Our 2021 Discovery Forum provided considerable food for thought, as ninety-nine girlfriends continues our journey to embed racial equity in all that we do. We heard from three philanthropic leaders about three very different approaches that their foundations or giving circles have taken to change grantmaking, investing, and organizational structure and culture. Read on for a summary the video recording.
Attend Deconstructing Racism
Join your fellow girlfriends on May 26, 5-6:30 pm for an evening of learning with Stephanie Montgomery, J.D., our Racial Equity and Inclusion Consultant. Register here to attend the Deconstructing Racism event.
For those who wish to serve as facilitators of small group follow-up discussions, Stephanie will offer a training session on May 22, 2-4 pm. Register here for the Facilitating with an Equity Lens training.
Discovery Forum – Embedding Equity in Philanthropy: Stories from the Field
Each year ninety-nine girlfriends hosts interactive education programs about a learning question. This year our question is “How Do We Embed Racial Equity in All That We Do?
Check out the speaker line-up for our Discovery Forum event on June 10, featuring other philanthropic organizations sharing the lessons they’ve learned in their own efforts to adapt and adopt ways of working to fulfill their racial equity goals.
2021: How Do We Embed Racial Equity in All That We Do?
In 2020 ninety-nine girlfriends and other collective giving circles participated in a program to explore how our organizations can embed racial equity in our activities, as an extension of our active commitment to diversity within our network. The program invited us to examine ways that our giving circles shape (1) values and shared beliefs, (2) leadership and governance, (3) internal and external language and visuals, (4) membership, (5) meeting style and structure, and (6) partnership processes with grantees and to make changes to become more inclusive.
Conversation Circle: Reducing Homelessness in Our Region
Our Safe Homes for All Spotlight Study Report focused on a number of specific challenges in trying to reduce houselessness, support people who are living on the streets, and create policy and funding to stem the crisis. What’s happening now in our community based on the passing of the recent bond measures? How might racial equity priorities alter the solutions enacted or proposed? What more can we do to continue making progress?
Event Dates: Tuesdays 6-7:30 pm May 11, May 18 and May 25, 2021
Discussion Guide: Click to Download
Circle Facilitators: Susan Rinker and Leslie Westphal
Conversation Circle: Impact/Sustainable Investing
Can you have investments aligned with the values, issues and causes you feel passionate about, and also get competitive returns? The answer is a resounding yes. Concern for the environment, social and racial justice, and integrity in governance can be found in abundance in financial products available to all investors. In these discussions, we will explore the world of impact investing and how to take the next step towards investing based on your own values.
Event Dates: Sundays 2-3:30 pm May 16, May 23 and June 6, 2021
Discussion Guide: Click to Download
Circle Facilitators: Jayni Kosoff and Sarah Cleveland
Conversation Circle: Strategies for Social Change
Social change, both structural and cultural, is the result of many actions. It can be slow or abrupt. What strategies advance social change? How do each of us invest in or participate in making social change? In these discussions we will apply a framework for social change in looking at issues in our community. We’ll use an equity lens to examine how strategies in play are incorporating racial justice issues in advancing change.
Event Dates: Mondays 12-1:30 pm May 10, May 17, and May 24, 2021
Discussion Guide: Click to Download
Circle Facilitators: Michelle McHugh and Deborah Edward
Conversation Circle: Women & Power
How can women use their power to change the world? In these discussions we’ll explore ways that women build and exercise power as individuals, in groups, and through institutions. We’ll identify sources of power, learn how it may differ between races, find new ways to make a difference in our communities, and be inspired by powerful women in our midst.
Event Dates: Tuesdays 6-7:30 pm May 11, May 18 and May 25, 2021
Discussion Guide: Click to Download
Circle Facilitators: Anina Estrem and Holly Vaughn Edmonds
Community Study Team Reports
2019 Lunch & Learn Series
Spotlight Study: Understanding Youth Mental Health
Today’s youth are tomorrow’s leaders. How can we support their social and emotional wellness during a time of social fragmentation, funding cuts, and uncertainty about the future? The Understanding Youth Mental Health 2020 Spotlight Report describes the issues and the limited resource available to support positive mental health of children and young adults, highlighting the incidence of depression, anxiety and behavior disorders. Learn about Oregon’s Student Success Act, and models for effective intervention and treatment, such as the bright spot of recent telemedicine efforts.
Spotlight Study: Improving Stewardship of our Natural World
Heat islands, pesticides and black carbon diesel pollution. These threats impact both our natural environment and our collective health. Learn from this Spotlight team about the specific actions you as an individual can take to become an effective steward of the natural world and influence sustainability policy.
Spotlight Study: Safe Homes For All
How can Portland solve its homelessness crisis? What actions can we take to prevent those at risk for homelessness from losing their home in the first place? The Safe Homes for All Spotlight Report explores several factors contributing to homelessness, including the local shortage of affordable housing, domestic abuse, and mental health issues. Learn about Portland’s recent policies and initiatives to provide more affordable housing and address some of the underlying causes of homelessness.
Spotlight Study: Reducing Racial Disparities in Our Community
In 2020, race is still a powerful indicator of outcomes in Portland. In light of nationwide calls for reforms to end systemic racism, this report shines a spotlight on racial disparities in our own community. Learn about the disproportionate COVID-19 infection rate among Oregon’s Latinx population, the challenges faced by students of color in Multnomah County, and the racial disparities within our criminal justice system that have sparked police reform efforts on both the local and state level.
Let's Talk About: Joining the Sustainability Movement
Event Date: September 3, 2020
Presentation Materials: Recording Part 1 | Recording Part 2 | Slides
Member Lisa Adatto shared the benefits of stepping into the sustainability movement.
Let's Talk About: The Race Paradigm in America
Event Date: August 5, 2020
Presentation Materials: Recording
Member Beth Tarasawa, Executive VP of Research at NWEA, shared findings from studies about the impact of school closings on student learning, sharing ideas about how individuals and communities can help through this challenging time for education.
Let's Talk About: Educational Impacts of COVID-19
Event Date: August 5, 2020
Presentation Materials: Recording
Member Beth Tarasawa, Executive VP of Research at NWEA, shared findings from studies about the impact of school closings on student learning, sharing ideas about how individuals and communities can help through this challenging time for education.
Let's Talk About: Life in Prison
Event Date: July 23, 2020
Presentation Materials: Recording
Members Anna Debenham and Roby Tenenbaum talked about Life in Prison, drawing on their experiences as volunteers working with people who have been incarcerated through the Insight Alliance. Learn more about their work in Anna’s Ted Talk.
Let's Talk About: Activism in Gun Violence
Event Date: July 9, 2020
Presentation Materials: Recording
Member Heidi Yewman shared her story of becoming an activist on behalf of preventing gun violence. Learn more about her work from her articles from MS Magazine and the Daily Beast (“My month with a gun”), her book “Beyond the Bullet”, and her movie Behind the Bullet.
Let's Talk About: Allyship
Event Date: June 25, 2020
Presentation Materials: Recording | Slides
The premiere of our series featured member Christine Moses, Diversity, Equity & Belonging Champion, who lead a conversation about allyship. She built on the ideas she shared with girlfriends in our e-mail sent during the first week of protests about racial injustice and police brutality.