DIVERSITY-INCLUSION-EQUITY: Stand for Social Justice

Click here to watch the documentary.

Click here to view the discussion guide.

These groups have initiatives to advance and enhance diversity, inclusion, and equity throughout Chester County. We convene regularly to update and share ideas. Know of an initiative we should add? Email jamison@chescocf.org.

NONPROFITS
Black Light Projects – Phoenixville
Black Women of Chester County In Action
Casa Guanajuato
Communities That Care – Phoenixville
Chester County Chamber of Business and Industry
Chester County Economic Development Council
Chester County History Center
Chester County Intermediate Unit – DEI Leadership
Chester County OIC
Diversity in Action – Phoenixville
Domestic Violence Center of Chester County
Hadley
LGBT Equality Alliance of Chester County
MLK Community Action
NAACP West Chester, PA Branch
Orion Communities
People’s Light & Theatre
Revival Productions
Voices Underground
Young Men and Women in Charge
YMCA Brandywine Valley

FUNDERS
Alliance for Health Equity
Chester County Community Foundation
Fund for Women & Girls
Phoenixville Community Health Foundation
United Way of Chester County
United Way of Southern Chester County

HOSPITALS
Chester County Hospital
Paoli Hospital

RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS
St. Paul’s Baptist Church
Tabernacle Baptist Church
Quaker Meeting-New London Friends

GOVT – COUNTY
Chester County Commissioners’ Office
Chester County Department of Community Development
Chester County Department of Human Services
Chester County Health Department
ChesCo Law Enforcement Task Force on Race & Justice

GOVT – LOCAL
Coatesville
Kennett Borough Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs
Oxford
Phoenixville
West Chester

EDUCATION – UNIVERSITY
Cheyney University – Diversity Inclusion & Social Responsibility
Lincoln University – Office of Institutional Equity
WCU – Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
WCU – Center for Civic Engagement & Social Impact

EDUCATION
Chester County Intermediate Unit – DEI Leadership
Avon Grove School District
Coatesville Area School District
Downingtown Area School District
Great Valley School District
Octorara Area School District
Owen J Roberts School District
Oxford Area School District
Phoenixville Area School District
Tredyffrin-Easttown School District
Twin Valley School District
Unionville-Chadds Ford School District
West Chester Area School District

This calendar is for social justice events and programs, focused on diversity, inclusion and equity, happening in and around Chester County. Know of an event we should add? Email jamison@chescocf.org.

For more upcoming events, visit:
Chester County History Center
NAACP West Chester, PA Branch
WCU Dowdy Multicultural Center
Voices Underground

Philanthropy’s Role in Social Justice

“Philanthropy is commendable, but it should not allow the philanthropist to overlook the economic injustice which makes philanthropy necessary.” – MLK

As explained by the National Center for Family Philanthropy, philanthropists must have “a deeper openness and commitment to fully understand history and our role as perpetrators of injustice, whether we realize it or not.”

Why It Matters to Turn the Mirror on Ourselves (NCFP)

PHILANTHROPY MUST ADVOCATE

“When pursued strategically, philanthropy and advocacy are like two sides of the same coin. Their practitioners both take action in service of needed social change, seeking to realize visions of a better world, and it’s rare that either set can achieve the goals it seeks without the other.”

Why Strategic Philanthropy (Almost) Always Involves Advocacy (Arabella Advisors)

Nonprofit Quarterly urges philanthropists to “understand that our specific programmatic interventions and strategies must serve a larger collective vision. Our struggle is mutual—and our liberation is mutual.”

Dear Philanthropy: These Are the Fires of Anti-Black Racism (NPQ)

Say Their Names: Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, Dion Johnson (NFG)

FUND ORGANIZATIONS LED BY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES

Philanthropists must consciously work to allocate funding to organizations led by communities of color.

“Many grant makers try to take a colorblind approach to reviewing grants as a well-meaning effort to advance equity. But that is actually the crux of the problem.”

The Chronicle of Philanthropy explains: “Race is one of the most reliable predictors of life expectancy, academic achievement, income, wealth, physical and mental health, maternal mortality, and so much else that make a difference for a person to achieve well-being. Donors who care about supporting social change must take more deliberate action to achieve racial equity.”

