The Link
December 2020
We’re Down to the Wire
With just two weeks left in 2020, we find that we are still running behind our new member recruitment goal. Falling short means we will also not meet our grant pool goal of $250,000. As you consider your year-end giving, we ask that you support TPC by inviting someone you know to join or by giving the gift of membership to one of the many members unable to renew because of financial hardship driven by the pandemic. You may also donate directly to the grant pool in any amount you wish. Your generosity means even more as this particularly difficult year comes to an end.
Help Wanted
The Development Committee is currently forming a group focused on researching a variety of Boston area businesses and affinity groups with the goal of identifying sponsors and potential new members. Harnessing your brain power and professional/social networks for this concentrated effort will require a four-month commitment. Please contact cboeckman@
Have you been invited to participate in a virtual scavenger hunt? Joined a virtual concert by a favorite artist? Taken a virtual tour of Musée D’Orsay? Do you daydream about planning the perfect party? How about the perfect virtual party? If you would like to help bring members together for a social gathering via Zoom in early February, please let cboeckman@
Say Hello Again to TPC’s Officers and Meet Our New Board Members
We are very pleased to announce our Officers and Board members, whose terms begin on January 1. Officers are selected from current Board members and include President, Treasurer, and Clerk. We are thankful that all three of last year’s Officers agreed to commit to another year of service. Barbara Gaskin will remain President and is very excited for the coming year, which will see the first steps in TPC’s new strategic plan rollout. Cathy Konicki and Cheryl Wakeham will remain as Treasurer and Clerk, respectively in 2021.
The Governance and Nominating Committee once again thoughtfully identified the Board’s strengths and weaknesses as it worked to select the best candidates for the roles that needed filling. One particularly difficult task was to find someone to fill Sandy Lawrence’s considerable shoes as she “retired” from Board service. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to Sandy who has been instrumental in developing our excellent educational programming as well as using her creativity to attract and retain members. We will miss her but are also excited to welcome four new Board members, all competent and accomplished women. Please join us as we congratulate Leigh Chandler, Amber Gomes, Taurean Green, and Osagie Osamagbe to TPC’s Board.
Please learn a bit about these dynamic young women by reading their bios
Upcoming Events and Opportunities
Jan 14, 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm. Register for our January Philanthropy Dialogue about Trust-based philanthropy, which is an approach to grantmaking currently being embraced by many funders. This Dialogue is a continuation of the discussion we began over the summer.
RIA House has a request that will go a long way in extending staff outreach efforts. They often meet potential participants in their programs over a simple cup of coffee. If you would like to help, $5-$15 gift cards to Dunkin’ Donuts would be greatly appreciated. Contact hwightman@riahouse.org for more information.
Member Impact: City Life/Vida Urbana
Liaisons: Jennifer Angarita and Penny Weeks
City Life/Vida Urbana is a grassroots community organization in Boston committed to fighting for justice by building working class power. It promotes individual empowerment, develops community leaders, and builds collective power to secure housing rights and resources for residents vulnerable to eviction in Boston neighborhoods. (Read more…)
DEI Spotlight
Diversity | Equity | Inclusion
Reflections
2020 is quickly coming to an end. Despite a year of “unprecedents,” we, as an organization and community, have time to pause and reflect on how inclusion and equity can continue to be a part of our collective and individual philanthropic goals into the new year.
As we lean into a feeling of revival and hope into 2021, let us all take a moment to reflect on our past year of learning, experiences, and actions. We invite you to revisit TPC’s Statement of Solidarity & Action and the DEI Resources webpage in your reflections.
How are you reflecting on your experiences, learning, and actions from the past year? What shaped your experiences, and how will this impact your vision for the New Year? What will you continue to do, and what new areas are you interested in educating yourself about? How will you continue to support TPC’s expansion of DEI work within our community? How will inclusion and equity shape your own community?
Task Force Updates
The DEI Task Force is currently in the middle of the 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge. Over 70 participants are receiving daily prompts on ways to examine the history and impacts of racism and inequities. This year’s grant cycle will continue to reflect the conversations around DEI and the importance of our grantee’s reflecting the inclusivity and equity of the communities in which they serve.
Resources
As we begin to close out the year, here are some helpful resources that might provide useful context, perspectives, and frameworks as we continue to learn into 2021.
Article: The Interwoven Threads of Inequality and Health – The coronavirus crisis is revealing the inequities inherent in public health due to societal factors, Nancy Krieger, a professor of social epidemiology, says.
Book: The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America by Richard Rothstein – Groundbreaking history that explodes the myth that America’s cities were racially divided through de facto segregation (or the actions of private individuals/entities) and makes it clear that it was de jure segregation (actions of local/state/federal government) that created discriminatory patterns that continue to this day.
Recently, DEI 21-Day Equity Challenge participants read about segregation in Boston. Watch a 3-minute video on redlining in our city here.
As always, if you’d like to further engage in conversations about, or take action with us towards addressing racial equity, white supremacy, police brutality, or our personal and philanthropic roles in committing to anti-racism please contact the DEI Task Force directly at: diversity@