In this interview, MCF diversity fellow Tawanna Black discusses with Shawn Lewis his reactions to Susan Taylor Batten’s speech about philanthropy’s leadership challenge, encouraging diversity among positions of power within philanthropic organizations. Lewis, Trustee of the Pan African Community Endowment at The Saint Paul Foundation and the MCF Inclusivity Committee, builds on Batten’s message by sharing experiences from his own work helping organizations create inclusive practices.
To create true inclusion that drives results for an organization, Lewis notes that it takes focus, commitment, deep authentic relationships with communities of color and an enduring will to do the work.
If you’d like to explore the issue of racial diversity in the independent sector further, Lewis has recommended a couple of resources. In this Blog Talk Radio interview with Rosetta Thurman, Lewis and a number of other guests share their perspectives on how to involve people of color more deeply in nonprofit work, and how their inclusion is essential to success of programs within their communities.
If you’re a person of color considering a career or looking to further your career in the independent sector, Lewis has also shared with us this document (pdf) that outlines pathways to leadership and career development in the field.
Join the conversation: Has your organization taken on the challenge to cultivate diversity within the ranks of leadership? If so, what strategies have you developed? Please share them, and any resources you might have by commenting on this post.
-Cary Lenore Walski, MCF web communications associate
[...] style. For example, Minnesota Council on Foundations recently had MCF diversity fellow Tawanna Black lead a conversation on encouraging diversity among positions of power within philanthropic organizations, with several [...]