Young Women Empowered
About Young Women Empowered
Young Women Empowered was born from the enthusiasm and determination of the young women it serves. In 2010, a seven-month pilot leadership program in Seattle, WA resonated so deeply with participants, mentors, and teachers that they banded together to establish a permanent organization offering year-round programs for girls and women. What began as a grassroots initiative has evolved into a thriving nonprofit that has operated as an independent 501(c)(3) organization since 2015, after receiving generous fiscal sponsorship from Partners for Youth Empowerment.
Today, Y-WE cultivates the power of diverse young women to be creative leaders and courageous changemakers within a collaborative community of belonging. The organization's intergenerational and intercultural approach creates spaces where young women—particularly those from marginalized communities—can find their voices, gain essential skills, develop self-confidence, and forge strong bonds with peers and mentors who understand their experiences. With 70% of current youth being first or second-generation immigrants and 85% identifying as people of color, Y-WE serves as a vital support system for Seattle's most underrepresented young women.
What sets Y-WE apart is its commitment to being a majority women-of-color-led organization that creates the community and programming its founders wished they had as teenagers. Participants consistently describe Y-WE as a place where they can bring their fullest, most authentic selves and be met with love, warmth, and acceptance. By centering the lived experiences of BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and gender expansive youth, Y-WE provides the mentorship, wellness resources, and leadership development that help young women thrive and become agents of positive change in the greater Seattle area.