In Speak Out 253’s inaugural episode, hear from Laine Hoggan, Associate Board Chair, Claire Grubb, Associate Board Member, and Jessica Gavre, YWCA Development Director, as they talk about YWCA Pierce County and the YWCA Associate Board.

In this episode:

What are YWCA Pierce County’s services? YWCA Pierce County’s services cover a wide variety of domestic violence survivors needs – from legal services to the safe shelter. Anyone can access these services, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, and pets are welcome in the shelter!

The 253 Club - Our hosts talk about the beginning of the 253 Club and where it is now. Learn about 253 Club’s monthly happy hours and product drives and how you can contribute today.

Podcast preview - Get an inside scoop on topics that will be covered in future Speak Out 253 episodes.

1: Welcome to the Pod

Speak Out 253 is a podcast about social justice in Tacoma, WA and the 253 brought to you by the 253 Club and YWCA Pierce County. Listen to Tacoma locals talk about current issues, both in Tacoma and the world. Each episode focuses on a different topic ranging from YWCA Pierce County's work with domestic violence to social justice movements happening locally.

News & Politics

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

Government & Organizations

Non-Profit

National

Regional

Local

Today is our last podcast before we head on a hiatus, we’re not sure when we will be back but we have enjoyed talking about Tacoma and social justice during this journey! Listen in for next steps for some of the SpeakOut 253 team, upcoming 253 Club events and a look back on our favorite episodes we recorded.
Mentioned in the pod:
Sonya Renee Taylor’s book – The Body is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love (https://www.amazon.com/Body-Not-Apology-Radical-Self-Love/dp/1626569762)
253 Club’s Tampon Drive (https://www.facebook.com/events/914906515568070/)

17: It's Not Forever

This week, Claire and Laine are joined on the pod by Stephanie Land, YWCA’s 2019 Celebration Luncheon Keynote Speaker and [New York Times Bestselling author of Maid](https://stepville.com/books/). In this conversation, we discuss Stephanie’s book, her experience as a mother raising a young child while [overcoming homelessness, government assistance programs and dehumanizing work as a maid](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/12/opinion/sunday/work-housecleaning-poverty-wages.html?searchResultPosition=2). Her story of resilience and perseverance shares the insight on a daily life known to many but is often never told.

16: A Conversation with Stephanie Land

Welcome back to another episode of Speak Out 253! Today we are joined by YWCA Associate Board members Gaby, Samie and Laine to talk about hair care and the intersection of hair and race.

For several years, the Associate Board has organized a 253 Club happy hour event centered around collecting hair care donations for clients living in YWCA’s safe shelter. YWCA Pierce County serves diverse communities and we continually strive to provide options for our clients and the hair care drive is no different. When advertising this event, the Associate Board has struggled with how to communicate that they are seeking inclusive hair care products for all types of hair. You can walk into most drugstores or grocery stores and find a few full aisles of haircare products, but when it comes to haircare items for black and brown people the selection is vastly limited. Not only is this section separated from the ‘normal’ hair care items (and usually tucked away), it’s extremely expensive. This distinction of us versus them reinforces the normalization of whiteness – hair is hair. This idea of normalizing all types of hair drives our conversation today so join in!

Links:

[Hear Elizabeth Acevedo’s poem on hair](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0I11xCfnzXs)

Robin DiAngelo’s article: [White people are still raised to be racially illiterate. If we don't recognize the system, our inaction will uphold it.](https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/white-people-are-still-raised-be-racially-illiterate-if-we-ncna906646?fbclid=IwAR3BmOxbU1eCsVzfRqY4c7QRD_5KFFtyfkR3EVJH0c8B4XML-Wnem2ZA5RM)

15: Hair is hair

Today we’re talking to Amanda and Aspen, two people involved in SHEnlightens: A Women’s Collaboration Art Project which is currently on display at YWCA Pierce County’s offices. Join us as we talk to these incredible women about the powerful collection of portrait art that they have created alongside other skilled female artists from Tacoma. On April 28th, YWCA Pierce County’s Sunshine Hall will be open to the public for a public showcase.

[To learn more about the art show and attend please visit:](https://www.facebook.com/events/321166338604916/)

[https://www.facebook.com/events/321166338604916/](https://www.facebook.com/events/321166338604916/)

14: SHEnlightens

Today we’re joined on the pod by Stella and Mary to talk all about Young Adult books. Stella is a 8th grader who loves books and Mary is a high school librarian at Clover Park High School. Stella and her mom, Lisa Keating, co-facilitate a book club called the Queerest Book Club Ever at King’s Books. Join us for this fun conversation about books that impact us!

