In Community With Love

Over the holidays, I embraced my “love language” of giving — from home-cooked meals for my family, to full-on “elf-mode” (i.e. purchasing and wrapping gifts), to unscheduled girlfriend time, to finally gifting myself a break from the hustle and bustle of daily life by indulging in romantic comedies. These lighthearted, sentimental movies reminded me of a fundamental truth: change begins with love. This simple insight takes on new meaning and urgency as we return from the holidays to the critical work of social justice and transformation. 

The challenges we faced in 2024 truly put the power of love to the test. Twelve states are enforcing total abortion bans, stripping away essential reproductive rights. At least nine states weaponized restrictive voting laws that disproportionately silence Black and Latine voters. K–12 schools became a battleground for censorship, stifling discussions about race, gender, and historical injustices, while widespread book bans targeted works depicting race, diversity, and LGBTQIA+ experiences. Despite these formidable obstacles, I hold fast to the guiding principle that love is the force that propels us forward.  

Love is not passive. Love is deliberate. Love is radical. Love is revolutionary. 

We are in a new geopolitical reality in which debates once resolved are being reignited. In 2025, we anticipate intensified attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion, LGBTQIA+ rights, reproductive justice, and more. As we are seeing with the horrific wildfires in Southern California, the impact of the climate crisis remains a critical issue requiring global, coordinated action. This moment, though daunting, is an invitation to the philanthropic sector — a call to reimagine the very mechanisms of power in our society and craft solutions that center justice and love.  

At Tides, we are more than observers; we are architects of transformation. In 2024, Tides’ community of doers and donors secured important wins to advance a healthy, inclusive democracy and protect reproductive justice.  

• Through Tides Foundation, we moved over $212 million to support communities combating voter suppression and misinformation and ensuring election integrity.  

• We supported organizers in fighting for abortion access through ballot measure initiatives.

• Tides Center supported more than 125 grassroots organizations in carrying out their missions through fiscal sponsorship and capacity-building.  

• In the face of extreme weather events including hurricanes in Florida and North Carolina and wildfires in Hawai’i, we helped local organizations continue their programmatic work while delivering crucial aid to their communities. 

Building on our momentum from 2024, we are strengthening our infrastructure to protect proximate leaders and their communities against new threats, while deepening our partnerships with doers and donors who share our vision for change. We are also engaging in mission-aligned coalitions that enhance understanding and preparedness across our sector. 

Creating sustainable systems of support, knowledge, and care requires fierce commitment and nimble action. While we must steadfastly uphold our values, our strategies must be as innovative as the oppressive systems we confront. We must take smart risks, think beyond the status quo, and continuously challenge ourselves to be better.  

We must lead with the kind of love that listens more than it speaks. Love that centers the most marginalized. Love that embraces discomfort. Love that speaks truth to power. Love that demands accountability. Love that transforms, disrupts, and moves us toward justice. 

As we begin this new year, we recommit to engaging with each other and approaching our work with intention, discernment, and heart. We strengthen our dedication to building bridges across movements, recognizing the interconnectedness of all struggles for justice and liberation. Tides’ mission to shift power to proximate leaders and their communities is not a solitary journey. We warmly invite you to walk alongside us — sharing in the work, growth, and vision of a better future for all, and holding us accountable to our commitments.  

Together, we can build systems of inclusion and equality from the ground up, fueled by bold determination and collective action.  

Our work continues. Our hope endures. And our love — strategic, transformative, unapologetic — prevails.
 

In solidarity,
Janiece Evans-Page
CEO, Tides