ESPECIALLY DURING THIS TIME WHERE INFORMATION/MEDIA IS SPREAD DIGITALLY. PROJECTS INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO: SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT, MULTIMEDIA MARKETING, COMMUNITY/PARTNERSHIP OUTREACH, BLOG MAINTENANCE, YWCA DIGITAL MAGAZINE "ELEVATE- AND WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT. THROUGHOUT THE FISCAL YEAR, THE PROGRAM CONTINUED IN A VIRTUAL FORMAT, ALLOWING PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS TO HONE THEIR COMMUNICATIONS SKILLS WHILE KNITTING TOGETHER THE YWCA'S COMMUNITY. THIS INCLUDED THE LAUNCH OF THE DIGITAL MAGAZINE "ELEVATE".