Author: Womens Foundation California
Local Women Lead Policy Change in Inland Empire
Surina Khan, January 25, 2016, The Press Enterprise What happens when we give women the tools, resources and relationships they […]
A Letter to Women on the Anniversary of Roe v. Wade
Surina Khan, January 25, 2016, The Huffington Post Feminism is alive and well today. Dare I say it, it's mainstream. […]
Will the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Remember All Our Daughters?
Surina Khan, December 15, 2015, The Huffington Post The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative ignited a firestorm of response earlier this month. […]
California’s success depends on lifting up poor women
Surina Khan, November 30, 2015, Sacramento Bee—When women thrive, our communities and our state thrive. Yet, across California, far too […]
Partnership of Women’s Foundations Pledges $100 Million to Create Pathways to Economic Security for Women and Their Families in America
Women’s Foundation of California Joins the Partnership to Demonstrate the Collective Power of Women’s Foundations in Effective Grantmaking SAN FRANCISCO, […]
WomenGO! Beyond Grantmaking
Norma Alvarez is a member of the WomenGO! giving circle based in Silicon Valley. WomenGO! is one of six giving circles in our network. In this post, Norma describes an experience that transformed the way she thinks about her philanthropy and her contribution to the economic and gender justice movements.
Announcing $450,000 in reproductive justice grants
We are proud to announce that we just awarded $450,000 in grants to 20 reproductive health and justice organizations in […]
It’s Not a Compliment: A Response to Street Harassment
How many times have you been harassed by men you didn’t know as you walked down the street? If you are a woman, the answer is probably more times than you can count.
Ten Life-Changing Books by Women of Color
Ever notice how the classic books that you read all throughout high school and college are almost entirely written by white men, while literature by women or people of color is relegated to elective courses that hardly anyone takes?
Want Change? You Have to Do It Yourself.
“This whole policy thing is very new to me. I have an organizing background. I know how to talk to people, listen to their stories and make them understand that they’re leaders. I know how to help people see the power that they have within themselves.”
Ending the Silence: How Mass Incarceration Affects Women
In the era of mass incarceration, what happens to the women who are left behind?
The Kiss That Said It All
It was a simple kiss between two married women, candidly captured by a photographer on a cold winter morning. Yet within months, it had spread like wildfire.
It Takes A Community
“I want to help people. I know that I didn’t go through all the struggles in my life for nothing. I can’t cry over it for the rest of my life, but I can do something with it.”
The Untold Story of Domestic Violence
There is no doubt that women are disproportionately victims of domestic violence, usually at the hands of male partners. But when we frame domestic violence as an issue that only occurs in heterosexual relationships, we erase the very real issue of intimate partner violence within LGBT communities.
Enough! This is not love.
From domestic violence survivor to human rights activist, Women’s Policy Institute-Riverside fellow Nancy Valenzuela has overcome insurmountable obstacles in order to become the formidable champion for women that she is today.
Hysterical Housewife No More
“Luckily for us, the teachers told us about the looming hazardous waste disaster. We had no idea. My two boys were playing and splashing in the puddles. I cringe when I think about it: They were making foam beards!”
Needed: Modern-Day Rosie the Riveters
Surina Khan, The Huffington Post, May 20, 2015—Some of us remember Norman Rockwell's Rosie the Riveter, her goggles, her uncanny […]
We’re Funding Reproductive Health, Rights & Justice
We recently secured funding that will allow us to re-engage and support the reproductive health, rights and justice field in California. We’re accepting grant applications and deadline to apply is Tuesday, June 30, 2015.
I’m with Rosie
This statistic took my breath away: Half of all the women in Los Angeles County who have a child under the age of 5 live in poverty. How do they cope? What are the long-term implications for their children? How can we change this situation?
Rest in Power, Kalief Browder
The tragedy of Kalief Browder caused me to reflect on my own work and life experiences. The kids I’ve met on the inside of the system (94 percent of whom have undergone serious trauma). How quickly an injustice like this is to explode on the Internet as a talking point. Yet how uncomfortable an injustice like this is to sit too close to.
Who Gets the Right to Choose? Reproductive Justice Is a Race Issue
Reproductive rights are essential to the safety and wellbeing of all women. However, the specific reproductive issues faced by women of color are often left out of the mainstream reproductive rights movement.
Policy By Women, For Women
Public policy should not be gender- or color-blind. That’s why we’ve been training extraordinary community-based women—in particular low-income women, women from communities of color and immigrant women—to become policy advocates.
My mother is fierce because
This Mother’s Day join us in celebrating strong women in our lives. Share a photo and fill in the blank: My mother (grandmother, sister, friend) is fierce because __________.
L.A. Women Fasting for $15
Eleven women in Los Angeles started fasting on April 16 demanding a $15 an hour minimum wage. If working women and mothers in California are to thrive, as opposed to barely survive, they need to start earning a living wage.
People Not Prisons
Deborah Drysdale is a member of our Race, Gender and Human Rights (RGHR) giving circle. The mission of this San Francisco-based giving circle is to promote human rights and racial and gender justice by challenging the criminal justice system and its use of mass incarceration in California.
Economic Security Is Impossible Without Affordable Childcare
Since its inception in 1999 , Economic Development and Justice giving circle has been trailblazing, advocating for the rights of low-income women and girls.
Transforming Los Angeles Through Girl Power and Philanthropy
Violets’ Giving Circle is a youth-led giving circle of the Women’s Foundation of California. Since 2008 they’ve awarded $165,000 in grants for educational programs geared towards underprivileged women.
