Women Lead for Health

The Women Lead for Health is a diverse collaboration of health and women’s organizations that aim to include women’s voices in the debate over health care reform and to advance universal access to health care. As a member of the Executive Committee, the Clinic is helping to ensure health care reform will meet the needs of California’s diverse women and girls.

Women’s Policy Institute

The Women’s Policy Institute, the flagship of the Women’s Foundation of California’s policy advocacy efforts, trains community-based women leaders to shape statewide policies and implement new laws affecting the health and well-being of women and girls. Our Executive Director Carlina Hansen is an Institute graduate: “Through the Institute, I realized that policy work was not impenetrable. I actually can influence statewide policies — and hopefully affect thousands of people’s access to health care.”

Ladies’ Night Advocacy

We are still aglow with the memory of the summer of 2007, when Ladies’ Nights participants, along with Clinic staff and volunteers, successfully advocated for $153,000 in San Francisco City funds for our Ladies’ Night. It was an unprecedented event and a real group effort, with women giving speeches in front of the Board of Supervisors about the needs of homeless women. Celia Mendoza, a Ladies’ Night participant, was clear in her message: “I know that these are the services women need; these are the services that let women know their life is worth something.” Ladies’ Night is a collaboration between the Women’s Community Clinic, Mission Neighborhood Resource Center, and Homeless Youth Alliance.