YWCA Duluth

I guess we’re not the only ones who want to promote art celebrating joy and exploring gender concepts…

Meet A.Geniusz_Art who entered her piece “Calm in Chaos: Zulu Parade Queen” to the 2026 Gender Joy Art Show. Annmarie entered this work after she returned to the Northland from her first Mardi Gras trip. After experiencing the Zulu Parade as well as the full celebration of Black arts and cultural heritage in the Treme neighborhood, Annmarie created this piece to help her stay centered during the horrors of metro surge.

Annmarie said that she felt compelled to enter this piece because “YWCA Duluth is an excellent organization, doing a lot of good things within our community” and that when she “saw that Black Joy was a sub-theme of the art show, I knew this piece would fit right in!”

This piece, as well as many others, are for sale on our website: https://www.ywcaduluth.org/2026-gender-joy-art-for-sale. 30% of the proceeds will support YWCA Duluth’s programs and initiatives. For more info, visit us at www.ywcaduluth.org 🧡

Calm in Chaos: Zulu Parade Queen
$400

Happy Pride Month! It’s June so expect to hear that loudly and often ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

Did you know we started the Gender Joy Art Show as part of a Gender Equity Summit in 2023? Yup, we held it at the Depot as a response to the collective experience of violence women and gender expansive people had.

Why not intentionally celebrate our gender identities instead?

So we did, and we do. And we hope you do too during this year’s Pride Month and beyond!

This year’s Gender Joy Art Show put on in partnership with is up until the end of the month in the atrium! A community art show at its best. Pieces for sale can be found on our website: https://www.ywcaduluth.org/2026-gender-joy-art-for-sale 🧡

When 39 countries have full or partial travel restrictions on them — entry and visa issuance is fully suspended or at the very least paperwork is paused or delayed for MONTHS — and ICE presence has terrorized and destroyed new American’s lives, we respond by setting up a mutual aid fund for our neighbors. This is something we can do to help. Join us 🧡

https://www.ywcaduluth.org/mutual-aid-fund

To all of our q***r deers and g**s who slay, happy Pride Month!

Did you know that Pride Month essentially started because of the Stonewall riots? Yup, in 1969 a group of policeman went into the Stonewall Inn to arrest the assumingely gay patrons — the New York state liquor authority prohibited gay people from being served alcohol in public spaces — but instead of looking the other way, members of the local community joined the LGBT+ patrons to fight back. And the gay rights movement exploded. One year later in that same spot, the first Gay Pride event took place.

This year marks the 55th Year of Pride Month.
Check out ways to celebrate, and take a stand for equality, below!

🏳️‍⚧️ Trans Joy Fest @ Park Point Rec Center — Sunday 6/7 11am-4pm — put on by

🎨 Gender Joy Art Show @ Zeitgeist — show is up until Saturday 6/27 — artwork for sale from gender expansive people on our website: https://www.ywcaduluth.org/2026-gender-joy-art-for-sale

🟰 Show your support for the MN Equal Rights Amendment — which would guarantee that all people would have equal rights under the laws of the state of MN — sign up as an individual supporter here: https://www.ywcaduluth.org/mn-era-equal-rights-amendment

What’s better than perusing works of art made exclusively by girls, women and gender expansive artists?

Getting a $50 gift card from for giving us your opinion, that’s what!

Check out the Gender Joy Art Show until June 27th in the atrium at Zeitgeist, curated by and put together by us and a sister org, . Fill out our survey for a chance to win some $$ to Zeitgeist. Win-win-win.

🔗 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdm9hLwddaQfoDqZxa6mQ74p0XVj-IXF6zgJBqrzG_P6JwUdw/viewform

Thanks again to our sponsors who made this year’s show the most dynamic show to date:





JS Print

The childcare crisis isn’t going to fix itself.

That’s why we convened the Childcare Implementation Task Force (CITF). The CITF is comprised of local leaders who are committed to advancing solutions for all families to access affordable and quality childcare.

Don’t understand the childcare crisis? Read Leah Budnick’s (the CITF’s co-chair) take on it in her blog. 🔗 in bio.

Learn more about the CITF at https://www.ywcaduluth.org/childcare-implementation-task-force.

Shout-out post to 🧡💙🧡

Thank you for being such easygoing and creative partners for this year’s Gender Joy Art Show! We had a ton of fun planning and partying with you. Nothing like two sister orgs who live next to each other putting on a show!

The art show is still up so go check it out! And if you’re looking for some new local artwork for your walls, check out the link in our bio. Most of this year’s artwork is up for sale!

👀 Pete from .cafe.duluth who volunteered at the button making station during the opening reception!

Help us welcome Makena Nzii and Teagan Flynn to our team! These two Young Leaders begin their journey with us today!!

From working with handpicked mentors to running their own independent projects, being an intern at YWCA Duluth isn’t about doing the busy work. It’s about to helping to create change in this pretty little city built on a hillside 🧡

✊🏼✊🏻✊🏿 ART IS A FORM OF PROTEST ✊🏽✊🏾✊🏼

All of these pieces are up for sale on our website — https://www.ywcaduluth.org/2026-gender-joy-art-for-sale. Bring a part of the Gender Joy Art Show home and support local artists. It’s a win-win 🏆

Artists! Tag yourself in the comments if I missed you and share widely with your community! The opening reception was AMAZING…now let’s sell out this show!