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The places we call home, their streets, smells, sounds, and sights, shape our opportunity for a fair shot at a long and healthy life. I grew up in the shadows of greatness, in the city of pride and purpose, Richmond, California. During WWII, it was a busy port between San Francisco and Sacramento, home to the Kaiser shipyards.
As a member of a marginalized community, I keep getting tasked with playing the “educator” or “teacher” in my institution. I’m a member of the communities we aim to serve, but I feel uncomfortable serving as a spokesperson or ambassador for my communities. I hold authentic relationships with these grantee-partners outside of philanthropy and feel pressure to represent the MULTIPLE perspectives of my communities. Help, what can I do?
Why does philanthropy change its focus and strategy so often, and on time frames that are unrealistic for minor victories let alone systemic change?
The Supreme Court’s decision to federally overturn Roe V. Wade has eliminated a person’s constitutional right to abortion and reversed 50 years of federal abortion protection. States now have flexibility in deciding whether to allow, limit or ban abortions and vital reproductive health. In the 2022 mid-term election voters passing this proposition strengthens California’s infrastructure as a reproductive freedom state for all.
California ChangeLawyers is a public foundation whose mission is to build a better justice system for all Californians. I have been with the organization as the Program Officer for almost 3 years during which I have helped to lead our work on 3 primary programmatic functions to achieve our goals: grants, scholarships, and policy.
When I started at Hirsch Philanthropy Partners, I had a few impressions. First, I was sensing a desire for big change in Bay Area philanthropy that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. I was engaging in conversations about race, power and decision making, which were the kinds of conversations I was having previously in the nonprofit space. I also discovered that several Bay Area grantmakers were already doing grantmaking differently, bringing diverse communities closer to the center of their work and challenging power dynamics. It felt like a ripe time for change.
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.