We face well-heeled, powerful interests that seek to divide the power of organized community action. To fight these opponents, to orient ourselves toward revolutionary change, we need to build community, understand our power, and yep, raise a bunch of money.

This year, I’m participating in a Giving Project to raise funds for the Racial and Economic Justice grantmaking of Bread and Roses Community Fund. This project has it all–with “it” being the space to consider, respond, build, and stretch into new skills and sometimes uncomfortable places. It’s consciously cross class, cross race and involves training on racial and economic justice, fundraising, grantmaking, and community-building to raise money to fund the revolution.

I am so fucking excited to be a part of this work.

I love that Bread and Roses supports organizations working on issues from education to health care to immigration, all with a racial and economic emphasis and investment in the importance of direct action community organizing to make–and sustain–real change in our communities. On top of that, Bread and Roses invests in the people doing this work, through trainings, cohort-driven leadership development, public town halls, and a constant living of their values in their own work in everything from how events are facilitated to the deep and varied ways they seek feedback (including a strategic planning process that involved input from over 600 people).

As part of the Giving Project, I’ve pledged a personally meaningful gift that is a financial stretch for me. It’s the largest gift I’ve ever given, by a whole decimal place, and a significant portion of the total giving I plan to do for the entire year. I joined with 24 other people in the Giving Project and we raised $125,000 by individually pledging from $300 to $30,000. We also support each other in the outreach we’re doing with friends and family.

I am so grateful for the opportunity to test the limits of my comfort with my own giving, my understanding of race and class, my ability to build relationships with new people, and my willingness to introduce conversations about money into existing relationships. It’s intimidating, it’s daunting, and I’m honored to be able to do this work.

Want to learn more about the Giving Project and how to contribute to grassroots community organizing with big ambitions? I’d love to chat more with you about it. Let me know.

Last modified on April 30, 2017