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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.”
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
Thursday, April 30, 2020
At YWCA Madison, Community is one of the core values that guides us. When we think of the word community, we often think of a group of people that share common interests or characteristics. These commonalities may be based on identity, physical location, religious, ideological, or occupational groupings, or myriad other ways that we group ourselves.…
Monday, April 27, 2020
At YWCA Madison, one of the core values that guide us is the truth of our shared Humanity— the truth that each and every one of us is sacred, has dignity, and has the right to well being in this human experience. The shared aspect of our Humanity means that we are closest to wholeness…
Thursday, April 23, 2020
STAND AGAINST RACISM: AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRIDGE-STANDING FOR JUSTICE IN THE TIME OF COVID-19
As the global community contends with the new reality and suffering that COVID-19 presents, we at YWCA Madison are reflecting on what it means to practice our values of Humanity, Community, Growth, and Restoration during this time of upheaval. The societal response to Coronavirus and its fallout has brought many of the truths of the…
Monday, March 30, 2020
YWCA MADISON: A MESSAGE FROM CEO, VANESSA McDOWELL
YWCA Madison is taking the health and wellbeing of our residents, staff, volunteers, and community very seriously with the arrival of the COVID-19 virus. We will get through this together by upholding our organizational values of Humanity, Community, Growth, and Restoration. A Message from YWCA Madison CEO, Vanessa McDowell Please understand that our staff is…
Tuesday, March 17, 2020
YWCA MADISON’S STATEMENT ON COVID-19
Dear Community, YWCA Madison is taking the health and wellbeing of our residents, staff, volunteers, and community very seriously with the arrival of the COVID-19 virus. We will get through this together by upholding our organizational values of Humanity, Community, Growth, and Restoration. Please understand that our staff is working…
Tuesday, February 25, 2020
LETTER BY YWCA MADISON CEO VANESSA McDOWELL
Dear Secretary Barrett, Senator Baldwin, Senator Johnson, and Congressmember Pocan, We ask you to oppose stationing the F-35s Lightning II to the Wisconsin 115th Fighter Wing at Truax Air National Guard Base in Madison, Wisconsin. As documented in the Environmental Impact Statement drafted by the United States Air…
Thursday, March 14, 2019
STATEMENT FROM YWCA MADISON’S ADVOCACY TEAM
YWCA Madison is both outraged and devastated at the decision last week not to pursue criminal charges against a school administrator who attacked an 11-year old black girl at Whitehorse Middle School. We are outraged because we cannot understand how violence from an adult white male against a black…
Wednesday, November 14, 2018
LETTER BY YWCA MADISON CEO VANESSA McDOWELL
Dear Madison Common Council Alders and Mayor Paul Soglin, YWCA Madison strongly supports Common Council Proposed Operating Amendment #4 and Common Council Proposed Capitol Amendment #1 to remove funding to pilot body cameras for Madison Police. The city is not ready yet for body cameras. In 2015, YWCA Madison…
Friday, February 9, 2018
STATEMENT BY YWCA USA CEO ALEJANDRA Y. CASTILLO
Domestic violence continues to be an epidemic impacting one in four women in the United States. One of the primary reasons domestic violence continues at this pace is because abusers face little to no accountability for their actions. Often, they are protected by other people in power,…
January 31, 2018
STATEMENT BY YWCA USA CEO, ALEJANDRA Y. CASTILLO
In last night’s State of the Union address, President Trump doubled down on his standard dog-whistle of divisive rhetoric and scapegoating our most underserved communities. Last night’s litany of policies focused on building a border wall, separating immigrant families and ramping up penalties for drug offenders…
December 13, 2017
STATEMENT BY YWCA USA CEO, ALEJANDRA Y. CASTILLO
Recently, new stories of sexual assault and harassment dominate the news cycle. But women, survivors and advocates confront these issues every day, whether or not they make the press. From the White House to the halls of Congress, from Hollywood to main street, men use their positions…