Author: Kimberly Pike

Kimberly Pike is a writer, artist and self proclaimed cat lady living in Rhode Island. She is passionately writing about women's issues and helping to teach others about it.

When Women Lead, the Environment is in Safer Hands

A comprehensive look at the voting habits of Congressional women on environmental issues reveals that women are a substantial factor in passing environmental legislation.

A graphic from Rachel’s Network shows how women’s leadership is rising in proportion to men’s leadership in Congress. The report, When Women Lead
Women’s Environmental Voting Records in Congress, 1972-2020, gives detailed analysis on women’s environmental voting record in Congress. (Image credit: Rachel’s Network)

Women leaders have been recognized as some of the most significant supporters of environmental policy and legislation for years now. A new report by Rachel’s Action Network breaks down women’s participation in environmental change since 1972. The ecofeminist funder network has previously released similar reports in 2003 and 2011.

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Senators Call for Biden to Create Office of Reproductive Health

A letter addressed to President Biden and Vice President Harris implores the administration to form a new office for reproductive rights within the White House.

A group of democratic senators have called on the Biden Administration to create an office dedicated to reproductive rights. A letter, first reported to The 19th, was penned by senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Cory Booker of New Jersey, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Ed Markey of Massachusetts, Jeff Merkly of Oregon, Tammy Duckworth of Illinois and Richard Bluementhal of Connecticut. 

reproductive rights
Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts senator who co-authored the letter. (Image credit: Elizabeth Warren)

The letter proposes an Office of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Wellbeing that would operate within the White House’s Domestic Policy Council.  In their letter, the senators outline how such an office would function and argue in favor of it.

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Gender Policy Council Needs its Own Budget to Focus on All Sectors

The newly established Gender Policy Council is anticipated to work across the board on governmental policy related to gender.

It has been roughly a month since the announcement from the Biden-Harris administration of its White House Gender Policy Council. As announced, the council is spearheaded by co-chairs, Jennifer Klein and Julissa Reynoso. During the Obama administration, a similar council called the White House Council on Women and Girls was created. Shortly after taking the presidency in 2016, Donald Trump disbanded that council. Now, Biden has reinstated a new council explicitly dedicated to working toward gender equality.

Jennifer Klein and Julissa Reynoso will head Biden’s Gender Policy Council. (Image Credit: MANA National)

Many in the Democratic leadership heralded the new Council and its leaders as an important breakthrough. “Congratulations to Jen Klein, who’s long been by my side on domestic and global women’s issues, and Julissa Reynoso, a dynamo who served with me in the State Department,” said Hillary Clinton, in a post on Twitter regarding the Gender Policy Council leadership. “Great to have this team on the front lines fighting for women and girls everywhere.”

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Women of Color-led Nonprofits Struggle for Survival Funding: Why?

WOC (Women of Color) have been at the forefront of grassroots movements for decades now, carrying out some of the most valuable work done within these movements. We have seen this from early on with women like Ella Baker and her work within the Black Freedom Movement, Pauli Murray who co-founded the National Organization for Women, and even today with leaders of Black Lives Matter, Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi.

LC Johnson, founder of  Zora’s House , a nonprofit institution dedicated to uplifting women of color. (Image Credit: Zora’s House)

Despite all of this evidence to prove that WOC are influential and important workers for grassroots movements and non profits, they tend to receive the least amount of funding from both governmental grants and philanthropic donations. The Ms. Foundation released  research that reveals that the actual numbers of monetary giving to WOC is shockingly low; it makes up only 0.5% of the $66.9 billion that is annually given to foundations.In 2017, $356 million was available to Women and girls of color (WGOC). Of that, the median grant received by recipients of color was around $15,000, compared to around $35,000 which was reported by all other organizations. The numbers become even more shocking when breaking it down by ethnicity. Of that $356 million:

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