Let’s Talk Panel Series

During this session we discuss how access to transportation profoundly impacts various aspects of our lives, including our ability to reach work, obtain healthcare, and ensure our children receive education with guest speakers:

• La Vaida Owens-White, Board President of Delaware Ecumenical Council on Children and Families

• Marissa McClenton, Environmental Justice Associate Organizer at the Sierra Club, Delaware Chapter

• Sean T. O'Neill, Policy Scientist at the Institute for Public Administration (IPA) at the University of Delaware and President of the Delaware Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA).

Given the significant implications, achieving transportation equity is paramount in dismantling racism and empowering women.

Join us for an engaging conversation delving into the meaning and significance of Reproductive Justice. Learn about its origins, its relevance today, and why it's more crucial than ever with guest speakers:

• Brittany Williams, Founder and CEO of the Black Girl Health Collective

• Mara Gorman, Public Affairs Manager at Planned Parenthood of Delaware

• Dr. Margaret Chou, ObGyn Christiana Care and Immediate Past Chair, DE ACOG

Our discussion will explore a wide array of issues, from the importance of doula services to the complexities of IVF. By unpacking these topics, we aim to foster understanding and advocacy for inclusive reproductive rights that honor the diverse experiences and needs of all individuals, regardless of race, class, gender identity, or background.

We’re exploring the history of the women’s financial movement, persistent barriers, entrepreneurship, and more with guest speaker Ayanna Khan, Founder, President and CEO of the Delaware Black Chamber of Commerce.

Shockingly, recent data from the Office of Women's Advancement and Advocacy Delaware Equal Pay Factsheet reveals that this year in Delaware, the wage gap has widened compared to 2023, highlighting the urgency of our discussion.

YWCA Delaware is dedicated to fostering safe communities where women and girls can thrive without fear. Despite the United States having the highest number of civilian-owned firearms globally, headlines and research consistently highlight gun violence as a significant threat to public health and safety.

From school corridors to music festivals, nightclubs to households, and communities nationwide, women disproportionately endure alarming levels of gun violence, exposing them to heightened risks of harm and fatality. During this discussion we talk about the historical context of firearms in our nation, ongoing prevention efforts in Delaware, and the specific manifestations of this violence within our state with guest speakers:

• Mariann Kenville-Moore, Director of Advocacy & Policy at the Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence

• Traci Manza Murphy, Executive Director at Delaware Coalition Against Gun Violence

• Nikerray Middlebrook, Program Coordinator, The Center for Structural Equity (CFSE)

• Lavocia Callahan, Cas, Manager, The Center for Structural Equity (CFSE)

This discussion dives deep into the Disability Rights Movement; the history of Eugenics; the intersection of race, gender, and disability, and COVID-19’s impact on individuals with differing abilities.

YWCA Delaware thanks our Let’s Talk Disability guest panel speakers:

• LeTonya Wilson-Nalley, Parent Advocate

• Carlean Ponder, Director of Disability Rights and Housing Policy Director, The Arc of the United States

• Dr. Sarah Curtiss, Assistant Professor of Special Education, University of Delaware.

This disucssion explores how redlining continues to impact housing access and how homophobia, racism, transphobia and other forms of discrimination are driving forces behind homelessness and its criminalization.

YWCA Delaware thanks our Let’s Talk Housing guest panel speakers:

• Eugene R. Young, Jr., Director of Delaware State Housing Authority

• Hasini Perkins, ACLU Delaware Racial Justice Organizer

• Shyanne Miller, Community Organizer – H.O.M.E.S. Campaign

Learn more about the legacy of musician activists, the cultural appropriation of music, racism in the industry, music’s place in opposing gender stereotypes and the accessibility of music education.

YWCA Delaware thanks our Let’s Talk Music guest panel speakers:

• Fostina Dixon-Kilgoe, Composer, Vocalist, Jazz Soloist, and Founder of the Wilmington Youth Jazz Band

• Sug Daniels, Singer, Songwriter and Producer

• Jonathan W. Whitney, Father, Husband, Son, Artivist, Jazz Drummer and Composer

Dive into how psychology has been used as a tool of marginalization, access to mental healthcare, and discrimination’s impact on mental health outcomes.

YWCA Delaware thanks our Let’s Talk Mental Health guest panel speakers:

• Marsha Akoto, Community-Based Counselor and Mental Health Fellow, Jewish Family Services

• Dr. Renn Kinnear Boblits, PsyD, MEd, Licensed Clinical Psychologist

• Tomaro M. Pilgrim, Clinical Social Work/Therapist, MSc, MShs, HS-BCP, LMSW