YWCA Rock County announces recipient of 2023 Racial Justice Award

Krystal has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. She earned a Master of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin Whitewater in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a focus on Trauma Treatment and Alcohol and Other Drugs. She also earned her Juris Doctor degree from Northern Illinois University College of Law. Having both mental health and legal educational training has given Krystal the tools to effectively advocate to help people during some of the most challenging times in their lives. Her long-standing interests were adopted from the YWCA Mission: Empower Women & Eliminate Racism. Her professional career began with the YWCA Rock County where she served as the Volunteer Coordinator and Legal Advocate. Ultimately, it was these experiences that inspired her to attend law school in hopes of obtaining a new skillset to help victims.Currently, Krystal works for Rock County Behavioral Health where she is the ACTIONS therapist at the Youth Service Center. She works primarily with juveniles and their families providing individual, group, and family counseling services. Krystal is the owner of Krystal Judah Counseling LLC. She aims to create a space where she can offer skilled, culturally competent, and personalized counseling that will promote healing. She is happy to contract with Holistic Counseling Services where she works primary with women and geriatric populations in the Beloit community. She has also found a home at Beloit College in the Health and Wellness Center where she has provided counseling services to college students for the past four years.Recently Krystal became a Community Birthing Doula and serves Rock and Dane Counties. She received her doula training from Harambee Village located in Madison, Wisconsin. As an independent contractor she works with Rock County Public Health Department to improve birth outcomes and reduce disparities in birth outcomes among Rock County residents. This partnership is supported by a University of Wisconsin Partnership Program grant titled Strengthening Community Solutions to Improve Black Maternal and Infant Health.Krystal was nominated by Natalie Marino, who serves as a Youth Prevention Specialist at Youth2Youth 4 Change. Natalie wrote, “Everything that Krystal is involved with helps to improve people’s lives. She is breaking so many barriers for people in our community.” Krystal Judah will accept the award at the 2023 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration which will be held at Blackhawk Technical College on Saturday, January 14th at 2pm. For more information about the event, please contact Amiee Leavy, YWCA Rock County Racial Justice Director (aleavy@ywcarockco.com).