A Book is a Social Change Tool. Use This Tool.

Greetings, everyone in the Philanthropy Women community, and welcome to a New Year! 2023 promises to offer some very special events, including more readings and discussions of Feminist Giving. The book is doing well on sales and Lauren Brathwaite of Candid wrote a very comprehensive review of the book, which is a wonderful read if you are thinking of picking up the book. You can read the review here.

Ozzy the cat peruses the new copies of Feminist Giving: Creating New Frontiers in Social Change. He thinks they are taking up a perfectly good box space that he would like to play in.

One of my favorite things about Lauren’s review is that she referred to Feminist Giving as a “tome” and got into the big arguments that I make in the book. As she suspects in her review, I am very interested indeed in how MacKenzie Scott is beginning to go more public about her giving. However, I notice on her website she says that they currently “don’t participate” in media stories about their work. That gave me pause to think. It seems to me that it’s a sign of a certain level of privilege to be able to decide not to participate in media stories about oneself. As a social worker who has been public facing and accountable for her behavior and practice as a professional, I cannot fathom taking such a position. But obviously, she has her reasons.

Another thing I like about Lauren Brathwaite’s review is that it reminded me that books are social change tools. But in order to be effective, they have to be purchased and shared, bought up by libraries (which is happening for Feminist Giving as well) and talked about it public forums. We will be pursuing those activities this coming year.

The good news about Feminist Giving is that the book is now selling all over the world and is also in the Harvard Bookstore, and with an Ivy League mark-up on the price, I might add. But the point being, the book is getting out there, and as it does, it will change lives. Folks reading this newsletter who are featured in the book: when’s the last time a book was in Harvard Bookstore with four or five pages about you in it?

So if you haven’t already ordered your copy, head right over to Lulu now, especially because there is a 15% discount on all books with code TIMETOSHINE15 at checkout.

And now, on to write up the top 5 Happenings in Feminist Giving!

Measure and Inspire: How a New Tool Tracks Women, Peace, and Security

New Sustainability Report Card Grades on Gender Equality

Get Your Copy of Feminist Giving, and Send in Your Reviews!

Author: Kiersten Marek

Kiersten Marek, LICSW, is the founder of Philanthropy Women. She practices clinical social work and writes about how women donors and their allies are advancing social change.

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