GIA Blog

“My argument is because [right wing authoritarianism] is the central struggle of the day, we need the most effective, principled and impactful progressive organizations that are seeking to challenge that,” says Maurice Mitchell, national director of the Working Families Party. Mitchell is also an activist and co-founder of Blackbird, an organization that has provided infrastructure support for the Black Lives Matter movement and other groups around the country.

From Forbes" "Dr. Carmen Rojas, President and CEO of Marguerite Casey Foundation, is the youngest Latina to run a nationally endowed philanthropic foundation. Her colleague, Jonathan Jayes-Green, Vice President of Programs at the same foundation, is the first and only undocumented leader to serve in an executive role in a national private foundation in the U.S.. For the two, not only are they breaking the pale, stale and male stereotype of philanthropy, they are also challenging how philanthropy is being done."

From Berkley Othering & Belonging Institute: "The 'Structural Racism Explained' video (above) draws upon many varied sources in formulating specific definitions for different types of racism. The video and prompts provided in this video and teaching guide (download using form on right side of page) are designed primarily for teachers to help students clarify and sharpen their understanding of the material, spur and support classroom discussion of the video and ideas, and provide ideas and leads for further research.

"The Mellon Foundation today announced the appointment of theater veteran and advocate for equity and justice in the arts, Stephanie Ybarra as Program Officer in its Arts and Culture program area, effective April 3, 2023. As part of her role, she will help shape individual grantmaking and launch philanthropic initiatives in the performing arts, leveraging the grantmaking, convening, and research assets of the Foundation."

"The Bori-Corridor, a project that will increase the presence of Puerto Rican artists in the eastern United States and connect them with the main cultural centers of the diaspora, received a $700,000 allocation from the Mellon Foundation for its development beginning next year," said Sin Comillas on behalf of Mellon Foundation. "The Mellon Foundation is the leading funder of the arts and humanities in the United States. The proposal was presented by Elsa Mosquera Sterenberg and Zeida García Casillas from Ágora Cultural Architects."

"Artists are the free thinkers and the first movers of culture, and culture is the basis of belief and action. To support an artist’s idea—to help realize new work—is to set into motion a new worldview. This is the exciting role philanthropy can play in creating a freer, more sustainable, and equitable society, said Christine Kuan for artnet news. "Today, the narratives that shape our laws, policies, and daily life are disproportionately dominated by a subset of the population. From museums and the art market to Hollywood, the old story remains that only a small percentage of artists represented are women and artists of color. White men make up 30 percent of the U.S. population, but represent most museum acquisitions, art market sales, and Hollywood film directors. Yet, museums, auction houses, and cinemas are downstream from the primary issue, which is: Who gets funded to make art?"

"In public health, we often talk about 'closing the gap in health inequities' in order to create conditions for optimal health for all. These discussions reflect a growing consensus that health is a human right, which sets the stage for a shared vision of health justice," said Nineequa Blanding for Nonprofit Quarterly. "They also mirror ongoing efforts to achieve racial equity by addressing structural racism and its attendant injustices, in the process expanding the health focus from the individual to the collective and society. These conversations and the work they inspire position the field of public health as a major actor in helping to protect, promote, and preserve our well-being."

From PolicyLink: "This labor of love is guided by the brilliance of 56 grassroots organizers and housing advocates who came together during 2022 to define and build a housing justice narrative. We recognize that in this moment, we have both the resources and the will to create a future in which every person has all their basic needs met."

"Executives in professional social justice institutions, grassroots activists in local movements, and fiery young radicals on protest lines are all advancing urgent concerns about the internal workings of progressive spaces," said Maurice Mitchell for The Forge. "The themes arising are surprisingly consistent. Many claim that our spaces are 'toxic' or 'problematic,' often sharing compelling and troubling personal anecdotes as evidence of this. People in leadership are finding their roles untenable, claiming it is 'impossible' to execute campaigns or saying they are in organizations that are 'stuck.'"

From the MacArthur Foundation: Kristen Mack, Vice President, Communications, Fellows, and Partnerships, shares thinking on umbrella terms, which are intended to be inclusive but often come up short when discussing complex and evolving identities.