Covering the Role of Women in the Nonprofit World Is ‘Timely and Necessary’

To the Editor:

With a career dedicated to working in the nonprofit sector, I have always looked to the Chronicle of Philanthropy to keep me informed on the latest trends and news in all aspects of philanthropy.

Which is why I was very surprised, and quite upset, by your recent articles on the challenges that women face in advancing their careers (“Why Women Don’t Get Ahead at Nonprofits,” January).

The topic is timely, and the coverage is necessary.

However, considering it is an article written about the inequities and inequalities that women in the nonprofit workplace are facing, I cannot understand why it was authored by a white man.

Given the opportunity to have the voices of women, and the challenges of women, expressed and represented by a woman, you chose to have this story written by a white man.

I am saddened and disappointed that in this day and age, when you have the talent on your staff and the resources available, that this is the best you can give to this incredibly pertinent and critical issue that women in the nonprofit work force are facing.

As a journalist and editor, I am sure you are very aware of the similar issues that women are facing in media careers, with the same barriers as the ones outlined in Rendon’s article.

Further, as a female editor, I would hope that you can do better and be a leader in the philanthropic and editorial world, exemplifying how powerful and important it is for women’s voices to be represented by women, when given the choice to do so.

I look forward to future thought-provoking and informative articles from the Chronicle of Philanthropy, written by women.

Meghan Steed Garvey
Garvey Consulting

Editor’s note: As the writer says, the Chronicle’s editor is a woman, and so was everyone else involved in editing the January cover article.