Insights to Impact

Just Brooklyn Prize Awards $100,000 To Five Brooklyn Racial Justice Champions

Liane Stegmaier — September 7, 2023

In partnership with the Joe and Clara Tsai Foundation’s Social Justice Fund, Brooklyn Community Foundation is thrilled to announce the winners of the inaugural Just Brooklyn Prize, which awards $100,000 to five outstanding BIPOC champions of racial justice in our borough. Each recipient will receive an unrestricted $20,000 grant in recognition of their contributions to the pursuit of racial and social justice in Brooklyn.

Selected by a committee of Brooklyn’s leaders – including The Brooklyn Circus Founder Ouigi Theodore, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights President & CEO Maya Wiley, and the host of Way Up With Angela Yee, Angela Yee – this year’s winners are:

Debra Ack, Founding Member, East NY Community Land Trust
La'Shawn Allen-Muhammad, Executive Director, Central Brooklyn Economic Development Corporation
Samora Coles, Founder, Alex House Project
C. Zawadi Morris, Founder, BK Reader
Chanel Porchia-Albert, Founder, Ancient Song Doula Services

Each of these Black women leaders exemplify the best that Brooklyn has to offer. Spanning the fields of journalism, women’s healthcare, economic development, and community organizing, their work demonstrates our borough’s true potential when we bring racial justice to the fore.

"Sparking real change requires visionary leaders,” our President & CEO Dr. Jocelynne Rainey shared. “The five winners of the inaugural Just Brooklyn Prize have helped make our borough a beacon in the movement for racial justice and we are deeply grateful to them.”

“The Just Brooklyn Prize recipients are on the ground combating some of the most pressing social justice issues of our time, from every angle, right here in Brooklyn,” Clara Wu Tsai, the founder of the Social Justice Fund and owner of the Brooklyn Nets, New York Liberty, and Barclays Center, said. “They lead by example and we are pleased to support their work."

The winners will be honored with an award ceremony at Barclays Center on Monday, September 18th.

Brooklyn Changemakers Ball: Meet the Honorees

Dr. Jocelynne Rainey — September 1, 2023

At this year's Brooklyn Changemakers Ball we are privileged to honor Congressman Hakeem Jeffries and Gabriel Schwartz and Jolie Curtsinger Schwartz for their changemaking commitment to the people of Brooklyn.

Rep. Jeffries is currently in his sixth term in Congress representing Brooklyn's diverse Eighth Congressional District. He is the Democratic Leader—the highest-ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives—unanimously elected by his colleagues last November.

In Congress, Rep. Jeffries is a tireless advocate for social and economic justice. He has worked hard to help residents recover from the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic, reform the criminal justice system, improve the economy for everyday Americans, and protect access to affordable healthcare.

Rep. Jeffries was born in Brooklyn Hospital, raised in Crown Heights and is a product of New York City’s public school system, having graduated from Midwood High School. He lives in Prospect Heights with his family.

Congressman Jeffries will be honored alongside immigrant rights champions Gabriel Schwartz and Jolie Curtsinger Schwartz during the inspiring and unforgettable night of celebration. Through Gabe and Jolie’s generous leadership and support, we established the Immigrant Rights Fund following the 2016 election to ensure a fair and just Brooklyn for all immigrants who call our borough home. Since then, the Fund has distributed over $2M to frontline organizations.

Gabe is Co-Deputy Executive Managing Member of Davidson Kempner Capital Management LP, a global investment management firm, which he joined in 2009. Prior to that, he was a Managing Director in the Special Situations Group at The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. Jolie is a theater, film, and television actor and producer. She is the founder and Artistic Director of InProximity Theatre Company and the founding producer of PROJECT W, a theater festival with a mission to present new works written by female-identifying playwrights. They live in DUMBO with their two children.

This will be a night to remember, celebrating some of Brooklyn’s greatest champions—and major news about our future. We look forward to seeing you on October 12th!

Introducing Brooklyn Gives Nonprofit Connection

Jameela Syed — August 23, 2023

We are thrilled to share that this fall, as part of our new website launch, we will be hosting a new directory of local nonprofits called Brooklyn Gives Nonprofit Connection!

Located at nonprofits.brooklyn.org, Brooklyn Gives Nonprofit Connection will be a first-of-its-kind platform to showcase all the incredible nonprofits that call the borough home.

