“We are all more capable than we could ever imagine or admit to. We need to make sure that we are using that power now, and not waiting for a different time or when we’re more ready. We’re ready now. We need to do.” ~ Priscilla Chan Zuckerberg
When my husband, Russ Berrie, died in 2002 my philanthropic journey took a lonely turn. The gift of that harrowing loss was life-saving as it gave me the opportunity to embark on a lifelong learning journey that I could never have imagined.
Finding my voice as a woman in philanthropy, discovering other women who shared the wisdom of experience with me, learning by doing how philanthropy expresses who you are in how you give, taught me leadership lessons that no philanthropy guru could ever impart.
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| Rebecca Gratz painted by Thomas Sully, 1831 |
The landscape in relation to women and philanthropy is shifting. While women today own one-third of America's private businesses and control more than 51% of the wealth in the United States, the perception exists that "women don’t give big donations" and "women have to ask their husbands before they can give money."
