May 28, 2025

Grantee Partner Spotlight: Women’s Rights and Empowerment Network of South Carolina

by Amalia Luxardo

Ms. Foundation is proud to support our grantee partners, who are at the forefront of organizing and creating solutions that improve people’s lives and bring us closer to achieving a true democracy. The insight and perspective they provide is invaluable. The Q&A below was generated by Women’s Rights and Empowerment Network of South Carolina Chief Executive Officer Amalia Luxardo. 

The Women’s Rights and Empowerment Network of South Carolina (WREN) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing gender justice across the state of South Carolina. Since 2016, WREN has been a driving force in advancing women’s rights and gender equity in South Carolina. Their work directly impacts the lives of women and girls, with measurable progress in areas like economic opportunity, reproductive rights, and education. They influence policy changes that positively affect women and girls, increase public awareness of gender justice issues, and empower individuals and communities to take action on the issues that matter most to them. WREN is an Activist Care & Collaboration Fund grantee partner.

What brought you to this work? 

As a first-generation Latina, my entire professional and academic careers were born out of my lived experience. Growing up, my parents had to make difficult decisions that impacted our daily lives. I learned early on that our survival requires tremendous sacrifice. Years later, as a single mother with advanced degrees and still not enough income to cover basic needs, I experienced firsthand that the systems designed to “help” are actually built to exclude, exhaust, and keep people, especially women of color, in survival mode. That lit a fire in me. I knew then that if I ever had the opportunity to rebuild the system, I would. WREN became that opportunity—a place where my personal story and professional path converge to advance gender equity.

How do you connect/collaborate in your community? Who are your key partners? 

Community connection is at the center of everything we do at WREN. We don’t operate from the top down—we work hand in hand with grassroots leaders, educators, healthcare providers, and policy advocates across South Carolina. Our key partners are the people and organizations on the frontlines: reproductive justice groups, LGBTQ+ advocates, public health officials, and educators who are all fighting for equity in their own spheres. Collaboration for us means centering those most impacted, ensuring they are not only seen and heard, but empowered to lead. We are not in this work to tokenize voices—we’re here to co-create collective power and rebuild systems together.

What are you learning or what are you teaching? 

Every day, I’m both student and teacher. I’m learning from the fierce young leaders who refuse to accept the status quo and who push us to reimagine what justice can look like. And I teach what I’ve lived—that leadership doesn’t come from a title; it comes from choosing to act, to speak up, even when you’re afraid. I teach that allyship is not about occupying space—it’s about being accountable within it. We must unlearn performative gestures and instead practice transformative action.

Tell us about a recent victory or something you’re proud of. 

One of our proudest recent victories was mobilizing thousands of voices across the state to push back against legislation that threatened bodily autonomy and reproductive rights. In a state where progress can feel impossible, we showed that collective action still matters—and it works. I’m proud that WREN isn’t afraid to play for impact rather than safety. We don’t ask people to prove their pain—we believe them, we trust them, and we build with them. That shift in power dynamics—away from gatekeeping and toward genuine empowerment—is what I consider a true win.

What can philanthropy do better and/or how can individuals be helpful allies? 

Philanthropy must stop funding comfort and start funding courage. Too often, resources flow toward what is palatable instead of what is powerful. If funders want to be true allies, they must invest in organizations led by and for women of color, trans folks, and others most affected by systemic harm—not just as grantees, but as thought leaders. Individuals can be allies by listening deeply, redistributing their own power and privilege, and recognizing that support means more than hashtags or one-time donations. Allyship is a practice—it requires humility, accountability, and showing up even when it’s hard.

What gives you hope? 

What gives me hope is witnessing the unstoppable brilliance of people who’ve been told they don’t belong, and watching them claim space anyway. It’s the students rewriting curriculums to be inclusive, the parents organizing in church basements, and the survivors who transform their trauma into advocacy. I see hope every time someone stands in their truth despite a system that tells them to shrink. And I feel hope in community—because when we come together, we realize we are not isolated incidents but part of a collective resistance. That shared fire, that refusal to give up, is what keeps me moving forward.