By Keecha Harris, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, September 30, 2021
At the California Endowment, the focus on racial equity began long before the protests over the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and so many others who died in the hands of police on the job.
A decade ago, the organization tapped nonprofit leaders in 14 struggling communities across California to focus on health equity.
Robert Ross, the endowment’s CEO said he and his colleagues had begun to realize that the philanthropy couldn’t achieve its mission of improving health for all unless it made direct investments in organizations led by people of color who could develop solutions to problems faced by the people they serve — and learn to advocate effectively for policy and systems changes. The approach, he says, was not merely a result of some moral obligation but a strategic approach to achieving the endowment’s mission.
Comments (0)