Women’s Equality Day Event
Each year YWCA Kalamazoo commemorates the passing of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which gives citizens the right to vote regardless of their gender. We at the same time recognize the barriers to civic engagement faced by black women and other women of color, the effects of which are still prevalent more than a century later.
As we mark 140 years of advancing justice and equality, we gather this Women’s Equality Day at a time when our collective rights, histories, and futures remain deeply intertwined with the ongoing struggle for liberation. This milestone year calls us not only to reflect on our past, but to reimagine what is possible when communities come together with courage, creativity, and conviction.
We are honored to welcome our 2025 keynote speaker, Dr. Eve L. Ewing — renowned writer, scholar, and cultural organizer. A voice of power and imagination, Dr. Ewing is the author of Original Sins: The (Mis)Education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism, as well as acclaimed works including 1919, Electric Arches, and Ghosts in the Schoolyard. Through her scholarship, storytelling, and activism, she exposes the deep roots of injustice while illuminating paths forward grounded in truth and transformation.
Each attendee will receive a copy of Dr. Ewing’s newest book, Original Sins: The (Mis)Education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism, and will have the opportunity to participate in a book signing at the close of the event.
Dr. Eve L Ewing
