Eulonda is the Chief Administrative Officer of the YWCA of Metro St. Louis and has been with the non-profit for 27 years. She received a Master of Social Work (MSW) from the Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis and was drawn to the field by a will to help others and make meaningful change.
Over the years, she has touched most of the organization’s job functions--from counseling and housing to programs on sexual assault, domestic violence and racial justice. Her role continually expands. She recently coordinated the non-profit’s move to a new facility at the start of the pandemic last Spring. Meanwhile, she manages the preparation for the YWCA accreditation, and in the interim the IT department, and all programming.
Eulonda sees need for global change, especially in a political climate that’s plagued by violence against minority populations—Black, Brown, and Asian Americans, to name a few. The murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor have made the need for societal change all-the-more pressing. Now is the time for change! How can individuals breed change? How can singular change influence a collective conscience? She is still processing and reflecting on these events as she considers how to move her organization forward.
Eulonda is also passionate about advocating for women in the workplace. She is on the Board of the Women’s Foundation and served as Board Chair last year. It was and is a great opportunity and organization where change happens and allows for her to grow and be around other like-minded women contributing to the advocacy of women. She came to the conclusion that vulnerability is a key leadership quality for women when engaging with peers and superiors alike. Women must support other women and create space at the proverbial table for other female leaders.
Eulonda comes from a close-knit family in Nashville, TN. Her mother and grandmothers were powerful figures in her life. They are the reasons for her understanding and knowledge of what it is to “Believe Women” through their experiences and advocacy of racial injustices and sexual violence. They are role models that she emulates for her two adult daughters.
Eulonda is part of a 115-year-old book club called “BookLovers” which is an intergenerational group of women who love to read and learn together.
Recommendation: Imitation of Life with Juanita Moore and Lana Turner. How do we see the movie in today’s time? Why is the dialogue critical?