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To support philanthropy in the midterm elections, NCG committed to:
When I started at NCG early in 2015 I spent a lot of time listening. Like, a LOT. During close to 200 meetings in my first year, I sought to learn what was strong about our work, what members of our community wanted more (and less) of from NCG, and – perhaps most importantly – what folks needed to increase their impact and to remain connected to their sense of purpose, their agency, and their community of colleagues. The guidance I received was remarkable in its continuity – and in its vehemence.
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.
Genuine, local-level engagement between public agencies and the communities they serve is crucial to meeting the needs and priorities of people experiencing health inequities, particularly communities of color and low-income people. Public agencies often ask their communities for input, which results in low participation and feedback, perpetuating the inequitable status quo. How can public agencies re-think their community engagement practices, prioritizing people historically excluded from access to power and decision-making? And what is the role of philanthropy in this work?
Midterm elections provide voters the opportunity to assess and signal if the current presidential administration, federal elected officials, and local elected leaders are meeting their needs. This November, California voters will have the opportunity to cast their votes and determine the make-up of the Senate and House through the next presidential election in 2024. All eligible California voters will receive an election guide and a mail-in ballot. Vote-by-mail ballots can be filled out and mailed or can be taken to a local dropbox. For voters that prefer to vote in-person, they can drop their completed ballot or complete the ballot in-person at polling stations found in communities across California.
Achieving racial equity and sustaining a viable democracy go hand in hand. NCG defines democracy as the processes, systems, and structures for historically marginalized and underrepresented community members to participate in a political system that fulfills the promise of an equitable multi-racial society. Northern California is a region that can model this approach, ensuring that people of color and other communities historically underrepresented and marginalized in our political process fully engage in the democratic process.
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.