Skip to main content

Kylah Field '09 Opens Young Women's Resource Center at Chester YWCA

September 15th, 2008 Yiwen Looi '09

Kylah Field '09 Opens Young  
Women's Resource Center in Chester YWCA 


by Yiwen Looi '09
09/15/2008

Kylah Field '09/>

Kylah Field '09

 />

Within the Swarthmore community, there are plenty of resources and support systems specifically for women, and constant dialogue about women's issues; outside, being a woman is often a lonely endeavor. Kylah Field '09 recently did her part in changing that situation by establishing the Young Women's Resource Center (YWRC), a place committed to the wellbeing of women that operates out of the YWCA in neighboring Chester, Pa.

Kylah had been working on the project since the summer of 2007, using a Lang Opportunity Scholarship she obtained at the end of her sophomore year to provide initial funding for the center. Kylah credits the women in her life for inspiring the project, saying, "They have served as caretakers, mentors, role models, and confidants, constantly providing me with great advice and perspective." To that end, she hopes that the YWRC will similarly enable women and girls to gain the information and skills they need to achieve their personal and professional goals.

Kylah Field '09/>

Kylah says she hopes the YWRC will enable women and girls to gain the information and skills they need to achieve their goals.

 />

Officially launched on 22 June, the mission statement of the YWRC is to provide a space to foster hope, confidence, voice and change in the lives of women. It is the first and only women's resource center in Chester and its activities are based entirely on the ideas and feedback from the women in the community. The recently-concluded Summer Workshop Series were all led by successful women and dealt with a variety of themes, ranging from computer and financial literary, to health, nutrition and exercise.

The holistic emphasis of the YWRC is certainly a reflection of its founder. Kylah is currently an honors political science and education major and plans to go to law school after graduation. Nevertheless, she is applying for further grants to allow the YWRC to continue operating long after she has left Swarthmore.