Feminist News and Information
// A LETTER FROM OUR PRESIDENT & CEO // SEPTEMBER 28, 2022
Celebration of Heritage and Future At Raizado
Dear Colleagues,
The Latinx House’s inaugural festival, Raizado, in Aspen, Colorado was a pwerful lead into National Hispanic Heritage Month. The two-day summit brought together thought leaders to highlight the power and culture of the Latinx community, and it was an honor to be a part of this important event and milestone.
My panel, “Showing Up For Each Other,” sparked a rich conversation about allyship. I reflect often on the misinformation within our Latinx communities and how, far too often, we’ve been sold this lie about scarcity—that there’s simply not enough room for all of us to shine. Of course, that couldn’t be further from the truth. We know that when we support each other, we all gain.
As a proud Latina, I walked away from that discussion with a clear call to action. This month, I want to share it with you: be that “yes” for each other. Let’s build those bridges of support now, so the foundation is strong before, during, and after times of crisis.
Elizabeth Barajas-Román
Women’s Funding Network
President & CEO
PS Less than 2.5% of the 1% of annual philanthropy dollars that flow to women and girls of color is specified as supporting Latinas and gender non-binary people. Right now, even in the aftermath of hurricane Fiona, the specific needs of Latinas and gender non-binary people are being sidelined. “We know that the tolls taken by Hurricane Fiona will be the harshest for Puerto Rico’s women, girls, and gender non-binary individuals—because they are the people with the fewest resources, advocates, and allies,” said Verónica Colón Rosario, Executive Director of the Fundación de Mujeres en Puerto Rico (the Puerto Rico Women’s Foundation). We can and must do better. Read more from Verónica in a piece we wrote together for Inside Philanthropy, and please take a moment to join us in supporting her efforts.
Vote for WFN: If you are a member of the Alliance for Feminist Movements, please consider voting for WFN to join the Steering Committee here. Many thanks.
Women's Funding Network was featured in The Chronicle of Philanthropy in a piece titled "Philanthropy Jumps Into the Spotlight at Next Week's U.N. Meetings."
Elizabeth Barajas-Román, president of the Women’s Funding Network, an international group of women donors and grant makers, will be attending General Assembly side meetings for the first time. She says she’ll be especially interested in hearing from feminist social-change leaders from other countries. Over the past several years, culminating in the Supreme Court decision in June that reversed the right to an abortion guaranteed in the Roe v. Wade ruling, there has been a “rollback” of rights for women, she says.
The Peggy and Jack Baskin Foundation is hiring for a Full-time Executive Assistant/Program Associate. To learn more about the position, click here.
Women's Funding Network Board Member Ada Williams Prince contributed a piece to Inside Philanthropy: It’s Time for Philanthropy to Invest in Women and Girls of Color. Here’s How Pivotal Ventures Is Doing It.
WFN Member Shruthi Jayaram On philanthropy's role in fulfilling the promise of home that abortion pills offer. "Well-timed, strategic investment across the reproductive-care landscape can extend the reach." More here.
Dr. Amalia Luxardo, CEO of the Women's Foundation for the State of Arizona, recent publication on how the abortion ban poses economic risk to Arizona Families. "Pima County’s decision to resurrect the 1864 law prohibiting abortion has sent us back in time." Read More.
The Fund for Women and Girls is hosting their sixth annual Champions of Change Event on Wednesday, October 26, 2022, at The Farmhouse at People’s Light. To learn more about the event, click here.
Opportunities and Resources
OutRight Action International has released a new guide: From Idea to Action: A Four-Step Guide to Supporting Global LGBTIQ Causes Through Corporate Philanthropy.
UN Women has released this year's Generation Equality accountability report. These preliminary findings demonstrate that, while more remains to be done, collective action is powerful in making commitments real in the lives of women and girls.
Radiant Strategies and Maverick Collective invitation to the Freedom School for Philanthropy Cohort for Women Donors, November 4-6 in Washington, DC. Find out more.
The Funders Network, Philanthropy New York, and Bolder Advocacy is hosting a two-part webinar series titled From Cautious to Courageous: How Foundations Can Step up Advocacy & Invest in Change, which will explore how private and public foundations can play an important role in advocacy by engaging in advocacy themselves and funding their grantees to advocate on critical issues. Click here to learn more about the event.
Session 2: Thursday, October 20 from 2-3:30 p.m. EDT/6-7:30 p.m. UTC
Location: Virtual webinar Cost: Free
Registration link – Attendees can register for one or both sessions.
What We're Reading
What We're Watching
'We will work and we will fight for our fundamental rights' — From climate activism, to fighting gender & health inequality, here's what you should know about three women who were recognized by the Gates Foundation as Goalkeepers.
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