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Gun violence is the leading cause of death of children and teens in the United States, having disproportionately impacted BIPOC communities for generations. For far too long, the emphasis on gun violence reduction has focused on easy accessibility to guns without addressing the root causes and demanding direct input from those communities most impacted.
The Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund, Northern California Grantmakers, and Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees invites you to a funder briefing to hear about exciting initiatives to end the political exclusion of immigrants and build thriving local communities through immigrant voting.
As we mark another Black History Month and celebrate Black futures, there is an urgency for us to address the existing divisions in our country and create solutions that move us closer towards our vision of a strong, inclusive, multiracial democracy with Black communities at the center. Some of the barriers we continue to see in communities across the nation include attacks on voting rights, biased immigration policies, blatant displays of white supremacy and white nationalism, and a decline inequitable economic opportunities.
The American banking system is broken, and the evidence is unmistakable. From the recent failure of one of the largest banks in the U.S. to ongoing predatory products blanketing lower-income communities, it is clear that we are at an inflection point. Bank regulators currently fall into the familiar trap of trying to fix the symptoms such as banning certain products, minor regulatory modifications without fixing the root causes of structural inequities. This results in repeated crises usually requiring taxpayer-funded bailouts but no meaningful change of the system. We must find better opportunities to address staggering losses of wealth through failures in the banking system while also building new structures that support economic equity and help build and preserve more local community wealth.
Confronting and transforming the devastating harm of a planet in crisis along with the ongoing reckoning of persistent deep inequities stands as The Work of our time. Many of us feel a blend of overwhelm, unknowing, and grief - perhaps even guilt and anxiety - that may drive paralysis.
Envision a future where every community in Northern California flourishes, where shared prosperity becomes a reality. Our region, celebrated for its diversity and innovation, stands at the forefront of social progress and economic vitality. Yet, amidst this vibrant tapestry, many individuals—particularly Black, Indigenous, and other people of color—struggle to sustain themselves in the communities they call home.
In 2020, we witnessed philanthropy make major commitments and promises to resource Black-led organizations and movements as part of a renewed reckoning with racial justice after the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and countless other Black lives. Historically, Black-led power-building efforts have been at the forefront of transformative change but have been consistently underfunded and under-resourced. The sudden surge in resources allocated to Black-led nonprofits and power-building organizations over the last four years highlights the urgent need to invest in the leadership and visionary ideas for dismantling systemic racism and advancing an inclusive, multiracial democracy. Now, the question remains whether the investments so far are truly sufficient to provide long-term support for Black power-building organizations and their vital work.