To imagine new worlds, we need words that reflect our current one. Audre Lorde tells us, “The master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house,” and I think this is why there is such a proliferation of new language on the left — we are describing forces we have purposefully been given no words to describe — new words to talk about gender, race, and identity — new words to talk about a diversity of internal experiences — new words to talk about the oppressive ways society is organized.
Essay Archives
Why I decided to give up complicity in order to be an anti-racist volunteer manager
Four months into a previous job as a volunteer manager at one of the oldest nonprofit organizations in the region, I sat down to talk with one white mentor, who privately shared his prejudice toward his Black mentees.
He wasn’t the last to do so.
‘You want a director of what now?!’ When orgs that are hiring are too lazy to know what they want
Recently I saw a director of development position at a local organization whose work I respect. The overview paragraph talked about being the face of the organization, building strategic partnerships, preparation of grants, appeals, campaigns, etcetera. Great, I thought. I can do all of that!
How prospect research can help nonprofits become less racist and more inclusive
Prospect researchers have a responsibility to play a part in helping nonprofits become proactively less racist and more inclusive. Here are a few ways for prospect researchers to think about moving the needle forward on making nonprofits anti-racist.
What I Learned from Losing Two Jobs in the Fight for Racial Equity
In September 2017, I was fired from my role as associate director of Invest in Youth in Seattle because I was outspoken about the organization’s need to diversify their volunteer tutors and board members. My passion for anti-racism work did not align with their investment in the status quo.
10 reasons why fundraisers and nonprofits all need to support defunding the police
Here’s why you personally, as a fundraiser, should support defunding the police and why you should encourage all organizations with which you are affiliated (as staff, board, volunteer, donor) to also support this movement.
The power of a fundraiser: Why you are the key to systems change
I’ve been working as a fundraiser at and with nonprofits for a while now — both in small and large teams — and what I’ve learned again and again is that my role as a fundraiser is never just to make it rain.
When those of us in the sector talk about community-centric fundraising, we tend to intellectualize it, resulting in skeptics saying, “Well, this sounds interesting, but unrealistic. We don’t know how it would look or how it would work.”