This 3-part online workshop series took place on July 29, August 19 & September 9, from 12-2pm PT.
Watch the July 29th (session one) recording here
Watch the August 19th (session two) recording here
Watch the September 9th (session three) recording here.
In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis and uprisings in response to the state-sanctioned murders of Black people, philanthropy is faced with an increased sense of urgency to align its priorities with those of grassroots social and racial justice movements. Our sector is being called to adopt funding strategies to dismantle white supremacy and anti-Blackness, including defunding the police, and to avoid reformist approaches that uphold the current power structures and systems of harm. As we shared in a Medium post:
“Police reform is a false solution, one that merely addresses the symptoms of a problem without addressing its root causes, and will in fact worsen the problem over the long term. It is a false solution because it further resources a racist system that has violently oppressed Black and Brown people to achieve its primary aim of protecting capital, private property and the interests of the wealthy.”
In order to build a world in which Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) communities can truly be free, philanthropy must redistribute wealth, democratize power and shift economic control to communities. This includes supporting grassroots organizing work that builds new forms of economy and community-governed alternatives to public safety.
Justice Funders presented a series of online workshops to support our members and larger philanthropic community in building resourcing strategies to dismantle white supremacy and anti-blackness, pushing the edges of philanthropy to be as bold and relentless as our movements need us to be in these turbulent times. For funders who have embraced the radical vision of a Just Transition for Philanthropy but have yet to operationalize its practices, what are the concrete action steps that respond to the needs and opportunities of this moment while going deeper for the long haul?
This series was structured to engage participants in active discussion, breakout groups and self-directed exercises between workshops. These was not a typical “webinar” program.
In this series, participants…
- Learned from movement and philanthropic leaders how to better align funding strategies with BIPOC and working class-led grassroots social justice movements and this political moment;
- Learned how to structure grants and investments to support long-term BIPOC-led organizing and efforts to defund the police, and reinvest in community governed safety alternatives;
- Learned about grassroots Just Transition projects that support regenerative economic development and build shared prosperity in BIPOC communities, and how foundations can use integrated capital approaches to support these projects and achieve their mission; and
- Gained a solid understanding of specific practices at the restorative / regenerative end of the Resonance spectrum, and be able to articulate those practices to other staff, trustees and peers in the field.
This webinar series was for philanthropic leaders who…
- Wondered how to respond to this movement moment and are looking to deepen their alignment with BIPOC and working class grassroots leadership;
- Had thoroughly read the Resonance Framework, embrace its vision of a Just Transition for Philanthropy and are ready to begin operationalizing its practices;
- Affirmed the values and principles of Just Transition, and are looking for a more in-depth and practice-based learning opportunity beyond a “101” training; and
- Expressed eagerness to expand their imaginations beyond how philanthropy is currently practiced, to learn how to leverage capital as a tool for restoration and healing, rather than harm.
Dates & times:
- July 29th, 12-2pm PT | Rapid Response Rooted in Mutuality and Solidarity for Black-Led Organizing- Access pre-reading material and Watch the recording
- Speakers:
- Elandria Williams, PeoplesHub and Beautiful Solutions
- Janis Rosheuvel, Solidaire Network and Black Land & Power
- Allen Kwabena Frimpong, Resist, AdAstra Collective and ZEAL
- Speakers:
- August 19th, 12-2pm PT | Defunding the Police and a Just Transition: Divestment and Reinvestment Strategies- Access pre-reading material and Watch the recording
- Speakers:
- Jackie Byers, Black Organizing Project
- maisha quint, The Libra Foundation
- Sonya Shah, Ahimsa Collective/Life Comes From It Fund
- Speakers:
- September 9th, 12-2pm PT | Just Transition Experiments and Resourcing Strategies Across Movements and Systems – Access pre-reading material and Watch the recording
- Speakers:
- Nwamaka Agbo, Just Transition Consultant, Justice Funders and CEO, Kataly Foundation
- Regan Pritzker, Trustee, Kataly Foundation
- Suzanne Benally, Executive Director, Swift Foundation
- Sonja Swift, Trustee, Swift Foundation
- Karissa Lewis, National Field Director, Movement for Black Lives (M4BL)
- Akua D Smith, Black Land Strategies Director, BlackOUT Collective and Coordinator, Black Land and Power and Reparations Summer
- Nick Tilsen, President and CEO, NDN Collective
- Nikki Pieratos, NDN Fund Managing Director, NDN Collective
- Speakers: