NAME IT! Podcast: Radical Truthtelling Panel with Women of Color in Philanthropy

If you listen to this episode today, you will learn about:

 

1.  What triggers you and creates barriers?  What keeps you going?

 

2. It is often said that those closest to the problem are closest to the solutions: What do you wish you can change in building a race, gender, class equity culture in nonprofits? 

 

3.  It is reported that 1 out of 3 nonprofit workers experienced sexual harassment in the United Nations, shares “One woman who holds a high position in the Secretariat said, “The backlash for reporting abuse and misconduct within the diplomatic world or UN system is enormous, and can quickly end a career for a victim.” – Why do you think sexual harassment, silencing, and bullying is so pervasive in nonprofits, NGOs, charities, and foundations?

 

4. What advice would you have for women of color getting into this work? And what are some resources available that you recommend for the protection and prevention of sexual harassment, bullying and marginalization?

 

5. What can professional associations and nonprofit leadership whom are dominated and led by white men and white women – how can their hiring practices in HR do better to support and advance women of color?

 

6. What are some wins? What are some nonprofits would you suggest people give to this holiday season?

Whitney Wade: I’d suggest supporting the Chicago Foundation for Women and their mission to end violence, support economic opportunity, and provide access to healthcare for women, especially women and girls of color.

Jannies Le: I’d like to ask listeners to donate to Anduhyaun Inc. an Indigenous women and children shelter serving those who are fleeing violence in Toronto. Indigenous women are 6 times more likely than their counterparts to be killed and 8 times more likely to be a victims of violence. As part of an  immigrant family who with priviledge get to live on their land while they are continuously facing the consequences of generational genocide and oppression I think its an important cause to support, specifically on Thanksgiving and Giving Tuesday. A win for me recently is the fact that there are amazing women like you all doing work in your every day and being a part of this podcast reinforces that for me. Thanks again, Jannies

Helen Choi: I always center where I donate to causes related to lifting and empowering vulnerable and unwed women and children in  Korean communities and domestic violence shelters. It’s a real bleeding heart spot for me. I do it by online donation and getting a hand written thank you letter by the charity always gives me a big smile knowing that I can support the good work of local and global nonprofits. 

Nayeon Kim:

“I am biased as someone who received support from United Way Greater Toronto and currently work there. Our work touches so many people’s lives and inspires me everyday.”

As for wins and advice, I would say, lean in towards your colleagues. Learn about their stories. We recently hosted a book reading internally with one of our colleagues, Samra Habib, who wrote We Have Always Been Here. It is a Queer Muslim Memoir that captures Samra’s experience. That was one of the best experiences we put together for our internal staff and created a safe space for others to learn in and share.

Here are our wonderful panelists:

 

Dr. Cheryl Hall-Russell, President & Chief Cultural Consultant, BW3: 

After a number of years in the corporate sector, including a stint in Europe, Dr. Hall-Russell worked in the non- profit sector for over 20 years leading multiple complex local and statewide organizations. Her years as an executive, experiencing and observing the oppressive impact of race and gender intersectionality, led her back to graduate school in 2013. Obtaining her doctorate in Education with focus on intersectional Leadership and Administration, Dr. Hall-Russell honed her qualitative research skills. She launched BW3 and excels as a DEI consultant, speaker, and facilitator. She specializes in cultural audits to prepare companies for the adoption of inclusionary practices. She works with foundations on special research projects and consults with nonprofits on planning, program evaluation and community engagement. In 2018 she launched the COLORfull Leadership Series, a series of lectures and workshops on women, race and leadership. bw3culture.com “Cultural Consultants for Executive Leadership”

 

Whitney Wade:

Whitney Wade is a talent acquisition and equity/inclusion professional at a foundation in Chicago. She has also spent time at three consulting firms (one philanthropy advising, two executive search), and started her career in nonprofit fundraising and development. Whitney is also a member of the South Side Giving Circle sponsored by the Chicago Foundation for Women. You can find her @lifesizewhitney on Twitter.

 

Jannies Le:

Jannies is a passionate non-profit professional with a wide range of experiences. She is currently the Program Director and Acting Executive Director at Anduhyaun Inc, an Emergency Shelter and Second Stage Housing Facility for Indigenous women and children fleeing violence.

