Jennifer Raine | YWCA Women of Excellence Honoree
What inspires you to get up and do the work?
My family inspires me to see each day as a new beginning. Their inspiration motivates me to work hard and make sure I’m maximizing every opportunity – all in an effort to help make our community, and the world we live in, a better place. One of my favorite quotes is from Mahatma Gandhi who said “You must be the change you wish to see in the world”. The courage to push ourselves outside our comfort zone and lead by example can be scary and uncomfortable. However, the alternative is that nothing changes and that is not an alternative I want to leave as my legacy.
What have you learned about yourself through the challenges you have overcome?
I wouldn’t be who I am today without the challenges I’ve been through- that’s what makes us interesting! I have never met an accomplished, successful and confident individual that has had an easy life. My struggles and adversities were the building blocks for who I am today and they help me understand and relate to others in ways that may not have been possible otherwise.
How do you take care of yourself?
I plan time in my day for self-care and schedule an appointment with myself. Whether it’s taking time to work out, catch up on personal reading or just finding a quiet place to meditate, I take a moment for me. I used to stay busy with the million and one other things that need to get done at work, or at home, and I would forget to take time for myself. Actually “penciling in” the time helps me remember to make “me time” a priority.
What is the best advice you've ever been given? Or what advice do you have for others?
The best advice I have ever been given is to be present in the moment in both your professional and personal life. It seems so simple and yet it can be so hard! We encounter so many distractions in our daily lives and it is easy to lose focus on the tasks at hand or the people right in front of us. When I succeed in being present, I am so much more engaged and fulfilled.
What is your vision for our community? Has it changed through the pandemic and racial justice reckoning of recent years?
I don’t know that the last few years have changed my vision, but it has reinforced the importance of it. My vision for our community is one that is engaged, inclusive and thriving. I think those components are intertwined: we cannot be one without the other. The separation and disconnection felt throughout the pandemic and the renewed cries for racial justice emphasized the importance of connecting with our community. Truly caring and engaging with one another is the pathway to our collective success.
The mission of YWCA is to eliminate racism, empower women and promote peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. What does YWCA's mission mean to you?
The YWCA Mission of eliminating racism, empower women and promote peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all means that in 2022 we aren’t done - there is still more to do to ensure equity and freedom for all. During the 25 years of my professional career, I have seen huge changes and opportunities that were not available to generations before me. However, I remain keenly aware of the work that still remains to be done. Through the YWCA programming, populations that have been traditionally under-represented, or disadvantaged, have a voice. Today, we must all take responsibility to making sure that voice is silenced no more.
