Gathering Ground

On this episode of “Gathering Ground,” Mary welcomes co-leaders from three different organizations to the podcast. They discuss the successes and pitfalls of co-leadership models, how their organizations took steps to break free from the single-leader hierarchy, and what they’ve learned from each other during their time as partners in their leadership.

Read the episode transcript

This time on “Gathering Ground,” Mary welcomes activist, advocate, internationally recognized academic, and dear friend Dr. Cathy J. Cohen. Mary and Cathy discuss Cathy’s Black Youth Project, how it informed Mary’s 2011 documentary Woke Up Black, and GenForward and More Than Diversity, two of Cathy’s most recent initiatives. Later, they share experiences of the pandemic’s forced shelter-in-place providing unexpected family bonding; Cathy’s recent Freedom Scholar award; and her extensive work in the realm of HIV and AIDS. You won’t want to miss this special episode!

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This time on “Gathering Ground,” we were pleased to welcome Pop Culture Collaborative CEO Bridgit Antoinette Evans onto the podcast to discuss her work within and outside of the Collaborative. Mary and Bridgit talk about everything from the intersection of philanthropy and pop culture, Bridgit’s experience in Issa Rae’s writing room for “Insecure,” and Bridgit tells a fantastic story that exemplifies the importance of being able to tell your own story in the way that feels the most true to your experience.

This won’t be the last time she’ll be on “Gathering Ground,” but make sure you catch this episode to meet Bridgit and get an inside look at the place where activism and popular culture meet — Pop Culture Collaborative!

As much as we wish things were different, young people engaged in organizing and advocacy work often need the support of accomplices to make sure they make it past the gatekeepers to the “adult” world — which is where this time’s “Gathering Ground” guests come in. Tony Alvarado-Rivera and Keisha Farmer-Smith work with Chicago Freedom School, a Chicago institution that creates new generations of critical thinkers who use their unique experiences and power to create a just world.

The work of the Freedom School has spanned almost 15 years and has earned it the Mary F. Morten Award for Justice at Public Health Institute of Metropolitan Chicago’s BYOBrunch for Public Health. A little later in the episode, we also hear from Karen A. Reitan, President and CEO of PHIMC, about why CFS was chosen for this honor.

Earlier this year, Morten Group had the honor of working with Illinois Governor JB Pritzker’s office on a comprehensive racial equity training program that included collaborating with 40 state agencies on developing diversity, equity, and inclusion action plans. Through this process, we were able to take a deep dive into the inner workings of our state’s government and bring an equity lens to the very top — including having the pleasure of welcoming Governor Pritzker as he participated in one of our all-day sessions!

This time on “Gathering Ground,” Mary sat down with three of the leaders whose offices are making sure that they continue their racial equity journey and ensure that their work is being carried out throughout the state: Dr. Carmen Ayala, Illinois State Board of Education Superintendent, Dr. Sekile Nzinga, newly appointed Chief Equity Officer for the State of Illinois, and Dr. Christina Smith, Illinois Department of Human Rights Training Institute Director.

Each described how their offices were working to create a more equitable state for all Illinoisans, what they've learned so far during the pandemic, and how they are ensuring the work would not only continue, but thrive.

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This time on “Gathering Ground,” we’ve brought back Building Movement Project Co-director Sean Thomas-Breitfeld to discuss the organization’s 2020 report, Race to Lead Revisited: Obstacles and Opportunities in Addressing the Nonprofit Racial Leadership Gap. Mary and Sean discuss the experiences of people of color in nonprofit leadership, what the pandemic and reopening have been like, and what’s coming next from Race to Lead.

ake a look back at this special live episode from early April 2020, where we spoke to arts leaders from across the city to hear about what they anticipated for the arts during the pandemic. Guests included: Jessica Kadish-Hernandez, Morten Group consultant and co-founder of Chicago Artist Relief Fund; Michelle Boone, former Chief Program and Civic Engagement Officer at Navy Pier; Claire Rice, Executive Director of Arts Alliance Illinois; and Amy Eshleman, Chicago’s First Lady.

This time, Angelique Power (President, The Field Foundation of Illinois) and Tracie Hall (Executive Director, American Library Association) return to “Gathering Ground” to talk about their takeaways from the last year, how the world is different and the same, and how we encourage ourselves to keep moving forward.

(Here is the link to the Crain’s article referenced in the conversation.) 

This time on “Gathering Ground,” Mary sits down with some of Morten Group’s past and current client partners – Marie Kurose, CEO of Workforce Development of Seattle-King County; Ruth McFarlane, Vice President of Advancement at Ms. Foundation; and John Peller, President/CEO of AIDS Foundation Chicago.

 A year into the pandemic, the four begin their conversation with how COVID-19 has impacted their organizations and talking about their wins and challenges from the last year. They discuss how some communities are helping some of our most vulnerable populations, and, now that we are beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel, what the future looks like for their offices and the sector at large.

This episode of "Gathering Ground" is all about Morten Group and the Forging Innovation in Racial Equity (FIRE) Grant! We were thrilled to be joined by the staff of Morten Group client partner Erie Family Health Centers, as well as two members of our own team, to take a closer look at Morten Group's racial equity, access, diversity, and inclusion (READI) work and our exciting new FIRE Grant.