DARTMOUTH — About 45 girls tackled an array of issues such as teen pregnancy, bullying and body image at a Sister 2 Sister Conference on Saturday, which marked the first time in a decade the YWCA Southeastern held such an event.

“It’s all about empowering young girls,” said Gail M. Fortes, executive director of the YWCA, which organized the event.

New Bedford resident Melissa Pires wanted her daughters “to be aware of the things this community has to offer. I want them to know they can make it. I want them to open up and let them know people do care.”

The girls, ages 10-14, listened to a panel discussion that dealt with teen pregnancy, women in politics, and body image, then attended workshops dealing with cyber-bullying and Internet safety, career choices, and healthy relationships, Fortes said.

The all-day event was held at Woodland Commons at UMass Dartmouth.

The day wrapped up with yoga, zumba, manicures and a tour of the campus.

The conference was last held in 1999 and Mali Lim, who sits on the board of the YWCA, hopes it will become an annual tradition. She referred to the event as a great collaborative that involved multiple local agencies and offices.

Citing the bullying workshop, in which representatives from the Bristol County Sheriff’s Office spoke about the effect social networking can have on adolescents, Bernadette Souza, the assistant director of a local Boys & Girls Club, said, “Middle school is a tough time.”

Maria Fortes of the NorthStar Learning Center said, “Having the girls feel connected to each other is important.”

Jillian Washburn, a UMass Dartmouth senior who is majoring in women’s studies, said the conference included a forthright discussion about what constitutes a healthy relationship.

“One of the questions was ‘What does make up a healthy relationship?’” Washburn said.

Barbara Burgo, an American Association of University Women, said there is still a pay gap between men and women and women are “severely under-represented” in politics.

She also said fewer women are pursuing careers in math, science and technology. She said girls’ interest in those areas are on par with boys at the elementary school level, but after that, “it just drops off.”

She attributed the drop to systemic gender discrimination.

“Maybe they’re not encouraged,” she said.

March 25, 2011 4:11 PM

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — The YWCA Southeastern Massachusetts has a busy year in the works to celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2011, hosting a golf tournament at The Kittansett Club in Marion and re-envisoning its physical space with a 12,000-square-foot building addition.

The golf tournament, which will start at 8:30 a.m. on May 31, has already attracted significant participation, the non-profit said, possibly because it will be held at the second ranked golf course in Massachusetts.

Founded in 1922, The Kittansett Club is one of the region’s most historic private golf clubs and is the 58th ranked course in the United States, according to Golf Digest.

Located at the end of Butler Point, the course offers spectacular water views and changing winds to challenge golfers of all skills, according to the club’s website.

First Lady of the Commonwealth, Diane Patrick, has agreed to serve as honorary chairwoman of the tournament and Marion residents Anne Converse, Carolyn Ford and Judi Havens are event co-chairs.

“The YWCA is an important human service agency not only for New Bedford women and children, but for many surrounding communities,” said Patrick. “Its 100th anniversary celebrates both a long record of consistent, meaningful services and an exciting vision for the future.”

Following the morning tournament, there will be a lunch and awards ceremony, a live and silent auction, and special remarks, including from some who have benefited from the YWCA’s services.

South Coast Woman of the Year Margaret Xifaras, Esq. will serve as guest of honor of the event, the YWCA said.

“Whether it is help with transitional housing, breast cancer rehabilitation and counseling, personal financial literacy, youth development, or programs that focus on the elimination of racism, the YWCA has been there for our community,” said Xifaras. “We now need to pitch in and help the YWCA build this much needed, renovated central facility in historic downtown New Bedford.”

Proceeds from the event will be put toward the Levi Standish House addition that will relocate the YWCA’s childcare and women’s housing programs into a specifically-designed, center-city facility.

The goal of the $4.6 million expansion project is to consolidate many of the YWCA’s programs onto a safe, nurturing and barrier-free center city campus.

With the addition, the YWCA said its women’s housing and childcare programs will be significantly improved and a Teen Center and Women’s Resource Center will be created.

The organization expects to better serve nearly 5,000 people annually with the building project and to do so in a more cost-effective manner.

For information on tournament sponsorships and other levels of participation, visit www.ywcasema.org or contact Gail Fortes, executive director, at (508) 999-3255.

February 17, 2011 12:00 AM

NEW BEDFORD — Guitarist John Stein and his Quartet return to the Wamsutta Club in downtown New Bedford at 8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 18 for a jazz concert presented by Whaling City Sound. Proceeds benefit the YWCA Southeastern Massachusetts.

