MONDAY MUSINGS: ACTIVE DO GOODERS

For all the bad behavior we read about daily there are many more DO GOODERs among us. To prove my point was last Thursday's 2020 YWCA's Tribute to Outstanding Womxn via a live link where 11 community members were honored for their efforts to help in the Y's mission statement of eliminating racism and empowering Women by promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all.

Usually there's a sit down dinner with each honoree giving a speech but due to being socially distanced the planning committee had a virtual evening with a moderator introducing us to the honorees with pre recorded brief intros and also questions about what the honor means to them, the significance of the removal of racism, a quote or mantra they live their life by and what advice they would give to those wanting to remove racism and empower women.

*I'm borrowing the Y's poster of their Honorees 

Left to Right are the 2020 honorees

Top row:

Michelle Richgels named Emily Sis Huston Volunteer of the  Award who promotes self sufficiency, is a Guardian Angel for Family and Children's Center and a member of the YWCA La Crosse Board of Directors.

Diariana Herron, Community Project of the Year, Celebrating Youth Voices for Justice Logan High School

Shantae Sheard , Young Womxn of Tomorrow, Holmen High School senior who after suffering racism within school and lack of administrative help formed Diverse Cultural Alliance for minorities and allies.

Middle row : 

Brianna Washington Community Project of the Year Celebrating Youth Voices for Justice :Logan High School

Mia Davis & Chaya Davis Community Project of the Year Celebrating Youth Voices for Justice: Logan High School

Dr. Xong Xiong: Linda Riddle Community Advocate of the Year  thanked other local and state women's groups who help women advance their causes, ending gender based violence, an advocate for many years at our Hmong Community Center, co-founder of Cia Siab, for young Hmong women which helps maintain their language and culture  in the Coulee Region in promoting their voices here and across the state

Bottom row :

Claudia Delgado, Young Womxn of Tomorrow: Onalaska High School senior who founded Students for Dialogue and Social Change.

Dr. Caroline Wilker, Sustaining Leader of Today, internal medicine physician at the Center for Women's Health at Mayo in La Crosse in addition to serving as chair for both Clinical Quality and Diversity and Inclusion and White Coats for Black Lives .

Friends Heidi and Scott Blanke Olga Schleiter Philanthropic Memorial Award *

Yes, the future looks more promising and protected as the young women from 3 different high schools work for equity, fighting injustice and racism with peers for local and national issues using their voices to fight injustice and racism and white privilege.

Kudos to all these 2020 honorees who give of their time, vocally, physically/ monetarily and to all those who daily help those who may not have a voice... We can all be part of the solution.

*Monetary donations to the YWCA are always appreciated.