Equity, collaboration and asset framing: Smart ideas from Philanthropy Network’s 2018 conference

Philanthropy Network Greater Philadelphia Executive Director Sidney Hargro has spoken at length about the need for cross-sector collaboration and new ways of operating to solve Philadelphia’s biggest problems, including poverty.

One of those needed shifts: a focus on equity, not just diversity and inclusion, with a more intentional focus on the systems and biases that contributed to a lack thereof over time.

“The term diversity has been in the sector and been around for decades and longer,” said the nonprofit pro told Generocity in August, “but the reality is, if we achieve embedding equity not only in our work, but also in seeking equity in our communities, the other two are automatically there. You can’t achieve equity without diversity and inclusion.”

Following 2017’s “Vision, Voice, Values” and 2016’s “Toward a More Perfect Union,” Philanthropy Network’s 2018 annual conference, which convened a few hundred foundation heads, corporate social responsibility pros and nonprofit execs this past Friday at the Hilton Philadelphia at Penn’s Landing, was themed “Onramps to Equity in Action.”

First, a definition: Philanthropy Network thinks of equity as “fairness and justice for those who are disproportionately affected by structures, policies and practices due to race, ethnicity gender identity, sexual orientation, faith or some intersection of the above.”

And the definition of equity in action?

https://twitter.com/juliezeglen/status/1058351324763508736

Here were some of the other bold ideas shared at Friday’s conference.

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Morning keynote Rami Nashashibi, executive director of Chicago’s Inner-City Muslim Action Network, spoke of the need to question privilege and trust communities to know what’s best for them.

Thank you @RamiNashashibi! There is power in funding at the margins. 1) The margins are messy but malleable. 2) The margins resonate. 3) The margins are restorative. #PNfallcon18

— ScatterGOOD Foundation (@ScattergoodFdn) November 2, 2018

https://twitter.com/CapacityFC/status/1058356849857179648

https://twitter.com/juliezeglen/status/1058362136966127616

Resolve Philadelphia co-EDs Jean Friedman-Rudovsky and Cassie Hayes joined PhillyCAM ED Gretjen Clausing and Media Mobilizing Project ED Bryan Mercer to discuss their organizations’ creative models of sharing news and information. Don’t forget, “news and information” doesn’t just mean journalism; the public needs trustworthy info of all kinds to live healthy lives.

https://twitter.com/juliezeglen/status/1058377208711049216

Movements begin with the telling of untold stories. We’re trying to create a community of shared interests. Hard to do when info we’re consuming is so fragmented. @bscottmercer @mediamobilizing @philanthropyPHL #pnfallcon18

— Media Impact Funders (@MediaFunders) November 2, 2018

Best practices for collaboration popped up in several conversations.

Talking about #collaboration: If we know change happens at the speed of trust, what are we doing as funders that doesn’t acknowledge or support that truth? #PNFallCon18 pic.twitter.com/RB04tsKuld

— Philanthropy Network Greater Philadelphia (@philanthropyPHL) November 2, 2018

https://twitter.com/juliezeglen/status/1058388265017925633

Melissa Kim at the #PNfallCon18 reinforcing the value & urgent need for cross sector partnerships to achieve shared goals. We can’t be experts in all things- philanthropy dollars work smarter, not harder when we flex our expertise together. @LISC_Philly pic.twitter.com/bWYOy7pc58

— Jess Collazo (@JCo182) November 2, 2018

Lunchtime keynote and BMe cofounder Trabian Shorters spoke about the importance of asset framing, or a shift to narratives that define a people by their aspirations and assets rather than their challenges and deficits. (Read about Shorters’ call for funders and nonprofit folks to stop describing the people and communities they serve as “at-risk” and “low-income” here.)

2017 Leader List honoree and CSR pro Dominique Goss highlighted a salient point from Shorters’ talk: “People are not their circumstance.”

#assetframing
People are not their circumstance! #PNfallcon18 https://t.co/TshYhvmkAJ

— Dominique Goss (@dominique_goss) November 2, 2018

And Comcast VP Dalila Wilson Scott called upon funders to hold themselves and their peers accountable.

https://twitter.com/ComcastNBCUCI/status/1058421673278488576

Attendees, what do you think — was this question answered?

https://twitter.com/juliezeglen/status/1058352547549925382