Goodbye 2020—Welcome 2021! That was the New Year’s Eve I message sent to everyone. I always look forward to the New Year, but this was especially true of 2021. 2020 was challenging for me as I’m sure it was for many of you, and I was happy to see it end. However, despite all its challenges, the year 2020 opened the door to a new opportunity for me. I, along with Jacki Davidoff, am one of the new board co-chairs of Chicago Women in Philanthropy (CWIP).
Chicago Women in Philanthropy is a community of philanthropic, corporate-giving, and nonprofit women. Our mission is to build an inclusive community that educates and empowers Chicago area women to grow personally and professionally, and to advocate boldly for themselves and their communities. I am grateful that our work is supported by a committed board of directors, management team, committee co-chairs, and members who are passionate about helping women and girls advance in society.
Founded in 1981 by Iris Krieg and Joy Beaton to help strengthen philanthropy supporting women and girls, this year CWIP will celebrate 40 years of creating connections and fostering change to build better communities. As co-chair, I am proud for the opportunity to build upon our organization's history and continuing work on issues that led me to get involved with CWIP.
My CWIP journey began in 2011 as a mentor for the Women's Leadership Mentoring Program (WLMP). Shortly afterward, I became the WLMP committee co-chair and a member of CWIP's board. My involvement has provided me with countless opportunities to develop my leadership skills and make valuable connections that have helped me both professionally and personally. I have benefited from learning from others and had the privilege to pour into others.
As I mentioned before, the year 2020 proved to be challenging for all of us. We have seen how fragile our lives are. We also witnessed the precariousness of our society. These events highlighted the continued need to do our part to address current and systemic issues such as racial and social injustice, the Shecession and funding inequities, and how they disproportionally impact women and girls. Our call for action and to serve others is deeply rooted in all of us and CWIP is working to help our members answer the call by providing the tools to survive and thrive in these trying times.
My son recently read me a closing prayer he was planning to deliver at a social justice event. Here is a portion of his prayer that struck a chord with me..."May our lives be a beacon of light to those moving through dark-times. May we take time for our eyes to appreciate the beautiful lives of our neighbors and strangers. May our ears hear the cries for social justice and direct our attention to fixing ills that cause suffering. May our stories serve as historical data that empowers us and those that come after us to create a fair and just society." His words reminded me of why I do this work. To make a difference!
And as UNBOSSED, Shirley Chisholm once said, "Service is the rent that we pay for the privilege of living on the earth."
I stand ready to serve, and I encourage you to join me and others in service with your support, expertise, and participation. Here's to a great year!