The YWCA movement has a long and rich history of advocating for policies that improve the lives of individuals across the country, including women, girls, low-income individuals and families, and communities of color. For over 160 years, the YWCA USA and its affiliates have demonstrated their strength in educating and advocating in various social justice spaces: from civil rights to racial equity, affordable housing to equal pay, and violence prevention to health care reform.

Over the last decade, various efforts to effectively advocate for legal or legislative change that combat social issues ranging from racial inequality and economic disparities to ensuring individual health and safety have been made. However, much more remains to be done to ensure that laws will benefit members of our community that are often most impacted and marginalized as a result of public policy changes and systemic oppression.

We are a part of one of the oldest and largest women’s organizations in the nation, and our organization in the Great Lakes Bay Region was founded over 130 years ago in Bay City. To continue the work of our affiliate’s, founders, and leaders, the YWCA Great Lakes Bay Region (GLBR) seeks to participate in and carry out strong and collective advocacy on issues that are important to survivors, their families, and community members in the Region and across the state. YWCA GLBR also strives for mission oriented programs and events that incorporate advocacy into our work daily.