In 2020, your support allowed us to move money into the community more quickly, reduce barriers and burdens in our investment processes, and provide greater flexibility and trust to our partners. Because of you – we’re excited to share our collective work over the past year in our 2020 Community Investment Report! With your help, we awarded $1,025,550 in […]
Thank you, Chairman. My name is Martine [Sadarangani Gordon]. I’m a Ward 3 resident, Vice President of Programs at Washington Area Women’s Foundation and a member of the Under 3 DC advocacy coalition. I’m also a mom of two young kids, and I am here today to reiterate the need for increased, long-term public investment […]
By Halie Mariano and Elyse Shaw This Blog was originally published on IWPR Since the start of COVID-19, women have been hit hard by the pandemic-fueled “she-cession,” which has exacerbated existing inequities and increased economic insecurity among women. The Institute for Women’s Policy Research’s new policy brief uses 2019 data to provide a baseline for […]
This #AskHer webinar featured Jennifer Lockwood-Shabat, outgoing President and CEO of Washington Area Women’s Foundation and our new Interim President and CEO, Jackie Lendsey. This exclusive conversation highlighted Jennifer’s extraordinary leadership of The Women’s Foundation over the last seven years, and welcomed Jackie and her vision to the team. The conversation was moderated by Director […]
Unless you’ve participated in a home visiting program yourself, you probably don’t know what home visiting is or what a home visitor does. In truth, there are different types of home visiting models, and the job of a home visitor can be slightly different depending on the model and individual family needs. But, regardless of […]
Our #AskHer webinar this month focused on the impact of gender-based violence on AAPI women. On May 19th, we had a poignant discussion on how our culture, institutions, and systems undermine the safety of women and gender expansive people from Asian and Pacific Island cultures. We discussed this historical issue and how it is playing […]
Our #AskHer series is an interview with our partners, community members and supporters who work tirelessly for women and girls. This interview is with Shawnda Chapman, Director of the Girls Fund Initiative for Ms. Foundation. The interview was conducted at the end of 2020 by our Program Officer, Claudia Williams. Claudia: Can you share a little bit […]
One year ago, I posted the question, “Who does home care fall on?” I warned that COVID-19’s abrupt impact on home dynamics was falling disproportionately on girls, and particularly, girls of color in vulnerable communities. Now, after one year in the shadow of a virus, the data is in: the pandemic has had a devastating […]
Our #AskHer series is an interview with our partners, community members and supporters who work tirelessly for women and girls. This interview is with Jacquelyn L. Lendsey, Interim Executive Director, DC Fiscal Policy Institute. The interview was conducted at the end of 2020 by our President and CEO Jennifer Lockwood-Shabat. Jennifer Lockwood-Shabat: Can you tell me a […]
We joined 200 organizations across the country to sign and send a letter to the administration on building a comprehensive and equitable child care and early learning system. This letter outlines our deep appreciation for the Administration’s leadership on the American Rescue Plan and offers our continued partnership and support. We offer recommendations for ensuring that equitable […]
– Sponsored by Boeing – On March 16th we celebrated the power of youth of color in our community! During the #AskThem panel we featured two of our Rock Star Awardees, who are making inspiring strides towards advancing racial, gender and economic justice. The Rock Star Fund provides young women of color between the ages […]
Chairman Phil Mendelson Committee of the Whole Agency Performance Oversight: All Education Agencies March 9, 2021 Good Afternoon, my name is Kristi Matthews and I am the Coordinator for DC Girls’ Coalition. The DC Girls’ Coalition works to elevate and amplify the voices of young women, girls, femmes, gender non-conforming and transgender girls/women of color […]
Hello Chair Mendelson and DC Councilmembers. My name is Martine Gordon. I am a resident of Ward 3, a working mom, and Vice President of Programs at Washington Area Women’s Foundation. The Women’s Foundation is a community-supported foundation that invests in the power of women and girls of color in the region. I want to […]
In 2016, Washington Area Women’s Foundation began what will be a forever journey. At the time, we were both clear and intentional in how our mission pursued gender justice, but we were not as clear, nor were we intentional, about how racial justice intersected with that mission. And so began our organizational journey with a […]
