I hope you are finding rest and warmth as we traverse this season of transitions.
In our home, the little ones and I have been tracking the colors of the leaves and we've been celebrating with loved ones the Mid-Autumn Festival and the upcoming Día de Muertos. Fall has already been filled with reminders that change is an invitation to communal attention and care.
🍂 So then, what might be this season's call for philanthropy to hold change (adrienne maree brown) alongside communities both through the midterm elections and beyond?
We have been fortunate enough to hear from movement leaders on this from our recent events.
On September 15, we co-hosted with Ford Foundation (with many other amazing co-sponsors) Indiana: Co-Governance in Action, a virtual funder briefing featuring Faith in Indiana and the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform.
➡️ Panelists clearly demonstrated that every path forward for our country goes through the Midwest - and Indiana is leading the way through co-governance, a movement vehicle laser focused on power building and developing grassroots leaders.
On September 28, we co-sponsored the third session in our Midterm Election Series with Integrated Rural Strategies Group and Heartland Fund: Winning Jobs Narrative: Civic Engagement using a framework for working people across race and place. (Don't forget to register for our last session!)
➡️ Guest speakers brilliantly explained that through centering lived experience, shared values, and the importance of working class people, we can organize effectively to create more just policies for all communities.
On October 13, we co-hosted with Integrated Rural Strategies Group A Conversation with Black Oaks Center, a program of our Campaign to Support BIPOC Farmers.
➡️ Leaders of the Black Oaks Center powerfully described their organizing work as a resilience practice that protects their community and land. When Black families in Pembroke, Illinois can keep and use their land with self-determination, all communities move towards possibility and racial, land, and food justice.
As movements continue to enter difficult battles for our future, I invite us, in philanthropy, to fiercely and lovingly grapple with:
🍂 What is the transformation we must take on in ourselves and institutions to facilitate more abundance for movements so we do not burden the already difficult work of change?
🍂 How do we move with clarity on what is truly urgent to communities?
🍂How can we show up in community care for movements?
I hope this newsletter holds additional answers and inspiration. It is a resource that funders and grassroots organizations in our community continue to contribute to. And I am so grateful for this.
Thank you for being in community with Midwest Organizing Infrastructure Funders. I am always excited to connect to discuss how we can deepen our collaboration and partnership.
Posted 10/24/2022 in
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