The last time the John Stein Quartet was in town, almost two years ago, the audience was carried away by the music. That feeling continued later that following week when the same group went into the studio and recorded what turned out to be a very successful CD, “Raisin’ the Roof.” The CD spent 18 weeks on the national Jazz Week radio chart, was in the top 10 for eight weeks, and made it as high as No. 2. When Jazz Week recently published its chart of the top 100 jazz CDs in the country, based on radio play, John and his band came in at No. 8 for the entire year of 2010.

The band is trying to recapture that magic in a bottle again this time, by following the tried and true formula of playing in New Bedford at the Wamsutta Club and then recording at engineer Peter Kontrimas’ PBS Studio in Westwood a few days later.

John Stein is an associate professor at Berklee College of Music in Boston. He is a highly praised guitarist and composer, and is skilled on acoustic bass. Critics have lauded John’s playing for its musicality and taste, among many other aspects. John’s recordings and performances are characterized by an unusually intense amount of listening on the part of the musicians. They contribute based on what they are hearing. John’s quartets are four-way conversations, to a much greater extent than is typical.

Like all great musicians, John surrounds himself with the best there is, even if it means long-distance travel. Drummer Ze Eduardo Nazario is flying in once again from Sao Paolo, Brazil. Ze is “scary talented”; he delights in throwing his prodigious technique and command into the joyous mix of this band, and his sheer love of playing the drums is infectious, not only within the band but in the audience as well.

Bassist John Lockwood is respected by audiences and musicians alike. It is a cliche to say that a musician is first call for the giants of jazz when they come into town looking for a band, but in John’s case, it is absolutely true. He performs and records many styles of jazz, from accompanying a bluesy or romantic singer to the most avante garde settings known in jazz. In John Stein’s band, he provides a rock steady rhythm that contributes significantly to the infectious pulse created by this band.

Pianist Jake Sherman is the newcomer to the group, and although he is giving away a few years compared to his bandmates, as a player he is mature beyond his years. His vibrant feel is a suitable contributor to the swirling cauldron or mellow stew that this quartet brews up. He also has a gospel side, performing on organ every Sunday at the Greater Antioch Temple Pentecostal Church in Brooklyn, N.Y.

The Wamsutta Club is an ideal setting to hear acoustic jazz. It is very comfortable and quiet, and the audience is there to hear the music. A limited food menu will be available, as well as drinks. It is located at 427 County St., New Bedford.

Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Tickets are available at the YWCA, 20 S. Sixth St., New Bedford, (508) 999-3255, www.ywcasema.org; from Whaling City Sound (508) 992-6613, www.whalingcitysound.com; at Baker Books, 69 State Road, Dartmouth, www.bakerbooks.net, or at the Wamsutta Club. Directions are available at www.wamsuttaclub.net, or www.whalingcitysound.com.

January 31, 2011 12:00 AM

NEW BEDFORD — The Avon Breast Health Outreach Program has awarded a $43,000, one-year grant to YWCA Southeastern Massachusetts to increase awareness of the life-saving benefits of early detection of breast cancer.

Officials at the YWCA said this marks the 10th year the program has received the funding.

The breast health program, ENCOREplus at the YWCA Southeastern Massachusetts, will educate women in Southeastern Massachusetts and refer them to low-cost or free mammograms and clinical breast exams in their own communities.

The program targets low-income, minority, uninsured and underinsured women age 40 and over. Bicultural and bilingual staff provides breast health outreach and education to women in their own language. The program also provides translation, transportation and accompaniment services to medical screening appointments to women served in the program.

Since July 1994, the ENCOREplus Program has reached 43,900 women with information about the importance of early detection of breast cancer and has referred more than 9,500 women for mammograms and clinical breast exams.

“We are proud that the Avon Foundation shares our mission and has chosen to support our program. With these funds we will be able to provide outreach, education, referrals to screening services, and support services to a much broader group of women in Southeastern Massachusetts,” Gail Fortes, executive director of the YWCA Southeastern Massachusetts, said in a news release.

For more information on the ENCOREplus Program at the YWCA Southeastern Massachusetts, call Ana Silva at (508) 999-3255.

NEW BEDFORD — Don’t raise your fist; raise your paintbrush.

That was the lesson New Bedford public and private school students learned last week in a YWCA art contest entitled “When I Get Mad I Draw.”