Any Brooklyn-serving nonprofit can create and manage a profile that features its mission, programs, volunteer opportunities, Board and staff leadership, and more—and receive donations!

Brooklyn Gives Nonprofit Connection is an extension of our Brooklyn Gives on Giving Tuesday campaign, which has helped raised millions for local nonprofits since 2016. This new platform offers a year-round resource for local donors to learn about local nonprofits beyond Giving Tuesday.

If your nonprofit previously participated in Brooklyn Gives, you can copy over your past profile and information when registering. If you're new to the site, registration is also simple. The site is administered by our Brooklyn Gives tech partners at GiveGab and they manage all support requests at CustomerSuccess@GiveGab.com.

Join us for a special informational webinar next Tuesday, August 29th at 1PM to learn more about this new platform, including tips for completing your nonprofit's profile.

Registration is open now at nonprofits.brooklyn.org, and donation functionality will be turned on in mid-October when we launch our new website! Learn more here.

Join Us at the Brooklyn Changemakers Ball — October 12th!

Elizabeth Park — August 17, 2023

Tickets and tables are now on sale for our Brooklyn Changemakers Ball on October 12, 2023!

This will be a night to remember, celebrating some of Brooklyn’s greatest champions — including Congressman Hakeem Jeffries and longstanding champions for immigrant rights Gabriel Schwartz and Jolie Curtsinger Schwartz — and major news about our future.

We look forward to seeing you in October!

Event Chairs

Hilary Jager

Lawanna Kimbro

Shelley Stewart III

Host Committee

Crystal Bobb-Semple

Katharine and Peter Darrow

Michelle DeFossett and Victor Banks

Lauren Glant and Michael Gillespie

Nicole Gueron and Carter Strickland

Hilary and Edwin Jager

Melissa and Zul Jamal

Lawanna Kimbro

Vivian Liao Korich and Daniel Korich

Meera and Harsha Marti

Marji Molavi and John Rizio-Hamilton

Kate and Ryan Ogg

Andi Phillips and Paul Hinton

Melissa Prober and Dana Hughes

JJ and Chelsea Redick

Sabrina and Oleg Rezzy

Shaheen Rushd

Connie and John Sargent

Juanita Scarlett and Errol Louis

Gabriel Schwartz and Jolie Curtsinger Schwartz

Sedreddine & Whoriskey, LLP

Monica and Vishal Sheth

Rochelle and Shelley Stewart III

Rabbi Rachel Timoner

Sarah Williams

A Black Philanthropy Month Conversation with Dr. Meisha Porter

Jameela Syed — August 16, 2023

Our President & CEO Dr. Jocelynne Rainey recently sat down with Chevelle Dixon, the founder and managing director of Pan-African Solutions Consulting LLC, and Dr. Meisha Porter, Bronx Community Foundation’s President & CEO for a conversation hosted by The Association of Fundraising Professionals New York City Chapter in celebration of Black Philanthropy Month.

Together, the three talk about the Black funding principles and the ways their organizations align with these pillars of agency, creativity, and trust.

Watch the whole conversation below:

Aging in Brooklyn: How We’re Helping Older Adults to Age Safely and Joyously at Home

Dr. Jocelynne Rainey — August 14, 2023

My daily schedule is typically jam packed with meetings, calls, emails, and connecting with nonprofits and partners across our borough. And whenever I find one of those oh-so-elusive moments of solitude, I often reflect on how Brooklyn Community Foundation can be more innovative in meeting the needs of the people living in our communities. I wish I could say that I’ve cracked the code on all the challenges we face. But as of late, there’s an African proverb that regularly comes to mind: “Those who respect the elderly pave their own road toward success.”

Did you know that there are approximately 1.17 million adults aged 65 and older living in New York City? Nearly a third of them live in Brooklyn, which translates to 13% of the 2.6 million people living here. Meanwhile, the poverty rate among Brooklyn’s older adult population is nearly 21%, according to a recent study by The Center for an Urban Future. If the forecasts are correct, this figure is likely to increase, especially among the older adults in our immigrant communities.

I have to say that it really boggles the mind that we, as a nation, aren’t doing a better job taking care of our community of elders. Even though the older adults among us hold a special place in our hearts, their needs are often overlooked and ignored.

“From a policy perspective, we need to ask whether support for nonprofits that are supporting vulnerable communities is increasing in step with their needs,” Jo-Ann Yoo, executive director of the Asian American Federation, recently said to me. “Senior work isn’t sexy, but it’s so important.”

