Women United

media release: Please join us for an inspiring morning of networking and celebrating the caring power of women! We’ll be coming together to learn more about the evolution of Women United and our new focus – supporting financial security for women. Because we know that when more women are financially secure and on pathways towards success, entire generations of families are better positioned to thrive. We’ll also celebrate our 12th recipient of the Women United Philanthropy Award, Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings – recognizing her achievements in educating, empowering and inspiring young women and girls to be leaders in Dane County. You won’t want to miss it!

Event Schedule

• 8:30 am: Check In & Networking
• 9:00 am: Brunch & Program featuring Renee Moe, President & CEO of United Way of Dane County and Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings
• 11:00 am: Optional menstrual hygiene ImPack engagement

Honoring Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings: Professor Emerita, School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Each year, Women United honors a woman who is committed to helping make our community a better place to live, for all. The Women United Philanthropy Award recognizes her achievements in educating, empowering and inspiring young women and girls to be leaders in Dane County. This year, we’re thrilled to honor Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings!

A steadfast champion for change, Dr. Ladson-Billing’s commitment to United Way of Dane County has spanned more than 30 years. Contributing her passion and wealth of knowledge to our Vision Council, Board of Directors as a Board Officer, a long-time leadership donor and, most recently, as co-chair of the Schools of Hope 2.0 Delegation. Through her leadership, the delegation studied the local landscape and national best practices to determine how best to move the program forward to create positive change for more local children and their families.

But her passion for giving back started long before her time in Madison, Wisconsin – stemming from her mother’s influence, as she grew up witnessing her unwavering generosity.

“Growing up in Philadelphia, I had a mother who was incredibly generous for someone who didn’t have very much,” says Gloria. “She always put aside something to give and opened her doors to people who were struggling. She had this sense that you’re supposed to help whenever you can – and I’ve taken on that same mindset throughout my life.”

As the first Black Woman to be a tenured professor at UW Madison School of Education (1995), Dr. Ladson-Billings has focused on advocating for education and equity. She’s the Immediate Past President of the National Academy of Education, and has written several critically acclaimed books and journals on education. Her trailblazing work has been recognized with numerous scholarly awards including the H.I. Romnes Faculty Fellowship, Spencer Post-doctoral Fellowship and the Palmer O. Johnson Outstanding Research Award. And yet, true to her mother’s values, she still makes being a leader in our community a top priority.

“I think it’s easy to just write a check or respond to a solicitation, so I always ask myself the question, ‘what more could I do?’ And I gravitate towards serving on boards and committees, because I think it’s a good way to harness your energy,” she shares. “It’s hard as an individual to make a big dent, but if you can work in conjunction with other people who are doing good work, you can get so much more done.”

Currently, she is a member of the Board of Directors for the Urban League of Greater Madison and the Madison Community Foundation, and has been an active member of Mount Zion Baptist Church for 33 years (the second woman to serve on its Board of Deacons in its 113-year history). She’s previously served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Madison Children’s Museum and for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and she remains an active advocate for African American women’s health.

While her experiences and passions cast a wide net – from local volunteerism to international philanthropy – one theme remains consistent in everything she does: empowering women and children to lead thriving, successful lives.

“If you want to improve a community, you need to educate the women,” she states. “When you educate a boy, you educate a person. When you educate a girl, you educate the village.”

We are endlessly inspired by Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings and all she’s done to change the landscape of our community – especially for our young people. And we’re thrilled to celebrate her at this year’s Women United Brunch!

Hygiene Product Engagement

In the spirit of Women United's advocacy for financial security for women, we're hosting a menstrual hygiene product engagement where we will be repackaging menstrual hygiene products into essential ImPack kits that will be distributed to our partnering nonprofits.

When individuals in Dane County don’t have access to menstrual hygiene products, they are more likely to miss work or school – making it harder for them to succeed in life. Pads and tampons aren't covered by food and nutrition assistance programs, and these items are rarely donated but always needed. At Women United, we believe a period shouldn't stand in the way of someone participating in school, work, life and community.

How You Can Help

If you or your organization would like to host a menstrual hygiene product donation drive, please contact us at womenunited@uwdc.org for more information. Products collected will be repackaged into essential ImPack kits at the brunch and distributed to our partnering nonprofits.

Raffle

Be sure to bring cash or checks to participate in the 2024 Women United Brunch Raffle. All raffle sales will support financial security for women! You must be present to win.

Stay tuned! Exciting raffle announcements to come!

Please note: if cost prohibits you from attending, please contact us at womenunited@uwdc.org to discuss alternative options.