Last week, the Supreme Court issued three decisions that have profoundly damaged our country’s ability to address pollution and climate change. We in the nonprofit sector must do all we can to shore up vulnerable communities in the face of these attacks.
A lawsuit is targeting the Fearless Fund Foundation, a venture-capital fund that offers $20,000 grants to Black women business leaders. Plaintiffs intend to instill fear in those working for equity. Rachel’s Network remains firm in its commitment to women of color environmental leaders through the Catalyst Award program.
Rachel’s Network is a community of women working together to protect people and planet through collective learning, funding, and advocacy. Our funder members are engaged in supporting grassroots organizations led by women across many issues from toxics and regenerative agriculture to conservation and climate change. And in 2023, we did more than ever before. Read our 2023 annual report to learn more.
In April, members Tacy Hahn and Kim Milligan joined an Earthjustice-organized trip to Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley”—an 85-mile corridor along the Mississippi River known for its heavy industry and high cancer rates. The trip introduced funders to the vast scale of petrochemical operations in the region and the grassroots leaders fighting for their communities. Tacy spoke with Rachel’s Network about her experience on the trip.
Rachel’s Network announced the awardees and finalists of its 2023 Catalyst Award. The award honors women leaders of color for their commitment to a healthy planet, and provides them with financial support, leadership services, and public recognition.
Working in the environmental movement isn’t easy—the stakes are high, the challenges vast, and the wins often few and far between. But for Black women in particular, the task is even greater. Rachel’s Network recently provided grants to four burgeoning organizations led by and for Black women in the environmental movement to support advocates’ wellbeing.
