Learn to create a nonprofit organization and society in which Black people can thrive
In Building A Pro-Black World: A Guide To Creating True Equity in The Workplace and In Life, a team of dedicated nonprofit leaders delivers a timely roadmap to building pro-Black nonprofit organizations. Refreshingly moving the conversation beyond stale DEI cliches, editors Cyndi Suarez and the NPQ staff have included works from leading racial justice voices that show you how to create an environment—and society—in which Black people can thrive. You’ll also learn how building such a world will benefit all of society, from the most marginalized to the least.
The book explains how to shift from simply critiquing white supremacist culture and calling out anti-Blackness to actively designing for pro-Blackness. It offers you:
- Incisive and engaging work from leading voices in racial justice, Cyndi Suarez, Dax-Devlon Ross, Liz Derias, Kad Smith, and Isabelle Moses
- Explorations of topics ranging from restorative leadership strategies for staff wellbeing to Black politics and policymaking
- Discussions of new language for pro-Black social change, racial equity in healthcare and health communications, and antiracist succession planning
A can’t-miss resource for civil society and nonprofit leaders, including directors, executives, grant makers, philanthropic donors, and social movement leaders, Building Pro-Black World will also benefit communicators, organizers, and consultants who work with nonprofit organizations.
Table of Contents:
I Enacting Pro-Black Leadership: A Better World Is Possible 1
Going Pro-Black 3
by Cyndi Suarez
Defining Pro-Black 5
by Cyndi Suarez
When Blackness Is Centered, Everybody Wins: A Conversation with 19
Cyndi Suarez and Dax-Devlon Ross
Leading Restoratively: The Role of Leadership in a Pro-Black Sector 39
by Sequoia Owen
II Building Pro-Black Institutions: Narrative and Forms 47
What It Looks Like to Build a Pro-Black Organization 49
by Liz Derias and Kad Smith
To Build a Public Safety That Protects Black Women and Girls, Money Isn’t the Only Resource We Need 59
by Shanelle Matthews
Combatting Disinformation and Misinformation: A Struggle for Democracy and Racial Justice 69
by Kitana Ananda
Forms: A New Theory of Power 79
by Cyndi Suarez Copyrighted Material
Hierarchy and Justice 85
by Cyndi Suarez
A Journey from White Space to Pro-Black Space 91
by Isabelle Moses
III Building Pro-Black Institutions: Philanthropy and Evaluation 101
The Emergence of Black Funds 103
by Cyndi Suarez
Reimagining Philanthropy to Build a Culture of Repair 109
by Aria Florant and Venneikia Williams
How Philanthropy Can Truly Support Land Justice for Black Communities 115
by Savi Horne and Dr. Jasmine Ratliff
What Does Black Feminist Evaluation Look Like? 119
by Cyndi Suarez
Nothing Is Broken: What Evaluation and Philanthropy Can Learn from Abolitionism 123
by Dr. Aisha Rios
IV Implementing Reparations: Health and Well-Being 129
Revolutionary Black Grace: Finding Emotional Justice in Global Black Communities 131
by Esther A. Armah
What Is Healing Justice? 139
by Nineequa Blanding
The US “Healthcare System” Is a Misnomer—We Don’t Have a System 149
by Amira Barger
Pro-Black Actions That Health Justice Organizations Can Model 157
by Amira Barger
Repairing the Whole: How Reparations Can Address Physical and Mental Health 165
by Trevor Smith
Addressing Inequities in Health Technology 173
by Sonia Sarkar
V Implementing Reparations: Work and Ownership 179
Resurrecting the Promise of 40 Acres: The Imperative of Reparations for Black Americans 181
by William A. Darity Jr. and A. Kirsten Mullen
Solutions Centering Black Women in Housing 193
by Natasha Hicks, Anne Price, Rakeen Mabud, and Aisha Nyandoro
Linking Racial and Economic Justice: The Struggle of Our Time 199
by Steve Dubb
What If We Owned It? 205
by Darnell Adams
How Do We Build Black Wealth?: Understanding the Limits of Black Capitalism 225
by Francisco Pérez
VI Organizing for the Future: Community and Politics 235
Making Black Communities Powerful in Politics—and in Our Lives 237
by Alicia Garza
Justice Beyond the Polls: Investing in Black Youth Organizers 241
by Carmel Pryor
The Liberatory World We Want to Create: Loving Accountability and the Limitations of Cancel Culture 247
by Aja Couchois Duncan and Kad Smith
Dimensions of Thriving: Learning from Black LGBTQ+/SGL Moments, Spaces, and Practices 257
by Dr. Kia Darling-Hammond
Pro-Blackness Is Aspirational: A Conversation with Cyndi Suarez and Shanelle Matthews 269
About the Authors 283
Index 291
About the Author :
CYNDI SUAREZ is President and Editor-in-Chief of Nonprofit Quarterly. She is the author of The Power Manual: How to Master Complex Power Dynamics. Suarez has experience as a strategy and innovation consultant with a focus on networks and platforms for social movements.
NPQ ALSO KNOW AS NONPROFIT QUARTERLY, has published a quarterly journal since 1999. Today it also regularly publishes written, video, and audio content online. NPQ curates conversations among civic actors that build shared understanding around core themes of racial justice, economic justice, climate justice, health justice, and leadership. By deepening field knowledge, NPQ aims to advance the theory and practice of multiracial democracy.
