YWCA Madison welcomes five new members to help guide our mission: Luz Arroyo Calderon, Brian Jones, April Kumapayi, kristy kumar, and Jordan-Lindsay Morris! Together with our continuing board and staff, they will help YWCA Madison build stronger, more connected pathways for justice and liberation.

You are invited! Our annual Block Party is one of our most cherished YWCA Madison traditions since 2006. It is a great opportunity to connect with residents and families at our downtown location, and to support our work in Housing Justice. Community members are invited to join and learn more about our work at our 101 Downtown Residential Building.

In 2020, Dani RAD returned to Madison, a place where they had spent a portion of their childhood before completing high school in Illinois. Dani found themselves at YWCA and saw an opportunity with the YWeb Career Academy, marking an important milestone in building their career as an artist.

From August 4 to August 8, 2025, YWCA Madison will be participating in YWCA’s August Advocacy Week of Action and In-District Lobby Days. Together, we will ensure that those we elected to represent us in the government know the depth of our impact and the real lives behind the programs we are protecting. 

The energy inside the Madison Children’s Museum was nothing short of electric on the evening of July 10. After months of planning, dreaming, and creating, youth from YWCA Madison’s Restorative Justice Clubs gathered for a moment they had been anticipating—the joining of their collective mural.

YWCA Madison is thrilled to announce the launch of our new Racial Justice Summit Hub—a dedicated digital space for all things related to YWCA Madison’s Racial Justice Summit. As we prepare for another powerful gathering this fall, this new website will serve as your central destination to explore everything the Summit has to offer.

Gery Paredes Vásquez, Executive Director of YWCA Madison, shares deep insights from YWCA National Conference with Executive Directors. She offers important takeaways on how YWCA Madison plans to navigate the challenging times with love, joy, and dignity.

Gery Paredes Vásquez, Executive Director of YWCA Madison, shares a reflection as she prepares to attend a national gathering of YWCA executive directors in Phoenix. Drawing inspiration from a story she heard in Teotihuacan, Mexico—from an elder named Toñita—Gery recounts the tale of Coatlicue, the Earth Goddess, who, despite vulnerability, births a powerful warrior to protect the world. This story becomes a metaphor for resilience, transformation, and hidden strength during uncertain times.

We’re thrilled to share that YWCA Madison will be featured in Target Circle’s community giving program this October through December! We will be featured at your local Target stores in Madison and online.

For two years, YWCA Madison’s staff engaged in deep reflection, collaboration, and action to define the values that would guide their work. These values—humanity, community, growth, and restoration—emerged from a collective effort to align their mission with meaningful, lived principles that could shape every interaction and decision. And now, as they launch a billboard campaign in partnership with Adams Outdoors, YWCA Madison views this initiative as the capstone of their collective work—a powerful public affirmation of the values they have built together.

Madison, Wisconsin – July 15, 2024 – After completing a national search and selection process, the YWCA Madison Board of Directors and Selection Committee has unanimously decided to name Gery Paredes Vásquez as the permanent CEO of the organization. YWCA Madison’s Board President Angela Arrington and Vice President Monica Mims together stated, “Gery Paredes Vasquez has displayed a deep commitment to YWCA Madison and its mission for many years. Gery's commitment deepened over the last four months as Interim CEO in which she has brought refreshing leadership that will continue the advancement of the organization’s ideals and the communities it serves.”

MADISON, Wisconsin – March 12, 2024 – YWCA Madison proudly announces the appointment of Gery Paredes Vásquez as the Interim CEO, effective February 17, 2024. With a profound commitment to intersectional justice, collective healing and liberation, Gery brings a wealth of experience and dedication to this role. YWCA Madison’s Board President Angela Arrington stated “Gery Paredes Vásquez's appointment as Interim CEO marks a new chapter for YWCA Madison as it continues its mission to eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. The organization looks forward to the leadership and vision that Gery will bring to this role”.

Monday, January 22, 2024

A Farewell Message from Vanessa McDowell-Atlas, CEO of YWCA Madison MADISON, Wisconsin, January 22, 2024, – A Farewell Message from Vanessa McDowell-Atlas, CEO of YWCA Madison. Dear Madison Community, I hope this message finds you well. It is with mixed emotions that I write to inform you of my departure from YWCA Madison as its… Continue Reading Press Release: A Farewell Message from Vanessa McDowell-Atlas, CEO of YWCA Madison

Thursday, December 7, 2023

This blog was written for and published by The Center for Effective Philanthropy and can also be found here. Trust-based philanthropy means something different to black women nonprofit leaders. We are often not trusted out of the gate because of bias due to our intersectional identity. We are often questioned about our decisions — and… Continue Reading The Power of Trust-Based Philanthropy for Black Women Leaders

Thursday, July 20, 2023

YWCA Madison Registration for YWCA Madison’s 2023 Racial Justice Summit is Now Open MADISON, Wisconsin, July 19, 2023 – Registration is now open for YWCA Madison’s 2023 Racial Justice Summit. Building on YWCA Madison’s collective values of Humanity, Community, Growth and Restoration, this 2023 Racial Justice Summit will invite us all to practice Creating New… Continue Reading Press Release: Registration for YWCA Madison’s 2023 Racial Justice Summit is Now Open

Tuesday, May 9, 2023

YWCA Madison Invites You To Join Us As We Celebrate The Lives of Women Creating New Possibilities In Our Community At The 48th Annual Women of Distinction Leadership Awards MADISON, Wisconsin – On Wednesday, June 21, 2023, YWCA Madison will present the 48th Annual Women of Distinction Leadership Awards at Garver Feed Mill in Madison,… Continue Reading Press Release: YWCA Madison Invites You To Join Us As We Celebrate The Lives of Women Creating New Possibilities In Our Community At The 48th Annual Women of Distinction Leadership Awards

Tuesday, June 9, 2020

YWCA Madison is devastated by the murder of George Floyd at the hands of police officers, as well as the murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony Robinson, Tony McDade, and countless other Black Americans. Unfortunately, we are no longer surprised. Police brutality and institutional racism are baked into the policing and criminal justice systems… Continue Reading YWCA Madison Stands in Solidarity with Black Lives Matter

Wednesday, June 3, 2020

Donate to YWCA Madison. https://www.ywcamadison.org/get-involved/donate/ Our work has not stopped. We continue to house, transport and provide critical services to our community, all while upholding our mission of eliminating racism and empowering women. Use your privilege and funds to support Black, Brown, and Indigenous-led organizations and people. Take the time to read our Stand Against… Continue Reading 10 Ways to Support YWCA Madison During This Time

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

What do we want to Grow? What are we Growing? At YWCA Madison, we embrace Growth as one of our core guiding values. This means that we know that learning and unlearning is a forever-journey that requires us to practice awareness, courage, compassion, and creativity. It means that we must nurture practices and feedback… Continue Reading Stand Against Racism: GROWTH–Standing for Justice in the Time of COVID-19