Still, I’m heartened by the number of nonprofits focused on improving the lives of older adults. I’m especially proud that we play a key part in this effort.

Four years ago, we announced a new, permanent commitment to the care and welfare of older adults in Brooklyn, made possible by the CABS Community Foundation and the Fund for the Health & Integrity of Seniors at Brooklyn Community Foundation, whose assets come from the sale of two local nursing homes.

This June, we announced $1,485,000 in new funding to support 14 local nonprofits working with older Brooklynites, among whom is Asian American Federation and Bridge Street Development Corporation which works with low-moderate income residents across Central Brooklyn. Our grant will support Bridge Street’s 92-unit Quincy Senior Residences, an affordable, independent living building with a diverse array of health and wellness, educational, social, and recreational programming for residents and older adults from the surrounding community

Bridge Street’s President and CEO Gregory Anderson told me how heartened they are to be among this great group of organizations, many of whom are new grantees to Brooklyn Community Foundation. “We are particularly proud that this grant was awarded through the Foundation’s participatory grantmaking approach, and that older adults from across Brooklyn came together to review our grant application and determined that we were the right organization to receive the funding.”

As part of our growing commitment to older adults, we participated in the Age-Friendly Brooklyn Task Force, a group of 30 Brooklyn-based organizations that identified 10 top recommendations for making Brooklyn a better home for all. Unsurprisingly, housing was the number one priority.

“In the Asian American communities, I’ve seen high levels of what I call ‘hidden homelessness’ — with living conditions that would make you want to sob,” Yoo explained. “Just imagine 10 adults living on top of one another.”

Since 1989, the Asian American Federation (AAF) has been a leadership organization in New York serving 1.5 million Asian New Yorkers.

“There has been a severe housing crisis in New York City for many years, and in Brooklyn, the supply of affordable housing has been shrinking, even as demand has increased,” says Anderson. “For example, from 2010 to 2020, the population of Brooklyn swelled by 230,000 but only 79,000 new housing units were added. There is a need to redefine what affordability means for our community. A term becoming more widely used is ‘income-targeted’ housing.”

I wish I could say housing was the only challenge facing older adults. Other aging-in-place issues relate to safety for seniors, access to public transportation, medical and mental health services, outdoor spaces, social participation, and even employment opportunities.

“In our work, we’ve found that many elders aren’t fluent in English,” says Yoo. “To compound matters, they don’t have much in the way of incomes and don't qualify for social security. Meanwhile, as the enclaves where they’ve lived for so long are becoming more gentrified, where do they go? This is why it’s so important to have nonprofits that are guardians of the community.”

“I am continually encouraged and inspired by the spirit of community and resiliency that resides within the people of Central Brooklyn,” says Anderson. “Whenever I am with our young people, our business owners, our older adults, or being in the community, I always walk away with the feeling that the future for Brooklyn is bright.”

As the population of older adults continues to grow in our borough and around New York City, we know that we need to invest in the nonprofits who are showing up for this vulnerable population each and every day. That’s why I’m asking you to spread the word and please join me in supporting these nonprofits and the elders they serve.

10 Films and Shows to Watch This Black Philanthropy Month

Rodlyn-mae Banting — August 10, 2023

There are many ways to participate in Black Philanthropy Month that go beyond monetary giving. This year’s theme of Love and Action inspires us to “envision a field that moves beyond the rhetoric of philanthropy as love for humanity to make it real in Black communities.”

One way of embodying this love is by learning about the many facets of Black experiences around the world. The following documentaries, TV shows, and films shine light on different aspects of Black life and its relationship to the criminal justice system, labor, activism, joy, and much more.

Documentaries

I Am Not Your Negro (2016) - This Oscar-nominated documentary by Raoul Peck and narrated by Samuel L. Jackson explores the history of anti-Black racism in the United States based on a James Baldwin manuscript.

13th (2016) - Filmmaker Ava DuVernay explores the history of racial inequality in the United States, focusing on how the nation’s prisons are disproportionately filled with African Americans.

Radical Brownies (2017) - See what happens in this short documentary when young girls embrace activism. Not without controversy, the Radical Monarchs of California earn badges, not for sewing or selling cookies but for completing challenges on social justice.

