Meet Eva Marie Carney

We were lucky to catch up with Eva Marie Carney recently and have shared our conversation below.

Eva Marie, we’ve been so fortunate to work with so many incredible folks and one common thread we have seen is that those who have built amazing lives for themselves are also often the folks who are most generous. Where do you think your generosity comes from?

I was raised to give back and to pursue justice and, as a student at the Jesuit-run University of San Francisco, I learned the value and practice of “being a person for others.”

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I am working with a group of like-minded and exuberant volunteer board members and volunteers through “The Kwek Society” (“kwek” means “women” in the Potawatomi language and is pronounced “queck” (like trek)) to end period poverty among Indigenous students and their peers. Our ultimate goal is to end period poverty across Indigenous communities in the United States. Access to period products is a basic human right and we are doing everything we can to get Indigenous students and their peers that access.

To date we have distributed close to 4 million period products and currently are supporting over 200 schools full of menstruators who, without the period supplies we offer, might skip school altogether, suffer embarrassment or ridicule during the school day, or impact their health by using supplies for longer than intended or by making do with makeshift supplies like wadded up toilet paper or cotton rags. We not only provide them supplies, we also share our views that periods are to be celebrated. When requested by school staff, we send schools puberty education books for both sexes. We also curate and share on our website for the students we support and others who make their way to the site, traditional, Indigenous teachings about periods that center young menstruators.

I started The Kwek Society, in 2018, after becoming aware of the need for this support and education in Indigenous communities and realizing that I, as an Indigenous woman and elected leader for my Native Nation, the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, could be the catalyst driving others to mobilize to address these needs in a celebratory, vibrant way.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

I didn’t start out my professional career with the idea of forming and operating a nonprofit. But I am a trained lawyer with expertise in board governance and had years of experience serving on nonprofit boards. I’d also gained fundraising experience running marathons for charity and soliciting donations from friends and family for causes that I believe in. It really helps that I am not shy about asking others for money!

I learned along the way that knowledgeable folks will take the time to share what they’ve learned with you, if you approach them in a good way. I was able to draw on the knowledge of many to get The Kwek Society up and running. Also, I have the capacity to work hard, am curious and a believer in continuous learning, and love a challenge!

My advice to those starting out on their journey is to seize opportunities to learn from others, give back to your community to the fullest extent you are able, and remain curious! Each opportunity you pursue will teach you something — sometimes many things — and you will gain at least as much as you give.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

Currently I am on the hunt for an Indigenous woman living in the DC-Maryland-Virginia area to serve as our (paid) Executive Director. Right now I serve in this role on a volunteer basis. I believe we need a person with nonprofit management and fundraising expertise to guide The Kwek Society as it matures. It’s crazy to think that we’ve operated for over six years, and it’s exciting that we now have the financial support of a number of Native Nations and family foundations, permitting us to fairly compensate the right kwe (“woman”)! If you fit this profile, or know someone who does, please reach out to through our website contact page. I’ll be most grateful for the connection!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kweksociety.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekweksociety/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KwekSociety
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evamariecarney/ and https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-kwek-society/