The Center on Community Philanthropy (The Center) at the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service has selected nine nonprofit leaders to participate in the inaugural class of its racial healing certification program.
The racial healing certification program is the first designation of its kind designed to provide specialized training, education, and unique experiences that promote skills development and competencies in the targeted area of racial healing. With support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Center launched the program in August of this year in partnership with the National Compadres Network.
“We know the time is now for our communities to heal,” said Dr. Charlotte L. Williams, Professor and Director of the Center on Community Philanthropy. “This inaugural class comes from diverse backgrounds and experiences – and they are ready to take the next step in their commitment to understanding and promoting racial healing.”
Each organization represented in the inaugural class comes from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Strong and Effective Sector initiative. “We are proud to partner with The Center as they announce this inaugural class of dynamic leaders who will engage in an experiential racial healing journey and earn a first of its kind racial healing certificate,” said Arelis Diaz, director for the Office of the President at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. “The Center will be collaborating with National Compadres Network to design an experience for transformative change that will positively impact our communities.”
These groups work toward building the nonprofit infrastructure to advance racial equity and sector effectiveness.
“On behalf of the entire Clinton School of Public Service community, I want to thank the W.K. Kellogg Foundation for their ongoing support of the Center on Community Philanthropy,” said Interim Dean Susan Hoffpauir. “We value this partnership immensely and we are very excited to help launch the racial healing certificate program.”
Program participants will go through a multi-phased experience: 1) Strengthening their leadership through a racial healing curriculum developed by the National Compadres Network; 2) Demonstrating their mastery of racial healing concepts through scholarship and practice; and 3) Showcasing their learning through networking and convening with the Strong Sector grantees and community.
Below is a closer look at the Inaugural Racial Healing Class.
David Biemesdserfer
President and CEO
United Philanthropy Forum
Aaron Dorfman
President and CEO
National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy
Deborah Ellwood
President and CEO
Maine Community Foundation
Satonya Fair
President and CEO
PEAK Grantmaking
Mizmun Kusairi
Vice President of Planning
Candid
Traci Slater-Rigaud
Director of Member Engagement & Partnerships
United Philanthropy Forum
Jim Taylor
Chief Equity Officer
Urban Institute
Marcus Walton
President and CEO
Grantmakers for Effective Organizations
Zohra Zori
Vice President of Networks
Candid
Follow their journey and look for updates on The Center’s website.
About the Center on Community Philanthropy
Since its inception in 2006, The Center has been committed to promoting community philanthropy as a social change strategy and a powerful influence toward racial healing and advancing racial equity. The Center’s body of work on racial healing includes peer-reviewed research, public education, course content development, and multiple experiences in national racial healing training. For further information, visit The Center’s website.
About the W.K. Kellogg Foundation
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF), founded in 1930 as an independent, private foundation by breakfast cereal innovator and entrepreneur Will Keith Kellogg, is among the largest philanthropic foundations in the United States. Guided by the belief that all children should have an equal opportunity to thrive, WKKF works with communities to create conditions for vulnerable children so they can realize their full potential in school, work and life.
The Kellogg Foundation is based in Battle Creek, Michigan, and works throughout the United States and internationally, as well as with sovereign tribes. Special attention is paid to priority places where there are high concentrations of poverty and where children face significant barriers to success. WKKF priority places in the U.S. are in Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico and New Orleans; and internationally, are in Mexico and Haiti. For more information, visit www.wkkf.org.
About National Compadres Network
The National Compadres Network (NCN) is a 501 c-3 nonprofit organization founded in 1988. Today built on 28 years of service, the National Compadres Network (NCN) is a national voice for racial equity, racial healing, training, technical assistance, system change and culture infused efforts to create change that is transformational. For more information, visit the NCN website.
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