On May 16, the Ms. Foundation for Women, the nation’s first and oldest women’s foundation, celebrated its 50th anniversary and honored an impressive group of visionary leaders at the Women of Vision Awards: Celebrating Generations of Progress & Power. This year’s event explored the past, present, and future of the Ms. Foundation and feminist movements while raising funds for the organization’s strategic, equity-centered initiatives.
The evening honored champion of human rights and gender equity Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, community organizer and political strategist and co-founder of Black Voters Matter LaTosha Brown, LGBTQ+ activist Rebekah Bruesehoof, activist and Director of Politics & Government Affairs of Gen-Z for Change Olivia Julianna, and two leaders from Ms. Foundation grantee partner organizations –Kimberly Inez McGuire, executive director of URGE and Wanda Irving, co-founder of Dr. Shalon’s Maternal Action Project. The event was hosted by Ms. Foundation Board Member Danielle Moodie, host of the Woke AF Daily podcast. Sweet Honey In The Rock® entertained attendees with a rousing performance and renowned DJ Mary Mac performed a special after-party set following the awards ceremony. Guests at the after-party were also welcomed by radio host Angela Yee of Way Up with Angela Yee and previously The Breakfast Club.
The Ms. Foundation also unveiled their largest fundraising campaign onstage, Creating the Future We Deserve, with a fundraising goal of $100 million over the next year. Building off of Lucia Woods Lindley’s generous legacy gift of $50 million, the campaign will accelerate the movements for gender and racial equity by providing support to grantee partners throughout the country to strengthen reproductive justice, improve economic security, and support equity and justice for all. The foundation kickstarted the campaign onstage and raised nearly $1.5 million throughout the evening.
The Women of Vision Awards is the Ms. Foundation for Women’s largest annual fundraising event, honoring feminist advocates, activists, and thought-leaders who ignite policy and cultural change. For the past fifty years, the Ms. Foundation has invested more than $90 million to build grassroots movements fighting for gender equity for women, particularly women of color around the country. Since its inception, the foundation has supported over 1,600 grassroots organizations throughout the country working for change on a grassroots level in order to build power and advance democracy.
All photo credits: Getty for Ms. Foundation for Women
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