As we honor Black History Month and transition into Women’s History Month, we have to acknowledge the deep gap in philanthropic funding for girls and young women of color. In a recent landscape analysis provided by the Advancing Girls Fund, we see that less than 2% of foundation funding is directed to girls and young women. When we specifically zoom in on funding for girls and young women of color, the percentage drops to about half a percentage point. These statistics reveal a disturbing inequity of philanthropic funding and highlight the need to work alongside aligned donors to shift funds towards young women.

In this interview, Dr. Christian Friend, senior director of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at Tides, and Alia Stevenson, development manager for the Advancing Girls Fund, bring their insights and experiences to this discussion around Black leadership and the need to build institutional support systems for young women of color. We hear about the intersecting challenges around Black leadership, especially the urgent need to Black women in leadership positions, as well as the need to shift our narratives and perceptions about how we see black girls and young women of color. From their sharings, we get a clearer perspective on the disparities in philanthropic funding, while also hearing messages of hope, resilience, and the collective action we can take to uplift Black women in leadership positions and young women of color.