Women in the NAACP

Women in the NAACP (WIN) seeks to enhance the leadership role of women, serve as an advocacy vehicle for issues affecting women and children, and advocate for the positive development of children.

Become a member

Monthly WIN Message

Women in the NAACP (WIN) Message for September

Chosen for This Season

You have been chosen. Yes, you, with your amazing self, have been handpicked to enter into a brand new season, one that has been patiently waiting for your arrival, tailor made for the person you are becoming.

You have been chosen to release the things that no longer serve you, allowing your inner beauty to shine even more boldly and radiantly. This is your season to get up, step out of your comfort zone, and push into your purpose. Your gifts are needed, your love matters, your voice is powerful, and your story is far from over.

This is your time, so honor every aspect of who you are as you move through this season. Nature shifts without apology, and so can you. Letting go of what no longer serves you isn’t a loss; it’s growth and preparation. Your strength comes from deep roots that replenish your soul, built to nourish not just yourself, but everyone around you. As you shed what is behind, you leave room to heal and grow in all areas of your life, creating a space that enhances your strength, beauty, courage, confidence, brilliance, and resilience.

Yes, this fall, embrace the moments when people speak life into you and point out how beautiful, strong, and extraordinary you truly are. Remember to tell yourself, and truly believe, how much you love, respect, and value yourself.

Embrace this season with open arms. You have been chosen. You are beautiful. You are strong. You are amazing. You are caring. You are resilient, and you are called to thrive right now.

Take a deep breath, step into your authority, be unapologetically you, and flourish.

Wishing you the best always,

Yvonne

Dr. Yvonne Terrell-Powell

WIN Chair

NAACP Snohomish County (10AA-B)

A brief history

During the year 1980, in Memphis Tennessee, Frances Louise Dancy Hooks (wife of Dr. Benjamin L. Hooks) and Earleen Bolden organized the trailblazing Women in the NAACP (WIN), an unprecedented project which aimed to enhance the leadership roles of women both within the Association and in everyday life. The WIN organization raised funds for emergency relief and made a commitment to supporting Black/African American women, and their children and communities.

‍

In 2004, Women in the NAACP (WIN) was approved as a standing committee at the Philadelphia National Convention in accordance with Article VIII of the NAACP Constitution and Bylaws. WIN’s national theme is “Outstretched Hands and Open Hearts to Women and Children.”

‍

WIN is an integral committee of the NAACP. It has historically provided emergency relief funds to families and offered a medium for women to develop leadership, outreach, and advocacy skills for civil rights. Today, the legacy of WIN continues to inspire and remind us of the vital role that women have played and continue to play in advancing social justices, equity, and equality.

‍

The purpose of WIN is to:

Enhance the leadership role of women
Serve as an advocacy vehicle for social, economic, political, educational, health
and welfare issues affecting women, girls, and children
Support the ongoing work of the NAACP and the Snohomish Branch
‍

WIN membership is open to any NAACP member. WIN meetings are held in person or
virtually and may be held at the NAACP Convention and State meetings.

‍

Message Archives

Our Monthly Reflections

'Tis the Season!

As we enter December, we find ourselves in a month that comes with many different holidays and traditions. The holiday season can be peaceful and beautiful, yet it can also feel overwhelming. It often comes with celebration, blessings, laughter, and joy, but also may stir up stress, financial strain, loneliness, or the pain of missing loved ones. It can be a time of connection and rest, love and faith, but also a time when family dynamics or worries show themselves once again.

Even with all of this, the meaning of this holiday season remains yours to create and define. You have the power to envision what you want this time to be. You can set clear expectations, honor your boundaries, and choose the tone and energy for your holiday experience. No matter what happens during the season, you can commit to protecting your peace, joy, and gratitude.

With the many thoughts and emotions that we carry during this season, it can be a little challenging, but you deserve to hold onto the belief that this season will work out for your good. You are capable. You are worthy. You are valued. You are blessed, highly favored, and loved. This is your life and you’re going to enjoy this time!

