Feminist News and Information

WEEKLY NEWS // JUNE 26, 2025

Above The Fold releases will pause in July for an annual hiatus and will resume in August. Please visit our website's events calendar [[link removed]] for member and partner events.

// A LETTER FROM OUR PRESIDENT & CEO

Feminism, an ethic of freedom

Dear Friends,

I am writing to you today with a heavy but resolute heart.

In recent weeks, I have found myself deeply affected—personally and profoundly—by the surge of immigration raids and unlawful detention happening across the United States. These are not headlines. These are painful memories. My colleagues. My friends. My family. Within each of my cherished circles is the reverberating ache of knowing systemic violence and displacement first-hand.

And as if this were not enough, I am watching—helpless, sometimes—from afar as war and conflict escalate in too many corners of the globe. Syria. Sudan. Ukraine. Haiti. Myanmar. Iran. The scale and scope of violence is unmatched in the 21st century. The pain is global. The grief is universal.

Yet in the midst of this, I return often to the words of the brilliant Mexican feminist, Marcela Lagarde, who once said:

“El feminismo es una ética de la libertad.”

(“Feminism is an ethic of freedom.”)

These words resonate deeply right now. They remind me that though we are surrounded by uncertainty, and though we cannot yet see how or when we will emerge from this moment, we are bound to each other by a collective ethic—of freedom, of care, and of unwavering commitment.

And I see this ethic alive in so many of you.

In 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, FRIDA, The Young Feminist Fund, rapidly mobilized flexible, unrestricted grants to young activists across the Global South. They didn’t wait for perfect conditions—they trusted the leadership of those most affected and acted.

In Afghanistan, following the fall of Kabul in 2021, MADRE, the Global Fund for Women, Prospera [[link removed]] International Network of Women’s Funds, Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Rights, Asia and Pacific, among others, quietly and courageously supported women leaders in getting to safety while preserving the infrastructure [[link removed]] of civil society under immense threat.

In the wake of devastating natural disasters, from the Philippines to Puerto Rico, feminist funds like FIMI (International Indigenous Women’s Forum) and Fondo Semillas in Mexico have gone beyond traditional philanthropy [[link removed]]—resourcing not only recovery but resistance, led by Indigenous and grassroots women with clarity and purpose.

And in the U.S., during relentless waves of anti-immigrant legislation, funds like the Women's Foundation California [[link removed]] and Justice for Migrant Women [[link removed]] have continued to advocate fiercely for dignity, protection, and rights for immigrant women and families.

Their courage reminds me: we carry ancestral knowledge, movement wisdom, and radical love. These are the roots we draw from when the ground feels unsteady.

As part of the Women’s Funding Network community, I am not alone. You are not alone. Together, we hold a vision that transcends borders. We invest not only in women's leadership—but in the survival, flourishing, and liberation of us all.

Let us continue to stand together—with compassion, with courage, and with conviction.

In movement,

Elizabeth Barajas-Román

Women's Funding Network

President & CEO

P.S. Feminist Funded ‘25 will be a space to celebrate our collective strength, galvanize new commitments, and build toward a more just future. Register at www.feministfunded.org [[link removed]]. Seats are limited. Registration will close when sold out.

Register today for Feminist Funded '25

WFN is proud to announce an incredible slate of speakers who are helping shape the next chapter of the movement. Confirmed speakers for the conference and gala include:

Tatyana Ali, actress, singer, producer, and activist Dr. Stellah Bosire, Executive Director, Africa Center for Health Systems and Gender Justice Dr. Tlaleng Mofokeng, Executive Director, Our Equity and United Nations Rapporteur Kakenya Ntaiya, Founder and President, Kakenya’s Dream Dr. Loretta Ross, Associate Professor at Smith College, MacArthur Fellow, and co-founder of SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective Mona Sinha, Global Executive Director, Equality Now

See additional conference speakers here [[link removed]].

Register here [[link removed]]

Have a story to share? We want to hear from you.

Submit content for the newsletter here [[link removed]].

News from WFN

NEW MEMBERS & 2025 WFN MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS

Our network thrives on the strength and diversity of our members [[link removed]]. Please join us in welcoming to the network new WFN members:

Afghan Female Student OutreachElluminateStephanie Loraine Piñeiro

Please also join us in appreciating WFN members who have renewed their membership:

Grantmakers for Girls of Color (G4GC)Maria LemusMs. Foundation for WomenWallace Foundation

If you have questions about membership, please contact us [mailto:[email protected]]. WFN members enjoy exclusive access to discounted member pricing for Feminist Funded ’25 [[link removed]], so join or renew today.

News from WFN Members MEMBER ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Women's Fund of Hawai'i is searching for an Executive Director. Learn more and apply here [[link removed]] by June 30, 2025.

The Washington Area Women's Foundation is accepting applications for the Maternal Health & Birth Equity Program [[link removed]]. Organizations dedicated to enhancing the perinatal experience and ecosystem in this region are invited to apply for funding by July 14, 2025. Learn more here [[link removed]].

The Texas Women's Foundation has announced their Executive Leadership Accelerator [[link removed]], which blends immersive leadership development, 1:1 executive coaching, and support from an executive sponsor, with a mission-aligned capstone project. Apply [[link removed]] by August 25, 2025.

