A persistent challenge of social movements is to translate early energy and activism into long-term changes in policies and institutions. This struggle is much on the minds of advocates and funders a year after the #MeToo hashtag went viral with a tweet from Alyssa Milano in response to the Harvey Weinstein allegations.
Over the weekend, a full-page ad appeared in the New York Times, asking “Where Do We Go From Here?” A letter signed by scores of women’s groups, progressive organizations, and unions laid out a set of policy goals that include reform to address sexual abuse at the national and international level, new state laws to reduce sexual violence and harassment, and a range of changes in school districts to demonstrate leadership on this issue. The letter also challenged philanthropy to “seed $300 million in U.S. funding in the next 12 months to invest in those who are addressing sexual violence and other forms of sexual harassment.”
While it’s unclear if funding at that ambitious scale will materialize, more foundations and major donors have been stepping up in recent months with new grants.
[For more on this story by Julia Travers, go to https://www.insidephilanthropy...r-the-metoo-movement]
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