To fulfill our purpose of strengthening community for all, the Y is committed to being an inclusive, anti-racist organization and leveraging our collective impact to address social inequities.
The Y is made up of people of all ages, from all walks of life, working side-by-side to strengthen communities. Together, we strive to ensure that everyone, regardless of ability, age, cultural background, ethnicity, faith, gender, gender expression, gender identity, ideology, income, national origin, race, or sexual orientation has the opportunity to reach their full potential with dignity. Our core values are caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility — they guide everything we do.
Our commitment to this work is demonstrated through our Community Support Campaign which raises funds to ensure everyone has access to the Y programs they need.
One year ago, the YMCA Board of Directors created a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee to provide leadership to this work. The Committee has secured three years of generous funding from the Eden Hall Foundation which will be used to accomplish three important goals:
Y members, volunteers, and staff attended a virtual session with Orange Arrow, a local company engaged to assist our Y on Thursday, May 11th. During the session, Orange Arrow layed out the plan for the next 6 months.
If you have any questions, please contact cgrady@ymcapgh.org. Thank you for your support and we look forward to your involvement!
40% of the population today represent BIPOC (Black, Indigenous people of color) backgrounds
43.1 million people are living in poverty in the U.S.
19% of Americans live with disabilities
9 MILLION U.S. adults identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, as of 2018
1 in 4 kids under age 6 are the children of immigrants
Millennials are now the largest generation in U.S. history
We are committed to ensuring everyone reaches their full potential with dignity. While we haven’t always lived up to that inclusive vision, we have been on a steady journey toward making that powerful aspiration a reality for everyone in the communities we serve.
If you are a person of color, share the story of your lived experiences. Start by creating and cultivating those safe and brave spaces to share with each other and begin to have those crucial conversations in the workplace.
Speak up and out about injustice or uncomfortable situation as it happens. Allies and advocates need to support others so they will know they are not alone.
YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh is committed to creating safe and brave spaces for employees and volunteers to feel known, seen, and heard while empowering themselves and each other.
Building culturally competent teams, communities, and organizations.
OA Coaches provides sports-themed coaching and consulting services focused on building culturally proficient teams, communities, and organizations through our array of DEI engagement services, including our signature three-step approach of the Scouting Report(assessments), Huddled Up(education), and Game Plan(action planning).
Our services are designed to help organizations and teams understand and appreciate the diverse backgrounds and perspectives of their members and to create an inclusive environment that values and respects all members.
We lead through a diverse group of professionals with over 50 years of combined experience from various industries including youth development, higher education, healthcare, nonprofit management, and the sports industry, with a history of building cross-cultural relationships and breaking down racial barriers between ethnic groups.
Utilizing a sports-themed coaching approach to this work has proven to be effective, engaging, and readily understandable.
OA Coaches is the consulting arm of the Orange Arrow Players Association, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) that helps youth build meaningful social connections and cross-cultural relationships while developing the off-the-field skills necessary for success.
Learn more about Orange Arrow