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Pioneers of Feminist Philanthropy in Puerto Rico

Driven by vision and solidarity, Puerto Rican women came together to create a fund for women, girls, and the non-binary community in Puerto Rico.

"At first, it felt like a dream… I’ve always been the kind of person who takes the leap, and I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved."

Picture of Elba Montalvo

Elba Montalvo

Co-Founder

FOUNDING LEADERS

From the diaspora

Elba Montalvo

Elba Montalvo, founder and former president of the Committee for Hispanic Children and Families, is nationally recognized as an advocate for children and families. She has received numerous awards and served on multiple boards and advisory committees. From 2015 to 2019, she was part of the New York Women’s Foundation and was the driving force behind the creation of the Fundación de Mujeres en Puerto Rico.

Dianne Morales

Dianne Morales is a nonprofit executive and political leader with expertise in education, workforce development, and youth. She has many years of experience launching programs, including establishing the New York City Department of Education’s Office of Youth Development and Community Services and founding the nonprofit organization Jumpstart.

Dianne Morales

Dianne Morales es ejecutiva de sinfines y política. Es una experta en temas de educación, desarrollo laboral y juventud, con muchos años de experiencia en el inicio de programas, incluida la implementación de la Oficina de Desarrollo Juvenil y Servicio Comunitario del Departamento de Educación de la Ciudad de Nueva York y la creación de la organización sin fines de lucro Jumpstart.

Gladys Carrión

Gladys Carrión, an attorney and nationally recognized leader in juvenile justice reform in New York, is a tireless advocate for children and families in the child welfare system. She served as Commissioner of the New York City Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) from 2014 to 2017 and as Commissioner of the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS), overseeing the state’s child welfare, early childhood care, and juvenile justice systems.

Digna Sánchez

Digna Sánchez is a recognized leader in New York’s Latino community who now resides in Puerto Rico and remains deeply engaged in various women’s causes on the island. In New York City, she served as Assistant Commissioner and Equal Opportunity Officer for the Department for the Aging. She was also Assistant Commissioner/Regional Coordinator, overseeing the New York City Regional Office of the New York State Office of Children and Family Services. A founding member of MADRE, she has worked to support women in more than 80 cities across Central America and the Caribbean.

Digna Sánchez

Digna Sánchez es una reconocida líder en la comunidad latina de Nueva York que ahora reside en Puerto Rico y está muy activa en diversas causas de mujeres en la isla. En la ciudad de Nueva York, fue comisionada asistente y oficial de igualdad de oportunidades para el Departamento para las Personas Mayores. También se desempeñó como Comisionada Asistente/Coordinadora Regional responsable de la supervisión de la Oficina Regional en la ciudad de Nueva York de los Servicios para Niños y Familias del estado. Fue integrante fundadora de MADRE, una organización dedicada a ayudar a mujeres en más de 80 ciudades en América Central y el Caribe.

FOUNDING LEADERS

FROM PUERTO RICO

Sara Benítez Delgado

Sara Benítez Delgado, a feminist and sociologist with a strong track record on gender justice work, served as Deputy Advocate for Women in Puerto Rico and, from 2013 to 2017, led the Office for the Integral Development of Women and the Directorate of Social Community Development in the Municipality of San Juan.

Irma Lugo Nazario

Dr. Irma Lugo Nazario served as Director of the Women’s Studies Project (ProMujeres) at the University of Puerto Rico in Cayey and has taught at both the undergraduate and graduate levels in various universities and colleges across Puerto Rico. She was a collaborator in the creation of the Gender Equity Observatory in Puerto Rico and has worked with international organizations such as Amnesty International and the Latin American Committee for the Defense of Women’s Rights (CLADEM).

Irma Lugo Nazario

La doctora Irma Lugo Nazario fue Directora del Proyecto de Estudios de la Mujer (ProMujeres) en la Universidad de Puerto Rico en Cayey, ha sido profesora a nivel de posgrado y pregrado en diversas universidades y facultades en Puerto Rico. Fue colaboradora y ayudó en la creación del Observatorio de Equidad de Género en Puerto Rico. Ha colaborado con organizaciones internacionales como Amnistía Internacional y el Comité Latinoamericano de Derechos de las Mujeres (CLADEM).

Marta Elsa Fernández Pabellón

Marta Elsa Fernández is a social planner and a founding member of the Puerto Rican Organization of Working Women (OPMT). She currently serves on the boards of the Puerto Rico Community Foundation and Casa Julia de Burgos. She previously held the positions of Deputy Secretary and Administrator of the Administration for the Socioeconomic Development of the Family.

Dra. Mariluz Franco Ortíz

Dr. Mariluz Franco is currently the training coordinator for the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Program at the University of Puerto Rico in Cayey. She holds a Ph.D. in Community Social Psychology from the University of Puerto Rico in Río Piedras. Dr. Franco Ortiz co-founded the Unión de Mujeres Negras Puertorriqueñas (UMUPUEN), a pioneering organization in Puerto Rico. Since 2006, she has served as president of the Board of Directors of Colectivo Ilé, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to anti-racist education in Puerto Rico.

Dra. Mariluz Franco Ortíz

La Dra. Mariluz Franco actualmente es coordinadora de capacitación para el Programa de Construcción de Infraestructura e Incremento de Capacidades (BRIC) en la Universidad de Puerto Rico en Cayey. Posee un doctorado en psicología social comunitaria de la UPR en Río Piedras. La Dra. Franco Ortiz fue cofundadora de la Unión de Mujeres Negras Puertorriqueñas (UMUPUEN), una organización pionera en Puerto Rico. Desde 2006, se desempeña como presidenta de la Junta de Directores de Colectivo Ilé, Inc., una organización sin fines de lucro dedicada a la educación antirracista en Puerto Rico.

In LOVING MEMORY OF

María Dolores
Fernós López-Cepero

María Dolores “Tati” Fernós (1946–2022) was a member of the Founding Board of the Fundación de Mujeres en Puerto Rico. Her contributions were key to advancing our efforts across the archipelago.

Tati was a lawyer, feminist, and activist who founded and actively participated in several women’s rights organizations in Puerto Rico. After retiring from three decades of teaching law, she served as Honorary Professor at the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico. She was the first Women’s Advocate of Puerto Rico, a position she held from 2001 to 2007.

Fernós López-Cepero worked tirelessly to transform Puerto Rico’s legal system in favor of women and their families. She was a pioneer in movements for social justice, focusing primarily on poverty and equity, particularly in relation to women’s rights.

Another lasting contribution of Fernós López-Cepero was her vision to position women at the center of economic development issues and to achieve greater representation in government, with the goal of advancing gender equity in the country.

REST IN POWER, Tati.

Help us build feminist leadership

Join us in growing the leaders who will build a feminist future, rooted in equity, justice, and opportunities for all. Your support helps equip women, girls, and gender-diverse people with the tools and power to create lasting change in Puerto Rico.

DONATE TODAY!