Community Partner:
The YWCA of Greater Cincinnati is one of the first few chapters of the YWCA founded in the United States and has always worked towards the betterment of women. The YWCA’s mission is as follows: “The YWCA is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all.”
The YWCA works to uplift women with scholarship and leadership programs. In terms of violence prevention and intervention, the YWCA works to protect those who have experienced intimate partner violence as the only domestic violence shelter in Greater Cincinnati. They also help secure housing and income, provide access to mental health services, and give legal aid if necessary. Their work also extends before and after violence, working in schools to prevent violence as well as providing an intervention program, aimed at helping those who have been abusers break the cycle. YWCA of Greater Cincinnati also has a deep history in racial justice leadership, which continues currently, working towards a more equitable future. The YWCA has innumerable community programs, such as the YWCA Racial Justice Challenge and Real Reads Discussions. They also provide trainings to the community as well as companies and groups to educate on foundational issues in America. Their advocacy further extends to influencing public policy on issues of racial justice & civil rights, safety of women and girls, and the empowerment & economic advancement of women and girls. The YWCA works for women and with women to create a better future.
Find out more about YWCA of Greater Cincinnati at ywcacincinnati.org.
About Jennifer
I was born and raised in Greenwood, Indiana, where I graduated from Whiteland Community High School. For college, I attended Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, where I studied neuroscience and psychology, and I was a teaching assistant for dance classes. I am currently in my 4th and final year studying at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.
My path has taken me down an eventual career in Obstetrics & Gynecology after falling in love with the specialty during my 3rd year. In my future career, I plan on both working in the medical education and the advocacy spheres, which led me to this elective. Caring for patients, especially women and expecting mothers, extends outside of the clinic and hospital. Through this elective, I hope to gain an understanding of how to best advocate for my patients, whether that be in the community or on the legislative level.
Because of my passion for women’s health and preventative care, I teamed up with the YWCA of Greater Cincinnati. I have seen the unfortunate impact of systemic racism and social inequities on the lives of my patients and on the eventual lives of their offspring during nearly all my rotations and feel called to help eradicate these injustices. The YWCA does amazing work to eliminate racial inequities and empower women in the community, which drew me to working with their organization.