2020 Annual Report
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H 2020 Annual Report 1 H Our Mission We build women’s collective power in the U.S. to advance equity and justice for all We achieve our mission by investing in, and strengthening, the capacity of women-led movements to advance meaningful social, cultural and economic change in the lives of women. 2 H 2020 Annual Report Ms. Foundation for Women @ms.foundation 212 742 2300 12 MetroTech Center, 26 Floor Forwomen.org MsFoundationforWomen Brooklyn, NY 11201 [email protected] 3 Contents Contents 6. Welcome Letter from Board 42. Capacity Building Chair and President & CEO 44 Donor Advised Funds — 8. Leadership and Ms. Team Oma; Asian Women Giving Circle 10. Leadership in Progress — Adhikaar 48. President’s Discretionary Grants 14. SHE Grants 49. Gloria Steinem Fund 20. Leadership in Progress — Jessica 50. Our Time Together González-Rojas 24. Building Connections Grants 52. Ms. on the Move 28. Donor Profile — Feminist Block Party Q & A with Arlene Arin Hahn 54. 58. Our Supporters: Thank You 32. A National Presence Statement of Activities 34. Activist Collaboration Fund 64. 39. Grantee Profile—Latina Institute 4 Vision & Values Vision We believe in a just and safe world where power and possibility are not limited by gender, race, class, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or age. We believe that equity and inclusion are the cornerstones of a true democracy in which the worth and dignity of every person is valued. Values Integrity We believe in holding ourselves responsible and accountable for all that we say in order to build an aligned, principled, and powerful movement for gender equity. Trust and Respect We believe in the truth that comes from those we work with and those most impacted by the issues affecting their communities. We believe in honoring their voices and supporting their leadership. Interconnectedness We believe that by achieving equity for women of color, we achieve equity for all. Given the complexity of the issues we face, we are committed to addressing all issues holistically across multiple movements and sectors. Social Justice We believe that structural changes are needed in order to increase opportunities for those who are least well off politically, socially, and economically. 5 From Leadership From Leadership Jocelyn Frye Teresa C. Younger Board Chair & President & CEO Dear Friends, As we grappled with the health any other, as we joined hands, and economic crisis, women, raised our voices, and pooled As New York City and the country 2020 was a year that tested us, girls, and communities of color, resources towards creating went into lockdown, our office over and over again, with shocks who are on the frontlines of social a more equitable, connected, team transitioned to working and aftershocks. It fractured— movement building, were among safe, and just world. remotely—experiencing and even wiped out—our certitudes. It the hardest hit and faced the reflecting what was happening banished complacency—we had biggest obstacles to healthcare In January 2020, we launched the globally—juggling their own no clue what next would come our and relief. In the ‘best’ of times, pilot phase of the Activist Col- issues, yet still able to serve as way, or what would be required of our grantee partners work 24/7 laboration Fund (ACF) to support leaders in the philanthropy and us. It was a year of adversity that for their communities— on min- the under-funded, indeed, often nonprofit sector. tested our mettle— and our truths. imal funding, on multiple issues, unfunded work of relationship and trust-building that is at the Our annual Gloria Awards Ben- When schools and work went often at once. And in the thick of the national crisis, our grantee heart of transformational move- efit Gala had a new incarna- remote, women became the ment building. The ACF granted tion—a virtual Feminist Block stabilizing presence at home, partners were the sole lifeline for many of their constituents. At $275,000 to 15 organizations Party! Unable to gather in forced to ‘hold it together’ for led by women and girls of color person as we traditionally do, their children and families, amid the Ms. Foundation for Women, we’ve been living into our stra- to deepen collaboration across we still managed to celebrate rising anxiety and stress, even as social justice movements. By our incredible honorees, show- their own lives were disrupted. tegic plan, to center and invest in the leadership and capacity the time the grants were dis- case their powerful work, and We tossed our best laid plans and bursed, however, the world as join in solidarity to “roar” and gained comfort in virtual commu- building of women of color-led organizations, with a particular we knew it had changed, and rally for women. Together— nity and the confidence that if we organizations had pivoted to connected—we are stronger survived the storm, we’d be stron- focus on the South. As we all piv- oted to meet the demands of the respond to the urgent needs of and louder! ger for the love shared and the les- their communities. sons learned. 