Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta’s Post

During Black History Month, it's important to think about how your organization supports racial equity. One question to ask: Are your fundraising practices unintentionally stigmatizing people and communities? You can learn to successfully talk to funders while using asset-based - rather than deficit-based - narratives! Register now for this informative and thought-provoking class led by Daryle W. Unseld Jr. MBA, CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Kentuckiana. https://bit.ly/4bvDUyy

Here is my latest article published on Medium. Y'all check it out!

The Gobioff Foundation could use some help identifying potential organizations to receive our Juneteenth grants. Each year since 2020, the Gobioff Foundation has chosen 5 organizations to receive unrestricted grants of $20,000 with no obligations or expectation of reporting. As a small family foundation, we are looking to our community to help identify worthy organizations to support as part of this program. To qualify, organizations must be an eligible 501(c)3 as determined by the IRS, have BIPOC leadership, and have a mission to improve Black Lives. Organizations can be located anywhere in the United Sates. This is NOT a popularity contest. Coordinated efforts by organizations to have multiple people submit will not make a difference. We’re not counting votes. We are just trying to discover organizations that we wouldn’t otherwise know about.  To see what type of organization we are looking for, please look at the list of previous Juneteenth grantees on our Grantees page. Nominate here: https://lnkd.in/ePtrsM78

Will you be at this year's Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO) Conference? Join Frontline Founder, Marcus Littles, in conversation with Phillip Agnew and Angie Junck on "Reframing Evidence: Base-building as a Road to Black Liberation" at the GEO conference in Los Angeles, CA, Tues. May 21, 3:15-4:30PM. There’s often a conversation around the lack of metrics and evidence that base building has led to Black liberation and supports Black people to reclaim their power. Organizing is an effective tool and we can be thinking about how to leverage metrics and evidence to serve the community instead of being extractive. In this space, we’ll be interrogating this assumption and discussing why base building should be a philanthropic priority, given the evidence of its success.

Want to see change? Black Philanthropy is an amazing way of Driving Social Change. Philanthropy targeted at Black communities often addresses the root causes of racial inequities, from education to criminal justice reform. By supporting these initiatives, we can drive significant social change that benefits all Americans. When one community thrives, it creates a ripple effect that uplifts society as a whole. Learn more at, Black Funding Denied: Where are we two years later? https://lnkd.in/dRgFFWCj

Let’s be clear: debates are political theater and records matter. Unfortunately, last night’s debate was a missed opportunity for Black communities and for the country. Black voters deserve thoughtful and nuanced discussion of the issues that are impacting us. Former President Trump continuously lied in an attempt to pit Black communities against immigrants, and could not point to any meaningful solutions to the economic or social issues that Black communities care about. President Biden spoke about the progress the Biden-Harris administration has made on some of those issues - housing, childcare and student loans - but as he acknowledged, more must be done. Black Futures Lab and Black to the Future Action Fund are committed to educating Black people about who is fighting for us, and who is fighting against us. Our Black Census research shows that Black voters support policies that are aligned with President Biden’s administration and re-election campaign. We will continue to work in key presidential states like Georgia, North Carolina, and Wisconsin to reach, educate and substantially engage tens of thousands of Black voters.

We getting sidewalks! My team and I have been working in partnership with the community members of Alton, a historically black underserved community on revitalizing the area. A key priority for the residents were to add sidewalks for the kids and elderly to walk the neighborhood. Last night alongside St. Tammany Parish government we were able to notify the community that they will be getting sidewalks added to their main street that all other streets intersect. THIS IS PROGRESS! CELEBRATE THE WINS! We are very aware of the potential benefits and drawbacks of revitalization in underserved neighborhoods. We are being intentional about the strategies we implement to ensure that the process is inclusive and equitable for all residents. Things that make my team rise to start a new day: 1. Economic Growth 2. Increased Property Values 3. Improved Infrastructure 4. Community Pride 5. Access to Services Things that keep my team up at night: 1. Gentrification 2. Displacement 3. Loss of Cultural Identity 4. Limited Affordability 5. Resistance to Change History of the community: The Alton Neighborhood began its development around 1880, after the end of the Civil War (1865). With the Victory of the Union, many Black Families were now free from slavery and anxious to become independent landowners. They were able to purchase lands in Alton through the Homestead Law which was passed in 1862. This allowed residents and future citizens to purchase up to 160 acres of public land for a small registration fee and agreed to live and improve the land for 15 years. After 15 years, the properties were registered with the United States Department of Interior (1894). Although the core development of Alton Neighborhood was due to Black Families, the lands owned by Black Families were not registered on the St. Tammany Parish Books until 1937. (Reference: History of Alton Township Little Zion Church Alton Junior High School)

✨History repeats itself, and its lessons are stark. The system's oppression of Black people is not a relic of the past, but a persistent reality. By dismantling DEI programs in medical schools, we're not just ignoring history—we're actively regressing. ✨These programs are vital tools for building equity and addressing the profound healthcare disparities that plague our nation, especially in the South. Mississippi's statistics are a damning indictment: 1.1 million Black residents served by a mere 660 Black physicians. This is not just a disparity; it's a crisis. Eliminating DEI initiatives is more than a misguided policy—it's an act of willful blindness to the systemic inequities that continue to cost Black lives. We cannot afford to take steps backward. The stakes are too high, the consequences too dire. ✨True progress demands that we confront our history honestly, learn from it ruthlessly, and act on those lessons relentlessly. Anything less is a betrayal of the principles of equality and justice that we claim to uphold. ✨The path forward is clear: we must not only preserve but strengthen our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in medicine. Our collective health—and our moral integrity—depend on it."

Despite advances in technology and knowledge, the daunting challenge medical schools face in training more Black doctors is a stark indicator that we are moving backward, not forwards, in addressing health equity. It reflects systemic barriers hindering aspiring Black physicians' access to medical education. This isn't just a setback for potential doctors but a loss for us all—diversity in healthcare providers is key to equitable health outcomes. We must confront this issue head-on, reassess our priorities, and invest in a system that elevates all, regardless of race. How do you think we can overcome these barriers? Let’s start the conversation. #HealthEquity #DiversityInMedicine #FutureDoctors

This is so needed and necessary at this moment.