Claim OwnershipOrganize Your Butterflies
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Welcome to Organize Your Butterflies, an original podcast of YWCA, one of the largest and oldest women’s organizations in the country, whose mission is to eliminate racism and empower women. Each episode, we discuss the many different ways women—including some of the amazing leaders at YWCA—are working to help women, girls and families. Topics include organizing, strategizing, and mobilizing around issues like equal pay, domestic violence, women’s entrepreneurship, and so much more, and how YOU can get involved. We organize our butterflies to create change and build a better future for women, families, and our communities.
58 Episodes
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Catcalls of NYC is a grassroots initiative that uses public chalk art to raise awareness about gender-based street harassment. In this episode, host Alejandra Y. Castillo chats with founder of the movement, Sophie Sandberg, discusses the origins of the movement, the art of chalking, feminism, and taking the conversation about harassment internationally. The goal? To spur dialogue, provide a platform for story sharing, and promote cultural change. Follow CatCalls of NYC Instagram @catcallsofnyc to read powerful stories from brave individuals and to learn how to start a CatCalls movement in your city.
Sexual harassment, abuse, and assault are serious and widespread issues that are often used to instill fear, humiliate, or punish; destroy lives, families, and communities; or enforce power dynamics. These previously taboo issues have now been put in the public spotlight and have sparked many new and important conversations due to the #MeToo movement’s widespread influence around the world. In this episode, Dani Ayers is the Chief Executive Officer of The ‘Me Too.’ Movement, talks about interrupting and eradicating sexual violence to empowering survivors of sexual assault, supporting and activating survivors, and the future of the movement. Be sure to follow #MeToo. movement on Twitter at @MeTooMVMT and join in on the conversation using #MeToo. Learn more about YWCA resources for survivors of gender-based and sexual violence by visiting our website at ywca.org. This episode also spotlights the work of YWCA Bucks County. Executive Director, Guillaume Stewart talks about the ways this local association shows up to provide food pantries, housing resources, computer classes, and so much more for their local community.
The Allstate Foundation's Moving Ahead Curriculum has made significant strides to serve survivors of GBV who need support when it comes to financial empowerment. In this special edition episode of Organize Your Butterflies, Host Alejandra Y. Castillo, CEO, YWCA USA chats with Madeline Gregory, Philanthropy Manager, the Allstate Foundation and Linda Ellis-Williams, Director of Programs, YWCA Central Virginia, on how this program is providing clear and measured results for survivors who so desperately need it during the most vulnerable moments in their lives. For more information on the Allstate Foundation's curriculum, check it out at https://allstatefoundation.org/what-we-do/end-domestic-violence/resources/. And be sure to follow along with YWCA Central Virginia's programming at https://www.ywcacva.org/what-we-are-doing/dvpp/!
Join expert guest, Dr. Joelle Simpson, Medical Director of Emergency Preparedness, Program Director of Emergency Medical Services for Children - D.C. Program, and Emergency Medicine Physician at Children's National Hospital, and host, Alejandra Y. Castillo, CEO of YWCA USA, as they explore how COVID-19 is affecting children, this back-to-school season, and communities of color. Listen in as the two discuss: how the virus displays in children; paying special attention to a child’s mental health during this particularly isolating time; how to be a responsible partner in your community; and how the virus is disproportionately impacting communities of color. Dr. Simpson also talks about her passion for healthcare, and her advice for aspiring women of color looking to break into the medical profession. For more information on Dr. Simpson, visit https://childrensnational.org/visit/find-a-provider/joelle-simpson and be sure to check out Children's National Hospital for more information on how they're keeping their community - and country - healthy through ground-breaking research, patient care, and partnering with their neighbors.
If we are to ever achieve a world where justice...just is, it’s essential that we start with the top of our justice system: the courtrooms themselves. And, a major barrier to justice within the court-system is the actual representation of judges on the bench. Join Russell Feingold, President of the American Constitution Society and former Senator of Wisconsin, and Alejandra Y. Castillo, CEO of YWCA USA, as they discuss the importance of law-accessibility, creating a pipeline for more diverse judges through law school recruitment, and the movement to reclaim the legal system for all people. For more information on the ACS, check out https://www.acslaw.org/, and be sure to follow Russell on Twitter @russfeingold!
In the wake of the murder of 20-year old Vanessa Guillen, an Army specialist, the military has faced an immense amount of scrutiny in how they investigate gender-based violence. In response to cries for accountability, a group of former members of the armed services have banded together to seek justice for Vanessa and her family to hold the military accountable for their inaction. Lucy C. Del Gaudio, Melissa Bryant, and Lindsay Church speak with Alejandra Y. Castillo on how they are advocating for Vanessa and providing a new blueprint for proper investigation of gender-based violence reports within the armed services. As calls for transparency and accountability increase, these women are leading the way to achieve justice, and making history along the way. Please follow along @LadyDelDJ, @mabryant256 @lkmchurch , and contribute to the conversation to demand using the hashtag #JUSTICEFORVANNESSAGUILLEN on Twitter. For more information on what YWCA is doing to support survivors of gender-based violence visit https://www.ywca.org/what-we-do/domestic-and-sexual-violence-services/.