The Racial Funding Gap Can’t Continue in the Pandemic (The Chronicle of Philanthropy)

“Looking ahead to 2021, philanthropy will need to address the funding gap—the amount of funding available for organizations supporting women and girls— and the equity gap—the amount of funding available for organizations supporting women and girls of color, and those facing other intersectional disadvantages.”

Philanthropy Needs To Address The Funding And Equity Gaps For Women And Girls (Forbes)

On the Precipice (The Libra Foundation)

CONTINUE PATTERNS OF COVID-19 GRANTMAKING

Funders must continue the patterns of grantmaking that emerged during the COVID-19 crisis: increased funding, more flexibility, and funding for advocacy.

For info about COVID-19 philanthropy: A Transformative Moment for Philanthropy (McKinsey & Company).

MacKenzie Scott, an emerging leader in the philanthropy world, is changing the landscape of charitable giving. “By disbursing her money quickly and without much hoopla, Ms. Scott has pushed the focus away from the giver and onto the nonprofits she is trying to help. They are the types of organizations — historically Black colleges and universities, community colleges and groups that hand out food and pay off medical debts — that often fly beneath the radar of major foundations.”

Giving Billions Fast, MacKenzie Scott Upends Philanthropy (New York Times)

Funders, this crisis is the time to significantly increase funding (Nonprofit AF)

CREATE SOLUTIONS WITH THE GUIDANCE OF DIVERSE LEADERS

The National Center for Family Philanthropy encourages philanthropists to create solutions with the guidance of those who have experience with racial inequality.

“Crises demand urgent and swift action. However, moving fast can mean relying on established relationships, tight networks, and top-down decision-making. As a result, leaders of color who have inequitable access to the philanthropic community can be barred entry, and solutions may be crafted without the guidance from the lived experience of those closest to the problem.”

“When responding to urgent need, funders need to pause and consider how their own biases and funding practices may perpetuate inequities, and exacerbate the very problems they aspire to alleviate.”

Make This Moment a Tipping Point, Not a Tragedy (National Center for Family Philanthropy)

COMMIT TO SOCIAL JUSTICE & EQUALITY

In an interview with The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Kerrien Suarez, Executive Director of Equity in the Center urges philanthropists to not only release statements about racial equality but transform those statement into concrete action.

“The question going forward from here is, what will they do in the days ahead to live into those values? Because as of today, the overwhelming majority of organizations that released statements with those words in it do not have a culture where the black people who work there feel that they are valued as equal to white people.”

Statements About George Floyd Are a Start, but How Will Organizations Live Their Values? (The Chronicle of Philanthropy)

Awake to Woke to Work: Building a Race Equity Culture (Equity in the Center)

Tool Kit: How Foundations Can Foster Diversity and Inclusion (The Chronicle of Philanthropy)

Tool Kit: How to Diversify Your Nonprofit’s Board (The Chronicle of Philanthropy)

Woke at Work Blog (Equity in the Center)

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Our Vision: The Community Foundation is a philanthropic catalyst for positive change, strategically and intentionally engaging donors and partners to address the common good, while transforming our region into a better place for all.

In accordance with our vision statement, the Community Foundation stands for diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice. As a Community Foundation, equity and justice are part of our core values. We encourage you to engage in conversation about these topics respectfully, so we can learn and grow together. 

Please note: The views and opinions expressed in the articles below are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Chester County Community Foundation.

Donate to the CCCF Social Justice Fund

RESOURCES FOR LEARNING & SUPPORT

Diversity has many facets including race, ethnicity, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, economic status, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, and other ideologies.

We have broken down a few areas of focus to foster an inclusive resource guide for the community:

RACIAL JUSTICE

Following the wake of COVID-19, the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and too many other unarmed Black men, women, and children to name have caused a global uprising against racial discrimination and inequality. The organizations listed below are fighting for racial equity in Chester County.

Black Women of Chester County in Action

Chester County Opportunities Industrialization Center (CCOIC)

Coatesville Youth Initiative

La Comunidad Hispana

Latino Luncheon MeetUp West Chester 

Charles A Melton Arts & Education Center

MLK CommUNITY of the Greater Kennett Area

NAACP (West Chester, PA Branch)

Parkesburg Point

St Paul’s Baptist Church (West Chester)

Voices Underground

CLICK HERE for more resources on racial equity.

