This blog post was written by Wandy Felicita Ortiz, Development Intern.
“I believe that self-exploration holds the key to unlock great possibilities, both for individual growth and connection with others. In my own life, I’ve found that the more I engage in this work, the more strength I have to voice what matters most to me and to create a positive impact. I want more women and girls to have access to new ways of learning about themselves — what lights them up and what enlivens all of us.” — Eileen Fisher
Clothing company EILEEN FISHER not only has a vision for one-of-a-kind fashion ware, but also “for an industry where human rights and sustainability are not the effect of a particular initiative, but the cause of a business well run.” Under the umbrella of human rights, EILEEN FISHER’S Social Consciousness team oversees grant programs for women-owned businesses, as well as numerous community partnerships and philanthropic store events. This work is an outgrowth of Eileen’s belief that by helping women find their voices, they can become leaders — in their families, their communities, and their lives.
Over the years, community development and education, as well as women’s empowerment, have become central EILEEN FISHER philanthropic focuses. They have generously supported Girls Write Now, where we help teen girls find their voices and become leaders in their own communities through mentorship in writing and digital media.
Girls Write Now is grateful to be a recipient of EILEEN FISHER’S 2016 Activating Leadership Award. With a complementary mission to Girls Write Now, EILEEN FISHER wants to offer “a safe space to talk and connect deeply” to its patrons through its store branding and merchandising, but also to a diverse global community through its humanitarian involvement. Notes Reisa Brafman, Social Consciousness Associate, “sharing the work of Girls Write Now with our customers and store teams has been meaningful to the vision of EILEEN FISHER.”
Grants, sponsorships, and retail proceeds from EILEEN FISHER allow Girls Write Now to facilitate events such as our CHAPTERS Reading Series, QWERTY Digital Exhibition, the Girls Write Now Awards, and writing workshops, where all girls are challenged to work outside their natural genres as emerging memoirists, screenwriters, digital media makers, and more.
Thanks to EILEEN FISHER’S generosity and concern for women’s issues, our partnership continues to fuel a creative and collaborative space for the next generation of women writers to express themselves through their art.