Central Indiana Community Foundation's Tamara Winfrey-Harris steps into new position to support women

A new leader at the Central Indiana Community Foundation starts next week. Tamara Winfrey-Harris is an award-winning author who has been with CICF for more than six years.  WFYI’s Jill Sheridan sat down with Winfrey-Harris to talk about her new position as president of the CICF’s Women’s Fund of Central Indiana.

Sheridan: We know that the Women's Fund is part of the Central Indiana Community Foundation. But what is the fund? And what can it do?

Winfrey-Harris: So the mission of Women's Fund of Central Indiana is to mobilize people, ideas and investments, so every woman and girl in our community has an equitable opportunity to reach her full potential, no matter her place, race or identity. We want to make sure that women and girls have access to opportunity so that they can reach their full potential.

Sheridan: Give us an idea of how the state of the landscape for women and girls’ equality in Central Indiana is today.

Winfrey-Harris: You know, across the country, women have made tremendous gains. Like we see women and so many new positions all over the country – even as the vice president in the White House – but also, we face some unprecedented challenges. For instance, access to reproductive health care. So you know, my goal moving forward is one, to make sure we are moving based on community voice.

I want to hear from women what it is that they need in Central Indiana right now. So that we can move and be supportive of the places where there are opportunities that women can see.

Sheridan: Now you've been with the CICF for a while, what are you most proud of of your work there so far?

Winfrey-Harris: I have to say the change in our mission in 2018, and our decision to focus on equity. And that's a decision that spread throughout our partnership for our partner organization. So Hamilton County Community Foundation, the Indianapolis Foundation, CICF and Women's Fund, I think that is a generational goal. And I'm really proud to be part of it.

Sheridan: And you are a well accomplished author, and you've done a lot in your life. Tell us a little bit about the writing that you've done.

Winfrey-Harris: Sure. For several years I have been a writer that specializes in the intersection of race, gender, and politics and pop culture and all of the ways that those things weave together.

And so I've been published, places like the New York Times and The Atlantic, had two books published. And I'm most proud that I've been able to amplify the voices and experiences of women, and specifically, of Black women and girls whose voices are often ignored and erased.

Sheridan: With you leading the Women's Fund, what do you think specifically you hope to accomplish in the upcoming years that really can impact women's lives in Central Indiana?

Winfrey-Harris: So my first goal, because I don't want to come in like a wrecking ball, is to learn the organization and to dive deeper into the community. Obviously, my role at CICF has given me an opportunity to know a lot about what's going on. But as I said, I think I need to supplement that by talking to women in the community, by talking to the leaders of women and girls serving organizations in the community to find out what they need and they want.

And my goal moving forward – building on the fantastic legacy that Women's Fund already had underneath the leadership of Jennifer Pope Baker – is to make it a community-centered organization that responds to the needs of the community. That's really important to me. And that we feel a part of the community and a part of the community of women. Because when women work together, we are so much stronger.

Contact WFYI city government and policy reporter Jill Sheridan at jsheridan@wfyi.org. Follow on Twitter: @JillASheridan.