Meet Carolyn Flowers,
Executive Director,
The Greensboro YWCA

By Theresa W. Bennett-Wilkes

“The Y’s mission—eliminate racism and empower women; that two-pronged approach is simple, it’s direct, and it’s focused.”

Cassandra Shelton, Member
Board of Directors, Greensboro YWCA

March is Women’s History Month. It is intended to highlight the achievements and draw attention to the plight of women around the world. In this context, March is the appropriate time to feature the work of organizations dedicated to improving the lives of women. One such entity is the YWCA, a global movement of 25 million-plus women and girls, active in 122 countries. According to the 2002-2003 YWCA USA annual report, there are 2.6 million members and 300 active YWCAs in the United States, including seven in North Carolina. These branches are located in Asheville, Charlotte, Greensboro, High Point, Raleigh, Wilmington, and Winston-Salem.

Carolyn Flowers, the dynamic and visionary executive director of the Greensboro YWCA, graciously agreed to share the work of her agency for this article. The YWCA serves women of all ages and from all walks of life in a variety of capacities ranging from teen parenting and mentoring to women’s health.

National YWCA program for women with breast cancer-EncorePlus.

“My focus is on women and women’s issues,” said Saundra Adams, a resolution consultant with Cingular Wireless, who serves as secretary of the board of directors. “The YWCA, I feel, is the best-kept secret in Greensboro. This is really a full-service organization for women. When I was asked to join the board it was an offer I couldn’t refuse.” Saundra was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004.

“I believe the community at large didn’t recognize the value of the work the Y does when, in fact, they’re a key partner. I think we’ve made progress as a local board and as a national board,” said Tracey Burchette-Simmons, who serves as president of the board of directors. She is a former business owner and consultant and is currently a senior business development officer with Farr Associates.

Flowers with staff; photo by Ron Hayden.

Pay equity, domestic violence, and all aspects of health are three challenges that profoundly affect the collective quality of life for American women in the 21st century, according to Carolyn. “A lot of what women go through is just simply economics. If there was pay equity they could feed their families, buy a home, and not have to rely on social services to supplement their incomes. Violence against women turns into violence against children. There needs to be more consequences against batterers.”

“The cost of health care is a major, major concern. Usually when our society gets sick, it’s our women who get sick first. If there’s a health issue, it affects women more and we’re the last ones to do something about it. There are people who ask why women don’t get their checkups and it goes back to economics: ‘do I spend $40 on a checkup or buy groceries?’”

America’s Young Women’s Christian Association has a long history of social activism. The movement that created the YWCA dates back to 1858, five years before the Emancipation Proclamation, which outlawed slavery in areas of rebellion during the Civil War. It predates the 13th Amendment to the Constitution that outlawed slavery and the 14th Amendment that defined citizenship. The YWCA also predates the 19th Amendment, which grants voting rights regardless of gender.

The Greensboro YWCA is nestled in a corner of the city’s downtown, anchored by the main branch of the public library and the cultural center. Immediately adjacent is the Greensboro Historical Museum. Physically and metaphorically speaking, it is hemmed in on all sides while bursting at the seams.

Women in the community organized the Greensboro association in 1903 as a rest and reading room in the Southern Life & Trust Company building. In 1971, the current building was opened and the Black and White Ys were merged. Lottayne Widemon, a Greensboro native and treasurer of the board of directors, participated in programs sponsored by the Negro YWCA on the northeast corner of East Lee Street and Murrow Blvd, unaware that another YWCA existed for white women.

Deborah Wilcox, a stroke victim that works constantly to be better at the YWCA.

Deborah Wilcox is 55 years old and a member of the Greensboro YWCA. She is a graphic designer, artist, and a native of North Carolina. She exercised regularly, usually running four or more miles a day. On January 8, 1995, Deborah suffered a massive stroke that left her paralyzed on her right side. “For the first three years I couldn’t even talk. Since coming to the YWCA I’ve been talking up a blue streak,” she explained, laughing. “Some people think I talk too much.” Deborah came to the YWCA in 2004 looking for something—anything—that would help her to feel better.

Debbie Wilcox at work on her tray.

“When I came to the YWCA I could barely walk. I can walk almost perfectly now. I am doing so well as far as everything with the swimming pool is concerned—walking across the pool, doing laps—can you believe that? Me, with a stroke?!”

Mimi Morton came to the Greensboro YWCA in 1986. “My surgeon recommended the Encore program after I had a modified radical mastectomy in September 1986.” Mimi eventually became the Encore Program director and has been active ever since, also serving as president and treasurer of the board of directors.

The Greensboro YWCA works closely with parenting and pregnant teens. “A parenting teen is one who already has a child,” Carolyn Flowers explained. The programs offer support, information, and assistance designed to teach young moms how to care for themselves and their children.

Afterschool fun. YWCA state funded after school program for middle school students (Support Our Students-SIS)

The biggest problem facing pregnant teen mothers is the lack of prenatal care. “We know that pregnant teenagers don’t know the importance of prenatal care,” said Carolyn. “We’ll get a teenager who is six months pregnant and has never seen a doctor. Sometimes they don’t have the funds, or they don’t know where to go for free services. Sometimes they’re just in denial. What we don’t do is pass judgment. We don’t counsel on abortion; we don’t feel that’s our role. When we get them, they’ve already made their decision.”

“We usually serve the very young to the very old, 40 and up,” explained Carolyn. “Our oldest member is 97 and she comes almost every day. Our youngest member is 6 weeks old. We typically have about 2,000 members between those ages and they come for all sorts of reasons. About 30 percent of our members are men and boys.”

“My charge as a board member is to assist the organization in achieving its goals and executing its strategy,” explained Cynthia Chapman. Cynthia, a former corporate banker, is president of Take-Out Box, Inc., a woman and minority-owned restaurant delivery and catering service.

Current Greensboro YWCA

As the Greensboro YWCA continues its tradition of service, plans are underway for a $15 million capital campaign that will kick off in April. The campaign will raise funds to finance a new building with substantially more space to house their burgeoning programs.

Deborah Wilcox, a self-described “poster child for the Y,” beautifully summed up the meaning and value of the YWCA. “More than anything in the whole wide world I want my self to be absolutely better and I know that the Greensboro YWCA is an integral part of that.”

For more information on the YWCA, or to find a YWCA near you, visit them on the Web at www.ywca.org.

All photos used with permission from the Greensboro YWCA.