In conjunction with EPIP's PCN gathering in November 2013, and together with the Proteus Fund and the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice at Harvard University, EPIP co-hosted a workshop and session on “The Science of Wringing Out Racial Bias ” that was free and open to the public. The workshop was presented by Johanna Wald of the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute. It was immediately followed by a panel discussion between Denise Porche, Executive Director of the Island Foundation, Amber Bradley, Director of Assessment Tools at the Center for Effective Philanthropy, and EPIP’s own Rahsaan Harris to discuss the philanthropic implications of implicit bias, and was moderated by Andrew Grant-Thomas, Director of Programs at the Proteus Fund.

Read more

This post was authored by Chaletta Huertas, Program Officer at GMA Foundations, and appeared originally in the National Center for Family Philanthropy’s column, Voices from the Field.

Historically, only a small percentage of philanthropic dollars goes to communities of color, goes to organizations led by people of color, or comes from people of color.  For many people, the word ‘philanthropist’ itself conjures up images of elderly white gentlemen in business suits. Has this changed much in today’s society which some would call ‘post-racial’? 

Read more

On November 5th and 6th, EPIP held its People of Color Network Gathering (formerly, the Professional Development Fund or PDF) at Harvard University. For those of you who don't already know, PCN offers participants access to professional development training and intergenerational learning opportunities, with the intent of diversifying and retaining people of color within the sector. The content of the PCN gathering itself is three-fold: 1) personal connections to social justice work; 2) understanding structural racism; and 3) bringing this work back home. EPIP’s Executive Director, Rahsaan Harris, acted as lead facilitator, with additional support from Hehershe Busuego of The Boston Foundation.

Read more

This year's People of Color Network (PCN) Gathering will take place on November 5th and 6th in Boston. This is the 7th gathering of our members of color. PCN gatherings provide participants with opportunities to explore identity, race, and social impact. The content of PCN gathering itself is three-fold: 1) personal connections to social justice work; 2) understanding structural racism; and 3) bringing this work back home. Participant responses are resoundingly positive; we hope you'll come find out for yourself.

Read more

This post was authored by Hayley Roberts, Program Associate, Campaign for Black Male Achievement at Open Society Foundations and member of the EPIP-NY Steering Committee. It appears here as part of the EPIP-JAG blogging partnership, “Wit and Wisdom”.   For many the “not guilty” verdict handed down in the George Zimmerman trial this summer came not as a shock but as a confirmation that prejudice and racial bias continue to have a very real effect on the way our criminal justice system operates. Others did not understand how accusations of racism could be cast from a seemingly “color blind” trial. This interview with Rachel Godsil of the American Values Institute breaks down the research behind the understanding of implicit bias and how it changes the way we perceive others, even in spite of our best intentions. Though implicit bias can hamper the progress of individual racial relations, it is important to note that the very act of acknowledging one’s own bias can make a huge difference. Read more