Support women farmers in Nepal; celebrate men as gender equality allies this Father's Day; and consider leaving a legacy gift to Rise.
JUNE 2026 ISSUE
CEO Message: Men as Allies & Honoring Fathers
This month invites us to pause and appreciate the quiet, steady power of allyship—especially the role men play in creating spaces where everyone can thrive. Being an ally isn’t about grand gestures; it’s about everyday choices. Men who listen with intention. Men who challenge injustice even when it’s uncomfortable. Men who use their strength not to overshadow but to uplift. Their allyship becomes a quiet force for good, shaping environments where dignity and respect take root. When men choose to stand beside women, advocate for equity, and challenge outdated norms, they help build spaces and communities rooted in respect and possibility.
As we celebrate Father’s Day, we also honor the men who model this kind of allyship at home. Fathers, grandfathers, uncles, brothers, and father‑figures shape the next generation not only through guidance but through example. Their compassion, integrity, and presence teach young men what it means to support others with strength and humility.
This month, may we recognize the men who show up—at work, at home, and in the world—as partners in progress. And may we continue encouraging one another to be the kind of allies who contribute to lasting change.
Beverley Francis-Gibson
Meet Anuska with dZi Foundation
After developing a heart condition that required costly treatment far from home, Anuska faced mounting debt with no income of her own to support her family.
Through Rise’s grantee partner, dZi Foundation, Anuska received business training and a small grant to launch a chicken farm and greenhouse. Today, she earns income selling vegetables, chickens, and eggs at the local market, helping to cover her healthcare costs, support her family, and build a more stable future. Read Anuska’s story.
(Pictured: Dil Humari Rai, another entrepreneur with dZi Foundation)
June Featured Grantee:
Growing Opportunity for Women Farmers in Nepal
Our Featured Grantee for June is dZi Foundation (pronounced ‘zee’). Together, we will fund the MaUKa Initiative that addresses persistent gender-based economic disparities in Nepal, where women farmers play vital agricultural roles yet face limited access to financial skills, basic knowledge, and markets.
New Board Members: Welcome Joanna Drewand Melissa Hansen. See bios.
Staff & Volunteer Updates:
Cindy Waldron, Accounting & Data Associate, celebrates three years with Rise. She will be retiring this July, and we are recruiting to fill her part-time, hybrid position. See posting.
Our online Marketplacewill be closing June 1 due to declining interest.
The Stories We Don't Tell:
How The Fuller Project is Catalyzing Gender Equality Through Storytelling
Why do women’s stories receive just 0.02% of global news coverage? Learn how Together Women Rise's Transformation Partner, The Fuller Project, is changing that through powerful investigative journalism that exposes injustice, amplifies women’s voices, and drives real-world change around the globe. Read blog.
Leave a Legacy with Together Women Rise
What if your passion for gender equality could keep making a difference long after your lifetime? Legacy giving – also called planned giving – makes that possible. Whether through your will, a life insurance policy, or a retirement account, including Together Women Rise in your estate plans is simpler that you might think, and no minimum gift is required.
Want to learn more? Register for a free webinar on Monday, June 22nd at noon ET, where financial advisor Anne Marie Ashworth of Abacus Planning Group will walk you through your options and answer your questions. Check out Legacy Giving Fact Sheet.
June Proven Platter: Aloo Chukauni
By Vinola Vincent-Munyon,Together Women Rise Recipe Co-Curator
This dish, from the Palpa region of West Nepal, is similar to a potato salad but with a far more complex and interesting flavor profile and no mayo.
Congratulations and thank you to our CA, Castro Valley-1 chapter, led by Pat Payne and Claudia McDonagh, on celebrating their 17 year anniversary! Members have raised $139,711 for women and girls around the world!
Our FL, Venice-2 chapter recently held a combined April/May meeting prior to their summer "recess" as members travel north. The chapter is led by Mary Gibson and Connie Calabro.
Congratulations to our CO, Denver-5 chapter, led by Linda Wagner, on celebrating their 9th anniversary!
Congratulations to our Our CO, Cherry Creek - 1 chapter, led by Mary Griesedieck, on also celebrating their 9th anniversary!
