Springfield Young Women’s Initiative
2019-2020
Springfield YWI 2020 has begun! In partnership with 18 Degrees, the Women’s Fund launched this year’s cohort on October 8, 2019. This year’s cohort is made up of 21 young women of Springfield. Their commitment to the Young Woman Advisory Council is marked by their engagement in crucial conversations about what barriers they and other young women in their community face. This year’s curriculum will feature guest speakers who are experts on topics such as:
- Community Building
- Woman’s Voice in a Man’s World
- Sisterhood, Safety, Creativity
- Women’s Economic Empowerment Series; Financial Freedom and Creative Opportunities
- Political Process
- Understanding Community Organizing; The Role of Government and Citizens
- Fund Development for Non-Profit Organizations
#YWI2020 #YWILeadsSpringfield
Leadership Institute for Political and Public Impact 2.0
2019-2020
This year’s LIPPI cohort commenced September 7, 2019 on the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus in partnership with the School of Public Policy. This year, LIPPI is being led by Lecturer and Community Scholars Program Director for Civic Engagement and Service Learning at UMASS, Dr. Deborah Keisch and Director of School of Public Policy at UMASS, Dr. Alasdair Roberts.
The program facilitators have launched the first iteration of LIPPI 2.0 with energy and excitement! The cohort has engaged with texts on social change and public policy alongside meeting state officials, Senator Jo Comerford, Representative Chynah Tyler, Representative Natalie Higgins as well as Executive Director of the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus, Lucas DeBarros. The cohort also met with LIPPI alumnae Diana Painter ’16, the Massachusetts Lead Organizer at the Main Street Alliance, and Jessica Avery, the Research Director of the Joint Committee on Veteran and Federal Affairs.
Program participant and Women’s Fund Community Investments Coordinator, Alycia Gay, talked about her excitement to engage with the critical topics the cohort is tackling in addition to the bonds she is fostering:
I am looking forward to building connections with my cohort. I hear from many alumni how important having lasting support from the cohort beyond their time together in the classroom setting and that’s really exciting to me! 2020 is a group of change agents and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.
#LIPPI2020 #LIPPIstasLead
Stay connected to the Women’s Fund for more exciting updates on YWI and LIPPI 2.0 over the course of the year.
