The non-profit organization Women’s Voices Now, founded in 2010, was established to drive positive social change with the purpose of advancing girls’ and women’s rights globally. The organization was built on the idea that women’s voices and their struggle for equality around the world should be supported. Since 2020 the organization has been added to our prestigious list of HFPA grantees.

In an interview with the HFPA, Executive Director Heidi Basch-Harod explains the origin story behind the organization. “It was the vision of founder and seed-funder Leslie Sacks that sparked WVN’s first project: Women’s Voices from the Muslim World: A Short-Film Festival. Sadly, after a decade-long battle with cancer, Mr. Sacks died in 2013, but his untiring quest for justice lives on in WVN’s mission.

“His wife, Gina Brourman-Sacks, took on the role of Board Chair and she and I met frequently to decide how to proceed with the work of Women’s Voices Now, in a global reality that was rapidly changing for women and girls all over the world. We decided that instead of focusing on the voices of women from a narrow swathe of identities, it would be more effective to broaden the work of the organization to include voices of all women and girls. And from that decision, our work became more inclusive.”

The organization has continued to evolve. “Today, WVN strives to challenge gender-based stereotypes, change mindsets, and shift the culture in favor of women’s rights globally. Specifically, we work to address the misrepresentation and under-representation of women and girls, especially women and girls of color, in front of and behind the camera, through three core programs: our online film festivalGirls’ Voices NowVoices for Change, utilized by everyday folks, community centers around the world, and international organizations like the World Bank. Each of these three programs holds film as an agent for change at the center of them.”

Ms. Basch-Harod continues with the interview.

In what ways has the HFPA helped WVN, and how have you utilized the funds?

 

The generous support of the HFPA helps to fund our Girls’ Voices Now youth development program. Girls’ Voices Now serves girls from underrepresented communities in the Greater Los Angeles area, ages 14-18, in finding their voice through filmmaking. It starts with a 5-week intensive filmmaking training that also includes personal development and mentoring. During the year the work continues as we plan workshops, panels, and field trips to continue building community and to enrich our alumnae. We also enter the films into film festivals so the girls continue to bask in the successes of their immense time commitment and are reminded of their talent because they are incredibly talented. In fact, in 2021, one of the films from the program received a Daytime Emmy!

Since #MeToo and other like-minded groups have been formed, how has this new awareness of women’s inequality helped to shift the needle? And as a result, have you seen a change in what WVN are trying to achieve?

In my view, #MeToo mainstreamed the women’s rights movement. I believe for decades it was very much something perceived as a movement, points of view, activism, etc. only for those in certain circles. Such as, in academic communities, activist organizations, for the “youth.” #MeToo got to the root of things – the cultural barriers to women’s equality, and nearly every woman could reflect on an experience in her life that was violating – it’s not about access to education or a profession, or being able to get a loan or start a business, it’s about demanding that the world respect women as human beings, and start to destruct the commodification of women, and the abuse that comes from that cultural practice.

Getting back to WVN, it didn’t change what we are trying to achieve, but it certainly has led to more people understanding the mission and wanting to be a part of it. On some level, #MeToo gave permission for more people to get behind the movement for women’s equality, because it’s the right and moral thing to do.

How many staff do you have? How do you operate on a daily basis?

We are a team of six people who work in a distributed fashion. None of us are full-time, all of us are deeply committed to the mission. This work is a labor of love, and it takes a special kind of person to be in it for the long term because cultural evolution does not occur overnight. We also have a dedicated volunteer board of directors and an advisory board, and, literally, only tens of volunteers all over the world who help us do the work.

We start each week with a staff meeting and then branch out to achieve the tasks in our respective departments, as I like to call them: programs, development, communications and social media, digital strategy and marketing. As we are a small organization, everyone wears many hats and we all come together to problem solve effectively and efficiently. We’re also something of a family, especially after working together through a pandemic: we all had to be supportive of each other through such unprecedented times.

What were the unexpected obstacles and unexpected joys in setting up the organization?

The first obstacle for me was losing our founder, Leslie. He was such a force, so clear in his vision, so wise. It was a huge loss for the world when he passed. So, getting my footing in light of his passing was an obstacle, and then really building a small organization from its bare skeleton into what it is today. I do not have a business background, and a non-profit organization is absolutely a business, and that takes certain skills that I’ve had to acquire along the way. The obstacles therein, however, have turned into the unexpected joys. Meaning, in learning how to run a business, I’ve had to ask for help, I’ve received it and met incredibly generous, brilliant people along the way. These people in turn have become deeply invested in the success of WVN. And so the areas of challenge have helped to create the strong foundation of the organization, and to build the support network, ensuring everything stays strong.

How did you come to WVN? What were you doing before?

In the years just prior to my work with Women’s Voices Now, I was living in Israel and earning a master’s degree in Middle Eastern and African History. My academic focus within that very large history was women’s rights movements of the MENA region. Particularly, I was drawn to the women’s rights movement of Kurdish women in Turkey, so when I came back home to Los Angeles to live, Women’s Voices Now was the perfect thing.

It seems that now, with the world becoming more sensitive to under-represented groups, organizations like yours are able to advance your mission statement a little more easily than in previous times, say ten years ago?

A thousand percent. That is very well said. People are receptive and willing to learn and listen, and to support!

How do you see the role of WVN in the future, and what are your goals?

We envision a global culture shift powered by impact film, in which communities and institutions believe in gender equality, and adapt their behaviors and actions to support the systematic advancement of women’s and girls’ rights. We believe that every single one of us is capable of helping to catalyze this shift and that it can start with watching a truly engaging film about women’s rights issues and doing something about what we see on the screen.

The goals of our programs and services are to empower filmmakers, produce social-change films, and engage audience members to advance girls’ and women’s rights.

We are a small organization, and all contributions help us make great strides in our work. We are working to build our monthly subscriber program and seeking out corporate sponsors for our film festival and Girls’ Voices Now. So much of our work relies on professionals volunteering their time and expertise to help us with PR and communications, tech issues, and networking. We are a friendly group of women who’ve lived, worked, and studied all over the world, and we love to welcome people into our community.

How can people get involved?

The best way to keep in touch with Women’s Voices Now and to join our community is to sign up for our newsletter and to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Youtube. We also recently launched a Film Club Interview Series to introduce our audiences to the folks behind the camera who are asking us to take action in support of women’s and girls’ rights. We have much content to consume, and all of it is curated to move audiences from empathy to action. A better world’s making is in our hands: we just need to find the thing that moves our hearts and then take action. We can access that power and motivation by watching a powerful film.