In honor of our 165th anniversary and Women's History Month, we celebrate the contributions of Mary Shaw “Shawsie” Branton.
As the first woman to serve as Chair of the YMCA of Greater Kansas City Board of Directors, in 1994 at the age of 73, she followed previous efforts to include women in the Y and paved the way for future women leaders.
During her tenure, child care services expanded. Improving the lives of children and families was the focus for many of her volunteer activities, including at the Y and other nonprofits throughout her lifetime.
Branton’s leadership role came after decades of increasing involvement of women in the Y. When the Young Men’s Christian Association was founded in Kansas City in 1860, some women were included in early activities and a Ladies’ Auxiliary was formed in 1883.
Women were a significant part of the Y Movement’s response to WWI and WWII, supporting soldiers and boosting morale. New Y recreation centers to support families in the growing suburbs in the 1960s naturally brought women into membership and programs. As more women joined the workforce in the 1970s and beyond, including jobs at the Y, the Y provided new child care programs. The Y continues to be the largest child care provider in greater Kansas City today, empowering working families across the community.
