Category Archives: Feminism

Juneteenth and Black Girl Magic – A Note from Chelsea

Hi there, I hope that, as we enter the summer months, you and your family are continuing to take good care. As we re-emerge from a year of isolation, anxiety, and “survival” mode – and as we are still wrestling with the remnants of a life-altering and deadly pandemic – I believe it to be […]

A Letter from our Director

Dear Friends, What a time this has been. What a time. I find myself repeating that phrase often. On one end it is greeted with a breath of air that means, “Finally. Finally we are coming together to speak out against inequality and racial injustice.” However, it is followed by heartache to know that we […]

Tips for Consent and Choosing a Healthcare Provider

Empowering clients to self-advocate is a key part of being a YWRC doula. Working on birth plans, providing information about their rights during birth, and talking through options with clients are ways we help them prepare for conversations with healthcare providers. As part of Black Maternal Health Week, our doulas wanted to share a few […]

Spotlight: A Year in Review

2019 has been a great year for new beginnings, whether it’s from starting programs or creating new positions. As we wrap up the year, we wanted to take a moment to celebrate these changes. Here are a few examples of how we’ve grown: High School Credit Recovery Program In partnership with the Des Moines Public […]

Supporter Spotlight: Marilynn Cedarstrom

Marilynn Cedarstrom is starting her third year as an active, year-round volunteer with the Young Women’s Resource Center. Her time with us began when she joined our YWRC Gala Committee (formerly known as the Sit On It! committee). Her favorite YWRC memory is from that first event.   “It was great fun, but also heartwarming […]

Board Spotlight: Ariadna Arias Rosario

In June of 2017, the YWRC welcomed Ariadna Arias Rosario to our Board of Directors. Ariadna has long been a huge fan of the YWRC’s work and mission and has volunteered with us through the DuPont Pioneer Women’s Network group. She demonstrates a tangible energy and excitement whenever she speaks about her work with the […]

Supporter Spotlight: Jann Freed

Jann Freed has been a steadfast supporter of the Young Women’s Resource Center since the early 1990s. At that time, she was instrumental in leading the YWRC Board through a strategic planning process which included revising the mission and vision. Since then, Jann has volunteered through providing meals for our Young Moms, participating in fundraising […]

Staff Spotlight: Kahara Hunafa

Wearing many hats is something Kahara Hunafa, Empowerment Program Specialist, thrives on. Over the last three and a half years, Kahara has become an integral part of the YWRC team. “I, along with three other Empowerment staff and two Empowerment Assistants, go into Greater Des Moines schools to facilitate small, six-week Empowerment Groups. These groups […]

YWRC Develops New Tools

We are excited to share with you two new tools we’ve developed in the past year to better serve our girls and young women: the Youth Experiences Survey (YES) and the YWRC Resiliency Survey. We are proud to be a leading agency in youth-specific trauma and resiliency research and look forward to sharing these tools […]

Supporter Spotlight: Terry Hernandez

We are excited to honor Terry Hernandez in our Supporter Spotlight. Terry has been leading the Chrysalis Foundation as the Executive Director since 1997. Chrysalis is a foundation that partners with the Greater Des Moines community, including the Young Women’s Resource Center (YWRC), to provide Iowa women and girls leadership skills, educational and economic opportunities, […]