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Anti-Black racism and white supremacy are embedded in philanthropy and in our institutions, often invisible to the majority of us, even as we work with intention towards equity and justice. As change agents within philanthropy, we are stretching to become our best selves, rise to the moment, and progress toward racial equity. Foundations of Racial Equity is a space for guidance and fellowship on the path to racial justice. Wherever you are on your journey, we invite you to consider whether this entire series or individual sessions within it, will support you in making progress on your anti-racism journey.
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I am so invested in Black liberation work and always trying to figure out how to move my institution towards this vision. In particular, I keep hearing recently that philanthropy has a role in the reparations movement. My question is where do I start to engage my institution (a small and mighty family foundation) on reparations and the land rematriation efforts. All the questions- who, what, where, when, how?
Popping up near bus stops, train stations, and other strategically placed locations within a driver’s line of vision are giant billboards in crisp black and white, proclaiming: Abortion is and will remain legal in California. Overlaid on the message in a puffy, golden font reads a closing reassurance: We got you!
Over the next 20 years in the U.S., $35–70 trillion in wealth will transfer from one generation to another in the largest generational wealth transfer in history, mostly moving within wealthy white families. The policies that make possible this protection and accumulation of wealth are situated within the legacy of land theft, genocide of Native people, enslavement of Black people, and exploitation of natural resources. This context of racial capitalism has also given rise to wealth accumulation that, in part, birthed the philanthropic sector. Paradoxically, many of us working within philanthropy aim to contribute to changes in systems, structures, and outcomes that address the harms of interconnected systems like racial capitalism that favor some at the expense of others and the planet.
In a 6-3 vote, the Supreme Court of the United States’s ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization struck down both Roe v. Wade (1973) and Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992). This landmark decision eliminated a person’s constitutional right to abortion and reverses 50 years of federal abortion protection.
Well, it didn’t take long for 2021 to remind us that the journey back from the edge of an abyss will not be a gentle one. Last Wednesday showed us we will need to advance racial equity to achieve a functioning democracy. And if democracy fails, we cannot sustain racial equity. The insurrection at the Capitol on January 6th undermines both.