Tracy Sturdivant is set to take over as the president and CEO of the Ms. Foundation, succeeding Teresa Younger. The announcement was made at the foundation’s annual gala in New York City on Tuesday, where feminists such as #MeToo founder Tarana Burke were honored, according to the Associated Press.
Younger stated that the Ms. Foundation is financially stable and prepared for the future under Sturdivant’s leadership. During Younger’s tenure, the foundation established an endowment exceeding $100 million and focused on supporting women and girls of color.
Sturdivant aims to broaden the coalition of individuals committed to gender justice. She is dedicated to supporting marginalized groups and inviting others to join the effort for economic equality and bodily autonomy, especially as many funders disinvest from Black-led nonprofits.
Sturdivant, who is from Detroit, founded The League, a nonprofit focused on inspiring civic engagement through culture. She also collaborated with Marie Wilson, a past president of the Ms. Foundation, on the White House Project, which aimed to advance women’s leadership.
Sturdivant sees narrative change as vital, particularly with conservative movements seeking to restrict funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion. She plans to engage the next generation of feminists through modern storytelling, citing historian Blair Imani as an example of the voices she wants to elevate.
Sturdivant is also exploring ways to increase grantmaking for equal pay, family leave, and childcare. She co-founded the Make it Work Campaign, a three-year initiative focused on improving women’s economic well-being in the U.S. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that men’s earnings are increasing faster than women’s, and the gender wage gap has widened for two consecutive years.