YWCA Minneapolis Mentioned in Star Tribune

"Like a lot of nonprofits, the YWCA Minneapolis has been doing racial justice work for decades.

But now, Rubén Vázquez, the YWCA’s vice president of racial justice and public policy, said nonprofits are more aware that racism remains a societal problem that they need to confront, even if it’s sometimes in awkward conversations.

“A lot of people I talk to say: ‘I thought we were over this,’ ” he said. “This whole Minnesota Nice thing is about wanting to not talk about things that make us uncomfortable.”

Last year, the YWCA started It’s Time to Act! — a four-part series of events that drew some 1,000 attendees delving into how to take action on issues such as white fragility. The YWCA has also held an annual event, It’s Time to Talk: Forums on Race, for 16 years, but participants wanted to do more than have a conversation about the issue. Schools, businesses and other organizations are also eager to create change, tapping into the YWCA’s longstanding consulting services on equity work."