Yolanda Bako facts for kids

Yolanda Bako, born in 1946, is an American activist. She is known for helping people who faced violence at home. She worked hard to make things better for women and families.

Growing Up in New York

Yolanda Bako was born in the Bronx, a part of New York City. Her parents came from Hungary. She went to Evander Childs High School. Yolanda once said, "When I think of the universe, the Bronx is at its center." This shows how much she loved her hometown.

Helping Others: A Career in Activism

Yolanda Bako started her career working as a secretary. She also worked at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, a famous art museum. Later, she decided to dedicate her life to helping others.

Creating Safe Spaces for Families

Yolanda became a leader at the Center for the Elimination of Violence in the Family. In 1977, she helped start something very important. She co-founded the Women's Survival Space in Brooklyn. This was New York City's first shelter for women who needed a safe place. It was also the first one to get money from the state government.

Joining Forces for Change

Yolanda was very active in big groups that worked for women's rights. She was part of the New York City chapter of the National Organization for Women. She also worked with the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. These groups worked to stop violence and support people.

Sharing Knowledge and Attending Conferences

Yolanda Bako wrote a booklet in 1980. It was called How to start a county-wide task force on family violence. This booklet helped communities create their own groups to fight family violence. She worked at the Bronx State Psychiatric Hospital in the 1980s. In 1995, she traveled to Beijing for the Fourth World Conference on Women. This was a big meeting where people from all over the world talked about women's rights.

In 2017, Yolanda spoke at a special event. It was a reunion for "second-wave feminists." These are women who were active in the women's rights movement in the 1960s and 1970s. The event was held by the Veteran Feminists of America in New York.

Personal Life

Yolanda Bako is over six feet tall. Her height made her stand out in the feminist movement of the 1970s. Her important papers and records are kept at the Schlesinger Library at Harvard University. This shows how important her work has been.