Times Union Women@Work: May 2021

Helping women thrive

When your work is mission-driven, almost everything you do throughout the day supports the purpose or at the very least, reminds you of it. For Starletta Smith, executive director of the YWCA of the Greater Capital Region, it’s something as simple as walking in the front door of the space that puts into perspective how much her work matters.

“When I started here 13 years ago, the woman that works at our front desk today was my very first client,” said Smith, who took on the top job at the nonprofit last year after joining the organization in 2008 as the director of programs and becoming the director of transitional housing and family services in 2012.

“Back then, she struggled with addiction and damaged her family relationships due to her circumstances, and after receiving support from the YWCA-GCR, she’s now nine years sober, maintains permanent housing and full-time employment and has sole custody of her grandchildren.”

The YWCA has more than 200 local associations in the U.S., and serves more than 2 million individuals countrywide by providing affordable housing, resources and programs to women and children seeking direction and guidance at times when typically there isn’t anywhere else to turn. In Troy, Smith and her team support 104 women and more than 50 children.

“Every person on our staff knows where to direct women through the connections we have in the community,” Smith said. “Once you step foot in here, we got you.”

That “we got you” attitude is what drives Smith in her leadership role, especially as she has taken on the challenges of adapting during a global pandemic, and positioning her organization to take on a prominent position in the fight against racism along with the Black Lives Matter movement.

“I’m responsible for safeguarding the stability of the organization and keeping our tasks mission-driven,” said Smith. “But I’m also here to make sure the YWCA-GCR is no longer a best kept secret in the Capital District. We’re a leader in eliminating racism and empowering women.”

Smith’s management style encourages her employees to navigate getting their work done in a way that works best for them. There’s not always just one way to do something, she said. Smith is committed to supporting and guiding her team while also providing a safe, stable home to the women living at the YWCA’s First Street headquarters.

At the peak of the pandemic, some YWCA employees worked from home while remote-schooling children and caring for sick family members. For others, working from home wasn’t an option, making it even more difficult at times to accomplish organizational goals and continue to offer quality services to the residents.

“We shifted to accommodate the pandemic and really did not skip a beat,” Smith said. “The team’s resilience makes me so proud.”

And by pushing ahead regardless of the unforeseen circumstances, the organization had its most successful year to date in 2020.

“We had so many new supporters and received record donations and engagement through our virtual 2020 Mission Series,” said Smith. “We also saw our largest single donation yet from the philanthropic powerhouse MacKenzie Scott, who supported YWCA-GCR with a $1 million unrestricted gift.”

Under Smith’s leadership, YWCA-GCR has sought to continue to expand its influence. The team’s energy shifted in the summer of 2020 from the pandemic to standing up against racism and encouraging institutional change in the community and the country.

“It was, and still is, a challenge to navigate the terror, unrest and collective trauma caused by the murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, while also being a Black leader tasked with eliminating racism,” said Smith. “I try to find hope in our situation, but I am constantly reminded of how far we still have to go. It helps to lean on members of the community and our fierce allies.”

Smith reflected on the 11,000 person crowd that attended Troy’s Rally for Black Lives in June 2020, organized in part by the YWCA-GCR. She says while individual people in the community are fighting for change, government leaders don’t seem ready, and the refusal to acknowledge systemic racism in our institutions is an ongoing problem.

“This work is not a popularity contest,” Smith said. “It can’t be performative for organizations to talk about diversity, equity and inclusion — it has to be backed up by policies and practices that lift up Black and brown voices and perspectives.”

Smith and her team plan to continue to do their work authentically and with passion and integrity as the organization develops its strategic five-year plan. Though she can’t discuss the details of the plan just yet, she hints at big news.

“Women are the strongest creatures alive,” Smith said. “And women supporting women ensures success.”