More than 600 community leaders from Nashville’s business, education, healthcare, philanthropic, nonprofit, and athletic sectors came together on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, to honor six extraordinary changemakers at the 33rd Academy for Women of Achievement (AWA), presented by Amazon. The event, held at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel, was a sold-out celebration of leadership, purpose, and service.

On Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, hundreds gathered on the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge for the 21st annual Meet Us at the Bridge ceremony—the official kickoff to Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Nashville. The event, hosted by the Nashville Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), brought together survivors, families, advocates, law enforcement, elected officials, and community leaders to honor those whose lives were tragically cut short by domestic violence. Mayor Freddie O’Connell joined in solidarity, reminding all in attendance of the power of unity in the face of grief. “As grief brings us together, hope drives us forward.”

On Wednesday, Sept. 3, nearly two dozen past Academy for Women of Achievement (AWA) honorees and several members of the YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee Board of Directors gathered at the Amazon Corporate Office in Nashville Yards for the annual AWA Honoree Party. This special evening offered a chance for past honorees, spanning more than a quarter century, to reconnect, reminisce, and extend a warm welcome to the 2025 class of honorees.

On Wednesday, Aug. 6, YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee, in partnership with the League of Women Voters of Nashville (LWV), hosted the annual Stand Against Injustice Rally at the historic Scarritt Bennett Center’s Harambee Auditorium, a landmark for civil rights organizing in the South. This year’s theme, Together We Rise: Advancing Justice Through Civic Engagement, honored the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) and the grassroots movement that made it possible.

This summer, 85 Girls Inc. campers ages 7 to 13 came together at Margaret Allen Middle School to explore what it means to be strong, smart, and bold! They took on hands-on STEAM challenges, completed community projects, and learned about a wide range of careers from inspiring guest speakers. Campers also built friendships, boosted their confidence, and discovered their leadership potential

This summer, YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee proudly celebrated the accomplishments of 17 remarkable adult learners who earned their high school equivalency diplomas through our Family Learning Center (FLC). Friends, families, and supporters gathered at YWCA’s main office in Green Hills to honor the graduates and recognize the resilience and determination it took to pass the rigorous HiSET exam.

YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee, in partnership with the League of Women Voters of Nashville (LWV) will host the annual Stand Against Injustice Rally at the Scarritt Bennett Center, a historic site for civil rights organizing in the South on Wed., Aug. 6. This powerful, community-centered event commemorates the 60^th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA), a cornerstone of American democracy that expanded access to the ballot box for millions.

YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee proudly announces the 33rd class of its Academy for Women of Achievement (AWA), presented by Amazon. Five extraordinary women and one leading organization will be honored for their remarkable contributions to the community during an awards celebration on Tues., Oct. 28 at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel.

The Dollar General Literacy Foundation (DGLF) recently awarded YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee a $230,000 grant to support adult literacy.  The funds are a part of a record-setting, one-day donation in the Foundation’s history in May 2025 of more than $13.2 million to support adult, family, and summer literacy programs in the 48 states in which Dollar General stores operate.

YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee is now accepting nominations for the 33rd Academy for Women of Achievement (AWA) presented by Amazon. This annual recognition program honors women in Middle Tennessee who have made extraordinary contributions through professional success, community service, and leadership. Honorees are passionate about empowering women and improving our community. The deadline for AWA nominations is Friday, May 30, at 5 p.m. CST.

The 25th Annual Moosic City Dairy Dash was one for the record books. On a beautiful spring morning, thousands of runners and walkers came together to celebrate community and raise a record $215,000 to benefit YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee.

While gray skies and rain swept across Middle Tennessee, inside the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, something vibrant was unfolding: over 50 young people gathered for Healing Through Unity: Youth Advocacy Summit—our biggest youth summit yet. On the same stormy afternoon, just across the street, YWCA’s first-ever Healing Through Unity Community Wellness & Resource Fair was also in full swing. Despite the weather, the energy was electric. Our mission to empower youth and foster holistic community care came to life in two powerful, simultaneous events. 

YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee is proud to announce that President and CEO Sharon K. Roberson and Shear Haven co-founder Susanne Shepherd Post have been named recipients of Purple Ribbon Awards, the first comprehensive awards program honoring hopegivers in the domestic violence movement. The awards are presented by DomesticShelters.org, Alliance for HOPE International, and leading experts in the field.

On Saturday, April 5, more than 70 community members gathered at our Green Hills offices for our first-ever Community Wellness & Resource Fair. Families, neighbors, and local leaders coming together to focus on health, connection, and support. This event was inspired by our Stand Against Injustice Community Rally and Campaign of Healing Through Unity, held in the fall of 2024. That powerful moment sparked a deeper commitment to ongoing engagement and healing-centered work within our community—and the Wellness & Resource Fair was born from that promise.

More than 600 guests and 100 volunteers gathered at the Omni Nashville Hotel on Saturday, March 27, for YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee’s 13th annual Wine Women & Shoes, presented by Regions. Named one of NFocus Magazine’s “Best Women’s Events” for three consecutive years, the highly anticipated fundraiser raised a record breaking $745,000 to support YWCA’s Weaver Domestic Violence Center.

The Nashville Predators Foundation and YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee proudly marked a decade of collaboration in advancing violence prevention through AMEND Together on Thursday, March 6, at the Bridgestone Arena. This groundbreaking initiative engages and educates young men and boys on the importance of respect, healthy masculinity, and ending violence against women and girls.

YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee is hosting its 13th annual Wine Women & Shoes, presented by Regions on Saturday, March 29, at the Omni Nashville Hotel. More than 600 of Nashville’s most fashionable and fabulous women will gather to support the state’s largest provider of domestic violence services. The event has officially SOLD OUT, but there are still ways to support the YWCA’s Weaver Domestic Violence Center and safety programs.

NASHVILLE, TN (January 7, 2025) – The Harnisch Foundation recently committed $100,000 to YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee, significantly bolstering the organization's social justice and advocacy efforts. This generous gift from the New York-based foundation will serve as the presenting sponsorship for the annual Racial Justice Challenge and provide crucial support for other key YWCA programs.

A message from YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee’s President and CEO, Sharon K. Roberson.

As 2024 comes to a close, I am filled with gratitude for the incredible impact your support has made possible. Every dollar you have invested in the YWCA helps us break cycles of abuse, lift spirits, and create brighter futures for those in need.

YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee is proud to announce a transformative $3 million gift from The Frist Foundation to support the ongoing renovation of the Weaver Domestic Violence Center. This extraordinary grant will fund the completion of the project, including the installation of a state-of-the-art security system to ensure the safety of the hundreds of women and children who seek refuge at Weaver every year.