Students Awarded Gender & Racial Justice Scholarships at YWCA Greenwich 2025 Stand Against Racism

YWCA Greenwich’s Stand Against Racism took place on Friday,
April 25 at Greenwich Town Hall. This annual event was in partnership with the Town of Greenwich and over 100 community partners, who all pledged to take a stand against all forms of racism.

“This event is critically important to our mission and an opportunity for our community to reflect on our shared goal of addressing all forms of racism,” said Mary Lee Kiernan, President & CEO of YWCA Greenwich.

This year’s program was entitled, “Food Pathways to Freedom,” and featured keynote speaker Ramin Ganeshram, Executive Director of the Westport Museum. Ganeshram is a chef, New York Times contributor and culinary historian who in 2018, published The General’s Cook: A Novel, about Hercules Posey, the African American chef enslaved by George and Martha Washington who self-emancipated in 1797.

“The intention of this year’s event, much like any Stand Against Racism event, is to stand against bigotry of all forms as a community. However, this year, we at the Center for Equity & Justice felt it was important to highlight how complex, mundane, and tragic the story of Connecticut’s economic origins is,” said Director of the Center for Equity and Justice at YWCA Greenwich, Simone Quartey.

First Selectman Fred Camilo and the Board of Selectman were present to read the Stand Against Racism proclamation.

The YWCA Greenwich Gender and Racial Justice Scholarship Awards were presented to Gloria “Destiny” Alexandre, Junior at Greenwich High School; Allison Bauer, Senior at Greenwich High School; Kathryn Byxbee, Senior at Greenwich Country Day School; Hazel Carrion, Senior at Sacred Heart Greenwich; Arnez Dowe, Senior at Brunswick School; Kaeleigh Graham-Purdy, Senior at Greenwich High School; Mariam Hussain, Junior at Greenwich High School; Ambika Jha, Junior at Greenwich High School; and Sophia Schwartz, Senior at Greenwich Country Day School.

The awards given to these deserving students who have demonstrated a commitment to making their school or community more diverse, equitable, inclusive, and/or antiracist were presented by Dana Tulotta, Assistant Principal at Greenwich High School.

Participants joined in a group picture demonstrating their pledge to stand up against all forms of racism. Taco’s provided by Juan’s Table were made on-site and served to participants to further encapsulate this year’s theme.

Stand Against Racism is a signature event of YWCA Greenwich to raise awareness about the negative impact of institutional and structural racism in our communities. This event is one part of the larger national YWCA strategy to fulfill our mission of eliminating racism and empowering women.

For more information contact Simone Quartey at 203-869-6501 ext. 104 or at [email protected].

About YWCA Greenwich: Founded in 1919, YWCA Greenwich is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. YWCA Greenwich provides programs for people of all ages with initiatives that include preschool and after school programs, aquatics programs, youth athletics, health and fitness programs and seminars focusing on racial justice and women’s empowerment. Additionally, YWCA Greenwich is the only provider of both domestic and sexual violence services in Greenwich, with staff who are licensed to provide crisis intervention, counseling, shelter, and victim advocacy. These services are free.