This October a dozen members gathered at the Girls Scout Center in Chappaqua, New York for our Philanthropic Leadership Program. Our second cohort since we launched the program, the group came together with the shared intention of taking the next bold step in their philanthropic journeys and to build upon their individual capacities as leaders working to advance the lives of women and girls. We walked away from this experience with the gift of deeper connection and understanding of each other’s life experiences and with a deeper sense of the power we uniquely possess as a unified community working to advance gender equality.

As women, we share the experience of being marginalized, at times silenced, of being survivors of traumas and reduced expectations, and carriers of stories that do not often feel the warmth of the sun. What learned together is that it is through these universally shared experiences that we draw the unstoppable force and power that will push the world toward positive, transformative change.

At Women Moving Millions, we are working to disrupt the status quo that fuels the discrimination and suffering that keeps the glass ceiling so sturdily in place and so many women held back in poverty. We are doing this by:

• Activating our individual potential to be better philanthropists, sparking curiosity and inspiring learning.
• Bringing our thought leadership and ideas to the broader philanthropic community to identify funding gaps.
• Amplifying the work happening at the grassroots level by connecting members with changemakers to spark powerful collaborations and build strong partnerships.
• Leveraging our collective strength, networks, and voice to accelerate progress toward gender equality.

We thank all who participated in Chappaqua for bringing their full selves and for their courage and thank you all for your belief in a future gender equal world.

We look forward to convening our Spring 2020 Cohort this May 3 – 7, as we will gather again at the Girls Scouts Edith Macy Center.