No one has to look far to see the ongoing realities of gender inequity, whether it’s found on a paycheck, in C-suites, on the boards of marquee corporations, among lenders—even in the division of labor in the home. It’s a situation that has only been exacerbated by the global pandemic. Over the past year, nearly 3 million women dropped out of the labor force as their jobs cratered or were scaled back, schools closed, and childcare support crumbled.  

“When women are disempowered financially, when they can’t get a loan to start or grow a business or to buy a house, it perpetuates an imbalance between the financial security of women and men, and in the process, holds our communities and our economy back,” said Janine Firpo, an Oakland-based, values-aligned investor and entrepreneur. “When women have adequate financial means the first thing they spend their money on are the things that enhance the family and the community.”