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Fall 2011, Grantees, Our Voices

Opportunity to Support Grassroots Grantees

Within a period of less than thirty years, the Fund awarded 5 million dollars in grants. 

This fiscal year, our grantee pool included the work of some newer organizations in line with our core values. The Fund invited seven new projects, welcomed back a grassroots hip-hop group, and maintained its ongoing support for twelve long-standing women’s grassroots organizations.

With a sum of 20 grantees and total funds of $350,000, the Fund remains exceptionally proud of its support for women and girls-led efforts which includes new initiatives—all thanks to your involvement and contributions. Within a period of less than thirty years, the Boston Women’s Fund awarded 5 million dollars in grants. This makes us tremendously impressed and humbled by your enduring support.

Oiste Awardees July 2011
Oiste Awardees July 2011

Scores of remarkable women and girls-led community based organizations work tirelessly to increase the effectiveness of women and girls across the board. Here at the Fund, we work with those organizations to facilitate the gap between individual donor support and grassroots work in action. Project HIP-HOP, for instance, links artful youth expression with political organizing, while the Brazilian Immigrant Center works with their community and collectively acts as a unanimous voice to promote the rights of immigrant workers in the area. Organizations like MassCOSH, The Network/La Red and WILD are among the grassroots organizations that we have steadily funded over the years, based on their powerful work in the constant pursuit of racial, economic and social justice.

Other FY2012 grantees, such as Gedinka, Inc, the Mystic Learning Center, and the Genki Spark are organizations that received first-time funding. These grassroots initiatives seek social change through time-tested community organizing, workforce development, and educational advocacy. ¿Oíste?, for example, provides civic engagement training and leadership development techniques by and to low-income Latina women interested in taking a role in policy work. These women go through 12-week workshops that address the systemic issues Latina women experience in relation to domestic violence and health disparities. Following the workshops, the women gain fundamental skills to initiate policy work and to develop local social change campaigns around key community-related issues. Through its organizing project, the Brazilian Immigrant Center recognizes the link between domestic work and immigrant women of color, while it organizes around the passage of the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights. These last two organizations stand with our other grantees working around the clock to address the injustices that affect many socially and economically marginalized communities in Massachusetts.

Merrimack Valley Project
Merrimack Valley Project

The Fund proudly supports projects that work in unison with women and girls in strengthening the viability of grassroots communities and applying strategic techniques to establish long-term, systemic social change. We welcome you in choosing the opportunity to invest in women’s and girls’ grassroots work. Ultimately, your investment assures systemic social change in many arenas. Our success, and the success of our grantee organizations, relies on your philanthropy and dedication to assuring all women live with rights and resources that sustain their commitment for realizing racial, economic and social justice for the whole community.

Events

Men Take A Stand Event

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The Boston Women’s Fund held its second Men Take A Stand event, recognizing men who promote peace, equality and the leadership of women and girls. This year BWF honored local activist, statesman, MIT adjunct professor and community organizer Mel King. BWF granted him the “Social Justice in Action” award for his many years of dedication to community organizing, youth development, nonviolence and for Taking A Stand in supporting the leadership of women and girls.

For over 55 years, Mel King, the community activist and organizer, worked determinedly for social justice across race, class, gender and age in Boston. After being a State Representative for nearly 10 years, King was the first black mayoral candidate for the city of Boston in 1983. King founded the Community Fellows program at the Massachusetts Institute for Technology where he taught for 25 years and has since established the South End Technology Center to provide youth with access to technology.

The 150 people at the event included members of the BWF family, political figures, and fans and family of Mel King. Political figures included Governor Deval Patrick, who participated and shared in this memorable evening, State Representative Russell Holmes, District 2 City Council candidate Suzanne Lee, and District 7 City Council candidate, Tito Jackson.

Guests enjoyed the many, varied performances and the food provided by Seasoned with Soul caterer Rhonda Persip. Veronique-Anne Epiter, international performer and long-time friend of the Kings, sang “I want you to sing my song,” an original piece written and composed by Mel King. King’s inspiration for the song came from growing up in diverse South End neighborhood where he learned “a lot about getting along and understanding different people’s cultures.” Two young men from Project Hip-Hop performed before speeches began. A BWF grantee organization, Project Hip-Hop is a youth-led organization engaging and developing young people as activists and organizers. It was very meaningful to have young men thank Mel King for his work and to participate in Men Take A Stand.

Governor Deval Patrick spoke about the importance of Mel King’s activism and achievements. He was grateful to King for being a “first” and for running for Mayor, which paved the way for Patrick’s successful election. Patrick’s statement that “Mel King is a living example of how to be and what to do” resonated with the audience.

Josefina Vazquez, BWF executive director, was joined by Governor Patrick in presenting the “Social Justice in Action” award to Mel King for his many years of dedication to community organizing and youth development, and for Taking A Stand in supporting the leadership of women and girls. Josefina shared with the audience the time when she was an adolescent and in meeting Mel King, he jokingly shared how he admired her spunk. She in turn reminded the Governor that he should be accepting of all immigrants in the State of Massachusetts and to prevent any racial profiling, by not signing onto the federal project of “safe communities.”

In his acceptance speech, Mel King talked about the need to “stand up for women and immigrants,” especially in today’s political environment. He believes that there is “no such thing as an illegal person on this planet.” He explained that while social media is useful, “yea, tweet, tweet, tweet,” nothing is more significant than “feet in the

street.” King stressed how much there

still needs to be done, but encouraged the audience that change was possible through collaboration and hard work.

The evening ended with a performance by ENVY, a female step team from Tufts University. The young women expressed their appreciation for Mel King through their elegant movement, rhythmic beats, and powerful performance.

Overall, the second Men Take A Stand event was successful thanks to the performers, master of ceremonies, guests and honoree. The event reminded everyone of the importance of Taking A Stand to end violence against women, to support women and girls in leadership, and to create a better world.

BWF Men Take Stand Celebration awarding Mel King, `Social Justice in Action´. Pictured Mel King, Josefina Vázquez, Executive Director, and Deval Patrick, Governor of Massachusetts.

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Executive Director Addresses the Influence of Women in Philanthropy

Josefina Vázquez, the Boston Women’s Fund’s Executive Director recently returned from New York City where she was invited to participate in the Miss Hall’s School’s 16th Annual Philanthropic Roundtable discussion on The Changing Face of Philanthropy: The Emerging Influence of Women Donors.

Head of School Jeannie Norris commented on Josefina’s participation, “Thank you, Josefina.  People loved what you said, and we are very grateful to you!”

Josefina served as one of five panelists participating in the discussion (and the only grassroots, social justice representative!).  The other panelists included: Jennifer Buffett, Philanthropist and President/Co-Chair of the NoVo Foundation; Karen Osborne, President of The Osborne Group and former Trinity College Vice President; Catherine B. Reynolds, Chair and CEO of the Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation; and Christine Zachai, Principal of Forward Philanthropy.

The Philanthropic Roundtable has been meeting annually since it was established in 1997 to raise the level of discourse on women and philanthropy.  This is not the first time Vázquez has been invited. Each year a small group of women and men, with both extensive and profound experience in philanthropy, come together to share their beliefs and insights. The conversation is subsequently published and mailed to thousands each year, thus generating robust response and dialogue.