Racial Justice

First, I want to acknowledge the precious lives lost on Saturday in Buffalo–our New York State brethren who were targeted solely on the basis of their skin color while they were trying to do the most essential of life’s routine–getting food for their families.

In her monthly column, Brooklyn Community Foundation President and CEO Dr. Jocelynne Rainey shares reflections and stories of impact from our work across Brooklyn.

Through our Community-led Social Change grants, we’re partnering with the Center for Law and Social Justice over five years as they dismantle and reimagine policies and systems that have prevented Black, Indigenous and other communities of color from thriving both prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic. We’re excited to share a look at some of their recent work, and the impact of our partnership.

An Interview with Meg Massey and Ben Wrobel, authors of Letting Go: How Philanthropists and Impact Investors Can Do More Good by Giving Up Control.

We're ready to support you—our generous donor and donor advisor community—as you plan your year-end giving. Read on for tips and guidance to help maximize your support for racial justice and your impact in Brooklyn, and key dates for giving within the 2021 tax deadline.

There are deep-seated reasons why the vaccination numbers are much lower in certain neighborhoods, and those reasons explain why the broader, well-funded effort to increase vaccination rates — including ad blitzes and cash and cash-equivalent giveaways — has failed in pockets across the city.

From the start of the pandemic, we have focused on Black communities and communities of color across Brooklyn who have suffered immense economic hardships while enduring higher case rates and fatalities. And we have heard their urgent call to invest in long-term change.

We are taking aim at the root causes of the pandemic’s disproportionate impact on Black communities and communities of color across our borough with an unprecedented five-year commitment for advocacy and social change. Your support makes this work possible.