I thought it was just a problem I was experiencing: white women gatekeepers in justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) work. But, I was attending The Adaway Group’s Whiteness at Work Training (I highly recommend this training for folks working at predominantly white institutions!) when Desiree and Jessica began talking about it explicitly.
The Hub
4 profound, professionally enhancing insights from a silent meditation retreat
“I am grateful I spent 10 days this year in silent meditation, a privilege that many nonprofit workers are not granted due to supremacy work cultures. During this time I came to four profound, professionally enhancing insights as it relates to my nonprofit work.”
The Ethical Rainmaker: Shame On You and Guilt Too ft. Dr. Anu Taranath
Michelle and Anu, author of Oprah-loved book Beyond Guilt Trips, build analysis through a lens of travel ethics and what it means to truly move forward.
Strategy, partnerships, implementation: where to start?
“Fundraisers have so much power to push forward equitable practices at the organizations we represent. You can commit to using that influence to encourage your nonprofit and partners to push for systemic change.”
How I learned to say, “Not today, imposter syndrome!”
I want to talk about impostor syndrome, that little hater we all know who has grown too comfortable living in our bodies. It’s the voice that tells the story of our failure, over and over again. Really, it’s a wound we have to heal.
Bringing donors into the movement
Community-Centric Fundraising (CCF) is a movement founded by fundraising professionals — but its success will not be realized if we do not cast a wider net to others impacted by the ineffective and inequitable realities of the nonprofit sector.
In a season of rampant anti-Indigeneity, here are some things you should and shouldn’t do to be pro-Indigenous
On days including and between Indigenous People’s Day and Native American Heritage Day, I feel like I run a gauntlet of aggressions, micro and macro, from white-led environmental nonprofits, white people in environmental nonprofits, and sometimes even from my kinfolk who aren’t transparent when trying to get white peoples’ money to continue their good works in their nonprofits.
From status quo to radical quo: personal lessons from electoral fundraising
By Allison Celosia and Priscilla Hsu
“Why are fundraisers in electoral and advocacy spaces doing the same old nonprofit-y donor-centric scarcity mindset sense of urgency nonsense? Aren’t politicians and community organizers supposed to challenge and transform the status quo?”
The Ethical Rainmaker: Is ‘Impact Investing’ Just About Stroking Egos? w/ Bob Osborne
Michelle and The Osborne Group’s Bob Osborne discuss their experiences and analysis of ‘incubators for social impact projects’!
3 ways I am helping expand access and foster diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in an Ivy league school
Inspired by CCF’s 10 Principles of Community-Centric Fundraising, I have reflected on how I champion DEIB in my role, and wanted to share my strategies with other higher education Corporate and Foundation Relations (CFR) professionals.
What “How to Build a Sex Room” can teach us about relationship-building
Since fundraising is almost entirely built on relationships, what can we learn about relationship building from “How to Build a Sex Room”? And what would it look like to apply these lessons to fundraising?
The Ethical Rainmaker: How do you keep everyone happy? Creating culture change ft Rickesh Lakhani
Michelle sits with Rickesh Lakhani and discusses what it takes to build a beautiful workplace culture.