In this episode of Tides Perspectives, we delve into the critical issues of reproductive justice and health equity. Host Christian Guerrero welcomes Tareya Palmer, who manages the Just Health Fund, and Beth Huang, who leads the Healthy Democracy Fund. They discuss the significant impact of recent legislative changes on reproductive rights, specifically following the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade. Tareya Palmer highlights the importance of the Just Health Fund’s focus on health equity and supporting grassroots organizations in providing direct services and advocating for reproductive justice.

Beth Huang sheds light on the Healthy Democracy Fund’s strategy of supporting ballot measure initiatives to build a more inclusive democracy. She explains how civic engagement and policy changes are crucial in defending and expanding abortion access. The conversation underscores the necessity of localized efforts and the role of philanthropy in addressing health disparities and supporting marginalized communities. Together, these discussions provide an example of a two-pronged approach of supporting reproductive rights through philanthropic efforts – supporting both direct care grassroots organizations and ballot initiative campaigns.

As we honor Black History Month and transition into Women’s History Month, we have to acknowledge the deep gap in philanthropic funding for girls and young women of color. In a recent landscape analysis provided by the Advancing Girls Fund, we see that less than 2% of foundation funding is directed to girls and young women. When we specifically zoom in on funding for girls and young women of color, the percentage drops to about half a percentage point. These statistics reveal a disturbing inequity of philanthropic funding and highlight the need to work alongside aligned donors to shift funds towards young women.

In this interview, Dr. Christian Friend, senior director of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at Tides, and Alia Stevenson, development manager for the Advancing Girls Fund, bring their insights and experiences to this discussion around Black leadership and the need to build institutional support systems for young women of color. We hear about the intersecting challenges around Black leadership, especially the urgent need to Black women in leadership positions, as well as the need to shift our narratives and perceptions about how we see black girls and young women of color. From their sharings, we get a clearer perspective on the disparities in philanthropic funding, while also hearing messages of hope, resilience, and the collective action we can take to uplift Black women in leadership positions and young women of color.