Black Philanthropy Month Spotlight: The Audacity of Hope 2.0 & Building on ABFE’s Legacy of Resistance
The past two months have been one of the most tumultuous periods in United States political history. Calls for President Biden to step-aside and not seek re-election, an attempt to assassinate the former President, followed by President Biden’s announcement that he would not seek re-election, and his endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris for President of the United States, have only added to the already unprecedented political atmosphere.
On the evening of the announcement, a Zoom call organized to support Vice President Harris attracted more than 44,000 Black women and raised over $1.5 million for her campaign. The next evening, Black men followed suit, holding a call that attracted nearly 53,000 participants and raised an additional $1.3 million. The heightened energy leading to the collaborative efforts during the early weeks of Vice President Harris' campaign reflects the power of collective action—a principle central to ABFE’s work.
Hope has always been a cornerstone in Black philanthropic efforts, as illustrated by the nearly $3 million generated from these two calls. Whether it be a hyper-local effort to raise money for a rising college freshman or the collective efforts of thousands to fund a presidential campaign with national and potentially global impact, hope for a better future for Black people is the root. ABFE is transforming hope into actionable strategies that support and uplift Black communities.
As we celebrate Black Philanthropy Month 2024 this August, it’s important that we recognize the importance of Black philanthropy, and honor it as an act of resistance. Black philanthropy has always been a force for change, driving progress in communities and influencing broader societal shifts.
ABFE has a 53-year history of being both a beacon of hope and a symbol of resistance for Black people. Our tagline, “A Philanthropic Partnership for Black Communities” serves as a constant reminder for our staff and board that our role is to ensure that the values, voices, and needs of Black communities are not only recognized but also influential in this space. As an active form of resistance, Black philanthropy is not only activated when the outlook is positive. Black people also use philanthropic actions to ensure advances toward a more just and equitable society are reinforced – as was the case in the formation of the Racial Equity Advancement and Defense Initiative.
As the June 2023 Supreme Court decision that outlawed the use of race as a determining factor in higher education admissions was approaching, we were spurred into action. Led by our President and CEO, Susan Taylor Batten, ABFE launched the Racial Equity Advancement and Defense Initiative (READI). This initiative is a partnership between ABFE, Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy, Hispanics in Philanthropy, and Native Americans in Philanthropy to promote, expand, and defend race-explicit grantmaking and programming in institutional philanthropy.
Its four-part strategy centers on legal strategies, narrative change, and strategic communications to ensure a more robust philanthropic infrastructure for racial justice is built and effective for the long road ahead:
Legal Defense Fund: Establishing a fund to support nonprofits facing challenges due to their race-explicit grantmaking or programming, ensuring they have access to legal counsel.
Supporting Pro Bono Legal Support: Ensuring that existing pro bono legal support initiatives are funded and accessible to groups that need these resources.
READI Resource Bank: The creation and iterating of a comprehensive repository of tools and materials to aid nonprofits and foundations engaged in race-explicit grantmaking and programming, empowering them to continue their critical work.
Strategic Communications Campaign: Launching robust communications campaigns that focus on right-sizing the understanding of legal risks that foundations are currently facing and promoting the building of philanthropic infrastructure to promote, expand, and defend race-explicit grantmaking and programming.
Black commemorations celebrate our past achievements, recognize our current efforts to advance our communities, and allow us to imagine and inspire us to build a more equitable and just future for Black people. In today's climate of increasing attempts to undermine a multi-racial, multi-ethnic democracy, ABFE stands resolute in its commitment to racial equity and justice. READI exemplifies this commitment and adds to ABFE’s legacy of leading the field to be responsive and more accountable to Black communities, especially in times of crisis.
Happy Black Philanthropy Month!