The Race Card Project Prompts Reflection Among YW Staffers

What’s your race card? That’s the question YWCA staff looked at during an activity at a recent staff meeting. The activity was based on The Race Card Project, by radio journalist Michele Norris. The idea is to write one sentence - six words - which summarize your experience or understanding of race.

There was a moment of silence among the staff after we distributed the note cards and explained the activity - a very long moment of silence. Staring at our cards, I think we all had a collective brain jam. Talking about race is difficult enough, but distilling it into a six-word sentence is even harder.

After everyone had written down their sentences, we went around and shared what we had written. Some were tentative, others enthusiastic, but we all had something to say.

For me, the takeaway from the activity was this: black, native, white, or rainbow, we all have experienced something to do with race or racial identity, but we don’t often take the time to process those experiences. How has race affected us? What’s the first thing that comes to mind when someone says the word “race?

The activity was a great way to take a second and think about what race means to us and what window we might be looking through in discussions of race and racism. Take a second to look at what some of our staff wrote on their cards as well as the Race Card Project website.

Posted by Juliana Rose, YWCA Missoula Racial Justice Intern

           

Media Perpetuates "Angry Black Woman" Stereotype in First Lady Incident

First ladies have always occupied a special place in the hearts and minds of Americans. The mental image of a first lady for most Americans is probably a mash up between Eleanor Roosevelt, Jackie Kennedy and Nancy Reagan. This mental image and many other stereotypes were shaken to their core with the arrival of Michelle Obama. 

                

As the first black family America has ever had in the White House, the Obama's receive more scrutiny than many of their predecessors. Many of the Obama family’s actions are questioned not only as the acts of the family in the most important house in the nation, but also as those of a black family.

Most recently, Michelle Obama came under scrutiny after responding directly to a heckler sent by an LGBT group during a private DNC fundraiser. The heckler, Ellen Sturtz, was “taken aback” when the first lady essentially told her to pipe down or she would leave. Sturtz later told the media she was surprised at how “aggressive” Obama had been.

Let’s take a look at that for a moment. Sturtz thought Obama was being aggressive? Did Sturtz not just interrupt Obama in the middle of a speech just to yell at her? Obama, in responding to someone else yelling at her, is being categorized as the confrontational party. Furthermore, in many of the articles written about the incident, Obama is described as "confronting" a heckler, and the stereotype of the “angry black woman” has been mentioned a few times. And let’s not forget conservative TV and radio host Glenn Beck’s description of the First Lady as a “monster." 

Why is Obama being categorized as the aggressor in this situation?

If one of Obama’s white predecessors had spoken to a Sturtz in the same manner - directly and firmly - would the predecessor have been viewed as angry or aggressive? Obama stood up for herself when someone initiated aggressive behavior, and as a black woman, she is being portrayed as angry for doing anything other than idly taking the disrespect. Is that fair? No, it most certainly is not.

The language used in media reports about this incident is another confirmation that subtle yet pervasive prejudice still exists in our society. We need to take a look at how we’re talking about this incident. What roles are we casting on the players and why? Using language that plays into stereotypes and encourages white privilege is unacceptable. If women like Obama are consistently cast as the “angry black woman,” every time they stand up for themselves, are we taking them seriously? Casting Obama as the controversial figure in this incident is demeaning and dismissive. Obama isn’t the one who created a scene, yet she is being portrayed as such.  In describing her behavior as confrontational and dramatic, it’s easier to dismiss what she’s saying.

We’ve never had a black first lady before, but that doesn’t mean that every unexpected move she makes is a result of her skin color. Maybe it’s time we stopped analyzing Obama’s actions as those of a black woman before her role as the first lady. Her behavior isn’t directed by the color of her skin and questioning whether her white predecessors would have made the same decisions is only perpetuating a culture where racism is acceptable. 

