Center for Racial and Gender Equity
We believe that all people have the right to be heard, and we believe in the value of listening. We also believe that education exposes truth and leads to greater understanding, and ultimately, to action.
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.
Start or continue your racial equity journey here. Together we can build a more just Lancaster County.
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. They are designed for members of and those affiliated with an organization to attend together.
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.
Meet-Ups and Gatherings
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.
Participant testimonials
Work with the Center:
Customized Training
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.
*Updated for COVID protocols.
Frequently Asked Questions
I want to learn more about implicit bias. Where do I start?
We 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!
How can I make my workplace more equitable?
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.
I want to take action in my community, where do I start?
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!
CRGE Updates
Receive racial equity updates and information about how you can get involved.