The relentless efforts of women advocating for their rights and activists confronting oppression have played a crucial role in shaping a more equal world, often at considerable personal sacrifice.
International Women’s Day acknowledges this history of women leading diverse efforts for social justice, including addressing gender inequality, on a global scale.
At Mary’s Pence, we fund women working locally to fight injustices they identify in their communities. Equity for all must include the right to health care, education, productive and meaningful work, food security, shelter, and freedom from violence. Women are still fighting for these basic rights, and we accompany them in their journey in our U.S. Grants Program and ESPERA Program in Central America.
When you support Mary’s Pence, you are helping women fight for equity.
Our ESPERA program creates opportunities for women in Central America and Mexico, addressing the needs of participants and their communities, including:
- Partnering with 14 women’s organizations, involving over 350 women in Mexico and across Central America, with a vision to change their community.
- Supporting emotional wellness initiatives that give women a space to heal.
- Establishing a community of leaders who share and learn from one another.
- Providing the tools and financial resources to women developing small businesses and local markets to support themselves and their families.
- Creating a Medical Assistance Fund so women have help when unexpected medical emergencies arise.
Across the United States, Mary’s Pence grantees create spaces where community is reflected in all its diversity. Here are a few examples:
- POWER – Parents Organizing for Welfare and Economic Rights is an organization of low-income parents and allies in Olympia, Washington. It advocates for a solid social safety net and changes systems to keep women out of poverty.
- Alyssa Rodriguez Center for Gender Justice advocates against gender-based violence in the prison system by connecting and supporting jailhouse lawyers and grassroots activists nationally.
- Tight Lipped is a grassroots organization by and for people with chronic vulvovaginal and pelvic pain, working to destigmatize these conditions. They advocate for correct diagnosis, effective treatment, and compassionate care nationally.
- THISTL, Trans Housing Initiative St. Louis, is tackling the systemic injustices that Trans humans face in the housing sector, advocating for Trans humans seeking shelter, housing, and home ownership in St. Louis, Missouri.
By supporting Mary’s Pence, you are supporting many women’s organizations working for dignity, justice, and solidarity across the U.S., Mexico, and Central America. Your contributions matter deeply to this work.
Please stand in solidarity with the women of our ESPERA Program and grantee organizations by donating to Mary’s Pence in honor of International Women’s Day.