"There’s so much work that needs to be done” - United Way's Racial Justice Fund
Alma Fumiko Hesus sharing about the Racial Justice Fund
United Way of Lane County launched a Racial Justice Fund in Fall 2021 as part of our 75th Anniversary celebrations. The purpose of the Fund is to move substantial resources to communities that have historically been prevented from accumulating wealth and shaping public policy.
In an effort to hear from communities of color, the Racial Justice Fund Advisory Council is hosting a series of listening sessions and one-to-one conversations. These conversations are designed to give people of color an opportunity to share which community challenges are most pressing, what outcomes they hope to see from this fund, and what organizations and initiatives should be considered for funding.
“By ensuring funding decisions are made by those who know the needs and solutions best, we can help improve outcomes for every person in Lane County.”
COMMUNITY FEEDBACK
The first listening session took place on November 17, 2021, and was facilitated by United Way staff and Advisory Council members. Attendees were asked a few guiding questions, including how they define meaningful engagement, and what they hope to see out of the fund. Some feedback from the attendees included the need for intentionality with outreach, and considerations of environment, cultural backgrounds, and power dynamics when engaging with communities of color.
21 community members participated in the second and third listening sessions, which took place on March 15 and 30 over Zoom. Some feedback from these listening sessions included:
Participants at the March 30 Racial Justice Fund listening session, which took place over Zoom.
The need to clearly define “racial justice” in the context of the fund;
Addressing the history of our community and the ways we have caused harm;
Addressing transportation barriers;
Support for organizations to provide interpretation/translation services;
Training programs and childcare services for people of color;
Assistance for people of color to navigate the justice system;
Increased marketing pertaining to the Racial Justice Fund in the community;
And the desire for a cohort that will bring together smaller organizations to increase impact as they serve marginalized community members.
With this feedback in mind, the Racial Justice Fund Advisory Council will host two open house style listening sessions on Wednesday, May 25. Staff and Council members will be on-site at United Way offices from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. and 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. for folks to drop in and share feedback. Light refreshments will be provided.
The Advisory Council also launched an anonymous online survey to gather additional input from communities of color, and will continue recruiting members to serve on the Advisory Council, especially from the Latino/a/x community, the Native American/Indigenous community, and rural communities.
“Each and every one of us needs to understand that we have that responsibility, and we need to find what speaks to us. There’s so much work that needs to be done.”
WAYS TO GET INVOLVED
Help shape the Racial Justice Fund by sharing your voice/opinion.
Meet in person or virtually. Fill out this short form to express interest in an upcoming community listening session ((such as our May 25 Drop-In sessions from 11A-2P and 4:30P-6:30P) or schedule a one-to-one conversation with our team. Feel free to share this form with others you think would like to help shape and inform the Racial Justice Fund.
Share feedback anonymously and fill out the online survey. These are the same questions used in our listening sessions but offered in a survey. All responses are anonymous.
Invite us to connect with your organizations/affiliations. Our team is eager to share about the fund with your business, community group, church, or organization! Contact us at racialjustice@unitedwaylane.org or 541-357-5713.
Share with your communities. We hope to hear from folks of color throughout Lane County. If you know of anyone who would be interested in sharing feedback and ideas, please encourage them to get involved with the opportunities listed above.
Donate. Help us grow the Racial Justice Fund in Lane County. Give Today.
Sign up for the Racial Justice Fund eNewsletter here.
“It’s going to take dollars to actually invest in a movement, to actually make the progress that we need. ”