|  | | Dear John, As summer winds down and the rhythms of fall begin – back-to-school mornings, fuller calendars, and shifting routines – I find myself reflecting on how we establish and strengthen community in this season. There are countless ways to practice community, big and small. It can be anything from watching your neighbor’s child after school, to organizing a food train for a family member who had surgery, to establishing a giving circle in your community, to creating space for women of color in philanthropy to listen to and learn from one another. At our Ms. on Martha’s event last week, Hali Lee reminded us that community is power, and that collective giving isn’t just about moving resources, it’s about building relationships and deepening our commitment to democracy and to one another. This conversation served as an important reminder that community isn’t an abstract ideal – it’s a daily practice. And it begins with the belief that if we want to go far, we must go together. In solidarity,  |
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| Items in this newsletter: - Ms. Foundation Merch Store
- Watch Now: Pivotal Ventures conversation
- Save the Date: 2026 Women of Vision Awards
- New on the Blog: What I learned from stepping away
- Event Recap: Ms. on Martha's
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| | Coming Soon: Ms. Foundation Merchandise Store! Exciting news: next month, we are opening an online merch shop, featuring shirts, stickers, mugs, and more! Soon, you’ll be able to wear your values, spark change, and have a new way to support our work to build women’s collective power in the U.S. Stay tuned for more info on our new collection! |
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| | Watch Now: Pivotal Ventures conversation In honor of Black Philanthropy Month, Ms. Foundation President & CEO Teresa C. Younger joined Pivotal Ventures Program Strategy Director Celiné Justice to discuss where voices like hers are most needed right now, how ancestral wisdom can help us understand how movements work, and what we all gain when women of color lead critical conversations about social progress. Watch the full interview here! |
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| | | Save the Date: 2026 Women of Vision Awards Mark your calendars! On Tuesday, April 28, 2026, join us at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in Manhattan, New York for our annual Women of Vision Awards, where we'll honor visionary grantee partners and feminist leaders who are galvanizing communities and driving change. Stay tuned for details on honorees, presenters, performers, and more in the coming months! |
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| New on the Blog: What I learned from stepping away Our President and CEO Teresa C. Younger took a three-month sabbatical earlier this year, giving her a chance to reflect, stop, rest, and fully exhale. From New York City to Alabama to South Africa and back, Teresa shared her biggest takeaways after her time off. “Now that I’m back, I can confidently say that the sabbatical did its job. I’m returning to this work reinvigorated, inspired, and ready to run – and with new perspective.” Read about her experience and insights on our blog. |
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| | Event Recap: Ms. on Martha's |
| | This month, we returned to Martha's Vineyard for our annual Ms. on Martha's event! Ms. Foundation President & CEO Teresa C. Younger was joined by Hali Lee, founder of the Asian Women’s Giving Circle and the Donors of Color Network and recent author of The Big We, for an inspiring conversation. Hali shared the powerful legacy of giving circles: community-driven models of philanthropy where individuals pool their resources to support causes that matter most to them. This practice, which has existed across cultures throughout history, shows us that this type of collective action can create real change. Hali spoke about how participating in philanthropy with others has been proven to decrease loneliness, build community, and increase civic participation — all of which are essential right now. |
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| | | | Ms. Foundation For Women
1 Willoughby Square, Suite 2000 | Brooklyn, New York 11201
(212) 709-4421 | [email protected] |
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