Join us the 4th Monday of month for a conversation. Courageous Conversations explores issues of race in Rock County. Topics are selected each month based on current events and the issues people of color are currently facing both locally and nationwide.

The conversations are moderated by members of YWCA Rock County’s racial justice team, as well as, members of Community Action, Inc and the Diversity Action Team of Rock County.

Courageous Conversations are currently being held virtually via Zoom. Courageous Conversations is held the fourth Monday of each month from 5:30pm – 7 pm. The event is free to attend, but registration is required.

(Please note, Courageous Conversations will be recorded and placed online. Members of the media are also invited to attend. If members of the media are present, an announcement will be made at the beginning of the meeting.)                                                      

Monday, November 25th, Topic: Discussing the Paper Ceiling

Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0rcOiupzkvH9B7T7JuKdLxaz1i-3PRfFH6

Join us for a thoughtful and engaging Courageous Conversation as we explore the concept of the “Paper Ceiling”—a term that highlights the invisible barriers to career advancement that often impact employees in the workplace without a bachelor’s degree. We’ll discuss the subtle, systemic challenges that limit opportunities for growth and leadership, including biases in hiring, promotion practices, and performance evaluations.

Monday, December 16th, Topic: Materialism, Consumer Habits and Race

Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0qceitrjkuEtR3PvSxXtEUzlzGW2XEBwy_

Join us for a thought-provoking Courageous Conversation on the intersection of materialism, consumer habits, and race. In this discussion, we’ll explore how different racial and cultural communities engage with consumerism, and how historical, social, and economic factors shape our buying behaviors, values, and perceptions of success.

What drives our choices as consumers? How do race, identity, and societal pressures influence what we buy, how we buy it, and why? We’ll also discuss the concept of “status consumption” and how material possessions are often tied to social identity and group belonging, particularly in communities of color. This conversation will invite us to examine the broader cultural forces at play—such as advertising, representation, and systemic inequality—that shape our material desires and consumer habits.