STOP ASIAN HATE

“We have made progress together for our communities, but invisibility remains one of our [Asian American and Pacific Islanders’] greatest barriers to investment and action.” – Chronicle of Philanthropy

Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been an rapid rise in racism and discrimination again Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI). A study by the Center for the Student of Hate & Extremism determined that while overall hate crimes decreased by 7% in 2020, anti-Asian hate crimes rose by nearly 150%. And according to Stop AAPI Hate, Pennsylvania was included in the top five states where anti-Asian hate incidents have occurred in 2020 and 2021. 

WHAT CAN PHILANTHROPY DO TO STOP ASIAN HATE?

  • Send a clear message about your institution’s position on anti-Asian violence and all hate-based actions.
  • Disrupt the “model minority” and “perpetual foreigner” narratives alongside other racial tropes.
  • Support Asian American and Pacific Islander organizations as part of regular grant making.
  • Honor and support cross-racial efforts that strengthen rather than divide the United States along racial lines.

As Violence Against Asian Americans Intensifies, the Moment for Philanthropy to Act Is Now (Chronicle of Philanthropy)

It’s Time for Philanthropy to Address Its Erasure of AAPI Voices and Perspectives (Center for Effective Philanthropy)

GENDER EQUALITY & WOMEN’S RIGHTS

While there has been significant progress for gender equality over the decades, many obstacles remain that limit opportunities for women. Women disproportionally experience sexual violence, workplace discrimination, and limited access to fundamental healthcare services including reproductive rights. The organizations listed below provide resources, support, and opportunities for women in Chester County.

Chester County Fund for Women and Girls

Domestic Violence Center of Chester County

Crime Victims’ Center of Chester County

REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE

“An important but controversial era in public policy ended with [the] Supreme Court ruling allowing states to outlaw abortion. Philanthropy and nonprofits have played large roles on both sides of the fight over legalized abortion, and they will have even more to do as a new era unfolds.”

Supreme Court’s Abortion Decision Prompts New Challenges for Philanthropy (The Chronicle of Philanthropy)

Here’s How Philanthropy Can Protect Access to Abortion in a Post-‘Roe v. Wade’ World (The Chronicle of Philanthropy)

To Ensure Abortion Access After ‘Roe v. Wade,’ Philanthropic Support Must Shift From National to Local Groups (The Chronicle of Philanthropy)

How Philanthropy Can Unite in Protecting Abortion Access and Reproductive Justice (Inside Philanthropy)

Know Your Rights: Reproductive Health Care

DIVERSITY OF GENDER IDENTITY & SEXUAL ORIENTATION

Many people face daily discrimination based on their gender identity and/or sexual orientation. Whether we have been victims or perpetrators of gender and sexual discrimination, the organizations listed below can provide a greater understanding of and support to overcome this type of oppression.

Chester County Fund for Women and Girls

Chester County Network of Care

LGBT Equality Alliance of Chester County

Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians & Gays (PFLAG)

Unitarian Congregation of West Chester

United Church of Christ East Goshen

Phoenixville Area Social Concerns Committee

Additional Resources:

Key Terms and Concepts in Understanding Gender Diversity and Sexual Orientation

LGBTQ+ Financial Support and Resources

LGBTQ+ Financial Guide to Becoming a Parent

Financing & Support for Gender Confirmation Surgery

FAITH-BASED JUSTICE

We are lucky to live in a country that recognizes and respects our religious freedom. Even so, many people face discrimination based on how they pray, who they pray to, or due to their lack of formal religious beliefs. The organizations listed below provide resources and guidance to help us all overcome religious discrimination.

Jewish Federation Greater Philadelphia

Kesher Israel Congregation West Chester

Islamic Society of Chester County

Willow Branch Sangha

West Chester Community Evangelical Church

DEI CONSULTANTS

Here is a list of consultants who have been referred to the Chester County Community Foundation for diversity, equity, and inclusion training. Consultants who specialize in arts and culture nonprofits are highlighted yellow.

To add or edit consultants to this list, please email Jamison Ludgate at jamison@chescocf.org.

Check out this Bridges Out of Poverty presentation by Kate Deneker of the Southern Chester County Opportunity Network.

MORE SOCIAL JUSTICE LINKS