On August 19th, Ms. Foundation for Women, held an event at the Grange Hall. Ms. Foundation President and CEO Teresa C. Younger was joined by Hali Lee, founder of the Asian Women’s Giving Circle and the Donors of Color Network, and recent author of The Big We — a conversation on how true philanthropic impact comes from collective action and community engagement.
Hali Lee was named to the May 2025 inaugural Time100 Philanthropy in recognition of her work building collective giving. In 2021, she was named to Forbes’ 50 Over 50: Impact in recognition of her work as a founder of the Donors of Color Network, the first-ever national network of wealthy folks of color; Philanthropy Together, a national collective giving support organization; and the Asian Women Giving Circle. Today, she leads a boutique consulting practice, Radiant Strategies, and is a frequent public speaker.
Teresa C. Younger is an activist, advocate, renowned public speaker, organizational strategist, and proven leader in the philanthropic and policy sectors. Having spent 30 years on the frontlines of some of the most critical battles for comprehensive equity and the elimination of institutionalized oppression, for just over a decade she has served as the President and CEO of the Ms. Foundation for Women.
For the past 12 years, the goal of the event has been to create an opportunity for people to connect and build community on Island around shared feminist values. Younger and Lee discussed how the preservation of democracy requires active, consistent participation by individuals and institutions. Hali shared the powerful legacy of giving circles, which are community-driven models of philanthropy where individuals pool their resources to support causes that matter most to them.
Conversation was plentiful as people from different communities came together to reconnect or meet for the first time. Lee and Younger answered questions about how to engage in powerful dynamics in philanthropy, and were transparent about times in their lives when they needed to speak truth to power and find spaces that were right for them. Some audience members described the day as a family reunion.
For more information visit: forwomen.org.