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Thanks, Marcus and Dwayne, for your inspiring words and your leadership. As good discussions go, you’ve both got me thinking. And thanks to Marcus for tagging me and inviting me to jump into the conversation. Marcus’s “meet the moment” question for me is a good one: How does philanthropy need to work differently in these complex and turbulent times?
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.
To truly strengthen our democracy for the long-term, funders need to hear directly from young people and youth organizing staff and follow their lead to deeply invest in the ecosystem that builds political home and collective agency for us.
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.
Last year in July 2021, NCG hosted a conversation with trans women of color leaders and queer/trans funder advocates–including the Akonadi Foundation, Borealis Philanthropy, Funders for LGBTQ Issues, Horizons Foundation, and Solidaire–to highlight trans leadership and dispel myths that BIPOC trans leaders and their organizations were being adequately resourced, even in the Bay Area.
If you're new to philanthropy, or interested in sharpening your skills, the New Grantmakers Institute (NGI): Grantmaking for the 21st Century, helps build your understanding of best practices for ethical and effective grantmaking and helps you place yourself within the ecosystem that you are now a part of.
Together with Philanthropy California (a statewide alliance of Northern California Grantmakers, SoCal Grantmakers, and Catalyst of San Diego & Imperial Counties), we’re championing a sustainable nonprofit sector by supporting the California Nonprofit Equity Initiative. This package of state bills will support and strengthen the larger nonprofit ecosystem. We’re proud to support this package of bills. Philanthropy has a critical responsibility to advocate for their individual grantees and the larger nonprofit ecosystem. We encourage you to learn more below and use your voice to bring more fairness and equity to government grant-making processes.