2020 challenged us pandemic, the Ms. Foundation Since 1973, the Ms. Foundation to show up for each other with loosened requirements on grants In 2020, we went deeper into for Women has been working greater intention and urgency and encouraged our grantee the impact investing world, alongside our grantee and funding than ever. partners to use the funds as activating 100 percent of our en- partners to disrupt and dismantle needed. dowment towards actualizing systems of inequity and create At the Ms. Foundation for Women, our mission. We allocated our meaningful social, cultural, and we know that hope and possibility A long overdue reckoning has erupted in our nation in the public investments to a portfo- economic change that will ben- are embedded in our connections lio featuring further integration efit future generations. We honor and networks of care. Our re- wake of the litany of violence against Black lives. Individually at the intersection of race and and value our relationships—to- lationships form the bedrock gender and in consideration of gether we can fling open the doors of who we are and what we and collectively, we are asking ques- tions. The mass demonstrations the many ways in which gender of hope, possibility, and freedom. do. We honor and value our is tied to the United Nation Sus- partnerships. It is precisely by across the country are a cry for Thank you for the gift of connec- nothing less than systemic change tainable Development Goals. investing in and deepening our We have also begun developing tion—only with you are we able relationships that we activate of seismic proportions—change to build out the relationship. that requires us all to mobilize. a private market impact invest- our mission to advance equity ment portfolio with a focus on and justice for all. Our annual report offers a gender and racial equity which window into our work over the will evolve over the next few last fiscal year, a year unlike years. Jocelyn Frye Teresa C. Younger 6 H "A long overdue reckoning has erupted in our nation in the wake of the litany of violence against Black lives. Individually and collectively, we are asking questions. The mass demonstrations across the country are a cry for nothing less than systemic change of seismic proportions— change that requires us all to mobilize." Teresa C. Younger President and CEO 7 Leadership Leadership Officers Board Directors Founding Mothers Jocelyn Frye Patricia Carbine Chair Catherine Yelverton Rinku Sen Letty Cottin Pogrebin Cathie Harnett Susan Dickler Alicia Lara Gloria Steinem Vice Chair Danielle Moodie-Mills Tom Watson Marlo Thomas Jenna Skinner Scanlan Wade Davis Jenna Bussman-Wise Marie C. Wilson Treasurer Lauren Embrey Yin Ling Leung Honorary Founder & President Emerita Gail Wasserman Secretary 8 THE TEAMH Our Team Teresa C. Younger Elisabeth Platt Raquel Willis President and CEO Senior Manager, Development Operations and Direct Director of Communication Marketing Rosina Barba Ellen Liu Roselande Louis Chief Operating Officer Director of Grantmaking and Capacity Building Program Associate Rosalyn Lee Ejim Dike Shawnda Chapman Vice President, Stratergy & Programs Senior Strategist, Safety, Health and Economic Director of the Girls Fund Initiative Ruth McFarlane Jadyn Patterson Rae Stephanie Blackwood Vice President, Advancement Communications Coordinator Sr. Director, Engagement and Major Gifts Alaya Gaddy Jasmine Banks Tamara Vasan Office Manager Digital Communications and Marketing Manager Director, Institutional Partnerships Arelis Perallon Marlene Martinez Zabrina Collazo Finance Associate Director of Finance Program Officer, SHE Camille Kennedy Maureen McNamara Sr. Director of Advancement Strategy Development Assistant Coya White Hat – Artichoker Maya Radiconcini Program Officer, SHE Executive Coordinator and Board Liaison 9 Movement Leadership Adhikaar “I think we could just live in a different society. That world is only possible when we actively try to create that change.” Pabitra Khati Benjamin, Executive Director of Adhikaar and Women of Vision Honoree A human rights and social justice organization, at our organization. That power’s awakened within Adhikaar is the lifeblood of the Nepali-speaking them to be able to create the systematic change immigrant community in New York and a home away that they want to see,” says Pabitra Khati Benjamin, from home for many of its members. Founded in executive director of Adhikaar, and Women of Vision 2005, Adhikaar—which means “rights” in Nepali— is honoree, whose journey into the movement space a worker and community center based in Woodside, began as a youth organizer at the age of 15 as she Queens whose membership is comprised largely witnessed the inequities and challenges faced by of new immigrants, many of whom are nail salon, her mother, a lifelong restaurant worker.