Who We Are
YWCA Olympia is a non-profit, multi-service organization that has served girls, women and families since 1945.
Aligned with these strategies and intentions, YWCA facilitates programs for youth, adults, and the community.
YWCA Olympia acknowledges the Indigenous People of the Medicine Creek Treaty, whose land was stolen and on which the Kearney House, home of YWCA Olympia since 1948, stands. We acknowledge the Puget Sound Salish People and Sahewamish Tribe who are the traditional custodians of this land. We also honor the Nisqually Tribe and Squaxin Island Tribe and pay respect to elders past and present and we extend that respect to other Native People who enter our building, and we express our hope that the land is one day returned to its rightful stewards.
Today, YWCA Olympia is focused on our mission of eliminating racism and sexism to advance the social, political, and economic status of all women and girls. All of our activities place the leadership and wisdom of Women of Color at the center. We do this while also seeking to engage people of all genders, races, classes and abilities in the collective work of the YWCA’s vision: All People are valued, live free from oppression, and thrive in a just society.
Our core strategies that anchor all program spaces and support ongoing organizational development are community building, education, and participant-led advocacy.
Through these strategies we intend to:
Create spaces that support individual and collective healing from the traumas of racialized and gender-based violence;
Shift culture away from white supremacy toward fully inclusive, anti-racist, multiculturalism; and
Influence institutional change in Thurston County spaces to interrupt, and ultimately dismantle, systemic oppression.
Eliminating Racism, Empowering Women and Promoting Peace, Justice, Freedom and Dignity for all.
YWCA MISSION
Our Values
Centering Black and Indigenous Women & Women of Color
We bring the experiences and wisdom of women who have historically been marginalized to the center of our work and make space for different ways of knowing. Women is inclusive, fluid and based on self-identity.
People Over Systems
We are in connection to one another and in right relationship to our histories and the earth. We work to undo harmful systems of oppression by prioritizing one another’s humanity. We do this in resistance to systems that reinforce white supremacy and patriarchal culture and values.
Accountability
We recognize that trauma and harm show up as we work across different ways of knowing, and when we interrupt ingrained patterns of racism and sexism. As conflict and harm show up, we commit to engaging in processes that recognize the impacts of oppression and power. We ask for responsibility to be taken for harm done and for all involved to engage in a process of self-reflection to reduce future harm and learn and build individual and collective skills.
Collective Care
We reclaim our humanity and capacity for joy when we reconnect heart, mind and body as part of healing from systemic oppression and trauma. We care for each other through this healing, which is a process of undoing harmful patterns in ourselves, in community and in the collective. We recognize trauma and are not defined by it. We celebrate wholeness as we also work toward collective liberation.
Our Team
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Tali (they/them)
CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Tali is a long time employee of the YWCA with a passion for art and games.
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Alli (she/her)
CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Alli is a parent, a partner, and a lover of all things that bring people together.
Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors is a diverse group of leaders using their passion, insights, and connections in the community, to create real impact for YWCA of Olympia.
2023 - 2024 Officers
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Amelia Watson
BOARD CHAIR
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Jay Banks
SECRETARY
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Angela Jefferson
BOARD MEMBER
Key Dates in YWCA History
Annual Reports
YWCA is on a mission to eliminate racism and empower women, and we’re committed to accountability and transparency in everything we do. Below you will find resources that illuminate our financial position, outline how we allocate our resources, and showcase the impact of the valuable support from our donors and sponsors. As a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, we welcome your support of our mission!
FAQs
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When YWCA USA changed its corporate name from “Young Women’s Christian Association” to “YWCA USA, Inc.” in December 2015, YWCA Olympia did the same. This updated name is more reflective of our diverse and inclusive nature. In the early years of the YWCA movement, it was a “Christian sisterhood” that drove our work. Today, it’s a commitment to social justice, no matter someone’s religion. This more accurate name provides us with the opportunity to engage many more individuals in the important and inspiring work of our organization.
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On January 22, 1945, ten women met in Olympia to discuss the founding of a local branch of the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA). What had started nationally as small prayer circle was rapidly growing to become the largest women’s organization in the world dedicated to service and social justice. By August of 1945, a strong local chapter was formed with the election of Mildred Lemon as the first Board Chair and the appointment of Francis Simas as the first Executive Director.
There was no time to waste as three large issues loomed: the need for a permanent facility, a source of funding, and a program to suit the needs of Olympia women and girls. The YWCA worked quickly to set up groups, activities and clubs to draw in different women. Teens, young wives, business women, and mature women found programs tailored to their needs and interests. The early emphasis was on fellowship, recreation and crafts.
In 1948, the Kearney House at 220 East Union Street was purchased and in 1950, the mortgage was ceremoniously burned at the Annual Meeting. Friendship Hall, a renovated “carriage house” on the property, was opened to provide a location for luncheons, teen dances, weddings, and musical events. During 1989 the YWCA submitted an application to the Olympia Heritage Commission to place the YWCA’s main building, built in 1907, on the Olympia Heritage Register.
The YWCA of Olympia has founded many great programs during her 68 years:
Indo-Chinese Refugee Employment Project
Rape Relief Center
SafePlace
Work Options for Women
Kathleen’s Closet
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The Kearney House (220 Union Ave SE, Olympia WA 98501) was built in 1907 for local grocer, J.F. Kearney who came to the Olympia area in 1897. Listed as an Olympia Heritage Site, the Kearney House is a fine example of a Foursquare-style home. The Kearney House has been the home of the YWCA since 1948.
In 2007, to commemorate the 100th birthday of the Kearney House, the YWCA engaged the local community to secure funding to improve the exterior of the house including new paint, roofing, landscaping, and installation of a commemorative brick walkway.
Commemorative Brick Walkway at the Kearney House
In 2011 and 2012 the agency embarked on a new restoration project which added a beautiful ADA-accessibility ramp, thanks to the efforts of the Lowes Hardware Heroes Program. Funded by a grant from the Mary P. Dolciani Halloran Foundation, the Zonta Reception Room was completely transformed. Authentically-designed reproduction wallpaper and furnishings that reflect the period, including some c.1900 antiques, provide the perfect setting for our historic photos of the YWCA of Olympia. The room was finished with a gas fireplace generously contributed by the Zonta Club of Olympia and the Zonta Club of South Puget Sound.
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YWCA of Olympia focuses our work on anti-racism education, youth program support, and advocacy. We refer folks seeking housing, shelter, or DV support to our local partner agencies; SafePlace, Family Support Center, and the YWCA Pierce County in Tacoma.