Reflections by Renee: In A Year of Lemons, We Made Orange Juice
2025 Was The Year No One Planned For
At this year’s Annual Luncheon, our Dottie Lamm Leadership Award winner, Naomi Tamajong, received a standing ovation. Her message was simple—and quietly radical.
“Even when life gives us lemons, we can still learn to make orange juice.”
I read leadership books. I listen to experts. I follow big thinkers. But in my first year as president and CEO, it is Naomi’s words I return to again and again.
Because 2025 asked more of us than anyone anticipated.
We New Storms Were Coming, But Didn’t Understand the Vastness
In 2025, we knew storms were forming. Immigration raids and rollbacks of DEI initiatives were the most visible clouds on the horizon.
What we didn’t yet understand was the vastness of the storm. Executive orders hit nonprofits, philanthropy, and families across Colorado with ruthless precision and callous disregard.
Funding slowed. Needs surged. Communities were asked to do more with less.
And yet, what I witnessed was extraordinary.
Organizations stretched. Leaders adapted with steady resolve. Communities stayed anchored in their values even when it felt risky. I saw bravery and humanity. I saw innovation and agility.
2025 will be the year people look back on when they need proof of their own strength.
2025 will be the year people look back on when they need proof of their own strength.
Our Community Showed Up With Bravery, Humanity, Innovation, and Agility
When I think about Naomi’s words and what it means to make orange juice, these leaders come to mind.
Food to Power
Patience Kabwasa leads Food to Power in Southeast Colorado Springs and El Paso County.
This year, the organization lost major federal funding from the Environmental Protection Agency. At the same time:
- SNAP support was reduced.
- Food supplies from farmers and grocers shrank.
- Demand surged from 35,000 food-insecure neighbors.
Still, Patience stayed grounded.
She reminded us that Food to Power was born during COVID after a six-year capital campaign, half a million dollars in unexpected construction costs, and delayed shipments.
“The money that we needed did eventually come,” she said. “I don’t say that unaware of the reality before us—but knowing that we are resilient.”
Alianza NORCO
In 2025, immigration raids reshaped daily life for families across Colorado. Many stopped leaving their homes. Some skipped medical appointments altogether—fearful for their safety.
Alianza NORCO responded with courage and compassion.
They:
- Hosted private health screenings and health fairs.
- Expanded legal services across rural Colorado.
- Trained staff as community health workers.
- Helped families enroll in Medicaid—safely and privately.
They didn’t wait for permission. They met fear with care and hope with action.
The Women’s Foundation of Colorado
I am also deeply proud of The Women’s Foundation. Philanthropic institutions have a history and reputation of red tape and rigid rules. This year, we chose a different way. When the safety net for women began to fray, our team moved with urgency and trust.
We:
- Removed funding restrictions for grantee partners.
- Launched the Catalyst Fund and expanded our Women & Girls of Color Fund grantmaking by 40%.
- Deployed $500,000 to organizations protecting the health and wellbeing of women and girls.
We did this during a year of profound internal change—new leadership, new teams, new ways of working. Still, the mission led the way.
Looking Ahead: The Work Continues
The challenges will not disappear in 2026. Colorado faces another $1 billion budget cut. Critical programs are once again at risk.
Our focus is clear:
- Protect the progress we’ve made together.
- Fund organizations connecting families to essential resources.
- Launch bold research to understand how Colorado women are truly doing—financially and beyond—and use that knowledge to drive change.
- Activate our philanthropic community
Thank You for Making Orange Juice With Us
Resisting injustice. Reimagining systems. Redesigning what’s possible.
It can feel overwhelming. But because of you—and our generous communities of giving—none of us has to do this alone. When we all move together, nothing can stop us.
So as 2025 comes to a close, I’m raising a glass of orange juice (with a splash of champagne) to: Vision, fortitude, and the future we are building together.
I hope you’ll raise your glass with me—and that we’ll see one another often in 2026.
