Reflections from Wedu’s ED: On Philanthropy, Power, and the Inner Work of Collective Action

A big part of my role as Executive Director is outward-facing: building relationships and forging the right connections to resource the work we care deeply about at Wedu. Much of this happens behind the scenes, in rooms where ideas, influence, and capital intersect.

In February, I had the opportunity to attend the 25th anniversary of the Global Philanthropists Circle (GPC), hosted by Synergos. Synergos has long championed “bridging leadership”: an approach grounded in trust-building and collaboration to address complex, systemic challenges. The gathering brought together philanthropic families and leaders from across Asia and the wider global network, under the theme “United for Collective Impact: Moving from I to We.”

I’ll admit that I’ve often wrestled with the role of philanthropy in a world shaped by deep inequality. It is, in many ways, an imperfect tool. And yet, one moment from the gathering stayed with me. Peggy Dulany, co-founder of the GPC, reminded us of the Greek roots of the word “philanthropy”: philos (loving) and anthropos (humankind). At its core, philanthropy is a love of humankind.

The need to collaborate and do the inner work 

What struck me most was the willingness to engage in honest (and sometimes uncomfortable) conversations about power and responsibility. One insight that stayed with me came from Phillip Henderson of the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation: “Your money will never be enough to address any issue. You have to collaborate.” A simple but powerful reminder.

I also heard reflections on something we don’t often associate with wealth: the openness to fail. Without the expectation of financial return, philanthropy can take risks- making it a powerful lever for innovation and systems change.

Another moment that resonated deeply came from a panel on “From Legacy to Collective Action.” Dr. Mary Ann Tsao of the Tsao Family Foundation shared how her early work in social medicine in the South Bronx, New York City, shaped her understanding that health outcomes are inseparable from social conditions- that, in many ways, medicine itself is a form of activism. She spoke about dignity in giving: “The way you give is just as important as what you give.”

What stayed with me even more was her reflection on the inner work required for effective philanthropy. The Tsao family, she shared, spent years working with a family therapist to strengthen communication and decision-making- an investment not in strategy, but in relationship. It was a powerful reminder that collective action begins with how we relate to one another.

We often speak about collaboration as if it simply means “fund my project.” But what I heard in that room was something deeper. True collaboration requires shared purpose, clarity of structure, good governance, and the right people at the table. It is intentional, and it is built over time.

How is this relevant to Wedu and our community? 

Not all of us will have the generational wealth represented in the GPC space. But the question of legacy is relevant to all of us.

At Wedu, this is core to our work—supporting women leaders with the capability, capital, and community to lead today and shape the future.

If we believe in building collective power, then we must also ask: how do we act in ways that are dignifying, trustworthy, and transformative for both our inner and outer worlds?

How do we want to be a good ancestor and/or ancestress, and how do we enable others to do the same?