A new law passed in the Washington State Legislature this year has made it easier to build affordable housing on publicly-owned surplus land, including on top of light rail stations, where it will do the most good for our housing, climate, and traffic crises.

Nelson Mandela International Day, also known as Mandela Day, is held yearly on July 18 in recognition of all of Mandela's achievements toward furthering human rights, democracy, and social justice.

In partnership with WorldSkills International and the United Nations, July 15 was declared World Youth Skills Day. This day is celebrated to bring awareness to the essentiality of vocational education. YWCA would like to do its part by highlighting our GirlsFirst Program. Read more in this Q and A about our economic advancement program to empower girls of color.

Ever met someone who just has "feel good vibes?" Those are vibes community activist and storyteller Sharon Nyree Williams exudes. Like soul food, she fills you up with goodness, enriched in history, activism, and social justice. She is as captivating as her stories, as real as the issues facing black communities and as rich in essence as the stories she tells. I asked Sharon some questions about her work, having a dream, where her passions lie, and the responsibility that comes with storytelling.

On June 28, the Washington Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Tim Eyman & Michael J. Padden v. Kim Wyman & De-Escalate Washington & Cyrus Habib, on whether to invalidate different parts of Initiative 940 (I-940) passed by the Washington Legislature earlier this year.

Las familias merecen estar unidas. Families belong together and YWCA stands with immigrant women, families, and children.