…performative displays have been demonstrated by well-funded mainstream LGBTQ+ nonprofits in metropolitan cities across the U.S. that have historically been founded by white, cis, upwardly mobile gay men and women.
Essay Archives
Using my experience with inequities in traditional grant writing to create a better opportunity for others
While experiencing the grant world as both a grant writer and a grantor, I got to see the possibilities along with the difficulties of providing an equitable and fair opportunity. And an opportunity to create a process for providing organizations with the support they need to continue the positive change they are making in their communities.
Navigating one of the biggest barriers to getting people to care about social justice: Fear
I want to acknowledge that fear is not always the reason for resistance.But for the times when fear is the reason for resistance, I want to help fellow changemakers understand how fear happens in the workplace, the reasoning behind those manifestations, and strategies to navigate and overcome it.
Philanthropy’s golden handcuffs: The illusion of liberation and the complex balance between self-preservation and complacency among foundation workers
In my pursuit of contributing to more equitable grantmaking practices, it became apparent that my initial honeymoon period, which boasted an abundance mindset and work-life balance, was really the cuffing of philanthropy’s golden handcuffs.
The imperial nature of empirical research: The importance of experiential knowledge in the nonprofit sector
Simple surveys can’t quantify the experiences of BIPOC individuals, nor can an A/B test describe the impact of a message or mission. It is time to embrace experiential knowledge, and that must start today.
Bridging the gap: Building impactful public-private partnerships for community empowerment
When these alliances are deeply rooted in community needs and guided by transformative leadership, they have the potential to bring about significant transformational change in marginalized BIPOC communities. However, not all partnerships are created equal…
How understanding the cultural context in Nigeria’s restive zones can help us develop effective fundraising strategies that support meaningful change and address the underlying causes of conflict and unrest
…it became evident to me that exploring fundraising in the African context through the lens of ethnicity, social class, and cultural dynamics offers a more nuanced understanding of how fundraising efforts are influenced and propelled within communities. These factors intersect and intertwine to shape social relationships, trust, and social capital, ultimately impacting the success and sustainability of fundraising initiatives.
Engaging authentically with racialized, modest income, and Millennial donors
Charitable giving potential is often measured by individual tax returns, and gifts sent to registered charitable organizations. However, people who don’t claim tax credits are still generous. Consider donors who give to crowdsourcing platforms which cannot be claimed by income tax. Or donors who give to people or organizations that are not linked to registered charities. Or what about those who donate their time through volunteerism?
Returning to zero: reclaiming the poetics of mobilizing money from narratives of abundance
What if we honor the mothering and nurturing of Earth Mother as wealth? What if we pray with every drop of rain that fertilizes life-giving ecosystems in their dynamism? Can we then reclaim and re-generate the anima of money as life-giving spiritual energy?
Antiracism as a mental health practice
As childhood spaces of curiosity shifted into workplace dynamics of expectation, the effects grew from passing discomforts to full-blown mental health impacts. Adult spaces brought the same challenges to assimilation but with much greater consequences.
Loving the levers: how to use your power as a grant writer to make change
Even if you are a low-level employee, you don’t have to just sit by—and you definitely don’t have to hide your nonprofit’s sins… Grant writers have the power to center those injustices and keep our nonprofit’s attention on them until it’s easier to deal with them than look away.
The white woman’s scat: five ways white women cause harm
By Michelle Shireen Muri and Fleur Larsen
Scatting doesn’t do anything for the problem you are trying to solve, and it shuts down the real conversation. It focuses on defense of the individual or obfuscation of the mistake. It shows a fear of imperfection and is highly self-centered (or organization-centered).