Posted by Juliana Rose, YWCA Missoula Racial Justice Intern

YWCA Staff Visit Montana State Prison

On a brisk Friday morning, myself and three other Pathways team members were locked behind bars in the ‘C’ block of the Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge. Don’t worry, YWCA blog followers, no one at the YWCA has committed a felony and will be serving hard time in the slammer. 

Starting in July, our crisis line will accept calls from inmates across the state who have experienced sexual assault while incarcerated. We were touring the state prison to get a sense of a prisoner's daily life to better understand barriers inmates may face while making calls to our crisis line. It was an incredibly eye-opening experience to see the ways in which activities that I have complete autonomy over “on the outside,”such as accessing a phone or taking a shower, are restricted to a certain time of the day or permission from a corrections officer. Some prisoners could only make phone calls in the large common area of their block, within earshot of hundreds of other inmates and corrections officers. This could prove especially problematic for prisoners who want to reach out for support on our crisis line after being sexually assaulted by other inmates or officers within their block. 

After touring both the high and low security portions of the prison, all four of us had a lot to discuss. But our final stop on the tour, the intake building, gave us more than enough to talk about on the hour and a half drive back to Missoula. After much insistence on our part, our tour guides finally let us meet a man who has been in the news a lot recently: Barry Beach. Speaking with an inmate really hammered home that regardless of what a person has done or has been convicted of - whether driving drunk or committing murder - no one deserves to be raped, inside or outside of prison. 

Posted by Hattie, YWCA Missoula Pathways VISTA

YWCA Missoula Staff Inspired at YWCA USA Annual Conference in DC

The YWCA USA Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., encompassed four days of women speakers, presenters and voices. Whether participating in one-on-one networking opportunities or listening to the inspiring speakers, the message was strong and clear: women of the YWCA speak with conviction. Women are daring and dreaming and achieving on such an impressive scale. 

I was moved to tears by Ayanna Pressley’s address on “What Women Want: Breaking the Cycle of Poverty and Violence.” Pressley is a member of the Boston City Council At-Large and is the first woman of color ever elected to the Council. She spoke fervently about how broken girls become broken women, and then the cycle repeats. She encouraged the 400 attendees to embody the word “entitlement,” because “It means I’m strong enough to know what I deserve,” and talked about daring to be herself. I witnessed stories of survival, hope and progress. After her daughter was killed by her ex-boyfriend, Sharon Love started the One Love Foundation to end relationship violence. Commander Zoe Dunning made history fighting for the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,”  which excluded gay people from serving openly in armed forces. And Eva Longoria, whose philanthropy and advocacy in the field of racial justice is truly commendable.

Erin and YWCA Missoula Housing Director Patty Murphy with Dara Richardson-Heron, CEO of YWCA USA

I learned the power of my own voice while lobbying on Capitol Hill. Along with three other Montana women leaders, I met with our state representatives and senators to present and discuss issues relevant to Montana women and girls. We were known and respected for the work we do and were able to engage in meaningful conversations with these key players. We were given a mission: empower citizens on how Comprehensive Immigration Reform is a necessary step for this nation, for the 11 million aspiring Americans, for our economy, for each and every human being's right to freedom and dignity. We stepped away from the conversation with real tools and action steps to enlighten our communities on this bill.

YWCA staff from Missoula, Great Falls and Helena met and discussed issues relevant to Montana women and children with Rep. Steven Daines and staff from Sen. Jon Tester and Max Baucus while in Washington, D.C.

One thing is very clear to me: the YWCA is a sisterhood. I made contact with so many brilliant women, for example, a 35-year-old woman who was recently hired as CEO of her local YWCA. There are so many incredible programs. The YWCABerkeley/Oakland's youth leadership model is particularly notable to me, and so many young women are finding themselves and their passions through the work of YWCAs across the nation and the world. I connected with young women with whom I have been conversing solely via phone calls on the YWCA USA Young Women's Task Force. I left DC with exciting ideas for the program I work for (GUTS!) and with real connections and relationships with women across the country.

Erin and YWCA Missoula Housing Director Patty Murphy at the YWCA USA Women of Distinction Awards Gala in Washington, D.C.