In the past few years Jannies has been the Chair on United Way of Peel Region’s GenNext committee and Volunteer MBC’s Fundraising and Event committee. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from York University and an Event and Meeting Management Certificate from George Brown College. Her passion is in women’s advocacy, community building, investing in youth, and poverty awareness.  She is currently on parental leave with her 4 month old daughter. 

 

Nayeon [na-yeon/ pronoun: she/her] is a proud young, racialized, immigrant woman to call Toronto home. Over the past decade, Nayeon has dedicated her professional and personal life to building social inclusion and fighting poverty.

At United Way Greater Toronto, Nayeon has led strategic partnerships with over 400 corporations to raise awareness of poverty, unlock financial support and unleash private sector resources to create positive change in our community. Currently, as Senior Philanthropy Officer, Nayeon works with major gift donors and foundations to raise funds to help families and individuals living in poverty in the GTA. She has also served on United Way’s internal Diversity & Inclusion committee dedicated to building an inclusive workplace culture. 

In 2018, she was awarded the AFP Outstanding New Fundraising Professional Award. In 2017, Nayeon was selected for the AFP Fellowship in Inclusion and Philanthropy for championing diversity in fundraising and for her efforts in leading inclusive, community-focused campaigns.

Nayeon was the first generation in her family to pursue post-secondary education and is a graduate of the University of Toronto’s International Relations and Peace & Conflict Studies program.

Outside of work, you will find Nayeon in her neighbourhood advocating for better community or volunteering to build opportunities for youth, indigenous people, women, and newcomers in Canada. She currently serves on the Board of the Regent Park Film Festival as well as Regent Park’s Social Development Plan Safety Network. She loves exploring the world, watching soul-enriching documentaries, and stumbling across unexpected local farmers markets. 

 

Resources:

Check out Helen Choi’s website: http://IAmHelenChoi.com

 

For this episode, I am inspired and fueled by a series of survey reports (below) that highlights the lived experiences of first generation immigrant and women of color working in the trenches of nonprofit and philanthropy.

Did you know that on average 70% of employees at NGOs are women, but 70% of the leaders are men? -Kumi Nadoo, Amnesty Secretary General

 

• Association of Fundraising Professionals latest diversity and inclusion impact report https://afpglobal.org/news/diversity-inclusion-and-foundation-diversity-fellowship-impact-report
• Race to Lead study http://racetolead.org/
• Leaders of Color Speak Out https://www.philanthropy.com/interactives/20190709_LeadersOfColor
• ProInspire Report: Awake to Woke to Work in Building a Race Equity Culture https://static1.squarespace.com/static/56b910ccb6aa60c971d5f98a/t/5adf3de1352f530132863c37/1524579817415/ProInspire-Equity-in-Center-publication.pdf
• One in Three United Nations Workers have been sexually harassed in the last two years https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/16/one-in-three-un-workers-say-they-have-been-sexually-harassed-in-past-two-years
• The Revolution Will Not be Funded beyond the Nonprofit Industrial Complex: http://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/peoplesgrocery/pages/109/attachments/original/1376330859/RevolutionNotFunded.pdf?1376330859
• Ontario Nonprofit Network https://theonn.ca/our-network/
• New York Times Article, November 19, 2019 – Philanthropists Bench Women of Color, MVP’s of Social Change, And We All Lose Out https://www-nytimes-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.nytimes.com/2019/11/19/opinion/philanthropy-black-women.amp.html
• Your misunderstanding of intersectionality is hurting black women https://www.thenopebook.com/activism/intersectionality-black-women/

 

If you listen, you’ll find some ways to help stop unconscious bias in your organization and make things more equitable and just for everyone. Why do we NAME IT? Because

 

“Changing the world means changing the story, the names, and the language with which we describe it. Calling things by their true names cuts through the lies that excuse, disguise, avoid, or encourage inaction, indifference, obliviousness in the face of injustice and violence.”  -Rebecca Solnit

 

We reference some aspects of white supremacy culture in the interview- including: perfectionism, defensiveness, sense of urgency, paternalism, power hoarding, fear of open conflict, and right to comfort