Our Commitment to Racial Justice
People of color represent nearly 70% of all Brooklyn’s residents, yet there are significant racial disparities in the distribution of power, resources, and opportunities in our communities. We strongly believe addressing systemic racism and injustice is the first step in our mission of building a more fair and just Brooklyn for everyone.
WHAT IS RACIAL JUSTICE?
We believe that all people should be equally seen, heard, valued, and respected. Our goal is racial justice, which we define as the systemic redistribution of power, opportunities, and access in order to achieve a society free of racial hierarchies. Through our investments in community-based programs and community-led advocacy for social change, we aim to increase the ability of Black, Indigenous, and all people of color to determine and sustain a fair and just future for themselves and their communities.
RACIAL JUSTICE LENS
Our institution-wide Racial Justice Lens was developed in partnership with a council of local and national experts. This framework ensures that we consider race as we analyze problems, look for solutions, and define success in our grantmaking, governance, and advocacy. We position the following at the core of our work on racial justice:
- Understanding and naming root causes of racial inequities
- Acknowledging historical trauma stemming from systemic racism
- Supporting opportunities for healing and empowerment
- Ensuring that those directly affected by structural racism are centered in decision-making
- Measure and track outcomes in advancement of racial justice through philanthropy
FOCUS AREAS
- Grantmaking to Brooklyn nonprofits that are addressing racial justice issues in their communities. Priority is given to organizations led by members of their communities and who center the voices of those directly impacted by structural racism in decision-making.
- Advocacy & Organizing to engage other funders, as well as institutional partners, in promoting and advancing racial equity.
- Racial Justice Workshops for both nonprofit leaders and donors to deepen their understanding of how racism is institutionalized in our systems and practices, and to create a foundation for new approaches.
GIVING FOR RACIAL JUSTICE
As part of our institutional commitment to racial justice, Brooklyn Community Foundation actively encourages our Donor Advised Fund holders to mobilize money and resources to dismantle systemic racism and repair centuries of devastation and injustice done to Black communities and all communities of color.
We are here to work with our Donor Advisors to dramatically increase giving to Black-led and people of color-led organizations working on the frontlines of the fight for social change. What guides all of the Foundation’s work is the belief that those who are closest to the challenges faced by our communities are closest to the solutions for our communities.