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

This post was authored by Paul Bachleitner, Project Director of Joint Affinity Groups (JAG) and was originally published on the JAG Blog. It appears here as part of the EPIP-JAG blogging partnership, “Wit and Wisdom”. Less than three weeks ago, the not guilty verdict in the trial of George Zimmerman for the shooting death of Trayvon Martin rocked the nation. The outrage directed at Zimmerman and stand your ground laws was merited, but it might have been better directed at the policies and structural barriers that cast men and boys of color as criminals and wary citizens in a shoot-first mentality. Read more

Post-racial America?! A week before the 2013 @EPIPNational Conference in Chicago, Dr. Emmett Carson was the Clinton Scholar in Residence at the Clinton School of Public Service in Little Rock, Arkansas. During that week, he examined the implications of philanthropy’s perceptions of a ‘post-racial America’, and further posits reflections on the civic engagement of African American males. As usual, Dr. Carson’s voice challenges colleagues to examine our roles and commitment to authentic social change. Below is an excerpt Dr. Carson’s essay, Foundations and the Fallacy of Post-Racial America: African American Men and Civic Engagement. Please read it and share. We are interested in your thoughts.  Introduction Of all the questions of discrimination and prejudice that still exist in our society, the most perplexing one is the oldest, and in some ways today, the newest:  the problem of race.  Can we fulfill the promise of America by embracing all our citizens of all races.…  In short, can we become one America in the 21st century? With these words, former President Bill Clinton announced his intention to lead the American people in “a great and unprecedented conversation about race.” His hope was to create One America in which every citizen, regardless of race, recognizes their shared dreams and has access to equal opportunity.  Shared dreams and equal opportunity are the avenues through which citizens become engaged in the civic life of their communities, allowing strangers to become neighbors, strengthening the social fabric of America’s civil society.  Without question, the most visible example of the nation’s progress on race […] Read more

In early February 2013, five members of EPIP Boston attended the EPIP National Professional Development Fund Conference held in San Francisco, below are their reflections. Those who attended were Jessica Baylor, EPIP Boston member; Nakisha Lewis, EPIP Boston Co-chair; Hehershe Busuego, EPIP Boston Steering Committee member; Andrea Forsht, EPIP Boston Steering Committee member; and Marie-Frances Rivera, EPIP Boston member

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EPIP and JAG (the Joint Affinity Groups) are proud to announce the launch of Wit and Wisdom, a blogging collaboration. Featuring a monthly entry from individuals within our networks, it will highlight thought leadership about philanthropy, racial/social equity, and multigenerational change. Its lightening-hot interviews, essays, and case studies aim to provoke insightful discussion. The blog is jointly hosted on the EPIP and JAG websites. The writers are members of EPIP, JAG partners, and staff who are building awareness of the best ways to change the face of philanthropy. It’s a platform that gives new leaders a chance to lift up their own voices, where EPIP and JAG members have a means to explore the conversation on equity, multigenerationalism, and social change together. A successful collaboration will also engage the field and help transform philanthropy. Stay tuned for our first content piece, a reflection on EPIP’s people of color gathering, in just a few days! And find us at the EPIP conference and the Council on Foundations conference in Chicago, starting next week! Founded in 1993, JAG is a national network of six identity-based affinity groups of grantmaking professionals that pursues more equitable funding for all communities. EPIP, now 12 years old, develops extraordinary new leaders to enhance organized philanthropy and its impact on communities.   Read more