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McGaw YMCA Gala 2025: Shining Bright in the Evanston Community

The McGaw Y President/CEO smiling at the audience.

Monique Parsons, McGaw YMCA President/CEO, welcomed guests at the McGaw YMCA Gala on January 25. EVANSTON, IL. – The McGaw YMCA hosted its annual gala on January 25, 2025, in the Sebring-Lewis Center, bringing the Evanston community together for an evening that truly shined. This year’s event, presented by Northwestern University, celebrated the YMCA’s unwavering commitment to being a beacon of hope, support, and transformation in the lives of all it touches. With over 200 attendees, the gala offered an unforgettable experience, featuring delicious cuisine and exciting raffles generously curated by local Evanston businesses. Guests were captivated by an inspiring opening performance from violinist Windy Indie and enjoyed lively music by DJ Corey Bless. Monique Parsons, McGaw YMCA President/CEO, spoke passionately about the Y’s impact in the Evanston community. From offering affordable housing and providing meals for families and children, to reshaping community health and creating life-changing youth education experiences, […]

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Celebrating Black History at the YMCA

The McGaw YMCA celebrates Black History Month as an important opportunity to learn and reflect. Rooted in our mission, the McGaw Y strives to be a welcoming place of belonging for all who walk through our doors. This month—and every month—we reaffirm our commitment to being a place where everyone can learn, grow, and connect. We encourage you to explore the YMCA’s connection to Black History Month, read about Black leaders in the Y movement, and participate in events throughout Evanston to deepen your understanding and contribute to the ongoing conversation. Discover the Y’s Connection to Black History Month In 1915, at the Wabash Avenue YMCA in Chicago, Carter G. Woodson organized the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, which researched and celebrated the achievements of Black Americans. This led to his starting Negro History Week, the precursor to Black History Month. Discover the Y’s Connection to Black

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Honoring Black Leaders in the Y Movement

The history of the YMCA – like the history of the United States – is a story of incremental progress toward being a place for all. As we celebrate Black History Month, we are honoring the stories of Black leaders who helped move the YMCA – and America – forward, as well as recognizing that history continues to be created each and every day. Anthony Bowen A former enslaved man and the first Black American to become a clerk in the U.S. Patent Office, Anthony Bowen founded the first YMCA for the Black community in Washington, D.C., in 1853, eight years before the Civil War. Additional Black Ys and college chapters were established in the following decades, with membership reaching 28,000 nationwide by the mid-1920s. William Hunton The son a freed enslaved person from Canada, William Hunton began his Y work in 1888 as the first employed YMCA secretary at

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