CLEVELAND — Margaret Mitchell’s dedication to the YWCA is taking her impact to the national level.
"I always tell people that I'm not a Clevelander, but I got here as fast as I could," said Mitchell.
After 14 years with the Cleveland YWCA and a decade at the helm, Mitchell is moving to the Washington, D.C. area in the coming weeks to lead the organization nationally. She was named the new CEO back in October.
"It's exciting. It's just a, it's a great honor and an incredible opportunity. And it's a wonderful network of, of women and people. And I'm really excited to be at the helm," said Mitchell. "I think when I first presented it like maybe this could happen, you know, it just seemed like it was just such a long shot, you know, and then suddenly it was like, 'oh boy, what just happened here?' You know, I mean, but we're all exciting, excited, and, you know, DC is a great community and looking forward to the move."
She's spending her last days in the city she loves meeting friends in the Metroparks while leaving those around her inspired to continue the difficult mission of eliminating racism and finding equity for women.
"I have a very strong affinity for Cleveland...and I think it's important for us to be very clear-eyed that we're the largest poorest big city in America, by addressing clear-eyed, the truth about who we really are," she said. "We can change that, we can heal, we can get healthy and it will bring, I think ultimately, a reversal in population and industry and all the things that are needed to create a vibrant community and ultimately, lift children out of poverty, lift women out of poverty, families out of poverty," she said.
In a time for new ideas in Cleveland, she's proud of the YWCA's role in presenting a balanced and truthful view of the problems.
"Change has to happen slowly," said Mitchell. "But it can happen. And we do see change."
She's seen the COVID-19 pandemic accelerate women's roles in the workplace and their ability to close the wage gap.
"I believe in my lifetime that we're going to have gender equity and I want that for our daughters. And I want that for our granddaughters, that they have a choice and options and gender and the color of their skin, because we're all genetically the same. It has no bearing on what they want to do or their outcomes or the way people see them. And I think that it's within reach," said Mitchell.
While she works toward that goal, she'll follow her own advice to bring her own shoes to Washington, so to speak -- and not fill someone else's.
"I often give that advice," she said, "bring your own shoes.
"You know, when I grew up, there were certain things that girls did and there were certain things that girls didn't do. And I think that we have begun to see that a road and we see that there are opportunities for people to engage with and to dream big about. And that is so exciting."
MORE BOSS LADIES OF CLE STORIES