Dignity Is Not a Luxury: Dana Marlowe on Period Poverty, Bras, and Building a Global Movement

What if the most powerful kind of activism starts in the most ordinary place—like a dressing room?

In this episode, Betsy sits down with Dana Marlowe, founder + CEO of I Support the Girls, the global nonprofit helping women and girls access essential items like bras, period products, and toiletries—because dignity isn’t optional.

This conversation is dedicated to Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner, a brilliant innovator whose contributions to menstrual care were overlooked due to racial discrimination. We’re honoring the women whose impact shaped daily life, even when the world refused to give them credit.

Dana shares the “whoops” moment that changed everything: a simple question about what to do with gently used bras… and the four words that sparked a movement. Together, Betsy and Dana talk about:

• why period products are a human rights issue

• how lack of access affects confidence, education, and opportunity

• what made this mission go viral (and why timing mattered)

• the leadership behind scaling a grassroots idea into a global logistics operation

• how we can show up—through donations, volunteering, or simply starting the conversation

If you’ve ever felt the truth in this line—“dignity is not a luxury”—this one will stay with you.

Learn more or get involved: https://isupportthegirls.org/