The YWCA of Southeastern Massachusetts celebrated its 15th annual “Week Without Violence” with a variety of activities designed to bring attention to relationship abuse — something that many women and families endure.

Art from the contest will be on display daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Friday at the YWCA Levi Standish House, 20 South Sixth St.

The YWCA received about 80 submissions from students in Grades K-12. Judges from the YWCA chose three winners:

Jonathan Lavasseur, 15, from New Bedford High School, Danielis Hernandes, a seventh-grader at Roosevelt Middle School, and Vivian Resende, a fifth-grader at Dunbar Elementary School.

The youngsters won backpacks full of school and art supplies, as well as certificates.

“The art contest was part of a number of events that went on … to bring attention to various forms of violence, child safety, and making schools safer,” said Athena Mota, director of the YWCA.

“The purpose of the art contest was getting our students to redirect feelings of anger into a positive light.”

Various entries read: “When I get mad I read,” “When I get mad I listen to music,” “When I get mad I play PlayStation,” “When I get mad I walk my dog,” and “When I get mad I practice yoga.”

Others just drew things they like, such as dogs or horses.

“The children could interpret that theme as they wished. Some children utilized the theme literally in their artwork and expressed what actions they take to redirect their feelings of anger or frustration, and others just (drew) what they love to draw,” Mota said.

Elementary winner Vivian used crayons to draw a crying girl in a room filled with art projects, showing that when the girl gets upset, she draws.

Middle school winner Daneilis used markers and glitter-paint to draw a girl sitting outside on steps crying as the wind blows around her.

“Sometimes when I get mad, I cry, usually outside,” said Danielis, 12, describing her picture. “Most kids scream when they’re mad. I just cry.”

She wrote the poem because “I just felt like writing something (and) I like drawing. Since I was little, I always drew. I’ve won three (different) art contests,” said Danielis, who wants to be an artist when she grows up.

Jonathan drew a pencil sketch of a wolf and pine trees frosted in snow.

Mota said, “We want kids to be free to express themselves. They could use whatever medium they wanted, from oil pastel to water colors to crayon. (They were) allowed to freely use creative expression.”

In addition to domestic violence, the YWCA brings awareness to child safety, racism, hate crimes, and other forms of brutality that lead to the loss of lives and the destruction of families.

For more information, call (508) 999-3255 or go to www.ywcasema.org.

October 18, 2010 12:00 AM

NEW BEDFORD — The YWCA Southeastern Massachusetts is marking the YWCA Week Without Violence with a variety of activities bringing attention to the relationship abuse that many women and families endure.

This year’s YWCA Week Without Violence, which runs through Saturday, marks the 15th anniversary of the program.

In addition to domestic violence, the YWCA is bringing awareness to child safety, racism, hate crimes, and other forms of brutality that lead to the loss of lives and the destruction of families.

Each day of the YWCA Week Without Violence is devoted to a specific issue.

Sunday was “A Day of Remembrance.”

The schedule for the rest of the week is today, “Protecting Our Children;” Tuesday, “Making Our Schools Safer;” Wednesday, “Confronting Violence Against Women;” Thursday, “Facing Violence Among Men;” Friday, “Eliminating Racism and Hate Crime;” and Saturday, “Replacing Violence with Sports, Recreation and Fun.”

On Sunday, church bells rang for one minute at noon in honor of the victims of violence in our communities.

Today, from 3 to 6 p.m., there is a “Kool Kid’z Peace Party” at YWkids School Age Program, 89 Merrimac St.

On Tuesday, art from the “When I Get Mad I Draw” art contest held for New Bedford school students will be on display through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the YWCA Levi Standish House, 20 South Sixth St.

On Wednesday, The Clothesline Project with shirts decorated and hung to represent the experiences of the women who are victims of violence will be at the UMass Dartmouth campus center from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

On Thursday, YW members are invited to wear their white ribbons acknowledging that men are allies in the fight against domestic violence.

On Friday, there will be a conversation on racism and hate crimes as it affects law enforcement with Detective Lt. Jeff Silva from the New Bedford Police Department.

Those attending should RSVP by Oct. 20th at 508-999-3255 or go to “news/events” at www.ywcasema.org. The program, with a free continental breakfast, will be held from 8 to 10 a.m. at the YWCA Levi Standish House, 20 South Sixth St.

On Saturday, participants are encouraged to have a peaceful day of recreation and fun with their families.

All events are free and open to the community.

For more information, call: (508) 999-3255 or go to www.ywcasema.org.