July 2026 

July Birthdays

1 Lana Hejazin 
1 Madison Bogdan 
2 Alaysha Canady 
5 Aubree Manns-Stewart 
6 Christina Reeves-Castor 
8 N'Jai Davis 
9 Lee Wombles 
10 Deborah Locklear-Oglesby  
11 Alacia Bagley 
11 Sierra Derenburger 
14 Suzanne Clark 
16 TaVonna Wilson 
21 Veronica Bridges 
21 Julie Wagar 
22 James Konah 
24 Alissa Clouse 
24 Demonet Oliphant 
27 Anna Moore 
28 Helen Widman 

1 YEAR
DelQuan Black 
Dana Raymond 
Ashlynn McAlister 

2 YEARS
QuaTauna Bostic

3 YEARS
Nathaniel Adjei  
Juliet Lewis 
Stephanie Parrish-Wilkes 
Beulah Robinson

July Anniversaries

4 YEARS 
Joslynn Bridges  
Navya Nalla 
Sydney Wilson  

5 YEARS
Ashley Love 

10 YEARS
Amos Li

14 YEARS
Lee Wombles 

Welcome to the following team members who joined Team YW as program assistants in June! We’re thrilled you are here. 

  • Nyja Allen

  • Kaila Davis 

  • Join YWCA Columbus at Kendra Scott – Easton for complimentary sips, sweets, and personal styling on Thursday, July 16, from 5 to 7 p.m. Mention YWCA Columbus at checkout and 20% of your purchase will go toward our mission and critical work! 

    Can’t make it in person? Shop online on July 16 at kendrascott.com and add code GIVEBACK-MEXYD before checking out.  

  • Safe & Sound – Jenkins, which cares for children ages 2-5 on the south side of Columbus, just received its gold rating through Ohio’s Step Up To Quality system! 

    Interested in enrolling or sharing more details with a friend or family member? Visit ywcacolumbus.org/safeandsound or email Tamika Pierce for more information. 

  • In June’s Justice Gem, we discussed intersectionality and how race, gender, and other identity categories intersect to create unique modes of discrimination. Keep your learning journey going by checking out all our new Justice, Equity & Belonging trainings - and thanks in advance for sharing them with your network!  

  • Please take a moment to fill out YWCA Columbus’ quick survey that will help guide our programs, events, and communications in the coming months. We appreciate your thoughtful feedback! P.S. The form will be easier to read & fill out on a desktop computer versus a mobile device. 

    P.S. Please share this link with the clients, residents, and families we serve at your program sites, as well! We want to gather as much feedback as possible. Please let Molly Kowaleski know if you have any questions or want more information. 

  • The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has proposed sweeping changes that would overhaul the rules governing nonprofits’ federal grants and agreements. The new rules would create enormous financial risk and instability for federal grantees at a time when stability is as important as ever. The deadline to act is July 13 – learn more here and take action! 

Team Announcements + Updates

Shout out to Taylor Murray and Marquitta Minniefield for tackling all the behind-the-scenes details at events that often get overlooked (until they’re missing or wrong – and then those are the only things that people remember!)! They’ve had a busy two months from Women of Achievement, to our All-Staff celebration, to two receptions in June, yet you never see a hint of stress on their faces. Taylor’s a great addition to our event planning duo + I look forward to seeing all their ideas come to life at the gala this fall! 

Congratulations, Safe & Sound – Jenkins, for earning a gold star rating and to the entire education team who works hard each day to earn and maintain their ratings from Step Up To Quality, especially Tamika Pierce, the Columbus district’s fearless leader! 

YWCA Columbus in the News

We honored the life and legacy of 2023 Woman of Achievement, Dr. Patrice Palmer, following her passing at the end of May. 

Charlene Porter, a resident at the YWCA Family Center, was featured in The Columbus Dispatch. Though she isn't related by blood to the two boys who call her mom, the 70-year-old has raised them since days after their birth and has legal custody of them through a kinship placement via Franklin County Children Services. Read her amazing story here. 

In June, we held our first-ever Women on the Rise Social Reception. These emerging leaders are hard at work in our communities, creating meaningful social change and uplifting others, and YWCA Columbus couldn't be prouder to count them as alumnae. We also held an Alumni Mixer for all of YWCA Columbus’ alumni network. 

YWCA Columbus joined Human Service Chamber of Franklin County and other nonprofits at Stonewall Columbus’ Pride Festival and March, supporting the Central Ohio LGBTQ+ community. 

Save the Date 

  • Gahanna's summer carnival will be Friday, July 10, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Blacklick Elementary. 

  • One of Westerville’s summer carnivals (at McVay Elementary) will be Wednesday, July 15, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. at McVay Elementary. 

  • Join YWCA Columbus at Kendra Scott – Easton for complimentary sips, sweets, and personal styling on Thursday, July 16, from 5 to 7 p.m. Mention YWCA Columbus at checkout and 20% of your purchase will go toward our mission and critical work!  

    Can’t make it in person? Shop online at kendrascott.com and add code GIVEBACK-MEXYD before checking out. 

  • The second Westerville summer carnival will be Friday, July 17, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Whittier Elementary. 

  • KIPP’s summer carnival will be Friday, July 24, from 2 to 5:30 p.m. and Safe & Sound’s carnival will be the same date, Friday, July 24, from 2:30 – 5 p.m. 

  • YWCA Columbus will host its annual Alumni Week of Service July 27 through August 1. If you are an alumna, check your email for a registration link or reach out to Alexa Molitor to learn more! 

  • YWCA and the League of Women Voters will host a live workshop on Aug. 1 at 11 a.m. Blending education, empowerment, and action, participants will explore how misinformation spreads, learn strategies for verifying content, and practice using digital tools to elevate their voices on issues that matter. Through collaborative activities and expert guidance, the session will encourage thoughtful engagement and reinforce the importance of informed voting and community advocacy. Our 2026 Leadership for Social Change participants will also help host and lead conversations at the event.

  • YWCA Columbus recently announced a celebration of its 140th anniversary on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. Please save the date and watch for more information coming soon! 

Looking for the last issue of YWConnect? Read YWConnect June 2026 here.