Search Results
And as we celebrate Juneteenth on June 19, we know that autonomy and sovereignty are essential to building Black power.
This is a pivotal moment in protecting and strengthening the fabric of American democracy. While we are still grappling with the destabilizing efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, we are watching the threat to democracy growing as state legislators in multiple states are pushing for new voting barriers that target Black and brown people, working-class folks, young people, and immigrants.
In a year of memorable moments, I keep coming back to a conversation I had with my cousin Harold that is shaping my entry into 2021. Harold lives in Chicago and is an ardent student of history, particularly in the pursuit of racial justice. His observations often help me refine my own thinking.
No matter where you start, success in life starts at home for all ages and all people. When we have safe, secure places to live – whether you rent or own – parents earn more, kids learn better, health and well-being improve, and our communities are strengthened. To build this future, we need to bring the Bay Area’s capacity for innovation and problem-solving to the challenge of preserving our pre-existing affordable housing. The constant loss of affordable units to the speculative market is accelerating the
displacement of working class and poor families - shedding our region of its diversity, vibrancy, and equity of opportunity.
It may seem the Census and Redistricting cycles have long concluded, but we continue to learn about details, impacts, and overall experience across the state. Various reports have lifted key findings and recommendations for all sectors to consider. Now more than ever, we must reflect on both cycles to build on the strategies and work of funders and nonprofit leaders. Equally imperative, we must incorporate recommendations and voices from our trusted partners to ensure fair representation for all Californians in future cycles.
I grew up in a semi-segregated Richmond, Virginia at a time that its heritage as a part of the South was very strong. Realizing the aspirations of those who came before us and the promise of democratic freedoms is my life's work. In a three-decade career spanning nonprofit, government, and philanthropic service, I have never once felt lost for purpose. My life's experience, the gift of a legacy of public service of my family and mentors, and my determination to forge a future that remedies past injustices drive every decision I face.
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.