A note from our Executive Director:
Over the past several months, the Houssian Foundation has been doing what we love doing the most – bringing people together, or joining others, for convenings towards collective impact. We’ve hosted several conversations with climate grantees and partners in the real estate industry on decarbonizing buildings. We’ve brought together all of our new Daylight Fund grantee partners from across the country to virtually meet and share learnings. We’ve strategized on advancing affordable and accessible childcare as a critical element of gender equality. We’ve gathered online and in-person to talk about the state of climate progress in British Columbia and across Canada. And we’ve attended just as many – if not more – gatherings in the field hosted by our partners.
It is good to connect with people. Not just for the sake of meeting, but to collectively grapple with a central question that has emerged in almost every single one of these gatherings (perfectly summarized by one of our grantee partners at Clean Energy Canada):
How do we regroup, and not retreat, on policy at this moment in time?
This question is key whether we are talking about how to stop potentially dangerous cuts to the federal WAGE (Women and Gender Equality) budget or how to advance climate goals in the face of reduced revenues and pressure to build ‘major projects’.
We are inspired by the creative ways our partners are collaborating, challenging themselves and advancing their goals even in the face of growing pressures. We have already seen success through these new approaches, and trust that will continue.
Also, I’m very excited to share that the Houssian Foundation has a new member of our team, Estefania Duran. Estefania brings a wealth of experience to lead our gender justice portfolio. Please read more about her below.
Onwards,
Mira
Partner highlights:
YWCA + Coalition of Child Care Advocates: $10 a Day Childcare
This past summer, YWCA Metro Vancouver and the Coalition of Childcare Advocates of BC – supported by allies in the business, education, labour and community sectors – relaunched the $10aDay campaign. Some progress is already being made. Just this past week, the BC government introduced the School Amendment Act, which removes barriers for school districts to provide child care for children of all ages on school grounds throughout the year.
Youth Climate Corps: Expanding across BC
BC municipalities are backing the expansion of Youth Climate Corps, supporting efforts to tackle energy poverty and strengthen the green economy. Youth Climate Corps connects young people to meaningful climate employment, building skills, resilience, and local climate solutions across the province.
Movement: Cars are Expensive. Transit is Not.
In a recent story, Movement explores the real costs of car dependency, highlighting how expanding accessible, affordable public transit can reduce financial strain for families and lower emissions. The piece underscores the need for better transit investments that align with climate and equity goals.
Team update:
Welcome, Estefanía Durán, Senior Manager, Gender Justice Program
We’re thrilled to welcome Estefanía Durán to The Houssian Foundation team as our new Senior Manager, Gender Justice Program.
Estefanía is a seasoned communications strategist and nonprofit leader with over 15 years of experience in storytelling, advocacy, and organizational development. A former award-winning journalist, she brings a sharp editorial eye and a commitment to social change to every project. She has held senior leadership roles in the nonprofit gender justice sector, focusing on impactful fundraising, communications, and advocacy efforts.
We have been fortunate to work with Estefania through her previous role at WISH Drop-In Centre and more recently on her support of the Daylight Fund.
Please read below a few words from Estefania:
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue to advance the Foundation’s vision of trust-based, and community-led funding. A vision where lived experience is not only recognized but also meaningfully uplifted.
At the heart of my work is a belief that gender justice is a practice, not just a value. Practicing it means moving beyond equality and instead transforming the very systems and structures that sustain gender-based inequities. It also requires an intersectional lens that acknowledges the impact of overlapping identities.
True gender justice ensures those who have been made vulnerable are not only granted access and opportunity but are also actively shaping the very systems that continue to impact their lives. This belief is what drives my work and why I’m excited to continue the Foundation’s collective effort toward accountability, transformation, and reparation.“
We’re so excited to have her join our community and guide this important work forward.
Book spotlight:
What a Waste: 9 Ways to Fight Climate Change
By Karen Tam Wu
We’re continuing to celebrate the release of What a Waste: 9 Ways to Fight Climate Change by Karen Tam Wu, our Director, Climate and Nature.
Karen’s new book offers a hopeful, practical guide to tackling the climate crisis, one that meets readers where they are, with accessible, everyday actions that add up to meaningful change. Blending insight, optimism, and urgency, What a Waste empowers individuals and communities alike to take steps toward a more sustainable future.
Learn more and purchase the book here.