YWCA Greater Austin Celebrates 110th Year Serving The Community

AUSTIN, TX —YWCA Greater Austin will mark 110 years of serving the community in a music-filled celebration this Friday.

The gathering will take place Sept. 15 at the Spider House Café & Ballroom at 7 p.m. During the event, local leaders will be honored for their role in eliminating hate and empowering women, the dual missions of the YWCA Greater Austin.

For tickets starting at $20 and up, click here. The event is dubbed The Fabulous People Party: Happy 110th YWCA!

Community leaders will be recognized in the following categories: Ally Award, #NewRadical, Woman of Color Leading Change and the Legacy Award. The event is emceed by one of Austin's funniest people, Vanessa Gonzalez. Also featured will be live musical performances.

Doors open at 7 p.m. with music starting at 8 p.m. Attire is Austin Cool. Founded in 1907, the YWCA is the first and longest-serving agency in Central Texas to work to eliminate racism and empower women by promoting the health and safety of women and girls, their economic empowerment and advancement and racial justice and civil rights.

Related story: New Director Of YWCA Greater Austin Breathes New Life Into Century-Old Institution

Since its founding in 1907, the YWCA Greater Austin has recognized individuals in the community with different award categories at different times, organizers said. In the same manner that YWCA services have evolved to meet the needs and reflect the social reality and diversity of the community they serve, so to have the awards, officials added.

“When we talk about racial justice and gender, one of our priority goals is to help individuals recognize their own privilege in a meaningful way and to use what they learn through that process to make a difference,” Ángela-Jo Touza-Medina, executive director YWCA Austin, said. “We want a broad and diverse group of people who embody our mission to come together to celebrate and to be a part of this larger conversation.”

The following Fabulous People are finalists nominated in each category. The winner for each will be announced at the event.

Ally Award Finalists

• Wayne Krause Yang, Civil Rights Attorney
• Lloyd Doggett, U.S. Congressman
• Greg Casar, Austin Councilman
• Dr. Peniel Joseph, LBJ School Barbara Jordan Chair in Ethics and Political Values

#NewRadical Finalists

• Kristen Lenau, stop abuse for everyone (SAFE)
• Fatima Mann, Counter Balance ATX
• Nancy Cardenas Peña, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health
• Amanda Lewis, Texas Association Against Sexual Assault (TAASA)

Woman of Color Leading Change Finalists

• Lisa Goddard, UFCU
• Tanya Tarr, Leadership Coach & Forbes Contributor
• Gina Hinojosa, State Representative
• Ana Rodriguez DeFrates, Non-Profit Consultant
• Joyce James, Joyce James Consulting

Austin Community College Office of Equity & Inclusion is the first recipient of the annual Legacy Award.

For more information about the YWCA Austin click here.

>>> YWCA Greater Austin Executive Director Ángela-Jo Touza-Medina (center, in red scarf) surrounded by her staff members at the YWCA Greater Austin offices at 2015 S Interstate 35/photo by Tony Cantú