Advancing Racial Justice ↘
Racial justice is at the heart of the YWCA’s mission.
At YWCA Asheville, we work to address inequities created by systemic racism through community education, advocacy, and action. Our racial justice workshops create space to explore these issues, deepen understanding, and build tools for a more equitable community.
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Community Racial Justice Workshops
Join the YWCA for free workshops open to the community that explore racial justice, deepen understanding of racism, and build tools for creating a more equitable Asheville.
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Workplace Racial Justice Training
Racial Justice Training for Organizations & Businesses
YWCA Asheville offers facilitated racial justice workshops for organizations and businesses looking to deepen understanding of systemic racism, address bias, and build more equitable workplaces.
Trainings can be customized to meet the needs of your team.
Contact us to schedule a workshop.
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The 2026 UJJI Challenge April 6 – May 4
Until Justice Just Is (UJJI) is YWCA’s annual campaign to raise awareness, spark conversation, and inspire action around the most pressing issues in our communities.
This year’s theme, Democracy in Progress: Voting Rights at 250, invites us to reflect on progress toward voting access, recognize the barriers that still remain, and take action to protect the fundamental right to vote.
Racial Justice Workshops ↘
YWCA Asheville first developed our Racial Justice Workshops for staff to deepen our understanding of our mission-based work and strengthen our commitment to advancing racial justice. Today, YWCA’s Racial Justice Workshops are offered to anyone in our community, with both in-person and virtual options.
We offer free community workshops for individuals who want to grow their understanding of racism and racial justice. These sessions create space for learning, reflection, and conversation about how racism shows up in our communities and institutions.
We also partner with organizations, businesses, and community groups to provide facilitated racial justice workshops for staff and teams. These customized trainings are offered for a fee. We use a sliding scale pricing model based on your organization’s operating budget. This allows us to meet groups where they are and keep this work accessible across our community.
If your organization is interested in scheduling a workshop, please contact us by email .
Workshop Goals
Participants will:
Learn shared language and key concepts related to racial justice
Explore how racism shows up in our institutions, communities, and daily lives
Become familiar with the YWCA’s racial justice framework
Examine the history of racial (in)justice in the United States and beyond
Register for an Upcoming Workshop
YWCA Asheville offers free workshops open to the community throughout the year.
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3-Part Racial Justice Workshop (Virtual)
Dates: April 21, 23, & 24
Time: 9 – 11 AM
Format: Virtual (Zoom)
Commitment: Participants attend all three sessionsRegister using the Zoom form below to reserve your spot. After registering, you will receive the Zoom meeting link and details.
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3-Part Racial Justice Workshop (Virtual)
Dates: May 11, 12 & 14 (Mon/Tues/Thurs)
Time: 4 – 6 PM
Format: Virtual (Zoom)
Commitment: Participants attend all three sessionsRegister using the Zoom form below to reserve your spot. After registering, you will receive the Zoom meeting link and details.
Until Justice Just Is ↘
Until Justice Just Is (UJJI) is an annual campaign of YWCA USA, designed to build community among those who work for racial justice and raise awareness about the impact of institutional and structural racism. This campaign, which will take place from April 6 through May 4, provides the opportunity for communities across the United States to unite their voices to educate, advocate, and promote racial justice. UJJI is one part of our larger national strategy to fulfill our mission of eliminating racism. This year, UJJI centers around the theme Democracy in Progress: Voting Rights at 250. This year, we will focus exclusively on voting rights, honoring 250 years of the American democratic experiment while exposing inequities, uplifting the struggle for access to the ballot, and advocating for a future where every American’s vote is protected, valued, and accessible.
From April 6 - May 4, the 2026 UJJI Challenge will offer a streamlined experience: one carefully curated piece of content each day, designed to deepen participant’s understanding of voting rights and inspire meaningful engaggement.
Over the course of the month, YWCA of Asheville will create space to gather as a community to learn, discuss, and take action to support our mission to advance racial justice. UJJI is just the beginning; join us and support our mission every month.
Learn more at: https://www.ywca.org/what-we-do/national-campaigns/until-justice-just-is
Join the Challenge: https://www.ywca.org/what-we-do/national-campaigns/until-justice-just-is#challenge
Racial Justice Coalition ↘
The YWCA of Asheville is a proud member of the Racial Justice Coalition in Asheville, which includes fourteen organizations working to become a national model for best practices and improved police-community relations.
One of the most influential initiatives the Racial Justice Coalition has spearheaded is the revision of the Asheville Police Department’s use of force policy. A community working group convened with the police department to revise the policy, which emphasizes de-escalation and accountability – holding officers to a higher standard than the North Carolina statute. The Asheville Police Chief has committed to training all officers to the new policy standards. Additional training on crisis interventions, body-worn cameras, implicit bias and use of tasers has been completed. We are hopeful these measures will reduce incidents of violence – specifically within our black and brown communities who are disproportionately impacted.
Another initiative that the RJC is leading the charge on is the push for Asheville City Council to follow through with their Reparations Resolution passed in 2020. The RJC is committed to healing and justice for and with the Black community in Asheville and Buncombe County and is advocating for a truly reparative process that includes economic and educational advancement, and 100% engagement and involvement of this community.
The Racial Justice Coalition includes representatives of organizations in Asheville and Buncombe County dedicated to racial justice. The Racial Justice Coalition comes together in the commitment to racial equity and to advocate for the rights of people of color. The Racial Justice Coalition includes: ACLU of WNC, ABIPA, Asheville-Buncombe Branch of the NAACP, Asheville City Schools Foundation, Building Bridges of Asheville, Carolina Jews for Justice/West, Center for Diversity Education at UNC-Asheville, Christians for a United Community, Democracy North Carolina, Eagle Market Streets Development Corporation, Elders Fierce for Justice, Mountain People’s Assembly, and YWCA of Asheville and WNC.
