Members are the beating heart and lifeblood of EPIP and as we prepare for Thanksgiving holidays, we are incredibly grateful for each and every one, whether you are part of an Institutional Membership or have joined on your own. In celebration of all our members, today we launch the publication of a series of blog posts written by EPIP's People of Color Network (PCN).

PCN 2015 convened as a delegation at the Policy Link Equity Summit was a rich and powerful experience for participants. 

This post was authored by Sharon Rice, Director of Community Relations at Generocity.org and member of EPIP Philadelphia. Sharon attended this year’s People of Color Network gathering in Boston. Following are her reflections on the convening.

The People of Color Network (PCN) came together for a gathering in Cambridge Massachusetts and, as a member of EPIP Philadelphia, I saw this as an opportunity to connect with more of my peers working in the foundation community. It was an uplifting and inspiring couple of days, and I walked away from the event with one thing on my mind: the science of connection.

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.

This post was authored by Surabhi Pandit, Public Policy Fellow at the Council of Michigan Foundations, who shares with us her experiences at EPIP’s People of Color Network Gathering held in November 2013.

I always thought that the cliché phrase ‘you are not alone’ was often overused and never fully applicable to situations when I heard someone say it. When I participated in the EPIP People of Color Network’s gathering last month, I experienced a hodgepodge of unique and unusual feelings from start to finish—those of complete affirmation, solidarity, and camaraderie among complete strangers…and for the first time in a long time, I didn’t feel alone. 

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’? 

This post was authored by Lydia Nylander, of the U.S. Department of Justice, who attended EPIP’s People of Color Network Gathering last month.

For me, November in Boston usually generates thoughts of unconscionable temperatures and an abrupt introduction to hypothermia. However, I can only feel that the unseasonable warm weather that greeted me at the EPIP People of Color Network (PCN) Gathering was a sign of how unorthodox my time at this session would turn out to be.

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.

Hispanic Heritage Month just ended on October 15, and we would be remiss not to acknowledge it and EPIP's Latino roots. Many don't realize that people of color were at the center of EPIP's formation.

Most know the story of how Rusty Stahl founded EPIP with a group of like-minded people back in 2001. However, EPIP's staff recently discovered that one of Rusty's compadres was a Latino Program Associate from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Alejandro Amezcua.

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.

Martin Luther King, Jr. is the model of a leader. He is the prototype for the kind of leader EPIP strives to create. It is a lofty goal but it is the marker we must set if we are building a movement of people committed to making the world more just, equitable, and sustainable.

I was fortunate to travel to Washington, DC on the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Justice. I boarded a bus in the early morning hours of August 28th with my Big Brothers Big Sisters mentee and a former student of mine from my teaching days and his two sons.