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Youth climate movements around the world have fundamentally changed the narrative around climate action – from youth Climate Strikes, to climate organizing in schools across the Bay Area, to Sunrise Movement laying the ground work for the (green)new deal era policies like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, to students on college campuses demanding their universities divest from fossil fuels we live in a world that is made better as a result of youth activism.
The Sogorea Te’ Land Trust—an Indigenous women-led trust that facilitates the return of Indigenous land in the Bay Area—recently initiated a call to action to philanthropic institutions to pay institutional Shuumi Land Tax.
California is on course to have one of the most inclusive state-wide data systems in the nation. The Cradle- to-Career Data System, signed into legislation in 2019, will bring together data from across the early childhood, K–12, postsecondary, and workforce sectors to provide policymakers, advocates, and communities with actionable data to address disparities and improve outcomes for all students throughout the state. One of the most unique aspects of the system is that it is being built with the intentional focus of putting data in the hands of the people to get them the information they need to help students succeed.
Leveraging the unique perspectives, energy, and visions of young people can transform philanthropy into a more powerful force for change. Across California, funders are stepping out of their traditional roles to deconstruct the power dynamics that exist in philanthropy and utilize participatory approaches that bring together young people and funders to make decisions on grants. As we reimagine what grantmaking can be, learning directly from young people and those involved in the work is crucial in
being able to contribute to the landscape constructively. It informs funders what the vast needs of the ecosystem are and how their work can contribute.
We can only act on what we can imagine. As philanthropy is called to meet this moment, we need to expand our imagination. How do we not imagine philanthropy as it is, but what it could be at its best? Within philanthropy we need practices, tools, and ways of being that are in service to resourcing freedom and equity. As those mobilizing resources, we must stay steadfast in imagining and co-creating generative pathways to a more equitable future. At NCG's 2024 Annual Conference, we will offer space to conspire, imagine, and act on ushering in new possibilities.
As a part of the Membership team, Molly sustains NCG’s membership – from welcoming new members, managing the systems that support engagement, to strategically building a dynamic membership experience.
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.