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Black Women Are Saving the World. Let’s Fund Their Efforts.

(This essay is part of a Women & Democracy package focused on who’s funding the women and LGBTQ people on the frontlines of democracy. We’re manifesting a new era for philanthropy—one that centers feminism. The need is real: Funding for women and girls amounts to less than 2 percent of all philanthropic giving; for women of color, it’s less than 1 percent. Explore the “Feminist Philanthropy Is Essential to Democracy” collection.)

Black women have been at the forefront of social and political movements, tirelessly advocating for gender and racial justice. Despite their invaluable contributions, they face systemic exclusion and underfunding.

There is an urgent need for greater investment in Black women’s organizations and leadership, emphasizing the transformative impact when Black women are properly resourced and respected as visionaries.

‘The Future Is Here!’: America Is Finally Ready for a Woman President

Eight years ago, Hillary Clinton made history as the first woman to be nominated for president by a major party. A proud feminist, she embraced the trailblazing nature of her campaign, portraying it as a quest to break the “highest, hardest glass ceiling.” But winning the popular vote still didn’t enable her to shatter the glass. A greater equality, the dream of generations of women, remained just that—a dream. Another woman would have to make it come true.

This week, in what might have been the waning days of her second term, Clinton declared in a full-throated speech at the Democratic National Convention, that “the future is here.” It is Kamala Harris, she said, who can smash that centuries-old ceiling once and for all.

How Does AI Shape Global Relationships? The Ms. Q&A with Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Elizabeth Allen

AI implicates fundamental human rights such as privacy and individual freedoms; environmental concerns and natural resource distribution; governance and civic engagement and healthcare service delivery. 

Ms. sat down with former Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Elizabeth M. Allen to discuss the perils and promise of AI, and how the U.S. government is leading efforts fostering innovation while minimizing harms.

Kamala Harris Unveiled Her Bold Economic Plan. I Urge Her to Go Bolder.

On Friday, presumptive Democratic nominee Kamala Harris revealed details of her economic platform, which included a large focus on policies that would have an outsized benefit on women.

It is encouraging to see Vice President Harris lean into policies focused on alleviating these difficult situations many women in our country find themselves facing. And, there are areas where we know we need to do more.

Here’s a breakdown of the good, the bad and areas in need of improvement.

LIVE UPDATES From Ms. @ DNC: Harris Makes a Compelling Case for Her Presidency and for America’s Future

For those seeking an inside look at the intersection of politics and feminism, Ms. writers and editors are on the ground in Chicago, delivering real-time insights and reflections from the heart of the DNC, capturing the narratives and voices shaping the future of U.S. politics.

Explore: a roundtable with Democratic women governors and Julia Louis-Dreyfus; freedom-themed evening programing includes appearances from reproductive rights leaders, Oprah, Jan. 6 survivors and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz; what’s driving women voters; and more.

Microcredit Is Transforming the Lives of Women Entrepreneurs in Haiti: ‘Business Is in My Blood’

In 2020, the Raising Haiti Foundation began funding the provision of small loans ($25-$50) to 50 women clients in two communities: Medor and Sarrazin. Most of the women use their loans to become entrepreneurs, or to expand their current businesses, selling goods in local markets. Some use them to purchase livestock or crop seeds, improving their farming outputs.

This interview with recipient and entrepreneur Benita Bien-Aimé exemplifies some of the achievements of the microcredit clients.

“I think what makes women like me successful in business is that we have courage, we have strength; we know what the market needs are, we go looking for these products, and we bring them to the community!”

JD Vance Puts an Extremist Marriage Agenda on the Ballot

Sen. JD Vance, Donald Trump’s running mate, has faced backlash for his controversial comments about Vice President Kamala Harris and other Democrats, as well as his extremist pro-natalist beliefs. Vance’s ideology is part of a broader conservative movement concerned with declining marriage rates and changing family patterns. This movement seeks to incentivize marriage, punish single parenthood, and weaken policies that enhance women’s economic autonomy. Vance and his allies oppose public investments in child care and family leave, fearing these would empower women to make independent family decisions. Their efforts echo a broader conservative agenda to reinforce traditional family structures and gender roles.

How an Antiabortion Doctor Joined Texas’ Maternal Mortality Committee

Texas’ maternal mortality and morbidity review committee was created in 2013 to track and study maternal deaths and near-misses. Dr. Ingrid Skop, a San Antonio OB-GYN, was chosen to represent rural areas on the committee, over an obstetrics nurse from the Rio Grande Valley.

Skop is not just any antiabortion doctor. She is the face of a small but powerful medical lobby that has helped restrict abortion access across the country. Skop has testified to state legislatures and before Congress, and been called as an expert witness in court cases. She is one of the doctors who sued to have mifepristone, a common abortion-inducing drug, moved off the market, a case that ultimately failed at the U.S. Supreme Court.

Right-Wing Criticism of Tim Walz’s Military Record Is Really an Attack on His Manhood

When right wing activists and media personalities (falsely) accuse Tim Walz of deliberately misrepresenting his military record, they’re not just attacking his honor and integrity, and therefore his character. The actual—although unspoken—target of the attacks on Walz’s career in the Army National Guard is his masculinity.

The reason is straightforward: Military service confers a certain kind of masculine street cred on men who wear the uniform. As a result, when a male candidate has a record of service—especially if he’s a Democrat—right-wing operatives make it a point to plant seeds of doubt about whether they were truly worthy of that respect. It’s a battle tactic in the political war. The ultimate goal is to punch holes in the “real man” credentials of someone like Walz, and thereby undermine his popularity with men.