Left Field: What Happened to All the Black Farmers? (2019) - Black farmers once made up 14 percent of America’s farmers. Today, they account for less than 2 percent. This NBC short documentary explores how racial discrimination and unjust practices affect farming families.

Unwavering: The Power of Black Innovation (2022) - This documentary celebrates the long legacy of Black innovation through portraits of nine Black leaders supported by Echoing Green's Black Male Achievement Fellowship. Guests include Dr. Cory Greene, Deanna Van Buren, Damon Packwood and Dr. Cheryl Dorsey.

TV & Films

Selma (2014) - This Oscar-nominated historical drama is based on the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches in Alabama, led by Southern civil rights movement leaders.

American Son (2019) - In this dramatic film, time passes and tension mounts in a Florida police station as parents await news of their missing teenage son.

Just Mercy (2019) - Just Mercy is a legal drama based on Bryan Stevenson’s memoir about America’s broken criminal justice system.

Lionheart (2018) - In this Nigerian comedic drama produced by Chinny Onwugbenu and directed by Genevieve Nnaji, a woman looking to prove her worth steps up to the challenge of working with her crude and eccentric brother when her father is forced to take a step back due to health issues.

Woke (2020) - Inspired by the life and work of artist Keith Knight, the comedy series WOKE takes an absurdly irreverent look at identity and culture as it follows Keef, an African American cartoonist finally on the verge of mainstream success when an unexpected incident changes everything. With a fresh outlook on the world around him, Keef must now navigate the new voices and ideas that confront and challenge him, all without setting aflame everything he’s already built.

5 Podcasts for Nonprofit Leaders This Black Philanthropy Month

Rodlyn-mae Banting — August 2, 2023

As nonprofit leaders, a great way to show your support during Black Philanthropy Month is by learning more about the intersections between race and philanthropy. Whether on your commute to work or during an evening stroll, there are plenty of ways to stay engaged as you enjoy the last few weeks of summer.

The podcasts below provide nonprofit practitioners with useful industry how-to’s, explore the diverse giving histories of Black cultures, and engage with larger discussions about the challenges and unique victories of being Black in philanthropy.

The Black Fundraisers Podcast with Kia Croom sheds light on the challenges Black fundraisers contend with and how they find the motivation to carry on in spite of them.
A. Nicole Campbell’s Build Up Advisor Group is the first Black female-founded advisory group focused exclusively on social sector infrastructure design. Their podcast, Nonprofit Build Up, facilitates conversations between Campbell and nonprofit experts on the in’s and out’s of the industry.
In Nonprofit Lowdown, Rhea Wong reviews and recommends the best ideas, resources, tools, tricks and tips to run your nonprofit like a pro.
The Giving Black Podcast is the world’s first podcast dedicated to Black philanthropy and generosity across the African continent, to the Caribbean, Europe, to North America, South America, and across the globe.
Possibility Project is a BIPOC-led open conversation series that keeps the big, bold, and not often-discussed topics at the forefront of their work in disrupting the social sector.

Join Congressman Hakeem Jeffries at our Brooklyn Changemakers Ball — October 12th!

Jenny Walski — July 27, 2023

We are thrilled to announce that we will be honoring Congressman Hakeem Jeffries and longstanding champions for immigrant rights Gabriel Schwartz and Jolie Curtsinger Schwartz at our Brooklyn Changemakers Ball on October 12, 2023!

The Brooklyn Changemakers Ball is both a celebration and a powerful call to action. Guests will enjoy a conversation with Rep. Jeffries on the future of our borough and nation, a vibrant cocktail reception, and a post-dinner dance party.

This will be a night to remember, celebrating some of Brooklyn’s greatest champions — and major news about our future.

We look forward to seeing you in October!

For information about tickets and sponsorships, please call our Event Office at (212) 600-0324 or email Chinelem Chukwu at chinelem@glowglobalevents.com.

Our Statement on the City's Reforms for Nonprofit Payments

Dr. Jocelynne Rainey — July 21, 2023

Yesterday’s announcement from Mayor Adams’ administration and New York City Comptroller Brad Lander is a step in the right direction, and we are grateful that nonprofits will now receive expedited payments on crucial work that has kept this city alive.

We know firsthand that so many nonprofits around our city have been faced with the impossible choice to either cut back on providing essential services, or to continue services without pay.

It is my hope that the nonprofit contracting process will only continue to improve from here, so that nonprofits do not have to carry the city’s debt on their shoulders.