I’m a proud member of Generation X. And I remember fondly the women’s magazine, Jane, that embodied the quirky feminist riot grrrl spirit of its founder, Jane Pratt. (Fun fact for fellow Xers who remember the beloved title: Pratt first wanted to name the magazine Betty.) As the Women’s Fund team began brainstorming potential names for a new magazine, we considered whether there was a woman whose name embodies the Women’s Fund spirit. There is, of course. Diane B. Brashear, Ph.D. was the...

From 2014 to 2022 (the most recent year for complete data as of this writing) Indiana frequently placed in the top 10 of U.S. states for infant mortality according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. This was at a time when the country found itself ranked first in the same metric among the world’s 20 richest nations. Meanwhile, the health of new mothers in the Hoosier state was also faltering. By 2022, Indiana ranked 3rd in the nation for maternal mortality. And in that...

As advocates, conveners, community members and investors in women and girls, it’s essential that we focus on continued learning. Staying up to date with critical issues keeps us informed and inspired. Below is a list of books, articles, videos and podcasts focused on women that staff at Women’s Fund recommend. WHAT WE’RE WATCHING 9to5: The Story of a Movement Women office workers in 1970s Boston call for better pay, more opportunities and an end to sexual harassment | Available on Netflix...

Tucked within the 4,000 pages of Congress’s 2022 omnibus spending bill were two little-noticed but critical laws affecting pregnant employees and new mothers in the workplace: The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) and the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act (PUMP). These laws have the potential to expand employment protections to millions while promoting a healthier society for newborns and new mothers. Previously, challenging work conditions resulting from one’s...

During the pandemic, donors and non-profits saw a shift to trust-based philanthropy. That allowed service organizations to quickly adjust to a new pace of public need and social change. Five years later, that initial shift has become an ongoing trend in the world of philanthropy. Women’s Fund of Central Indiana is partnering with two local community non-profits to put trust-based philanthropy into practice. With an emphasis on community autonomy over funder administration, this approach...

A recent report from Dell Computers and Institute for the Future shared a bold fact: 85% of jobs that will exist in 2030 have yet to be invented. But that may seem like familiar territory for Indianapolis-based podcast network audiochuck. They are setting the standard for media and innovation in an industry nobody could imagine less than a generation ago. Beginning with Crime Junkie, her marquee podcast, audiochuck Founder and CEO Ashley Flowers has redefined success in the still-young medium....

Estimates in 2019 showed around 42% of women and 28% of men in Indiana experience physical or sexual violence from an intimate partner. And in the first year of the pandemic, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department recorded a 65% increase in emergency calls related to domestic violence. But this impact is not always distributed evenly. Black women are more than twice as likely to experience domestic or intimate partner violence as White women. Transgender people, meanwhile, are over...