Philanthropic activist Barbara Lee started the Foundation in 1998 to advance women’s equality and representation in the fields of American politics and contemporary art. Through its groundbreaking research, partnerships, and investments, the Foundation has influenced the national conversation about women’s leadership and led the effort to bring American politics and contemporary art closer to gender parity. Over its twenty-five-year tenure, the Barbara Lee Family Foundation has shared its findings and analysis with students, faculty, the media, and leaders and staff at all levels and regardless of party affiliation. It has worked with local and national partners on dozens of projects to better understand how voters perceive women leaders as a result of their gender and race.
Barbara Lee’s passion for art started at age 17, when her father took her to the Museum of Modern Art for the first time. Since then, Barbara has been passionate about elevating women artists and supporting public access to art. She recognized early on that women face similar structural barriers in the art world than they do in politics. Barbara Lee was a long-time board member at the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) in Boston and presented the ICA with approximately one-third of the 220 works in the permanent collection—all work by women artists. The Barbara Lee Collection of Art by Women is a cornerstone of the museum’s collection. She has also donated works to Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts. Through its grant programs, the Foundation supported dozens of museum exhibits featuring women artists across the country.
The Barbara Lee Family Foundation is closed as of December 2024.