It is with a heavy but joyful heart today that I share with you my decision to step down as President and CEO of Washington Area Women’s Foundation this summer. To say this has been my life’s work is an understatement. The work of the Foundation has been very personal for me and will always […]
When the novel coronavirus hit last year, we barely knew then how much our work and the work of our grantees would change. During those first months we were sheltering at home from the global contagion, we saw a shadow pandemic growing — violence against women and girls. We heard our longtime partners flag a […]
Our #AskHer series is an interview with our partners, community members and supporters who work tirelessly for women and girls. This interview is with Malinda Langford, Senior Vice President of Child, Family and Youth Services for Northern Virginia Family Service. The interview was conducted by our Communications Manager, Mercy Chikowore. Mercy Chikowore: Thank you for taking the time […]
On February 9th, we discussed the “shecession” – the pandemic’s disproportionate impact on women and girls of color and how this affects childcare and paid leave. Our special guest was Dr. C. Nicole Mason, President and CEO of Institute for Women’s Policy Research, who was interviewed by Martine Sadarangani Gordon, Vice President of Programs, Washington […]
Growing up, I wanted to be president. It was more than a childhood dream. In elementary school, I wrote anti-war, environmentalist letters to then President Bill Clinton. In middle school, my best friend gifted me a “future president” t-shirt as a joke, but I wore it earnestly. I would practice speeches in the bathroom mirror, […]
After the latest grant round for the Early Care and Education Funders Collaborative, I received an email from the President of one of our new Grantee Partners. It was right before Thanksgiving, and she wrote, “I have so much to be thankful for. You, especially, and The Women’s Foundation will be on my Thanksgiving list […]
On December 10th Cara Page, Black Queer Feminist cultural/memory worker, curator, and organizer and Richael Faithful (they/them), a multi/interdisciplinary folk healing artist, healing culture strategist, conflict worker, radical lawyer, complex conversation facilitator and visionary creative joined us for #AskThem. Attendees listened to a poignant discussion on healing justice and how it can benefit women, girls […]
Through our Young Women’s Initiative, we make investments in the District of Columbia to dismantle racist and sexist systems that harm young women and gender-expansive youth of color. We know the most innovative solutions come from youth themselves, as they experience intersecting issues and systems, and are the experts on what they need to succeed. […]
On November 19th, Dani Ayers, Chief Executive Officer of me too. International and Jennifer Lockwood-Shabat, Washington Area Women’s Foundation President and CEO had a poignant discussion on the evolution of the Me Too Movement, the protection of women and girls of color and what philanthropy can do to support survivors of sexual violence. #AskHer is […]
Our #AskHer series is an interview with our partners, community members and supporters who work tirelessly for women and girls. This interview is with Chloe I. Edwards, Advocacy and Engagement Manager at Voices for Virginia’s Children. The interview was conducted by our President and CEO, Jennifer Lockwood-Shabat. Voices for Virginia’s Children is one of our Grantee […]
On October 28th, we talked to Alencia Johnson, Chief Impact Officer and Founder, 1063 West Broad, about the role women of color play in the election, the power of Black voters, voter suppression and why centering women and girls of color in the election is so important. #AskHer is an interview series featuring women leaders, […]
Findings from the Washington Region ECE Workforce Network to inform the current child care crisis Early care and education systems in the United States have been instable, at best, for decades. In fact, it is difficult to call it a true system. It is more a patchwork of different funding, regulations, and ideologies sewn […]
On October 1st, we were joined by human rights leader and co-founder of Black Lives Matter, Opal Tometi. We had a timely discussion about Black Lives Matter, activism, protecting Black women and girls, and what policymakers and philanthropy can do to advance racial justice. Please support Opal’s new project: https://www.diasporarising.org/ #AskHer is an interview series […]
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