Upcoming events

From Surviving to Thriving: A Conversation With Samina Ali
May
8

From Surviving to Thriving: A Conversation With Samina Ali

Samina Ali is coming to the YWCA Berkeley/Oakland to talk about her new memoir, Pieces You'll Never Get Back. She is an award-winning author, speaker, and activist. Her debut novel, Madras on Rainy Days, won the French Prix Premier Roman Etranger Award and was a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Award in Fiction. She is a recipient of the Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers' Award, and her TEDx talk, What the Qur’an Really Says About the Hijab, has garnered over 8 million views. Ali’s writing has been featured in NPR, The Economist, and more. Her latest book, Pieces You’ll Never Get Back, is a harrowing yet redemptive memoir chronicling her near-death experience after giving birth, her struggle with a major brain injury, and her journey to recovery and self-reclamation. The book has been hailed as one of the most anticipated memoirs of the year, with television rights currently under offer.

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Bloom from Within With Shirley Johnson
May
6

Bloom from Within With Shirley Johnson

Join Shirley Johnson – LMFT, herbalist, yoga teacher, and sound healer – for 60 minutes of gentle, accessible movement, plant meditation, sound healing, and tea. We’ll begin promptly at 6:00 PM and close with an optional 15-minute conversation space for those who’d like to stay.

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A Conversation with Berkeley Mayor Adena Ishii
Apr
26

A Conversation with Berkeley Mayor Adena Ishii

Adena Ishii proudly serves as Berkeley’s first Asian American and woman of color mayor. From navigating public safety net services at a young age to learning about her Japanese American family’s unjust treatment from the government during WW2, her experiences shape her sense of justice and inform her work. Mayor Ishii prides herself in fighting for what she believes in and for those who aren’t being heard to carry out her vision of a Berkeley that is better for all.

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31st Annual Shadow Day Program
Apr
17

31st Annual Shadow Day Program

Get ready to mark your calendars for the YWCA Berkeley/Oakland's 31st Annual Shadow Day!

This electrifying event welcomes underserved high school students from the East Bay to shadow a UC Berkeley student and dive into their future aspirations in a warm and encouraging atmosphere.

Mentees will get a taste of college life by attending classes, exploring the beautiful campus, and enjoying a variety of engaging panels, activities, and events that showcase what it’s like to be an undergrad.

To learn more, go to our Shadow Day Page or email shadowday@ywca-berkeley.org!

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With Our Magic, Venceremos: Deyci Carillo Lopez
Mar
29

With Our Magic, Venceremos: Deyci Carillo Lopez

Deyci Carrillo López, a proud product of Guanajuato, México, and Deep East Oakland, California, has used poetry as a tool of resistance, healing, and self-definition since she was 13. Through her words, she reclaims her power and challenges the forces that seek to define her worth. Her work uplifts the experiences of immigrants, women, and marginalized communities, offering both solace and a call to action. Follow her on Instagram: @puravida510.

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