Introducing the Racial Equity Center of Lorain County
YWCA Elyria is leading the charge to dismantle systemic racism in our communities through the launch of the Racial Equity Center of Lorain County.
In 2020, the YWCA Elyria began work on the creation of the Racial Equity Center to greater represent to the community the work we have historically done in the fulfillment of our mission ‐ the elimination of racism and empowerment of women. The resulting document, Lorain County Racial Equity Agenda, will be the foundational piece of the Racial Equity Center of Lorain County and the expected subsequent work.
In the aftermath of the racial unrest spurred by the murder of George Floyd, the YWCA was instrumental in getting resolutions declaring racism as a public health crisis passed by the cities of Elyria, Lorain, Oberlin, and the Lorain County Commissioners. The YWCA further pledged to work with each entity to ensure that their declarations would not be mere words, but rather the necessary first response to dismantling systemic racism in Lorain County. The Lorain County Racial Equity Center and the Lorain County Racial Equity Agenda are the first steps in the realization of that pledge.
Building on the success of the YWCA 21 Day Racial Equity Challenge, the Racial Equity Institute’s Groundwater Training, and the work of the Anti‐Hate Taskforce, it was clear that the community was eager to bring a coalition together around a suggested framework like the Toledo Black Agenda through a Lorain County lens; and utilizing information gleaned from the Equity Audit generated by the Nord Family Foundation and the Center for Community Solutions.
The LCREC Working Group donated 12 months of dedication to this project: Cindy Andrews, Ryan Aroney, Tania Boster, Jack Bradley, Dave Covell, Denise Douglas, Tony Gallo, A. G. Miller, Patricia O’Brien, Fallon Petersen, Cecelia Render, and Catherine Woskobnick. Each led sub‐committees comprised of even more community stakeholders that identified and quantified the social determinants of health. We now consider these the “Five Pillars of Equity” and include Healthcare, Education, Housing, Workforce, and Criminal Justice.
We will share these findings widely and re‐evaluate them on a regular basis. If there is an additional “pillar” to be added or if you would like to join us on this journey, reach out to any of the members listed.
We are very much aware of the magnitude of the problem of racism in America and the challenges ahead for the Lorain County Racial Equity Center. However, to quote James Baldwin, “Not everything that is faced can be changed but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”
Stay tuned to learn more about our current public health crisis, and discover opportunities to get involved as we race forward — together.
