This upcoming year, María Fund aims to diversify its way of distributing support and resources through the co-construction of the following programmatic initiatives in collaboration with the leaders of the ecosystem of social movements in Puerto Rico. 

Movement Culture:

Our goal is to co-create the conditions for a pipeline of movement leaders who are committed and capable of building power and who embody curiosity, creativity, risk-taking, experimentation and centered accountability with each other. To do this, we will lift up the best practices of our partners on the ground, and collaborate with organizations who have developed successful frameworks to shift leadership practices ranging from centered accountability to facilitation. We have a partnership with Emergent Strategy Ideation Institute, and are in the process of creating a Change Collective made up of movement leaders to facilitate conversations and learnings about the movement culture we want to create and embody in our work, including a second Emergent Strategy Ideation Institute: Puerto Rico in 2021. Additionally, for over a year, we have been exploring a partnership with Generative Somatics which will also launch in 2021. Our commitment extends itself to finding ways to incorporate healing justice practices and other opportunities to fill leadership development needs we identify as we continue to build these programs with our trusted partners. 

Trans & Queer Initiative:

In 2021, we are launching our Trans & Queer Initiative (ITC), which seeks to support the organizational work led by trans and queer people in our archipelago, support their ability to self-organize, to defend their rights, their self-determination and well-being while simultaneously working to build community power that can win concrete victories.

ITC was initially conceived and funded as a three-year seed program. Its design is led by a Trans and Queer person in alignment with the values ​​and vision of change of the María Fund. ITC will be made up of three projects aligned with our commitments: the awarding of opportunities and grants, the development of training spaces and the creation of boards for alignment between groups and strategic collaborations.

We recognize grant-making as an integral part of our organizing and empowerment strategies. As part of a participatory effort, ITC contemplates the development of a Trans y Queer Committee that will lead the decision-making around the granting of opportunities and grants. From the María Fund we will support the space for Trans and Queer leaders, organizers and activists to develop a collective practice of participatory decision-making that will determine redistribution of funds to the organizations supporting and working closely with these communities. Our hope is that this initiative supports the vision and organization of the all parties involved in building a future where Trans and Queer communities live with freedom, security, well-being and self-determination.

Youth Organizing: AfroJuventudes

As a "kick-off" to our work supporting youth organizing in Puerto Rico, we have been supporting the design of an eight-month program to train and empower close to 50 young Black and afro-descendant leaders in antiracist thinking, artivism, political action and more with Revista étnica and Colectivo Ilé, two organizations leading the discourse in Puerto Rico. This space intends to cultivate the leadership of young participants by empowering them with knowledge, tools to amplify and use their voice, best practices to increase their ability to model anti-racist behavior. Participants who complete the program will receive financial incentives and support with technological tools.

The AfroJuventudes Program will meet weekly for 8 months. The program will include workshops that include trainings in media, political advocacy campaigns, art + activism = artivism, among other things.

We can’t wait to share more with you as these programs and initiatives develop! Stay tuned.

Celebrating victories & accomplishments in a year of unexpected challenges

Our bodies: the first line of defense in our fight for Women’s Rights