DA takes on bullying in forum at library
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Prevention, intervention and documentation are keys to helping parents, students and teachers deal with bullying, local prosecutors and advocates said Wednesday night.
At a forum in the Saxe Room at the Worcester Public Library, co-sponsored by the YWCA of Central Massachusetts and the Worcester district attorney’s office, officials warned that the community surrounding bullied kids must take an active role.
“We have to become aware,” Worcester District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. said. “We have to become more involved.”
For the full story, click here.
Racism hurts everyone!
On April 30, 2010, the YWCA Central Massachusetts, along with 70 YWCAs across the country, hosted the Stand Against Racism. The exciting event offered a day of anti-racism activities throughout the community to raise awareness that racism still exists and that it can no longer be ignored or tolerated.
In our community, 52 local organizations joined the YWCA’s Stand Against Racism movement and registered as a Participating Site – including corporations, schools, hospitals, houses of worship, and government agencies. Sites took their Stand by hosting their own anti-racism activities ranging from pledge signings to student rallies. An estimated 25,000 individuals participated in the Stand Against Racism movement!
The YWCA kicked-off its first-ever Stand Against Racism with a leader’s breakfast, which was attended by 50 of the community’s top leaders and included conversations with Tim Wise, one of the country’s leading anti-racist writers and activists. Following the breakfast, the YWCA Central Massachusetts held a community lecture, which also featured Tim Wise as the keynote speaker. A public rally at City Hall Commons wrapped up the day and featured speak-outs and performances. To view pictures from the rally, click here.
Support from city and state figures led the state of Massachusetts and the city of Worcester to issue proclamations declaring April 30th as “YWCA Stand Against Racism Day”.
The Stand Against Racism is a national movement of the YWCA with the goal of bringing people together from all walks of life – across the country – to raise awareness that racism still exists. It was created after a report from the Southern Poverty Law Center showed a 54% increase in hate groups operating in the country. The report listed “immigration fears, a failing economy and the successful campaign of President (Barack) Obama” as factors that fueled the increase.
If you didn’t participate in this year’s Stand Against Racism and would like to join us next year, please contact Jo-Serena Rodriguez at jrodriguez@ywcaworcester.org. To learn more about the Stand Against Racism, click here.
An alliance against Bullying
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Talk of bullying is everywhere recently — from the extensive media coverage afforded the South Hadley case; to the sad first year anniversary of the suicide of Carl Joseph Walker Hoover in Springfield; to a pending bill in the state legislature aimed at curtailing bullying in our schools imminently moving to the governor’s desk for signature into law.
For the full stroy, click here.
Boston Globe agrees early childhood mental health services make sense.
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Cheryl Pasquariello’s grandson was only 3, but he had already been kicked out of one day-care center. His aggressive behavior was bordering on violent when, after he was removed from his parents’ care, he moved to Worcester to live with his grandmother. He slammed doors. He threw tantrums. He screamed.
Pasquariello was desperate for help when she enrolled him at the local YWCA’s preschool. She needed to work. And more than that, she needed help with the boy, who, having lived in several homes, didn’t trust any adults, Pasquariello says, and did not even know how to hold a pencil.
For the full story, click here.
YWCA Honors Five Women
Every year the YWCA honors extraordinary women throughout Central Massachusetts who have reached exemplary levels of achievement in their professions and communities with the Katharine F. Erskine Award.
This year five women from the arts, education, medicine, social service and business communities will be presented with the prestigious Katharine F. Erskine Award during the Tribute to Women luncheon on May 4, 2010, at Mechanics Hall. Receiving the award is: Shauree Allotey, Arts & Humanities; Colleen Gardner, Business & Law; Keesha LaTulippe, Community/Social Service & Government; Laurie Ross, Ph.D., Education; and Dr. Matilde Castiel, Medicine & Science.
Shauree Allotey has been a community youth worker since graduating from UMass Amherst. She is dedicated to helping young people reach their full potential by developing their creativity and cultural awareness through knowledge and appreciation of the visual and performing arts, crafts and creative writing. As the Cultural Arts Program Director at the Boys & Girls Club of Worcester, Shauree develops programs and activities that allow kids to express themselves in a positive way. Under her lead, the agency’s hip hop dance team, In Da Zone, has won several city-wide competitions.
