Answers for When Racial-Equity Efforts Hit a Wall

Social-justice advocate john a. powell and structural racism expert Stephen Menendian on what's needed now [Philanthropy Today Logo]( This is a special weekly edition of Philanthropy Today featuring stories and content from [The Commons](. You can also [read this newsletter on the web](. If you no longer want to receive the Philanthropy Today newsletter, [unsubscribe](. From senior editor Drew Lindsay: This week, a U.S. federal court of appeals panel [suspended a grant program for Black women business owners]( run by the Fearless Fund, a venture capital firm. The court argued that a lawsuit claiming the program is discriminatory is likely to succeed. The decision makes a new book, Belonging Without Othering, all the more timely. It’s by veteran racial-justice advocate john a. powell and structural racism expert Stephen Menendian. They argue that equity campaigns fall short because they can’t escape the “us vs. them” shorthand that stirs fear and opposition. They propose instead a hopeful new framework focused on creating a sense of belonging for all. The head of a major foundation recently told me that he’s reading the book and is excited at the new paradigm it offers. [Read our interview with powell and Menendian](. And check out our other content from [The Commons](. From The Commons INTERVIEW [A Hopeful New Way to Pursue Racial Equity]( By Drew Lindsay [STORY IMAGE]( The Chronicle talks to social-justice advocate john a. powell and structural-racism scholar Stephen Menendian about how philanthropy can help end society’s marginalization of “others.” Of the Moment Noteworthy news and items: - Time magazine named Ana Zamora, founder and CEO of Just Trust which works to reduce incarceration, its person of the week. [In a podcast interview]( Zamora, formerly of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, talks about the bipartisan criminal-justice movement and the role of philanthropy. - The [Omidyar Network’s Building Cultures of Belonging program]( announced its first learning group of organizations working to repair and heal the legacies of colonialism and slavery across the United States. The 10 groups selected include: the [Abolition Dream Lab]( which supports Black abolitionist organizers; [Inverse Surveillance Project]( which aims to help American Muslims heal from the collective trauma of state surveillance; and [Words of the People]( which supports Indigenous language writers. - Writing in [Forbes]( longtime education scholar and advocate Bruno Manno argues that charter schools “bring people together to tackle common problems, strive toward shared objectives, and create a moral order to guide a child’s education.” - At the recent [Media Impact Funders]( annual forum, renowned film director and producer Nicholas Ma [talked about his upcoming documentary, Leap of Faith]( about 12 Christian pastors from diverse backgrounds confronting politics and cultural truths that divide their congregations and denominations. SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHRONICLE [Chronicle of Philanthropy Subscription] Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for unlimited access to nonprofit news and analysis. Webinars [June 13 at 2 p.m. ET | Register Now]( [STORY IMAGE]( Many nonprofits focus their grant seeking on large national foundations, even though community foundations are often more accessible, with stronger local ties. Join us for Attracting Support for Community Foundations to learn from Samuel Bellamy of the Coastal Community Foundation and Irfan Hasan of the New York Community Trust. They’ll explain how to approach and engage program officers, write proposals that rise above the competition, and more. Editor's Picks ADVOCACY [An Activist and an Adversary Found Common Ground. Making Change Proved Harder]( By Marc Gunther [STORY IMAGE]( Leah Garcés ran hard-hitting animal-rights campaigns. Craig Watts raised 700,000 chickens on a factory farm. Their partnership can be celebrated, but collaboration has its limits. OPINION [The Exodus of Everyday Donors Is Bad for America. Here’s How to Stop It.]( By Victoria Vrana [STORY IMAGE]( The decline in charitable giving by average Americans threatens democracy. Among the solutions: pooled micro-donations, giving incentives, and a focus on the donor relationship. OPINION [How Nonprofits Lose Out When Volunteer Advocates Are Asked to Do Little Real Advocacy]( By Sam Daley-Harris [STORY IMAGE]( Nonprofits worried about their brand are asking supporters to do little more than sign petitions and write checks. They should be helping them become effective citizen-advocates. [Chronicle of Philanthropy Logo]( This newsletter was sent to {EMAIL}. [Read this newsletter on the web](. [Manage]( your newsletter preferences, [stop receiving]( this email, or [view]( our privacy policy. © 2024 [The Chronicle of Philanthropy]( 1255 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037