So “Tis the Season” to acknowledge and honor your thoughts and emotions and to provide quality and intentional care of yourself; to give in ways that feel right, to trust that you have the ability to set the tone for a holiday season filled with warmth, laughter, clarity, empowerment, joy, love, delicious food, and meaningful moments with yourself, family and friends.

Here are a few holiday wellness tips:

Every day:
Remind yourself that you’re going to have a good day. Think about it and say it out loud.
Look in the mirror and remind yourself that you love that person in the mirror. They ain’t perfect but they’re good people.
Remind yourself that you are amazing, beautiful, powerful, wonderful. . . and somebody needs you.
Do something that makes you happy and feel good about yourself.
Be mindful of your boundaries to protect your time, joy, and peace.
Pause to pray, meditate, and be thankful and grateful.
Check in on loved ones who may need some extra support or intentionally offer acts of kindness to family, friends or strangers.
Rejoice knowing that you deserve to smile, laugh and be loved.
Make room to receive your blessings and count them all joy.
Work to live your life to the fullest; it’s your life to be lived!

Well, “Tis the Season!” I’ll be checking in again in the New Year! Oh yeah, wishing you Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!

With love always,
Dr. Yvonne Terrell-Powell
Women in the NAACP (WIN) Chair
NAACP Snohomish County (10AA-B)

April Showers Bring May Flowers

As a child, I was taught that April showers bring May flowers. It was a simple way to help me embrace the rain, learn the value of patience, and appreciate the gifts the rain would bring. As I’ve gotten older, I still hold on to that saying as I navigate the challenges of life which often come with rain and the joys of life that bloom after the rain has completed its assignment.

When I find myself facing difficult times, yes the constant rain, it reminds me that I may have to endure some showers if I’m planning to experience the "good times." The showers of life are necessary to bring forth growth, dreams, and victories. While those storms can challenge us, if we embrace them, they help us see things from a different perspective or a new vantage point.

Most recently, I was dealing with heavy and constant showers. They even came with lightning and thunder. Some days, it felt like the rain was never going to stop. I wondered how did these showers decide this was the right time to come; I’m just trying to live my life and “do me.” I tried all kinds of tactics to make it end, but when they didn't work, I realized I had to take a deeper look at the rain, the problem, and see what I was missing and what was there for me to learn.

As I began to shift my perspective, I reminded myself that something good was going to come out in my favor (as it always has), the rain became bearable and even refreshing at times. I gained a different outlook. That is, the rain was there for me to experience, not to fear. And I’m telling you, once I looked directly at that rain, the trouble began to subside. The worrying, dreading, and fear decreased, shifting into optimism and strength. No, the rain didn’t all go away instantly, but eventually it did because I had discovered a way to weather it.

And what was that way? I began praying, meditating, and believing something good was going to happen. I started looking for the positive and receiving my blessings. I challenged myself to come out of my “pity party” and join the “grateful party.” I began trusting myself more, loving myself, and sharing my story with people I trust. I began reminding myself that happiness and joy were just a moment away. As I said, this didn’t happen overnight, but when the change came, the sunshine appeared and the rain didn’t seem so bad after all. So yes, April showers bring May flowers!

Best always,

Yvonne

Dr. Yvonne Terrell-Powell
WIN Chair
NAACP Snohomish County (10AA-B)

I’m BAD!

August is National Wellness Month. This is a time to intentionally check in on yourself, your friends, and your family. Your wellness and wellbeing are very important. You are an amazing, valuable person and a vital contributor to your family, friends, and community.

Look in the mirror today and remind yourself that you are one “bad” woman. Yes, we all experience struggles, challenges, and moments where we question our power and identity, but that’s called life, and through it all, you are still “bad,” amazing, awesome, beautiful, wonderful, intelligent, strong, tenacious, and so much more.

