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January /February eNews
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GRANTEE HIGHLIGHT
Mary's Pence invited
The Kitchen Table
, a fall 2015 grantee, to lead a workshop at the Call to Action conference and share the success of their social enterprise.
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Women from fall 2015 grantee, The Kitchen Table, talk about their growth from a support group at Epiphany Church to a social enterprise. |
"We made a trip of a lifetime," says Stephanie Renee Booker-Wynn of
The Kitchen Table
about
her trip to present at Call to Action, an annual faith-based conference focused on the issues of inclusivity and anti-oppression. Stephanie, her
friends and co-workers, Danette Brown,
Bertha Wherry, and Angie O'Gorman, first met at a support group at Epiphany
Church in St. Louis.
They talked about wanting to overcome obstacles like poverty and homelessness and stumbling upon barriers to dignified work.
Today, they run a workplace they created for themselves. The women of
The Kitchen Table
prepare an affordable home-made meal for their community every Thursday, manage catering orders, and maintain a garden. Stephanie and her colleagues traveled from St. Louis, MO, to Albuquerque, NM, for the three-day event in November. After Call to Action, Stephanie wrote this reflection.
Enchantment Mountain
It was a long time that we prepared for this city with all of our life woes, skills & concerns, we finally made the trip of a lifetime. Traveling was long and fun, many sites to see and a lot of time to stare into nature and Native life, Spanish and American. A Native Indian Culture Museum that had many memoirs of family, traditions, praise and spiritual dance, pottery, art, education, meals, music, farming, rumbling, and peace.
We broke bread together, slept, worked and prepared for a knowledgeable conference about all people, and women had a big voice. The Kitchen Table was able to speak about...
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DONOR SPOTLIGHT
Women in the room are sporting blouses with starched lace collars; feathers perch atop their wide-brimmed hats. Earl Grey tea is served in fine china - cups that have descended to the hostess from her grandmother. Voices hum and rise as the discussion grows livelier. The women are talking about the right to vote, the role they play in U.S. politics, the ways to advocate for equity and justice for all.
No, this is not an excerpt from a history novel. It's a current event,
planned by a loyal Mary's Pence supporter. Author and multi-medium artist Patricia Hruby Powell is amping up the fun
in fundraising by hosting a suffragist tea party in honor of Mary's Pence - all for a serious cause. The tea party will support the women we work with through the Mary's Pence Grants and ESPERA programs, who are committed to advancing women's rights through advocacy, social entrepreneurship, hands-on workshops, community organizing, arts opportunities, leadership development, and educational initiatives. Patricia's party, to be held in late January at her home in Champaign, IL, is a reminder to continue building a culture of feminist activism today. It also testifies to the legacy that the early suffragists entrusted us with, and to the continuity of feminist movements worldwide. Mary's Pence values echo the voices of generations of feminists that came before us.
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The photograph that inspired Patricia's party in honor of Mary's Pence. Elsie Hruby Smith - top row, second from the left, circa 1940s.
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What unique actions - big or small - are you or your friends taking for women this year?
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SHARE
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EVENTS
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Become a Compañera
Building on the legacy of what we have accomplished over the last 30 years since our founding, and in hope for the future, we invite you to consider becoming a compañera by donating monthly. Compañeras are integral to our work because they provide a stable and reli
able
source of funding, which helps us pl
an ahead and maximize our support for our Mary's Pence Grants and ESPERA partners. Start now and click here to set up your recurring donation online.
2017 Calendar of Inspiring Women
The special 30th anniversary edition of our annual report
and calendar of women is available! Each month features a Mary's Pence grantee or ESPERA partner, and each day features an inspiring woman. Read about the inspiring women on our website. Email us to request a calendar for free!
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Meet Mary's Pence!
Are you planning on attending any of these upcoming events? Make sure you visit the Mary's Pence booth. If you'd like to help or connect with us while we are in town, let us know through
email, or call 651-788-9869.
Women's March - Minnesota
January 21 - Saint Paul, MN
International Women's Day Celebration March 11 - Saint Paul, MN
Ecumenical Advocacy Days
April 21-24 - Washington D.C.
Turning 30 - Celebrating 30 Years of Funding Women, Changing Lives
April 22 - Saint Paul, MN
Saint Paul Art Crawl
April 28-30 - Saint Paul, MN
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Invest in women with Mary's Pence!
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REFLECTION
"What will you tell your daughters about 2016?"
by Chinaka Hodge
Did you look away or directly into the flame?
Did you know your skill or treat it like a liability?
Were you fooled by the epithets of 'nasty' or 'less than'?
Did you teach with an open heart or a clenched fist?
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Do you know someone who would be interested in investing in women?
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| We envision a world where empowered women and their communities flourish in solidarity and justice. Mary's Pence invests in women across the Americas by funding community initiatives and fostering collaborations to create social change. |
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