The U.S. Supreme Court has become an unlikely source of positive social change this month, with two recent rulings falling, somewhat unexpectedly, on the side of gender equity and racial/immigrant justice. This included a landmark victory in bringing equal protections against employer discrimination for LGBTQ workers under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as well as a decision blocking the Trump administration’s attempts to end the DACA program, affirming the rights of Dreamers to continue living, working and going to school in the communities they call home by protecting these 700,000 young immigrants from deportation.
Yet what remains painfully clear is that there is still much work to be done in the fight for equity and justice, both in the halls of power and on the front lines of change in our communities, as evidenced, in just one example, by this week’s SCOTUS ruling to permit the “expedited removal” of rejected asylum seekers, a decision with devastating consequences for thousands of marginalized people seeking refuge from violence, fear and oppression — women, children, LGTQ and gender nonconforming individuals, people of color, ethnic and religious minorities, and those fleeing overwhelming poverty, danger, instability and trauma.
As women’s funds, foundations and gender justice funders, we vow to continue our work to get resources to the movements and organizations demanding a world free from the institutions and violence rooted in racism, sexism, xenophobia and misogyny. But, as long as the basic human and civil rights of any person remain up for debate by those in power — whether in the courts, legislative chambers, state and cultural institutions, or in how we choose to invest funding and resources — true equity, justice and freedom from oppression will never be possible.
We remain highly conscious of this fact as we look ahead with anticipation and anxiety to next week, when the high court is expected to hand down rulings on two more highly consequential decisions for women, trans and nonbinary people and communities of color. While the outcome of these cases on birth control coverage and abortion access is still uncertain, here is what we do know: our right to bodily autonomy and personal decision-making power over our own lives and futures are not now and will never be up for debate. The ability to determine if, when or how to parent is one of the most critically important determinants of a person’s long-term economic security, safety and health. As gender equity funders and women’s funds and foundations we remain steadfast in our commitment to fight for gender and racial justice, to build community power, dismantle systems of oppression and remove barriers to accessing the resources, supports and opportunities that allow all women, families and communities to thrive.
Yours for equity and justice, Elizabeth Barajas-Román
Women’s Funding Network
President & CEO
WFN POLL
POLL RESULTS FROM LAST WEEK:
Are there women in your organization or network opting out of work because of a lack of childcare, camps or school?
Yes: 89%
No: 11%
Does your organization center feminist principals in your mission?
"These Extraordinary Times Call For Extraordinary Giving": 12 Leaders in Women's Philanthropy Speak Out Read more at Forbes.
Featuring insights from our CEO Elizabeth Barajas-Román, and members Latanya Mapp Frett at Global Fund for Women, Surina Khan at The Women's Foundation of California, Ana Oliveira at The New York Women's Foundation, and Teresa Younger at the Ms. Foundation for Women.
WFN MEMBER INITIATIVES
Canadian Women's Foundation
Read their statement of action against police misconduct and brutality here.
"Black and indigenous women and girls, as well as two-spirited, transgender and non-binary people, cannot safely call the police when they need help."
Emily Weltman, Collective Flow Consulting
Read an opinion piece about entrepreneurship amidst the pandemic, specifically the privilege and power in rest. "The ones encouraging rest, regroupingand self care are mostly women, people of color, and those in the trauma and mental healthcare space."
Emily Weltman, Collective Flow Consulting
Jewish American White Women: We have to talk. Read more here.
Texas Women's Foundation
The Texas Women’s Foundation conducts a study every three years about the economic issues faced by women in Texas. Visit this link to download the 2020 report.
The Women’s Foundation of Colorado
The Women’s Impact Investing Giving Circle (WIIGC) at WFCO selected two women entrepreneurs for investment this month: Sistahbiz and The Village Institute. Read more about both organizations here.
WIIGC provides equitable funding opportunities for social ventures led by and benefitting diverse women, especially women who have historically had the most limited access to capital.
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Does your non-profit generate operating revenue independent of fundraising? We want to amplify your good works, and highlight this potential source of funding. Please let WFN staff know if you apply so that we can follow up with Progressive Multiplier. Email [email protected].
WEEKLY READ
As protests over the police killing of George Floyd have refocused national attention on police abuses, law enforcement experts and leaders believe one powerful reform would be to hire more women. - CNN
Make Juneteenth a National Holiday: "As we continue the fight for freedom and justice around the world, we are calling on our communities to recognize this day, June 19th, as a national holiday. A time to reflect, learn, and activate resources to empower the Black community."
Women have lost jobs at a steeper rate than men during the coronavirus pandemic, which will likely hold back the country's economic recovery. - Wall Street Journal
Influential Black women are mounting a public and private campaign to persuade Democratic nominee Joe Biden to select a black woman as his running mate. - CNN
More than 70 people in the gaming industry, most of them women, have come forward with allegations of gender-based discrimination, harassment, and sexual assault. - New York Times
UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed states that men and boys who "turn a blind eye" to violence against women are "accomplices to violence." - UN News
Artist Ayana Evans' performances use her own body to help audiences understand what black women often face. - New York Times
Black medicare patients with COVID-19 nearly 4 times as likely to end up in hospital
An analysis of claims data shows stark racial disparities among Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with COVID-19. - NPR
New research finds that women exposed to high temperatures or air pollution are more likely to have premature, underweight, or stillborn babies. However, black mothers are most at risk. - New York Times
This past Tuesday marked the 48th anniversary of Title IX, the 1972 statute that outlaws sex discrimination in all aspects of education. However, are women's sports in jeopardy? - The Hill
June 20 was World Refugee Day, a chance to raise awareness of the plight of refugees around the world.
Find UNICEF recommendations here, and call to increase investments for young children and families facing COVID-19 and displacement.
WATCH: Meet Amanda Simpson, who made history in 2009 as the first trans woman to receive a presidential appointment.
