Women’s History Month gives us a chance to pause and remember that the work we do today did not begin with us. It was shaped by women who saw injustice clearly, felt it personally, and chose to do something about it.
At YWCA, that story begins with women like Grace Hoadley Dodge. Grace believed deeply in the potential of working women and immigrants in New York City at a time when opportunities were limited and support was scarce. She was known for her empathy and her tireless work ethic. People described her as someone full of sympathy, someone who offered loving words and steady encouragement to those who felt alone.
She helped found Teachers College at Columbia University and brought together two YWCA organizations so they could better meet the changing needs of women. Her belief was simple but powerful: when women have access to education, stability, and community, their futures open up.
YWCA’s history also includes women who challenged exclusion head-on. After Reconstruction, when segregation shut Black women out of many spaces, Rosetta Lawson worked to create something different. She established the first Phyllis Wheatley Branch of YWCA, creating a space built by and for Black women. In a segregated system, she made sure Black women were not an afterthought but a priority.
Then there was Julia Morgan, the first woman licensed as an architect in California. Her buildings were bold, thoughtful, and enduring. She designed YWCA spaces across the West that were not only functional but beautiful, sending a clear message that women deserved spaces that reflected their strength and dignity.
And we cannot talk about YWCA’s legacy without honoring Dorothy I. Height. Often called the “Godmother of the Civil Rights Movement,” Dr. Height served as YWCA’s first Director of Racial Justice. In 1970, she called on the organization to eliminate racism wherever it exists. That was not a symbolic statement. It was a charge, and it continues to guide our work.
As Margaret Mitchell, CEO of YWCA USA, reminds us, civic participation has always been central to YWCA’s mission. From supporting the Suffragette movement to advancing equity today, YWCA has understood that justice requires action.
This month, we will share more about these women and the paths they forged. We will also spotlight young women in our own community who are leading, organizing, creating, and pushing for change right now.
Women’s History Month is not just about honoring the past. It is about recognizing that we are part of this story.
At YWCA Carlisle & Cumberland County, we carry forward a legacy of standing with women, confronting injustice, and building communities where everyone can thrive.
The women who came before us lit the way. It is our responsibility and our privilege to keep that light going.