Being a “bad” woman means you are willing to step boldly into your own light, own your worth, and refuse to shrink yourself to fit into spaces built for someone else’s comfort. You have the fierce resilience to rise every time life tries to knock you down, standing and moving in your power and faith with confidence, grace, and courage. You know the importance of setting your own standards, protecting your joy and peace, and commanding respect simply by walking into the room as your full, authentic self. You choose you and all that you are, inspiring others to choose themselves.

Walking as a “bad” woman starts from within by intentionally nurturing your physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual health. Take time to complete a checklist on your wellbeing, share it with others, and get the support you need to grow even stronger. Use it to stand up taller, sit more comfortably, walk with confidence, and heal your soul. Turn that mirror toward yourself and speak out loud: “You are bad, and you are about to get badder as you heal, encourage yourself, and seek self-approval rather than that of others. You are who you are. You are loved, and you deserve to be healthy.”

So, let’s get to work together with your bad self. As Michael Jackson said, “I’m bad. I’m bad and you know it.”

A “Bad” Woman’s Wellness Checklist
Take a look at the list and begin to confirm what will work for you as you create and/or upgrade your self-care. You can also add to the list because you are “bad.”

Physical
• I will get outside and garden, hike, frolic, run, walk, or workout.
• I will nourish my body with adequate food, hydration, movement, and rest.
• I will allow myself to rest deeply without guilt, honoring ease as essential to my well-being.
• I will listen to my body’s signals and give it gentle care, movement, and recovery whenever it needs to heal.
• I will create a sleep schedule, knowing good and adequate sleep is key to my health.

Mental
• I will work on saying “no” to requests or expectations that threaten my peace. I am responsible for taking the actions that give me peace.
• I will work to reduce worry by letting go of the things I cannot control.
• I will protect my personal space and mental clarity by unplugging when I need to reset.
• I will take time daily to be grateful and enjoy the present moment.
• I will take time to create “I am” statements and add “because” to ground them in evidence and boost my mental energy.
◦ I am bad because: (e.g., I speak the truth, I am courageous, I take care of myself).

Emotional
• I will take a moment each day to acknowledge how I truly feel without judgment.
• I will give myself permission to feel all of my emotions without shame, honoring my heart as a safe place to heal and grow.
• I will show grace and compassion to myself, treating myself like a dear friend or a wonderful sista.
• I will seek professional and personal support as I navigate grief, hurt, disappointment, depression, loneliness, or anxiety.
• I will find time in my day to play, laugh, laugh, and laugh some more.

Social
• I will call a friend or family member to let them know I’m thinking about them and love them.
• I will intentionally perform acts of kindness because I know it matters.
• I will remember that someone is praying for me, thinking about me, cares about me, loves me, and stands with me as I go through life.
• I will get out and spend time with others (e.g., an activity, a bite to eat, church/synagogue, a sporting event, or a music festival).

Spiritual
• I will remind myself throughout the day that I am loved.
• I will breathe, pray, meditate, and focus on good thoughts to ground myself in the present moment and remind me of who I am.
• I will love myself in so many different ways, rejoicing in who I am and standing firmly and proudly in my identity as a Woman.
• I will create a practice of care that feeds my soul and focuses on my physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual health.
• I will create a pattern to engage in one activity each day or week that feeds my soul and shouts “I love you.”

Wellness isn’t just one thing; it’s the whole package. By caring for your physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual health, you create the balance needed to feel grounded, complete, and fully radiant.

I declare that I am bad. I am a bad ____________________ (fill in the blank) because I ________________ (fill in the blank).

Wishing you the best always,

Yvonne
Dr. Yvonne Terrell-Powell
WIN Chair
NAACP Snohomish County (10AA-B)

Become a member today

Our Branch

The NAACP Portland Branch 1120 is one of the longest running civil rights organizations in this region ensuring the political.