On October 28th, 2019  YWCA Pasadena honored  All Saints Church and Dr. Ying-Ying Goh, Director of the Pasadena Public Health Department, as the recipients of the YWCA’s 2019 Racial Justice Awards. The event saw over 400 community leaders, government officials, and community members gathered to advance the cause of racial justice.

Dr. Lisa Masterson (the Doctors) served as the mistress of ceremonies for the occasion. “This is  very important to me as a mentor for women and for racial justice,” said Dr. Masterson in her opening remarks. “I appreciate so much the opportunity to be here because now more than ever it is important that we gather together like this for this focus.”

In her acceptance speech, Dr. Goh spoke on health disparities and what the Pasadena Public Health Department is doing to address these systemic disparities and improve health outcomes. “We believe that as government we have responsibility to to change those policies and practicies.”said Dr. Goh about health inequities. “We recognize that this won’t be an easy or quick journey but we are committed to it.” These efforts include a media campaign that the PPHD created to reach youth and minority communities to deter them from using tobacco products and initiatives to improve kindergarten readiness and mortality rates for black mothers.

All Saints Church was presented with the organizational Racial Justice Award. Rector Mike Kinman and Monique Thomas, Chair of the  Peace & Justice Committee, provided remarks about All Saints’ work. “All Saints is powered by women […] and predominately women of color” said Ms. Thomas. They went onto detail the work that they do with voter registration, LGBTQ rights, social justice and more. But the highlight of their remarks was their commitment to follow as well as lead.

Girls’ Empowerment After-School Program participant Cielo Valenzuela also spoke on her experiences with the program and the YWCA’s Summer Camp and how that has impacted her as a young woman. She also shared a poem that she wrote with the audience.

YWCA Pasadena thanks  all of the attendees for coming on a Monday morning. Thanks also to the sponsors of the breakfast that helped raise over 60,000 : Kaiser Permanente, Onyx Healthcare, Dignity Health, PCL Construction, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, Tournament of Roses, City of Pasadena, Caltech, Planned Parenthood, Morgan Stanley -The Sean Yu Group , Pasadena City College, Edith Grady, Queence Li, Villa Gardens, Deborah Kinley, Pacific Oaks College, US Congresswoman Judy Chu, Cal State LA – College of Engineering, Computer Science, & Technology, Hillsides, Avery Dennison, Pasadena Police Dept, Marie Cantor, CA Assemblymember Chris Holden,Pasadena Federal Credit Union, Claremont Lincoln University, and YWCA San Gabriel Valley.

Because of the help of the sponsors and donors, the YWCA was able to raise over $65,000.

 

 

Since 2002, the YWCA Pasadena’s Women for Racial Justice Breakfast has celebrated those at the forefront of the fight for racial justice, bringing the community together to honor their accomplishments and reflecting upon the work yet to be finished. Come celebrate our distinguished honorees and be a part of our continued work towards racial justice. Individual tickets for the event are $100, sponsorship opportunities are also available. For more information about the Women for Racial Justice Breakfast, please visit the YWCA Pasadena website at www.ywca-pasadena.org, email cmartinez@ywca-pasadena.org, or call 626-296-8433.