Dear John,

Earlier this month, I saw Suffs, a powerful play about the suffragettes and the fight for the 19th Amendment. The individuals who fought tirelessly for our right to vote couldn’t have known that some 100 years later, a woman of color would be leading a major-party ticket as a nominee for President of the United States. This historic moment wouldn’t have been possible without the groundwork they laid. 

As we prepare for perhaps the most critical election of our lifetime, we have a chance to determine what our democracy looks like. You’ve seen these reminders in our election series all month, but I’m resurfacing them again as we near Election Day: 

• Make your voting plan: Check your polling location and hours, and figure out when and how you’ll get there. 
• Learn your ballot: Change doesn’t just happen at the national level, it also happens at the state and local levels. You can research your ballot ahead of time to be informed on who and what else you’ll be voting on. 
• Get out there: Early voting has started in most states – now is the time to act! 

We owe it to our foremothers and the movement leaders of today to show up in strong numbers to vote, and we owe it to the future generations to lay the foundation for lasting change. 

See you at the polls!

In solidarity,

Ms. Foundation in the News

President & CEO Teresa C. Younger and Senior Program Officer Samantha Franklin spoke to Inside Philanthropy for a new, in-depth piece, Why a Key Women’s Foundation Is Ramping Up Its Support in the Midwest, about the launch of our Ms. Midwest grantmaking initiative and strategy to address the chronic underfunding of women and gender-expansive people of color in the region.

In the program’s pilot year, Ms. Foundation awarded multi-year grants totaling $660,000 to seven grassroots organizations working to advance racial justice, reproductive justice, and voting and civic engagement, among other causes. In addition to the individual grants, Ms. Foundation will help grantee organizations convene so they have the opportunity to come together to form relationships, find support, and be in community with one another. The organizations will also have the opportunity to opt in to receive capacity-building support from the foundation. Read the full article now!

New Podcast Episode: When We Win

When We Win is back! President & CEO Teresa C. Younger joined political strategist and host Maya Rupert in a special episode titled “Stay in the Fight” for a conversation on the 2024 election, the impossible standards that female candidates of color are held to, and how individuals can get involved today to make progress. Over the course of the podcast, Maya also spoke to some of the most incredible women of color in office today, who ran against insurmountable odds and won.

Listen to the latest episode here or wherever you get your podcasts!

Ms. Welcomes Melanie Jiménez

We're excited to welcome Melanie Jiménez to the Ms. Foundation as a Program Officer! In our latest blog, learn more about Melanie's passion for movement building and mass organizing, and what advice she'd give to her younger self. 

“I am beyond thrilled and genuinely honored to join an effort in bringing crucial resources to collective organizing for women and gender-expansive people, especially at such a tumultuous political moment.”

Read more on the blog!