The end of April concluded our United Against Racism campaign, and we’re grateful and inspired by the over 200 champions and allies that took part as individuals, groups, or organizations. Every April, YWCA USA leads a signature campaign that aims to raise awareness about the impact of institutional racism and empower participants to act. United Against Racism is YW Boston’s customized version of this campaign, where we feature an exclusive, self-paced curriculum of racial equity content.  

If you were able to take part in our curriculum, we want to thank you and encourage you to practice the four types of courage you developed throughout the month-long campaign and turn it into meaningful action in Boston, in your communities, and in your organizations. Uniting against racism can prove to be challenging, but when we lean into courage within ourselves and allies, we can make a true impact. 

If for any reason you, or your organization, were not able to take part in the curriculum, you may view and complete it below. It will be accessible throughout the year so please continue to share it with colleagues, friends, family or anyone you think would appreciate it! 

Shruti Patel (Senior Sales Data Analyst, Car Gurus) and Madeline Poage (Director of Development and Communications, MA Appleseed Center for Law & Justice), are just two of our 2024 United Against Racism participants that have showcased the impact of the campaign. Their feedback below spotlights how the curriculum can be of benefit to your continued learning whether as an individual, or within a group or organization.    

“Having completed the curriculum, I plan to apply the knowledge gained by actively advocating for inclusive practices in my professional environment and personal relationships. I’ll initiate conversations about diversity and inclusion, suggest policy updates where necessary, and support community programs that address racial inequalities. Additionally, I’ll continue educating myself and others to sustain these efforts across all areas of my life, ensuring that the principles of equity and inclusion are integrated into my daily actions and interactions.” 

Shruti Patel (Senior Sales Data Analyst, Car Gurus) 

“The United Against Racism campaign always provides really great foundational resources that help our staff and Board gain alignment on key concepts and definitions and offers opportunities to dig into the ways the resources connect to our day-to-day work in concrete ways.” 

Madeline Poage (Director of Development and Communications, MA Appleseed Center for Law & Justice) 

Whether as an individual or with a group, YW Boston provides many ways for you to continue this learning throughout the year. You can:  

• Click here to learn more about our work.  
• Become a monthly donor to ensure the long-term sustainability of YW Boston’s work and support us in providing more free resources, such as our United Against Racism curriculum.  
• Join us at our Academy of Women Achievers event on June 4.
• Follow us on social media @ywboston to get the latest racial and gender equity news, as well as original resources on our blog.  
• Stay up to date on YW Boston events and activities by subscribing to our newsletter or checking out our events page.  

We again want to thank everyone who took part in our United Against Racism campaign this past April and for their continued support of YW Boston’s work to create a better Boston where, women, people of color, and especially women of color can thrive.