Take Action for Black Lives

The Jean Hardisty Initiative is named in honor of WDN member Jean Hardisty, who committed her life to understanding the importance and connection between activism strategies focused on pushing structures to make change from the outside, and those focused on changes within governmental structures on the inside.

Our Vision: Channeling Protest Energy into Power
Since 2015, the Jean Hardisty Initiative has focused on moving resources to Black-led movements that are channeling protest energy into power, with a long-term goal of eradicating structural inequality and eliminating the racialization of systems that uphold it. Our goals are to honor the legacy of Jean Hardisty; build long-term grassroots strength and infrastructure; deepen WDN’s investment in and understanding of how social change happens; and shift public narrative towards a culture of caring.

Our Strategies: Taking Direction from the Movement
The funding portfolio that the Hardisty Initiative has built reflects clear values: radical feminism, transformational organizing, and a commitment to confronting anti-Black racism. We have focused on organizations that provide critical convening movement infrastructure, have both national and local footprints, develop and train new movement leaders, and mobilize and engage communities on the ground.

Donate on this page or by check (Memo: Hardisty Initiative) to WDN at PO Box 2930, San Francisco, CA 94126.