Collaborate Cleveland launched the Flourish Award to recognize women changemakers across Northeast Ohio. Read the article in The Land [[link removed]], and read more about the awardees dedicated to advancing gender justice and supporting women and girls in Cleveland here [[link removed]].

The Women's Fund of Omaha has shared their 2024 Annual Report [[link removed]]. As they move forward, read the report to see their highlights from the last year.

The Feminist Peace Playbook [[link removed]] was produced by the Feminist Peace Initiative—a collaboration between MADRE, Grassroots Global Justice Alliance, and Women Cross DMZ—and The Inclusive Global Leadership Initiative at the University of Denver. The playbook outlines strategies for policymakers, civil society, academics, funders, and media to challenge militarized U.S. foreign policy by advancing a feminist peace framework.

MEMBER EVENTS

Join the Women’s Foundation of the South, the National Women's Law Center, and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law for a reception and fireside chat [[link removed]] that will dispel myths about diversity, equity, and inclusion and civil rights, and toast to some of the leaders and change makers who are championing the most pressing gender and racial justice issues.

July 4, 2025 | 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. CDT | Register here [[link removed]]

Join The Women's Fund Miami-Dade for a virtual panel [[link removed]] on the intersection of extreme heat and reproductive health in Miami-Dade County. Explore how heat affects the public health of Miami’s most vulnerable, particularly women, pregnant people, immigrants, and communities of color.

July 10, 2025 | 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. EDT | Register here [[link removed]]

Join Funders For Justice for a pre-conference institute [[link removed]], in advance of Seeding (and Ceding) Transformational Power. It is open to funders who are interested in learning, aligning, and taking action with fellow funders and movement partners.

July 14, 2025 | 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. CDT | Register here [[link removed]]

Return to Martha’s Vineyard for the Ms. Foundation For Women's annual event, Ms. on Martha’s [[link removed]]. Ms. Foundation's President and CEO, Teresa C. Younger, and Hali Lee, founder of the Asian Women’s Giving Circle and the Donors of Color Network, and author of The Big We, will have a conversation on the role each person plays in meeting this moment and driving collective impact.

August 19, 2025 | 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. EDT | Register here [[link removed]]

Join I Be Black Girl for The Summit [[link removed]]. Dig deep into the issues shaping our lives. They have announced Nikole Hannah-Jones, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, founder of the 1619 Project, and one of TIME's most influential people, will join them as their keynote speaker.

August 21-22, 2025 | Register here [[link removed]]

Join Fundación de Mujeres en Puerto Rico for their Annual Assembly 2025 [[link removed]] where women leaders will share research that directly informs public policy to transform the lives of women, girls, and racialized communities in Puerto Rico. The event will be in Spanish with simultaneous interpretation. Reserve your spot to participate in-person [[link removed]?] or virtually [[link removed]].

August 29, 2025 | 9:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. AST | Register here [[link removed]]

Register for the Chicago Foundation for Women's annual luncheon [[link removed]] to mark 40 years of impact. Honor the people and partnerships that brought them here, and fuel what comes next for gender equity in Chicago.

September 25, 2025 | 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. CDT | Register here [[link removed]]

Opportunities and Resources

Join Funders for LGBTQ Issues for a powerful gathering [[link removed]], where they will unveil key findings from the forthcoming 2023 Resource Tracking Report: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, & Queer (LGBTQ) Grantmaking by U.S. Foundations. A virtual option is available.

June 30, 2025 | 3:00 - 5:30 p.m. EDT | Register here [[link removed]]

The California Endowment is searching for a Vice President, Strategic Communications and Narrative [[link removed]] and a Vice President, Knowledge Management [[link removed]].

Nearly 41.5 million women in the United States live in areas in which they have significantly limited or no access to necessary reproductive health care or other resources important to health. Read this report [[link removed]] from the National Women's Law Center, which focuses on four types of deserts in the United States.

A research paper from UN Women, Engendering fiscal space: External debt, concessional finance and special drawing rights [[link removed].], examines how external financial flows influence fiscal space and its implications for gender equality, particularly amid the unfolding debt crisis in the Global South.

What We're Reading

Funding Crisis: Impact & Response by Women’s and Feminist Funds — Prospera [[link removed]]

Fire in the heart of the Ecuadorian Amazon: girls and young women fighting for climate justice — Amnesty International [[link removed]]

‘It infuriates me’: why the ‘wages for housework’ movement is still controversial 40 years on — The Guardian [[link removed]]

Philanthropy Can ‘Unlock Profound Change’ for Women and Girls in this Moment—and Women-Led Orgs Are Rising to the Occasion — Ms. Magazine [[link removed]]

What We're Watching

From San Francisco to Chicago to New York City, protests against ICE raids are spreading across the country.

Have a story to share?

We want to hear from you. Submit content for the newsletter here [[link removed]].

A Note on Accessibility: As we incorporate new communications assets, we strive to ensure that the platforms and tools that enable us to share content are accessible to the widest possible audience. We are committed to learning and growing in this area and appreciate any helpful guidance you have to share. Please reach out [mailto:[email protected]] if you have any tips or requests to make your experience more accessible.

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