By Monique Curry-Mims and Valerie Johnson
In this episode, Valerie sits down with Andrea Arenas and Michelle Shireen Muri, current consults and members of the Founding Council of Community-Centric Fundraising, to talk about reimagining philanthropy through community-driven solutions.
When we lean into discomfort with open hearts and curious minds, we become more capable of seeing the full humanity in others—and in doing so, we become better advocates, better allies, and better people.
Regarding the folks softening their language, prioritizing their comfort, and claiming a sudden reduction in risk capacity—let them go. One of the more nefarious dangers to justice movements is precisely the white moderate. And this sector has a tendency to reward and celebrate them.
Here we are fragile, but not yet broken. Here we are rallying in defiance. Here we are with our ancestor’s breath fresh in our lungs. We are at this moment together. We are facing this moment with eyes wide open. It is now that we summon the screams in our chest. It is now that those sounds must create anew.
One day, Bernadette and others were working in the office, when they received the news that everything was being put on hold indefinitely due to the order made by the US president to stop funding the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
The funding loss was initially a gut punch. It stoked fear in our hearts, it made us question our campaigns, and above all, it made us grieve the ongoing violence against Palestine.
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.
This is a time to move beyond only diversity-based initiatives… and make the structural changes necessary to create a workplace where Black, Indigenous, People of Color, disabled, queer, trans and gender-expansive people, and others who face systemic oppression are safe to work.
Donor-advised funds (DAFs) continue to grow at a ridiculous rate, and criticism of them continues to be limited, and I thought it time to follow up on how the sector resists needed change.
A key reason I was drawn to Community-Centric Fundraising (CCF) is Principle 5: Time is valued equally as money. Yet, in most nonprofit organizations, volunteer engagement is not valued as equally as donor engagement.
Now is the time for those of us with privilege to leverage our power and show some solidarity. Now is a great time to examine our ability to divest from federal funding and commit to building a future rooted in justice and authenticity.
Self-funding means your board doesn’t have to side-eye every press release. It means you can call out injustice, push for systemic change, and stay true to your mission—without sugarcoating or playing nice. Our work is about breaking chains, not asking for longer ones.