My Giving Circle Recipe
Today is Michelle Ramos-Burkhart’s last day at the Women’s Foundation of California. She has been our incredible Program Officer, Giving Circles and has done an incredible job spearheading our first Giving Circle Conference, creating important collaborative giving curricula and simply managing a powerful and inspiring network of formidable women philanthropists from all over the state. In this article, she bids us farewell and shares her wisdom with us, and you. Thank you, Michelle. We will miss you.
Rhiannon Rossi, Welcome!
We’re proud to announce that Rhiannon Rossi is our new Program Officer, Philanthropic Engagement. She will be using her savvy and brilliance to grow the success and impact of our Giving Circle Network, create powerful partnerships between our six giving circles and four donor advised funds and, every step of the way, create opportunities for collaboration, learning and inspiration. Welcome!
Dance Mission Gets Out the Vote, Gets $10,000 Grant
Daniel Hirsch, Mission Local, April 1, 2015—In a year of financial uncertainty, Dance Mission Theater got some unexpected good news […]
Ladies first, you say? Here’s what that looks like
Nikole Collins-Puri, The Hill, February 16,2015—As I walked into the hotel lobby, a smiling man opened the door with a […]
In-home care workers deserve overtime
Surina Khan, San Francisco Chronicle, March 2, 2015—It’s no secret that women face a persistent lag in pay behind their […]
We Have Our Winner!
Three weeks. 500 incredible women’s rights organizations. 64,000 votes cast. 78,000 shares on Facebook. 53,000 mentions on Twitter. People’s Momentum Award has been an incredible experience and we now have our winner: Dance Mission. They’ll be using their crowd-sourced $10,000 grant to help pay for their rent, which was recently increased by whopping $25,000 per year.
Straight Talk: Why we disqualified some organizations from the People’s Momentum Award
In line with the rules and regulations of our contest, we needed to disqualify some of the organizations nominated in […]
#pplmomentum Contest Is Here!
Today, on International Women’s Day and eight days into Women’s History Month, we are launching the People’s Momentum Award (#pplmoment), an online voting contest that invites you to tell us what organizations are doing great work on behalf of women and families and should receive our grant.
Women’s Foundation of California holds online voting contest to award a $10,000 grant
Women’s foundation invites Californians to celebrate Women’s History Month by celebrating women’s organizations doing extraordinary work San Francisco, California, March […]
Women Behind the CA Teen Dating Violence Prevention Bill
February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month and we wanted you to know that five intrepid Women’s Policy Institute fellows are working on bold legislation that aims to prevent adolescent relationship abuse. Their solution: making violence education and prevention a part of school education in California.
Sisterhood is powerful
Essie Justice Group is a new organization launched by our Soros Justice Fellow, Gina Clayton. We are proud to incubate and fiscally sponsor Gina’s organization. This past weekend, Essie brought women with incarcerated loved ones together to connect, bond, start a new organization—and a new movement.
Raising the Minimum Wage Is a Women’s Issue
Article originally appeared on Sacramento Bee. Earnie Spencer works full time at a minimum-wage job and takes care of her […]
Introducing Women’s Policy Institute-Riverside
We’re expanding our groundbreaking Women’s Policy Institute to Riverside County! We are looking to create a powerhouse team of 20 county-level policy advocates who are ready to roll up their sleeves and learn how to articulate and shape real policy solutions to modern-day, complex challenges their communities face.
Time to Raise the Minimum Wage
We applaud Senator Mark Leno’s decision to introduce legislation (SB3) that aims to raise California’s minimum wage to $11 an hour in 2016 and $13 in 2017. Six out of ten minimum wage workers are women. In this post, Jane Pak talks to a 63-year-old worker from Fairfield, Angela Grott.
The Daily Show Interviews WPI Graduate Karuna Jaggar
Watch Karuna Jaggar, a graduate of the Women’s Policy Institute and executive director of Breast Cancer Action, talks with the hilarious Samantha Bee (The Daily Show) about “pink fracking.”
Sweetest Giving Tuesday Video You’ll See
On #GivingTuesday we’re raising funds to support one Women’s Policy Institute team. Watch our new video about the Institute, its brilliant graduates and their legislative victories over the years. UPDATE: We raised over $31,000 on #GivingTuesday!
I ♥ Women’s Policy Institute
We’re participating in #GivingTuesday this year and are trying to raise $60,000 and fund an entire Women’s Policy Institute team. This groundbreaking program has changed the lives of 300 graduates and they have gone on to change the lives of thousands of women.
WPI Graduate Elected to Public Office
Last week, Jessie Ryan, a Women’s Policy Institute graduate, was elected to the Sacramento City Unified School District Board. Jessie was chosen to represent Area 7, the poorest, most diverse district in SCUSD. We simply can’t think of a more qualified candidate for the job.
Proposition 47 Passes!
We waited with bated breath for the state election results to come in last night. And when they did, what great news. Proposition 47 passed and California took a giant step toward fixing our broken criminal justice system.
Prop. 47 Matters to Crime Victims
We’re supporting Prop 47 because it’s taking a step toward fixing our state’s broken criminal justice system. Our current Women’s Policy Institute fellow, Heather Warnken, explains why Prop 47 is important for crime victims.
Vallejo native selected by Women’s Foundation
Richard Freedman, Vallejo Times-Herald, November 27, 2014—Though Irona Lofton's future was somewhat cloudy while a Hogan High School student, she […]
Economic Mobility for Women in Healthcare
We recently launched our Women’s Economic Mobility Initiative. We awarded $500K in grants to six organizations that are helping increase employment and advancement opportunities for low-income women in the healthcare sector. Our CEO Surina Khan answers questions about this initiative.
Women’s Foundation of California Announces $500,000 in Grants for New Bridge to Living Wage Initiative
Six nonprofits awarded grants to help increase employment, advancement opportunities for low-income women in healthcare sector SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 21, […]
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