Gathering Ground

On this special episode of Gathering Ground, listen in on our first live-recorded episode: a conversation with Diversity, Inc. author Pamela Newkirk at Women and Children First Bookstore. 

Pamela and Mary discuss Diversity, Inc.: The Failed Promise of a Billion-Dollar Business and the need to explore nuance and data in the conversation of how we have and can continue to move forward in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

Diversity, Inc. addresses the progress of DEI in academia, corporate America, and Hollywood and puts the three worlds up against each other to examine how they all contribute to issues of systemic racism in the United States. Check out this special episode of “Gathering Ground” to hear Mary and Pamela's conversation about drilling down on the numbers and why doing this work is vital to our forward movement.

Following their chat, Pamela and Mary answer questions from their live audience . Don't miss this great interview!

This time on “Gathering Ground,” Mary hosts two thought leaders and comrades in community-building and racial justice: Angelique Power (President of The Field Foundation) and Tracie D. Hall (Director of The Joyce Foundation's Culture Program).

Tracie shares with listeners her experience growing up in Los Angeles in the years following the Watts Rebellion, and the inspiration she found in the people and artists breathing life back into its rich community. Angelique speaks to being a child of the "first generation of the Loving Generation"* in Hyde Park, Chicago, her history of work in homelessness, and the complicated relationship many of us native Chicagoans have with the city — one of concurrent love and skepticism.

Mary, Tracie and Angelique go on to discuss Tracie's amazing, moving art Rootwork Gallery, and Enrich Chicago, which Angelique co-founded in 2014 to create pathways and skill-building opportunities for individuals of color to enter arts administration at all levels. The three discuss the state of philanthropy, the emotional labor of being a POC in the nonprofit sector, and much, much more.

Angelique and Tracie will definitely be back for a future episode of “Gathering Ground,” but for now, enjoy this conversation that can only be called magical!

* Angelique's mention of the "Loving Generation" refers to the generation of children born to the first interracial couples who were able to legally marry thanks to 1967's landmark case Loving vs. Virginia.

This time on Gathering Ground, Mary and Teresa have some "real talk" about women's funds and philanthropy; Ms. Foundation's new strategic plan (which centers women and girls of color); and current foundation trends and the state of philanthropy for women and girls in the United States. Then, they give listeners some advice, including what to do if you and your supervisor are both burnt out.

If you live in Chicago, be sure to catch Teresa the evening of October 17th at Chicago African Americans in Philanthropy's event Connecting Communities and Philanthropy. For more information or to register for the event, click here.

Mary and Vu trade stories about struggling along with nonprofit professionals who suck at vacationing; they discuss working with people who are new to the workforce; and Vu talks about the birth of Nonprofit AF . After a robust conversation about equity and inclusion in nonprofits (and particularly in philanthropy), Mary and Vu answer listener questions about the nonprofit experience, including how to measure progress on diversity, equity, and inclusion goals.

This time on Gathering Ground, Mary talks to Rockwood Leadership Institute's Darlene Nipper about how to connect to the work of the Institute and Darlene's journey from trainer to CEO. They end the episode by answering a few of your questions!

In Gathering Ground’s fifth episode, Mary talks to Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation's (CAASE) Executive Director Kaethe Morris Hoffer. The two discuss Kaethe's Quaker-rooted road to feminism, her experience in legislative advocacy, the #MeToo Movement, the vital work of CAASE, and of course, they answer a few of your questions!

This time on Gathering Ground, Mary talks to Building Movement Project's Co-Director Sean Thomas-Breitfeld. Mary and Sean discuss the different iterations of the Race to Lead report and dive into the nuances of collecting and presenting community data within and on behalf of the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors. And as always, Mary and her guest answer questions from Gathering Ground's listening audience.

In this episode of Gathering Ground, Mary and Fund the People Vice President Yolanda Caldera-Durant discuss how Yolanda got her start in philanthropy and the important work of her organization. They talk about burn-out culture, talent investment, how we can support our nonprofit employees, and the amazing tools available from Fund the People, including their FREE toolkit, available at FundthePeople.org.

In episode two of Gathering Ground, Mary sits down with Sol Flores, former executive director of La Casa Norte and newly appointed deputy governor for the state of Illinois. Mary and Sol discuss La Casa Norte's new $20 million building and what it was like to fund-raise for it. They end by answering a few of your questions.

In the inaugural episode of Gathering Ground, Mary sits down with Edgar Villanueva, author of Decolonizing Wealth: Indigenous Wisdom to Heal Divides and Restore Balance. Mary and Edgar discuss the nonprofit industrial complex, the Native Way, and how we can use our philanthropy for healing and true community building.