Remembering two longtime racial justice supporters

It is with great sadness that we share that two of our longtime supporters died in the last month. They will be remembered for their loving, powerful, and continuous support of racial justice work, both with YWCA Evanston/North Shore and throughout their communities:Lona Foster, who worked closely with her dear friend Sherialyn Byrdsong to create the annual Ricky Byrdsong Memorial Race Against Hate, died suddenly on September 17th in Atlanta. Lona was an integral part of every Race for 20 years. She was here with Sherialyn this past June to greet folks along the lakefront as they participated individually in the Race Against Hate and she took part in the Evanston Juneteenth celebration. Look for an extended story about Ms. Foster in next week’s YW e-news. We will miss your bright smile and generous heart, Lona.Pictured left to right: Kathy Slaughter, Lona Foster, Sherialyn Byrdsong, and Karen Singer at the Race Against Hate).Marion Flynn, known across the Evanston community for her broad-based justice activism, died at home on October 8th. Marion was a regular participant in our Equity Institute programming, from Let’s Talk @ Lunch (at ALL the locations!), to Equity Workshops, the Planning Committee for our “Race: Are We So Different?” Exhibit in conjunction with the Illinois Holocaust Museum, and the annual Stand Against Racism. Thank you, Marion, for your steadfast support of both our work for racial justice and of the women and children we serve in our Domestic Violence programs. Her obituary shares more about her considerable activism: Marion Flynn, corporate banker with passion for community service, dies at 69; staunch advocate for women in Catholic priesthood  (Chicago Sun-Times).Pictured: Marion Flynn (with orange sign) at the YWCA Stand Against Racism