NCG's Blog
April 5, 2021
CCJFG Steering Committee members are excited to share the following books and podcasts that have accompanied us as we settle into Spring 2021. The content ranges from writings on indigenous forms of justice and healing to a podcast tracing the connections between hip-hop and mass incarceration to a mixed media collection of responses to the question, what does it mean to be Black and alive? These stories are rigorous, compelling, and bring us closer to understanding the intersections of history, justice work, and future-making.
April 5, 2021
NCG bids farewell to stellar manager Daniel Lau, who heads across town this month to join the staff of The Libra Foundation as the first initiative officer for the new Democracy Frontlines Fund where he is charged with investing in Black communities to build power and self-determination.
March 24, 2021
I’ll be the first to acknowledge that I’ve arrived as NCG’s CEO on the shoulders of many others that came before me. Two of the strongest shoulders belong to my first professional mentor and a heavyweight in philanthropic circles, Joe Brooks. During my seventeen years as a work partner and friend at The San Francisco Foundation and then PolicyLink, I learned more from him than I could ever adequately describe. He had a habit of saying things that were increasingly profound the more you thought about them. One of those sayings was, “how much do you need to know to act?”, often dropped in a setting surrounded by other foundation colleagues where he was about to propose bold action to engage some of the Bay Area’s most vexing social challenges.
March 19, 2021
This has been a hard week of swirling emotions since I learned six Asian women and two other people were shot in Atlanta amidst the rise of anti-Asian violence here and nationwide. The names identified so far are: Delaina Ashley Yaun, Paul Andre Michels, Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Julie Park, Hyeon Jeong Park and I am sending my deep condolences to their loved ones, families, and communities. Rage, grief, and sadness course through me as I wake up and tend to my work, check in with kin and kindred, read the news, and skim social media. It’s hard not to be overwhelmed.
March 4, 2021
We're sharing climate justice issues, ranging from climate feminism to health impacts of climate change to accountability of philanthropy to BIPOC climate justice innovators. We hope these articles inspire you to delve in deeply about how you can take part in advancing racial, gender, and economic equities.
March 4, 2021
Putting CARE into Action for our Rural Older Adults
We join our members and peer organizations calling for support and action in response to the spike in high-profile attacks and murder of Asians in our region. Anti-Asian violence has long been a reality for Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. Northern California Grantmakers affirms its commitment to addressing deeper structural causes of harm against AAPI communities, simultaneous with its focus on anti-Black racism and other forms of bias and bigotry.
February 11, 2021
This month we’re highlighting articles around accountability, philanthro-capitalism, somatics, and the strategic power of collective organizing. We hope these articles inspire you to delve in deeply about how to be accountable and to reflect on the impact of racism and white supremacy.
February 11, 2021
If you're looking for an annual report, you've come to the wrong place.
February 11, 2021
In preparation for the first meeting, we each completed the Reflected Best Self Exercise (RBSE). So often, as a society, we focus on what needs improvement. This personal development tool is meant to help us see ourselves in our best light. Unlike traditional feedback platforms, the RBSE moves beyond self-assessment and allows those in your life to tell the stories of your best self - a true vulnerability exercise for many.