As summer 2020 has certainly shown through the Black Lives Matter protests and increased calls for community and national accountability when it comes to justice, the power of community investment has shown that when we invest in our neighbors, we invest in the health and safety of our communities. This mindset and practice inspired the team at YWCA Greater Baton Rouge to develop a Community Bail Fund to help-out members of their community who are arrested with nonviolent offenses after an incident of police brutality in their community. Through national attention from Colin Kaepernick and the Robert F. Kennedy Fund Know Your Rights Camp, YWCA Greater Baton Rouge has pushed the boundaries on what it means to be a community leader and partner in this nation’s quest for actionable justice. Listen in as Dianna Payton, CEO of YWCA Greater Baton Rouge and Alejandra Y. Castillo, CEO, YWCA USA discuss the importance of community bailout funds, the transformational power of bailouts, and how local nonprofits can have impact on national discourse and lead the wave of change to dismantle systemic racism. For more information on YWCA Greater Baton Rouge, be sure to follow them on Instagram @ywcagbr.
This episode of Organize Your butterflies features a vibrant and educational conversation between Alejandra Y. Castillo, CEO, YWCA USA and Tiffany "The Budgetnista" Aliche. Tiffany is an expert financial educator and has helped thousands of women understand their finances, build wealth, and understand the fundamentals of financial wellness. In honor of Black Women's Equal Pay Day, we're grateful to have Tiffany's insight on The Black Tax and why it is harder for Back women to achieve financial equity. For more information on Tiffany, be sure to follow her @TheBudgetnista on all platforms, and check out her new book "Happy Birthday Mali More"!
Balancing the demands of motherhood has never been easy. This is especially evident as moms and mom-like figures perform the ultimate balancing act during the COVID-19 crisis. America is witnessing the power of parenthood as women take control of their households to keep their families and communities safe. However, moms need resources and love too! Which is why Tanisha Hemphill founded “Black Mom Resource” as an online hub of advice, sisterhood, and celebration of the Black mom experience. Tanisha and Alejandra Y. Castillo, CEO, YWCA USA discuss the ways in which COVID-19 has presented extra challenges during this time and what moms can do to support and uplift one-another. Visit https://www.blackmomresource.com/ for more information and check out Tanisha's website https://www.tanishahemphill.com/!
This episode of Organize Your Butterflies explores how COVID-19 has affected low income communities across the country, and the ways in which community investment though (Community Development Financial Institutions) CDFIs is helping provide support during these challenging economic times. With their distinct niche as financial institutions with a mission driven bottom-line, CDFIs do so much more than just provide access to capital. Episode guest Maurice Jones, President of Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) chats with Alejandra Y. Castillo, CEO of YWCA USA about these important institutions, the significance of community investment, and the future of rebuilding commercial spaces in places where they’ve been historically overlooked. For more information on how LISC is helping out, be sure to check out their website and follow Maurice on Twitter @LISCMaurice!
This episode of Organize Your Butterflies features an exciting and refreshing conversation between Bryanna Wallace and Autumn Gupta, who are the founders of Justice in June, a digital compilation of resources making allyship a lifestyle habit, and Alejandra Y. Castillo, CEO of YWCA. As the world shifts to normalizing conversations surrounding anti-racism work and what allyship in practice looks like, Bryanna and Autumn have developed a platform in which individuals can take responsibility for learning ways to be intentional allies within this practice. The former college roommates and best-friends have been outspoken activists on social media and are leading the way for digital organizing and generational change. For more information on how to be a proactive ally, check out JusticeInJune.org And, be sure to follow them both on Instagram @autumngupta and @brybry1217! As we continue our conversation on allyship, YWCA USA recognizes the collective power of our national network of local associations committed to anti-racism work on the ground. YWCA Olympia, which practices a shared leadership model with Hillary Detamore, Chief Executive Officer at The Helm, made this commitment to centering racial justice work six years ago and hasn’t looked back since. As this episode’s spotlight, we are so proud of how they are challenging their local community of Olympia to think critically about racial disparities. For more information visit https://www.ywcaofolympia.org/.
This episode of Organize Your Butterflies features a dynamic conversation between Nikki Mitre, Acting Director Executive Director, Center for Native American Youth at the Aspen Institute, and Alejandra Y. Castillo, CEO, YWCA. The historical milestones of Native American women have shaped America’s history. Today, they continue to make strides - despite the challenging environment of this nation - especially within the global pandemic. Young women from tribes across the country have come together to use their collective power and influence to work on behalf of their communities. In Nikki’s role at the Center for Native American Youth, she is responsible for spearheading initiatives to promote leadership within the Native American population’s youth. Be sure to listen to find out how Native Youth are responding to COVID-19, recommitments to the outdoors, and leaning into culture and intergenerational strength. For more information on Nikki, be sure to check her out at https://www.cnay.org/bios/nikki-pitre/!
