Report on the YWCA Greater Atlanta’s Academy of Women Achievers and its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: Mission and Core SDG Alignment

Since 1984, the YWCA Greater Atlanta’s Academy of Women Achievers has recognized women whose professional and civic contributions advance its mission. This mission—to eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity—directly supports several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Academy’s framework is fundamentally aligned with:

• SDG 5: Gender Equality – By empowering women and celebrating their leadership.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities – Through its foundational goal of eliminating racism and promoting social equity.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions – By advocating for justice, freedom, and dignity for all members of the community.

The Academy comprises over 400 inductees from diverse sectors, creating a multi-generational network dedicated to achieving these goals and fostering a secure, equitable future for the Atlanta region.

Historical Impact: Foundational Contributions to Sustainable Development

The enduring impact of the Academy’s early inductees demonstrates a long-standing commitment to principles now codified in the SDGs. The work of these trailblazers has had a measurable effect on building sustainable and equitable communities.

1. Grace Towns Hamilton (Class of 1985)

   As the first African American woman in the Georgia General Assembly, her career advanced political inclusion and institutional strength.

   • SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) & SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions): Broke racial and gender barriers in government.
   • SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), & SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): Championed improved housing, healthcare, and education for the Black community.

2. Evelyn Lowery (Class of 1986)

   A civil rights leader who advocated for the rights of women, children, and families.

   • SDG 5 (Gender Equality) & SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): Led initiatives for women’s equality and civil rights through protests, voter registration, and educational programs.

3. Rosalynn Carter (Class of 1986)

   A global advocate for mental health and women’s leadership.

   • SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): Worked to destigmatize mental illness and improve access to care.
   • SDG 5 (Gender Equality): Promoted the role of women in policy-making.

4. Coretta Scott King (Class of 1986)

   A leader for civil rights and nonviolent social change.

   • SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), & SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions): Embodied the principles of peace and justice through her global advocacy for equality.

5. Constance Curry (Class of 1977)

   An activist and educator focused on desegregation.

   • SDG 4 (Quality Education) & SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): Played a key role in desegregation efforts in the South, advancing educational equity.

6. Sandra Deal (Class of 2016)

   A champion for statewide literacy.

   • SDG 4 (Quality Education): Advanced literacy and access to learning for women and children across Georgia.

Contemporary Impact and Ongoing SDG Alignment

The Academy of Women Achievers continues to function as an active force for sustainable development. Living members, including C-suite executives, entrepreneurs, and civic leaders, remain engaged in advancing the YWCA’s mission. Their collective actions directly contribute to specific SDG targets.

• Advocacy and Institutional Strengthening: Members champion policy and civic engagement on issues affecting women and families, directly supporting SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).
• Partnerships and Infrastructure: The Academy drives fundraising efforts, such as the $19.5 million campaign to restore the Phillis Wheatley Westside YWCA. This work exemplifies SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) and contributes to SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) by preserving vital community infrastructure.
• Targeted Development Programs: Members support programming focused on key development areas, including:
  • SDG 4 (Quality Education): Enhancing educational opportunities for women and girls.
  • SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): Supporting health initiatives.
  • SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): Fostering economic empowerment and supporting entrepreneurs like Jewel Burks Solomon (Class of 2025), whose work aligns with SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure).

The Academy of Women Achievers serves as a sustainable model of mission-driven leadership. By empowering successive generations of women leaders, it ensures a continued and expanding commitment to achieving gender equality, reducing inequalities, and building peaceful, just, and prosperous communities in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.

Relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
• SDG 4: Quality Education
• SDG 5: Gender Equality
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Identified SDG Targets

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being. The article highlights former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, an Academy member, as a “lifelong advocate for mental health awareness” whose initiatives “broke stigma around mental illness.” This directly aligns with promoting mental health and well-being. The article also mentions Grace Towns Hamilton’s work championing healthcare within the Black community.

2. SDG 4: Quality Education

   • Target 4.6: By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy. This target is addressed through the work of former Georgia First Lady Sandra Deal, who “championed literacy through classroom visits, charitable partnerships, and statewide literacy programs.” The YWCA’s general support for “programming in education” also connects to this target.

3. SDG 5: Gender Equality

   • Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life. The entire premise of the Academy of Women Achievers is to honor and elevate women in leadership. The article explicitly mentions inductees from “politics, business, education, technology, healthcare, and philanthropy,” including “two former mayors of Atlanta, C-suite leaders,” and Grace Towns Hamilton, the “first African American woman elected to the Georgia General Assembly.” This demonstrates a clear focus on promoting women’s leadership in public and economic life.

4. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status. The YWCA’s mission to “eliminate racism” is central to this goal. The article celebrates Grace Towns Hamilton for shattering “racial and gender barriers” and Constance Curry for her pivotal role in “desegregation efforts in the Deep South.” This work directly aims to reduce inequality and promote the inclusion of marginalized racial groups.
   • Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices. The work of civil rights advocates like Evelyn Lowery, Coretta Scott King, and Constance Curry, who championed “African American equality” and fought against segregation, directly supports the elimination of discriminatory practices and the promotion of equal opportunity.

5. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

   • Target 16.7: Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels. The article mentions that Grace Towns Hamilton and Evelyn Lowery championed “voter registration.” Furthermore, the election of Grace Towns Hamilton as the “first African American woman elected to the Georgia General Assembly” is a direct outcome of efforts to create more inclusive and representative institutions. The YWCA’s current members also “Champion policy and civic engagement to advocate around pressing social issues.”

Implied Indicators for Measuring Progress

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • The article implies progress can be measured by the creation and support of initiatives focused on mental health awareness, as exemplified by Rosalynn Carter’s work. The establishment of healthcare access programs for specific communities, like those championed by Grace Towns Hamilton, is another implied indicator.

2. SDG 4: Quality Education

   • Progress is indicated by the implementation of “statewide literacy programs” and charitable partnerships focused on education, as championed by Sandra Deal. The number of classroom visits and the reach of these programs could serve as metrics.

3. SDG 5: Gender Equality

   • Indicator 5.5.1 (Proportion of seats held by women in… local governments) and 5.5.2 (Proportion of women in managerial positions): The article provides concrete examples that serve as indicators. It mentions the election of the “first African American woman… to the Georgia General Assembly,” the leadership of “two former mayors of Atlanta,” and the presence of women as “C-suite leaders.” The growing number of inductees into the Academy (“over 400 inductees to date”) also serves as an indicator of the expanding network of women in leadership.

4. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • Indicators are implied through historical achievements that mark progress against inequality. The election of the “first African American woman” to a state legislature and the success of “desegregation efforts” are significant milestones mentioned in the article that serve as powerful indicators of reduced inequality.

5. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

   • The article points to voter registration drives as a key activity. An increase in voter registration, particularly within historically disenfranchised communities, would be a direct indicator of progress. The election of individuals from underrepresented groups, such as Grace Towns Hamilton, serves as a clear indicator of more inclusive and representative institutions.

Summary of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: saportareport.com