Dear YW Family,

All of us at YW Boston were deeply moved by the tremendous outpouring of encouragement and support that so many of you expressed in response to the news of Sylvia’s retirement.  Your generosity of spirit for this organization is a testament to the wonderful work Sylvia has done in laying the foundation that holds our community together beyond boundaries of race, gender, class and sectors.

The values that Sylvia instilled during her tenure at YW Boston are now intricately woven into the fabric of our organization.  She has empowered us to rise and meet the challenges that will inevitably come our way.  Having had the privilege of Sylvia’s mentoring and friendship, I stand firmly in the belief that we have what it takes to move forward with the work of building a better, more equitable Boston for all.

On several occasions, Sylvia compared our work to building the great cathedrals of Europe which took hundreds of years to complete. Generations of workers often didn’t get to see the full manifestation of their efforts but knew that it would be majestic. 

It may take many lifetimes to see the end of racism and the empowerment of women everywhere, but we know that once the work is done, future generations will marvel at what we accomplished.

I invite each and every one of you to help us honor Sylvia’s worthy legacy by working with us to grow and sustain this community for many more decades to come.

With your continued support, we will grow the foundation of the decade-long commitment Sylvia made to the YW mission of eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.

Thank you for your commitment and generosity!  I look forward to collaborating with you in deepening the impact of the YW mission.

Sincerely,

Beth Chandler

Interim President & CEO