This episode of Organize Your Butterflies features a moving conversation between Elle Hearns, the Founder of the Marsha P. Johnson Institute (MPJI) and Alejandra Y. Castillo, CEO of YWCA USA. In the one year since founding the MPJI, Elle has formally created a space for Black transwomxn to find community, resources, and total celebration of their identity. Honoring the legacy of Marsha P. Johnson herself is something that Elle has found through her career as an organizer and a tradition she is proud to carry forward. The YWCA network is proud to stand in collaborative solidarity with MPJI to elevate the voices of Black transwomxn! For more information, be sure to follow Elle and the Marsha P. Johnson institute on Instagram @soulfreedreams and @mpjinstitute (respectively).
This episode of Organize Your Butterflies features a vibrant and thought provoking conversation between Alejandra Y. Castillo, CEO, YWCA and Peggy Nagae, Senior Consultant at White Men as Full Diversity Partners and the co-chair of the Diversity Task Force for the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association. Topics discussed include: the profound legacy of the AAPI community in the United States, the significance of COVID-19 and exclusionary narratives centered in racism, and how women’s leadership styles are the most successful in times of crisis. Together we can build a better, more just, and fair world! For more information on Peggy and her work, check out wmfdp.com.
Join Nisha Patel, who is an Independent Consultant working with individual donors and community foundations on the philanthropic side, and has an affiliation as a Senior Fellow at the Social Policy Institute at Washington University in St. Louis and Alejandra Y. Castillo, CEO of YWCA USA as they discuss the massive impact that COVID-19 is having on the nonprofit sector, and what the response, recovery, and re-imagination of the sector looks like as we begin to re-open. They also discuss the ways in which philanthropy is building new paradigms, the importance of trust building within philanthropy, and how reimagining what the philanthropic sector looks like is the only option forward. To learn more about Nisha and her philanthropic endeavors, check out her website: nishapatel.org!
This week’s episode features a conversation with Dr. Victoria M. DeFrancesco Soto, Assistant Dean of Civic Engagement, lecturer, and faculty affiliate of Mexican-American and Latino Studies, and Alejandra Y. Castillo, CEO of YWCA USA. In her various roles, Dr. Soto strives to lead dialogues on what effective public policy looks like from an academic perspective. In this conversation, Alejandra and Dr. Soto discuss how diversity intersects with American politics, pushing for an increase in LatinX voices, and using emotion as a motivating factor. For more information on Dr. Soto, check out her bio and follow her on Twitter @DrVMDS!
Congresswoman Veronica Escobar is a woman of firsts - she was one of the first Latina Congresswoman to serve in the U.S. Senate, serving the 16th district of Texas, and she is the first Congresswoman to be on Organize Your Butterflies. In this conversation with Alejandra Y. Castillo, CEO of YWCA USA, they discuss the ways in which hatred has permeated America, how this country is having a reckoning moment when it comes to race, and the importance of accurate representation of justice-oriented values. Further, we are pleased to release this episode on Mom's Equal Pay Day and highlight the pay-gap women experience in the workforce. Together in shared values, Congresswoman Escobar and YWCA are working to create a more just world. For more information on Congresswoman Escobar, follow her on Twitter @RepEscobar!
Join Alejandra Y. Castillo, CEO, YWCA USA and Dr. Annice E. Fisher, CEO and founder of The BEE FREE Woman and Developing Capacity Coaching, LLC in this lively conversation where they discuss tapping into the power of your full potential, following the calling of your spirit, and operating from a place of love and trust. Additionally, they discuss Annice’s new book, “The Power Within Me: The Road Back Home to the Real You,” and how she worked through the writing process from start to finish as she overcame obstacles to deliver the best version of herself possible. You can read more about Annice and “The Power Within Me” by visiting her website found here, and for even more inspiration, following her on Twitter!
As small-business owners continue to weather the coronavirus pandemic, many innovators are creating unique strategies to survive in this current economic environment. Nima Merchant is the Sr. Associate Director of Strategic Planning and Partnerships at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago, and this episode’s guest. Nima and OYB host Alejandra Y. Castillo discusses how the Polsky Center is engaging the greater Chicago community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, how businesses can remain sustainable, and forge strategic partnerships to weather this health. Click here to follow along with the happenings at the Polsky Center as they continue to be hub and beacon for the Chicago entrepreneurial community!
What does the world look like for GenZ-ers in these uncertain and confusing times? This episode’s guest Deja Foxx, is the co-founder of both the GenZ Girl Gang and El Rio Reproductive Health Access Project, and a future Presidential candidate(!), chats with Alejandra Castillo, CEO, YWCA USA, and Sophia Clarke, Communications Associate on how GenZ-ers are leading the digital revolution by utilizing digital platforms to organize and make generational change. Deja brings her personal wisdom and professional experiences to this dynamic conversation on topics including digital organizing, get out the vote efforts, and how the American dream is based on choice. Follow along with Deja’s journey on Instagram: @dejafoxx and @genzgirlgang, and on her personal website: dejafoxx.com. This episode's spotlight is on YWCA Madison and features a conversation with Vanessa McDowell, YWCA CEO Madison! Follow along their journey on Twitter @YWCAMadison
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