by Rhonda Bishop
YWCA USA
In Her Shoes is a series that profiles young women working in YWCAs across the country.
Zillah Wesley
Zillah Wesley currently serves as a Board Member for the YWCA of the National Capitol Area in Washington, D.C. Zillah has served as a board member for five years and is an active chair of Communications for the YWCA USA Young Women’s Committee. Zillah works as a teacher for the non-profit New Community for Children, which provides children and youth with learning experiences that build their academic, social and creative skills.
YWCA: Describe your normal day from your first morning coffee and on…
ZW: Well, it depends on what day of the week it is for me. As the communications chair of the YWCA USA Young Women’s Committee, I am responsible for threading young women’s voices into the national mission of the YWCA. We meet once a month to discuss innovative communication campaigns that will engage young women. Then, I turn my focus to my job that pays the bills: I work for a non-profit called New Community for Children in Washington, D.C.
YWCA: What excites you the most about your job?
ZW: What excites me about my YW job is simply the people I meet and that I am a part of a great movement. I was recently a part of a World YWCA Delegation to the 16th International AIDS Conference, where I met women from all around of the world who are a part of the same movement.
YWCA: Name three skill sets that you find important to be successful in your role.
ZW: Patience, thinking on your feet and being helpful.
YWCA: What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
ZW: Ask for help; be in inspired; and, find a mentor.
YWCA: In what ways do you think that the YWCA is bold and innovative?
ZW: I think the YWCA is bold and innovative because we have women of all ages and backgrounds working together to make a better life for people everywhere. To increase the YWCA’s boldness and innovation on a national scale, we need to just keep working at it and to listen to all voices.
YWCA: Tell us about a time when you successfully created or executed a goal, strategy, program or event in your role at your YWCA.
ZW: I was a table captain for the YWCA National Capital Area luncheon. With guidance from the YWCA National Capital Area marketing team, I successfully invited people to the luncheon who made pledges. My goal was to help bring in money for my YWCA as a Board Member, and I reached it.
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