Interview by Diane Patterson, Development Team
“Being a donor to the Global Fund For Women is a relationship I really value. Though I’m just one person, giving makes me feel connected and part of global change.”
Beret Strong, a long-time monthly Corazón donor, is a documentary filmmaker whose work has focused on marginalized populations and other important issues of our time.
“Investing in women’s rights and empowerment is the key to an equitable planet,” says Beret. “I’m a member of the Corazón Network because these funds support invaluable work. Giving monthly allows more funding for grants, and every time I donate it feels valuable.”
Beret is not just a check-writing donor. She has mined through our website, including our new grant search tool. “The Global Fund is so often ahead of the curve,” Beret says after seeing that one of our first grants in 1988 was to a group working on HIV/AIDS. “This was an issue people were just starting to become aware of,” she noted. “The Global Fund recognized that HIV/AIDS was having a tremendous impact on women and families, and it let the world know. What I see there is bravery.”
When asked why she gives to the Global Fund for Women, Beret said so that the incredibly capable women “can do the work they know how to do best.” She gives especially to us because we’re not “some outside organization coming in.” Rather, we “enable and trust women to go forward themselves. I firmly believe in this model.”