Dr. Matilde Castiel, a physician at UMass Memorial Medical Center, leads the hospital’s Elderly Outreach Program, staffing walk-in clinics at Worcester Housing Authority sites, the Worcester Senior Center, Centro Las Americas and other community locations. She has long been an advocate for the city’s elderly, poor and disenfranchised populations. Dr. Castiel is the volunteer executive director of the Latin American Health Alliance (LAHA) a non-profit dedicated to eliminating health disparities among the city’s Latino population. She also founded the Hector Reyes House, a substance abuse treatment program for Spanish-speaking men.
Colleen Gardner has a high-powered corporate job in a male-dominated industry, is a devoted mother, mentor, and community volunteer. She has demonstrated throughout her personal and professional life her true commitment to advancing the lives of women and girls – she leads the Women in Network at National Grid, she mentors female students in the Women’s Leadership Program at Babson College, she encourages young girls to explore non-traditional career paths, she is an advocate for the participation of women and girls in sports forming a girls’ lacrosse team at her daughters’ high school. She does it all, according to those supporting her nomination, balancing work, family and community with great skill and aplomb.
Keesha LaTullipe overcame many obstacles in her life to go on and improve the lives of others. As assistant to the president at the Henry Lee Willis Center, she coordinates multiple city-wide coalitions aimed at eliminating racial and ethnic disparities. She is the coordinator of the Worcester Black Legacy Group, a member of the City’s No Place For Hate Task Force, and an adjunct professor at Anna Maria College and Quinsigamond Community College on Race and Cultural Minorities.
Laurie Ross, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Community Development and Planning at Clark University where she has been on faculty since 2000. Also, Laurie is director of the Healthy Options for Prevention and Education (HOPE) Coalition, a youth-adult partnership coalition created to reduce youth violence, substance use and promote adolescent mental health in the City of Worcester.
T&G Highlights PASA Program
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Many face this problem. Whether from lack of healthy food or exercise, the obesity rate in Massachusetts was 20.9 percent in 2008, and more than half the people statewide were overweight. It’s a number that the YWCA of Central Massachusetts hopes to lower.
For the full story, click here.
Identity Theft & Scam Prevention
Identity theft is a serious crime with serious costs for victims. Victims of identity theft may lose significant money and time, and may find their reputation and credit rating has been damaged, affecting the ability to obtain loans for education or housing, approval for rental agreements, and approval for credit cards or large purchases requiring credit.
On Monday, March 15, representatives from the Attorney General’s Office held a public presentation on Identity Theft for Victims and Consumers. The presentation educates consumers about the steps to take when identity theft is discovered, and how to protect personal information to prevent identity theft.
Students Step Up
The YWCA Central Massachusetts would like to thank Clark University students for stepping up!
On Thursday, February 11, 2010, students at Clark raised over $400 for the YWCA’s domestic violence programs through a late-night Stair-A-Thon. Participants donate $10 to run/walk up campus stairwells from 11:00 p.m. – midnight and compete to break the record of the number of trips made up and down in one hour. This year’s record breaker was Jospeh Kennelly with 55 trips up and down!
The Stair-A-Thon is an annual fundraiser sponsored by Clark University’s Making A Difference Scholars and the Comunity Engagement & Volunteering Center. Proceeds go to the YWCA to support its violence prevention programs for women and children.
Here & Now Interview on Prostitution and John School
Listen to Cathy Boisvert, who runs the Community Approach to Reduce Demand (CARD) program at the YWCA and “Tina,” a former prostitute who lectures in the program.
The CARD program runs a “John School” — where men learn about the side effects of prostitution including the health risks and the what happens to communities when prostitutes work the streets.
Synchro-Maids dazzle First Nighters!
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If you’re a Synchro-Maid, you’re probably already in the water. The group, a competitive synchronized swimming team based at the YWCA at Salem Square, has performed every year since First Night started in Worcester 26 years ago.
For the full story, click here.
News
The YWCA, through its many community programs, has gained recognition in being a community support organization. Find out what the news and media outlets are saying about us.
Action Alert
The actions of our government have an enormous impact on the daily lives of women across this country. Visit the YWCA USA's website to learn more about legislation, elected officials, federal agencies and how you can take action to improve the lives of women and girls. Sign up for Action Alerts and get an alert when your involvement can make a critical difference.
