In honor of LGBTQIA+ Pride Month, the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County is proud to recognize Catherine Hyde as part of the WGC's "Our Giving, Our Stories" profile series. Catherine is a fearless community advocate who has worked in the social justice arena, primarily around housing insecurity.  

When her child told her, at the age of 4, that he was supposed to be a she, she did not understand transgender or gender identity until National Public Radio educated her years later. Since that awakening and education, she has volunteered as Transgender Coordinator for PFLAG Howard County and speaks and trains on transgender understanding and sensitivity. 

Catherine has been honored both locally and nationally for her work on behalf of the transgender community. She has received awards, testified before the US Senate, served on the PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) and the Howard County Human Rights Commission.  

​Thank you for joining us in recognizing her by clicking on this image to read her full WGC "Our Giving, Our Stories" profile, and learning more about all of the amazing women who are part of  WGC "Our Giving, Our Stories"!

In honor of LGBTQIA+ Pride Month, the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County is proud to recognize Ying Matties as part of the WGC's "Our Giving, Our Stories" profile series. Ying is part of the Howard County Immigrant Justice Coalition and the Chinese American Network for Diversity and Opportunity.

Ying works on behalf of LGBTQIA+ Youth and is a founding member of Community Allies of Rainbow Youth (CARY), who are family, friends and allies of LGBTQIA+ youth in Howard County, Maryland. CARY “advocates for LGBTQIA+ youth in our schools and community, get involved in local politics, and support and uplift one another.  As many of these youth are from traditional immigrant communities, Ying works to promote understanding and compassion for them and their families.  She strongly believes “Love is Love.” Learn more about what's happening in Howard County at the PFLAG website.

She also works tirelessly on behalf of the immigrant community, seeking to bring an end to the current pervasive atmosphere of racism, hatred and fear, experienced by so many immigrants.  As part of this effort, she organized a Stop Asian Hate Rally on to honor those Asian women who were killed in a hate crime last March.  

Ying gives her time, talent and treasure to fully support both her causes and their members. Thank you for joining us in recognizing her by clicking on this image to read her full WGC "Our Giving, Our Stories" profile, and learning more about all of the amazing women who are part of WGC "Our Giving, Our Stories"!