By Rachel D’Souza and Esther Saehyun Lee
In honor of Asian American Heritage Month, Esther and I wanted to explore the potential roles and opportunities for those of us who identify as Asian or of the Asian diaspora in movements for justice like Community-Centric Fundraising.
Working as a server gave me a degree in studying power, wealth, and social hierarchy. It’s an education that has been immensely helpful as I transitioned into fundraising by equipping me with a critical eye for the nonprofit sector. Working in fine dining is a microcosm of wealth culture; wealth culture is a microcosm of power and privilege.
I am an imposter. I don’t belong in the nonprofit sector–as it is. I refuse to subscribe to the underpinning values of white saviorism, colonialism, donor worship, poverty tourism, and overall self-congratulatory air that ‘we came into this sector to do good.’
This event has passed. Community-Centric Fundraising has been invited to speak at AFP Icon in Toronto. This is a big moment for the movement. How do we make sure that we are curious about how people are being helped by institutions — regardless if you’re a burn it all down, a reformer, or an incremental changemaker? Hear from Esther Lee, Rachel D’Souza, and Sommer Dawson who are all members of the CCF Global Council and have roles in AFP.
By Esther Saehyun Lee & Maria Rio
Young fundraisers of color join organizations because they know the harms the sector causes and want to make a difference. When they first arrive, they are optimistic and pour their energy into the mission they believe in. However, often, they find out that the greatest challenges to ethical practices are not external but internal.
For the first time in my professional life, I can see that my response to the fear of scarcity doesn’t just harm me; it harms others. When I operate out of scarcity, I model the exact same oppressive leadership that I was taught and operated under. This model of individualism and perfectionism is seeped into all our bones but it was not until I entered a leadership role that I could see the nuance of its devastating effects.