MEETING THE MOMENT

A North Star Fund Podcast
 

2020 and 2021 have been of course shocking on so many levels. We could say “unprecedented” about dozens of things and not be exaggerating. But also, many of the problems and crises we were being confronted with were not new as much as they were newly visible. In many cases, they were problems and crises that our community members have been confronting for years. That’s why so many of our grantees and community members took decisive action, they were able to meet the moment.

 

As we enter 2022, they will still be meeting the moment. We want to highlight them and the ways they are working to end racism and inequity—and pushing us to become a democracy worthy of the people who live here.

 

Meet some of the New Yorkers in our world who are meeting the moment.

A headshot of Jose Hamza Saldaña with his quote "You can’t bring back the people who’ve already served 40 years. You can’t bring back the people who died. But you can at least create legislation that will release those who should have been released years or decades ago. And at least it will guarantee to an extent that the next generation will not suffer the same injustice."

Episode 1: Organizing For Parole Reform in the Pandemic

In this episode, our communications director Kathleen Pequeño interviews Jose Hamza Saldaña, the current director of the Release Aging People in Prison (RAPP) Campaign and a formerly incarcerated New Yorker. 

A headshot of Jose Hamza Saldaña with his quote "You can’t bring back the people who’ve already served 40 years. You can’t bring back the people who died. But you can at least create legislation that will release those who should have been released years or decades ago. And at least it will guarantee to an extent that the next generation will not suffer the same injustice."

Episode 2: Meet Our Grantmakers

In this episode, our program associate Leyana Dessauer interviews two members of our Community Funding Committee (CFC) who talk about their experiences as organizers and grantmakers in the pandemic.

A headshot of Marissa Finn Hersh with her quote "The Giving Project was definitely the most incredible fundraising experience that I've ever had and pushed me in ways that I didn't know I wanted to be pushed. Fundraising for Black-led organizing exposes things about people, and these are conversations that I haven't been having people with people my whole life. It was definitely a wake up moment for me."

Episode 3: Let’s Talk Donor Organizing

In this episode, North Star Fund’s donor organizer Jillian White interviews Giving Project alum Marissa Finn Hersh about raising money, giving money, power and how all these dynamics—and more—intersect when we’re trying to move money into social justice movements.

Headshots of Cassandra Taylor and Chase Randell, with Cassandra's quote "Our outreach with the community has really been helpful during this particular time. Those relationships that we've built and really nurtured—with the kids, their families, local people within our neighborhood—solidifying those bonds over the pandemic really helped us to kind of deal with the overwhelming changes in demographics that are happening right now in our part of the Hudson Valley."

Episode 4: Organizing for a More Sustainable Hudson Valley

Our Hudson Valley Program Coordinator Gabriela Quintanilla interviews the Underground Center, one of our grantees doing some less conventional organizing. The Underground Center empowers people to create economic and social power through mutual aid efforts and interconnectedness with the land. And they do it with an awareness of the long, unsustainable relationship between New York City and the Hudson Valley. 

A headshot of Nat Chioke Williams with his quote "It's so important to me personally to have a philanthropy that is committed to Black freedom and liberation, that is not also drowning in Black blood. How can we create the commitment and sense that this is a necessary thing--to liberate and free black people--without the ongoing brutality as the kind of catapult to actually do something? You know, to have a philanthropy that is not based on white guilt but is based on a vision of Black freedom."

Episode 5 – Funding Black-led Movements

In this episode, our deputy director Elz Cuya Jones talks with Nat Chioke Williams about our long shared history of challenging philanthropy to move money—in particular to Black-led movements. Elz and Nat talk frankly about the challenges we face working within the philanthropy system, and as leaders of institutions calling for a different type of commitment.

A picture of Sarah Frank and a quote from her, "I think more than ever I've felt how much we all need community. There's nothing like being isolated in your own home for a long time to realize just, you know, how much of our life is connected to each other. And you can't buy that."

Episode 6 – Moving Money in Times of Crisis

Development Director Kofo Anifalaje interviews North Star Fund donor-advised fund holder Sarah Frank. Sarah has had a donor-advised fund (DAF) through North Star Fund for several years. Sarah made some donations during the pandemic that are unique to her situation, but has great insight to share for any donors interested in supporting community organizing.

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