I returned to YWCA Missoula with a renewed sense of commitment to and passion for this organization. There is so much room for my personal and professional growth and so many accomplished women to follow and seek for mentorship and inspiration. My impact on the YWCA and the YWCA’s impact on me have just begun, and I am so excited to move forward.

Posted by Erin Barstow, YWCA Missoula GUTS! Program Coordinator

Racial Justice Intern Works to Raise Awareness of Racism

YWCA Missoula's motto, “Eliminating Racism, Empowering Women,” describes in a nutshell the work the YWCA has been doing for years. Now however, the organization is taking a step forward in furthering its goal of eliminating racism with the Racial Justice Initiative.
The Initiative is a program that strives to make YWCA Missoula a leader in racial justice work through education and awareness. 

This is where I come in. My name is Juliana, and I am the new intern on the block. I also have the distinct honor of being the first intern for the Racial Justice program. My job is to expand the program’s visibility and reach through social media (check us out on Facebook!), as well as provide opinion pieces in newspapers across the state. My goal is to get conversations going about issues of racism in our communities and within ourselves.

We all know racism is bad. Yet, racist behavior still occurs, often in subtle ways that we don’t realize. We’re taught to recognize obvious racism like hate crimes, foul names and blatantly racist personalities. But the sneaky kinds of racism that pop up in every day social situations are harder to identify, let alone stop. 

Coming into this internship I had an interest in social justice issues, but racism wasn’t really on my radar. Yet, as I spend more time listening and learning, I see more and more indicators that racism isn’t a thing of the past. I feel myself becoming more aware of comments and jokes that I never before noticed. 


It’s not something that’s been easy to think about, let alone write about. The comments I hear aren’t coming from strangers. They are friends and family - people I like, because on the whole, they’re pretty good people. But now I have questions like: What’s the line between joking and promoting racist stereotypes? When do I say something? When do I let it go? Am I being too sensitive? What am I saying that’s not OK? These are hard questions as I realize that this is not just something with which I now work, but fill life all around me. Socially, it’s impossible to escape. 

So how do I take this new awareness in my own life and turn it into something positive? Well, first, I share my experience on the World Wide Web; I am a product of the technological era after all. Then I realize that being aware is the first step to making change. If I’m not ignorant to what is going on around me, I can begin to contribute to changing the situation. 

Now that I’ve begun to see patterns and problems I can start conversations. I can make other people aware - people like you. Maybe a week from now, you will be having a conversation with a friend and something inside your brain will give you a little nudge as your friend says something that strikes you. You’re not quite sure why until you remember that YWCA blog post, and you wonder, Was that a racist comment? If you think about it for a bit, you’ll probably be able to tell whether or not it was. 

This pause, this momentary reflection, is important. It’s the first step to becoming aware of the racism that hides in places we don’t think to look. But start looking. Take a look at the news, check around YouTube, and keep your ears open when you’re talking with friends. Realizing there is a problem is the first step to solving it.


To end with a little humor, check out this video! 


Posted by Juliana Rose, YWCA Missoula Racial Justice Intern

Planet Kids Needs More PEDAL Power

Planet Kids is in need of some donations. We need some kind souls to donate any pedal- or foot-powered kids' vehicles. It would be great if they have a battery pack that can be removed and are foot-driven!

These are some of the favorite toys for the kids to play with, but from overuse our vehicles are "going into the shop" one by one. 

Below are some examples of such joy givers:

If you can donate one of these toys, please drop it off at the YWCA Missoula office and tell them it is for PLANET KIDS.

Thank you so much for your time and support.

Posted by Amber, Planet Kids Visit Monitor

Secret Seconds Never Goes Out of Style

This weekend's Secret Seconds half off sale was wildly successful! If you missed this one, no worries. Come see us at the next half off sale in November. 

 

Here are a few gems that were miraculously passed over this weekend. 

Come check them out! 

 Happy shopping...

Posted by Shelby, Secret Seconds store clerk extraidonaire