Mary’s Pence 2023 at a Glance
We each hold in our hands great power to make the world a better place, and to create a beloved community. We use this power each time we create a sense of belonging for all, justice for all. This year, the Mary’s Pence Grants Program funded 19 organizations from across the country. Each organization is […]
Rescuing the Temazcal Tradition
The temazcal is a place for purification and rebirth; it is a point of connection between human beings and the transcendent—but also with the others. Songs and prayers may be part of the ritual which builds bonds of harmony and mutual support.
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Exodus Lending Lights a Path Out of Payday Loan Debt
Exodus Lending provides more than just a concrete pathway to financial stability. They also provide hope. Just look at Deb. She had fallen into a payday debt trap, but with the support of Exodus lending, she was able to regain control and build her savings. According to Deb, “It has helped my self-esteem. I’m taking responsibility. I’m taking the steps necessary to move forward. I didn’t see a light at the end of the tunnel, and so now I do see that.”
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Welcoming Robyn Browning to New Grants Manager Position
I was drawn to Mary’s Pence because of the intense focus on supporting women and creating sustainable social change by funding grassroots organizations that are on the ground, in the community, leading the work. Mary’s Pence builds collaborative, equitable partnerships with their grantees that are based on trust and mutual respect.
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Opening Our Wings to Fly: Strengthening Organizations for Sustainable Change
A strong organization will help amplify women’s voices, respond to community needs, and be a sustainable community resource. This structure is a key component of success for individual women in the ESPERA program. It’s what makes us confident that the social and economic empowerment ESPERA women experience will be long lasting. By investing in the capacity of our organizational partners we are investing in sustainable change.
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Meet Mary’s Pence: Caitlin Bates
I chose to intern at Mary’s Pence because I have a passion for organizations that support women, especially women across cultures. The internship at Mary’s Pence will give me experience maintaining professional social media accounts and writing professional monthly newsletters, both of which are things I’ve been interested in for a while.
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Welcoming the Stranger: Family in a Foreign Land
The Wednesday morning students agreed that their class has become a family. Welcoming the Stranger has created space that’s safe for everyone to celebrate strengths, share fears, learn from one another, make mistakes, practice tolerance, and emote in their own language.
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More Than Micro-Lending: Mental Health Support for ESPERA Women
Each woman was to set three goals that she wanted to be held accountable for: take a step toward self-care, improve family relationships, and expand available resources, which could improve their businesses.
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Forming Friendships Between Iraqi and American Women
One week after President Trump announced the Travel Ban in January of 2017, IARP announced their idea to organize a woman’s friendship group at a community gathering. Since then, a group of 12 women, 6 women of Iraqi culture and 6 women of American culture have been meeting once a month.
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Oldest ESPERA Partner Expresses Gratitude for Mary’s Pence
Since 1991, the Contertación de Mujeres has been dedicated to the “acompanimiento” of women confronting violence. We know in our very bodies how difficult it is to give birth to an organization and evolve with it.
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