YWCA’s Human Rights Breakfast: Moving from #MeToo to #WeToo

YWCA’s Annual Human Rights Panelists. Pictured from left are Lourdes Zapata, Chief Diversity Officer for the Office of Governor Cuomo, Ariana Quiñones, Next Gen/WREF Coordinator for YWCA, Maria Imperial, YWCA CEO, Ana Pompa Alarcón Rawls, CEO & Founder of Find Sisterhood Inc, and Jesse Zayas, Prevention Education Coordinator for Putnam/Northern Westchester Women’s Resource Center.

On Friday, December 7, the YWCA White Plains & Central Westchester (YWCA) commemorated International Human Rights Day at a breakfast featuring a dynamic panel discussion on Women’s Rights are Human Rights: Moving from #MeToo to #WeToo.

There is no question that the #MeToo movement has elevated our awareness of the sexual misconduct in the workplace as well as the disempowerment and abuse of women throughout our country, city, community. The Movement has given credibility to the voices of survivors and has united women and others to raise our voices, join forces and develop new solutions to empowerment.

“Too many institutions in our society – corporations, government, the courts, nonprofits, are places where women, especially women of color, are not treated equitably. We all need to look at the various inequalities that intersect women’s lives and come together to develop community-wide solutions,” commented Maria Imperial, CEO of the YWCA White Plains & Central Westchester.

“This is the first of many conversations that we want to have about intersecting issues that affect the community. We see a need for more collaborations and for the community to come together. We want the greater community to know about all of the resources that are out there so that we can work toward making a more effective and long-lasting change.” Ariana Quiñones, Next Gen Coordinator & Coordinator of the YWCA White Plains & Central Westchester. .

Facilitator: Ariana Quiñones Next Gen and Women’s and Research Education Fund (WREF) Coordinator for YWCA White Plains & Central Westchester.

Panelist: Ana Pompa Alarcón Rawls, CEO and founder of Find Sisterhood Inc.

Panelist: Lourdes Zapata, Diversity Officer for the State of New York

Panelist: Jesse Zayas, Prevention Education Coordinator at the Putnam/Northern Westchester Women’s Resource Center.

About YWCA White Plains & Central Westchester

The YWCA is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. Since 1929, the YWCA White Plains & Central Westchester (YWCA) has been a pioneer for social change through innovative programs that seek to improve the lives of women and families and that strive for racial justice.