We strive to raise the voices of the Black community on Juneteenth. We continue to learn about our role in supporting an end to systemic racism with a goal of equity.
This is the fifth year of the Gobioff Foundation’s Juneteenth grant-making. The program started initially as a reaction to the horrible murder of George Floyd and a way to acknowledge the accountability we had as philanthropists in a system that continues to marginalize the Black community. In 2021 we announced that every year on Juneteenth we would highlight 5 organizations to receive $20,000 in the form of an unrestricted grant from the Gobioff Foundation.
This year we decided to ask the community to provide nominations of organizations. We outlined the following criteria for nominations:
- Eligible 501(c)3 organization as determined by the IRS,
- BIPOC leadership
- A mission to improve Black Lives
Organizations could be located anywhere in the United Sates. As per the categories we identified last year, we were looking for organizations doing work in these areas- Criminal Justice, Education, Health, LGBTQ+, and Youth
We were excited to receive over 80 unique organizations submitted through a form on our website. We appreciated the variety of organizations submitted. Some were local and many were unfamiliar to us. We carefully considered each organization and spent a lot of time discussing what each organization was doing and how it might fit our intent with the Juneteenth grant.
We welcome any feedback surrounding our Juneteenth program. Please contact us at juneteenth@gobioff-foundation.org.
Today and always, we must stand up against systemic racism. We must be present, we must listen, and we must act. We must be more than an ally, be an accomplice. Not just on Juneteenth, but every day, Black Lives Matter.
Neil Gobioff
President, Gobioff Foundation
The five organizations receiving $20,000 unrestricted grants from the Gobioff Foundation this year are:
Criminal Justice
National Black Women’s Justice Institute
“NBWJI Mission
We research, elevate, and educate the public about innovative, community-led solutions to address the criminalization of Black women and girls. We aim to dismantle the racist and patriarchal U.S. criminal-legal system and build, in its place, pathways to opportunity and healing.
We envision a society that respects, values, and honors the humanity of Black women and girls, takes accountability for the harm it has inflicted, and recognizes that real justice is healing.”
Education
The Center for Black Educator Development
“OUR MISSION
To achieve educational equity and racial justice by rebuilding the national Black Teacher Pipeline.
OUR VISION
We envision a world where:
- All Black students are taught by high-quality, same-race teachers throughout their PreK-12 schooling.
- All teachers demonstrate high levels of expertise in anti-racist mindsets.
- Professional learning, pedagogy and policies that advance educator diversity and effectiveness are institutionalized.
CAUSE CONTEXT
The need for our work is undeniable, as are the considerable obstacles rooted in systemic racism, but what compels us forward is the imperative to rebuild the national Black teacher pipeline so that all our children can have the quality education they each deserve.”
Health
In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda
About: “In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda is a national-state partnership focused on lifting up the voices of Black women leaders at the national and regional levels in our fight to secure Reproductive Justice for all women, girls, and gender-expansive individuals. Our eight strategic partners are Black Women for Wellness, Black Women’s Health Imperative, New Voices for Reproductive Justice, SisterLove, Inc. SisterReach, SPARK Reproductive Justice NOW, The Afiya Center and Women With A Vision. Together, we deliver proactive advocacy and policy solutions to address issues at the intersections of race, gender, class, sexual orientation and gender identity within the situational impacts of economics, politics and culture that make up the lived experience of Black women in the United States.”LGBTQ+
Center for Black Equity
Mission: “To promote a multinational LGBTQ+ network dedicated to improving health and wellness opportunities, economic empowerment, and equal rights while promoting individual and collective work, responsibility, and self-determination.”
Vision: “Build a global network of LGBTQ+ individuals, allies, community-based organizations and Prides dedicated to achieving equality and social justice for Black LGBTQ+ communities through Economic Equity, Health Equity, and Social Equity.”
Youth
Cultured Books Literacy Foundation, Inc.
About: “Cultured Books Literacy Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit. We are an arts + culture organization dedicated to nurturing a #literacylifestyle among youth through literary arts programming.
Cultured Books is our co-branded children’s pop-up bookstore curated to foster a love of self by highlighting Black joy narratives and books that represent different cultural backgrounds. To show children our stories don’t begin with struggle and to broaden world views. Shop online or bulk order to support Cultured Books Literacy Foundation community programming.”