**Books Mentioned:**

[Eleanor and Park – Rainbow Rowell](https://www.amazon.com/Eleanor-Park-Rainbow-Rowell/dp/1250012570)

[](https://www.amazon.com/Dangerous-Art-Blending-Angelo-Surmelis-ebook/dp/B0727SCL5B/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=The+Dangerous+Art+of+Blending+In+%E2%80%93+Angelo+Surmelis&qid=1553017295&s=books&sr=1-1)

[The Dangerous Art of Blending In – Angelo Surmelis](https://www.amazon.com/Dangerous-Art-Blending-Angelo-Surmelis-ebook/dp/B0727SCL5B/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=The+Dangerous+Art+of+Blending+In+%E2%80%93+Angelo+Surmelis&qid=1553017295&s=books&sr=1-1)

[Moxie – Jennifer Mathieu](https://www.amazon.com/Moxie-Novel-Jennifer-Mathieu/dp/1626726353/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Moxie+%E2%80%93+Jennifer+Mathieu&qid=1553017312&s=books&sr=1-1-catcorr)

[Ghost Boys – Jewell Parker Rhodes](https://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Boys-Jewell-Parker-Rhodes/dp/0316262285/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=Ghost+Boys+%E2%80%93+Jewell+Parker+Rhodes&qid=1553017328&s=books&sr=1-1-fkmrnull)

[Pride - Ibi Zoboi](https://www.amazon.com/Pride-Ibi-Zoboi/dp/0062564048/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Pride+-+Ibi+Zoboi&qid=1553017339&s=books&sr=1-1-catcorr)

[Symptoms of Being Human – Jeff Garvin](https://www.amazon.com/Symptoms-Being-Human-Jeff-Garvin/dp/006238287X/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=Symptoms+of+Being+Human+%E2%80%93+Jeff+Garvin&qid=1553017350&s=books&sr=1-1-fkmrnull)

[Children of Blood and Bone – Tomi Adeyemi](https://www.amazon.com/Children-Blood-Bone-Legacy-Orisha/dp/1250170974/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Children+of+Blood+and+Bone+%E2%80%93+Tomi+Adeyemi&qid=1553017360&s=books&sr=1-1)

[Dreadnought – April Daniels](https://www.amazon.com/Dreadnought-Nemesis-Book-April-Daniels/dp/1682300684/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Dreadnought+%E2%80%93+April+Daniels&qid=1553017375&s=books&sr=1-1-catcorr)

[How I Resist: Activism and Hope for a New Generation](https://www.amazon.com/How-Resist-Activism-Hope-Generation/dp/1250168368/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=How+I+Resist%3A+Activism+and+Hope+for+a+New+Generation&qid=1553017388&s=books&sr=1-1-catcorr)

[](https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=after-metoo-educators-seek-strategies-to-teach-students-about-consent)

[After #MeToo: Educators Seek Straegies to Teach Students About Consent - Article from School Library Journal](https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=after-metoo-educators-seek-strategies-to-teach-students-about-consent)

[Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World](https://www.amazon.com/Brazen-Rebel-Ladies-Rocked-World/dp/1626728690/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Brazen%3A+Rebel+Ladies+Who+Rocked+the+World&qid=1553017401&s=books&sr=1-1-catcorr)

**Honorable Mentions:**

[I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter - Erika Sánchez](https://www.amazon.com/Not-Your-Perfect-Mexican-Daughter/dp/1524700517/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=I+Am+Not+Your+Perfect+Mexican+Daughter+-+Erika+S%C3%A1nchez&qid=1553017416&s=books&sr=1-1-catcorr)

[Ghosts - Raina Telgemeier](https://www.amazon.com/Ghosts-Raina-Telgemeier/dp/0545540623/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Ghosts+-+Raina+Telgemeier&qid=1553017441&s=books&sr=1-1)

[Speak – Laurie Halse Anderson](https://www.amazon.com/Speak-Laurie-Halse-Anderson/dp/0312674392/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Speak+%E2%80%93+Laurie+Halse+Anderson&qid=1553017467&s=books&sr=1-1)

Memoirs – A great genre in general for Young Adults   

[Dear Fang, With Love – Rufi Thorpe](https://www.amazon.com/Dear-Fang-Love-Vintage-Contemporaries/dp/1101911573/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=Dear+Fang%2C+With+Love+%E2%80%93+Rufi+Thorpe&qid=1553017498&s=books&sr=1-1-fkmrnull)

[All the Bright Places – Jennifer Niven](https://www.amazon.com/All-Bright-Places-Jennifer-Niven/dp/0385755910/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=All+the+Bright+Places+%E2%80%93+Jennifer+Niven&qid=1553017511&s=books&sr=1-1)

1: Welcome to the Pod

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