Donor Profile: Shad Reinstein and Jody Laine
The neighbor cat stalks over to visit while I am sitting in Shad Reinstein and Jody Laine's sunny, slightly-overgrown garden with a glass of homemade green tea. They jokingly inform me that after their dog died, this cat attempted to move into their home. I can understand why: Shad and Jody are two fascinating women whose lives have been defined by their work for social change.
Partners Shad and Jody refuse to accept the sexism and injustice that have been rooted in all sectors of the lives of women. They are concerned with many issues including the re-distribution of wealth, immigrant women's rights and reproductive rights. They understand the importance of looking at both the big picture and the little picture and of figuring out where to direct resources to enact change. Shad and Jody share this and many core values with the Women's Funding Alliance (WFA), two of which are to invest in women and girls and to work with the community.
Their introduction to the WFA was through a television advertisement aired in the late 1980s. Shad remembers deciding that any group "willing to advertise on TV that they support lesbians and welfare recipients deserves a donation." Shad believes WFA is a "gatekeeper" which gives to small organizations to help them develop; the more they grow, the more capacity they have to affect change in their communities. Shad and Jody believe that strategic planning is essential to sustainable change, and they are committed to "putting money into communities that traditionally are overlooked…and women and girls are traditionally overlooked," according to Jody.
These two WFA leaders give generously from their bank account and with their time; Shad joined the WFA Board of Directors in 2004. Previously she was an on-and-off member of the Granting Committee as well as a consistent attendee of WFA events. Shad uses the adjectives, "smart, strong, dynamic, creative" to describe the WFA women she has worked with, characteristics she and Jody share.
Shad and Jody met while both volunteering for the Seneca Women's Peace Encampment in 1983, but their core values were ingrained in childhood. Growing up in San Diego, Jody's religious family was actively involved in social work with their church, while Shad's family in upstate New York focused on civic work. Jody laughingly declares that having the capacity to give is "really fun!" and makes her feel more connected to the community. Shad describes her history of giving by recalling a Gloria Steinem quote: "We can tell our values by looking at our checkbook stubs."
Although sexism and core inequalities can feel discouraging (Jody says "It just pisses me off!"), they both continue to work tirelessly. They formed Three Big Dykes Productions with their friend Shan Ottey and directed a documentary titled Mom's Apple Pie: The Heart of the Lesbian Mothers' Custody Movement which chronicles the story of lesbian mothers and their children who faced horrific custody battles in the 1970s and the lesbians who organized to help them. They have also been longtime supporters of the Pride Foundation and the Greater Seattle Business Association. In addition to their extensive volunteer work, Shad has a private practice and teaches Chinese medicine and acupuncture while Jody owns and runs her own shop, Tiempo Timepieces and Jewelry.
When asked how they remain hopeful about and committed to social change, Shad answers that her inspiration comes from the fact that she has seen change happen. In college, while studying mathematics, Shad's professor told her that she did not belong in the field. Her grades and work were fine, but the professor thought she was "taking a space that should have been for men." This experience is unlikely to be repeated for a young woman in college today. Shad suggests to me: "Ask your mom what it was like for her when she was your age…and that shows you how much change we have made. That's where you see change."
Women and girls have not achieved equality yet, but with women like Shad and Jody working towards social change, progress will continue and flourish. "Time. Treasure. Talent" says Jody. "We all have something to give which supports women and girls."
