Jason Trimiew

Who is the boss? Board governance and serving at Black women-led organizations: I am so deeply proud to serve on the Board of Directors of the Transgender District in San Francisco. I am humbled and in awe of the leadership and work the District does in the Tenderloin, San Francisco broadly, and nationally in trans advocacy. I am deeply grateful for the invaluable lessons in healthy and grounded board governance that I have learned from my mentors, particularly Armilito J. Pangilinan, CPA, MBA. Guided by policy governance and generative models of running boards, I firmly believe in the transformative power of a healthy board in advancing a mission. As a board member, I place my trust in the wisdom and expertise of the co-executive directors. I have recently come across a toxic narrative that the board is the “boss” of the executive director. While I understand the basis of this conclusion, let’s not get it twisted: I am not anyone’s boss except for the place that pays me to supervise people. As a board, our collective vote guides the executive's actions, and we provide advice on performance, strategic planning, finances, and mission. But this is advice. The true boss is our policy, our collective vote, and the organization’s mission and vision. We are here to support and guide, not to dictate. It is critically important to examine power and assumptions about power, especially when, as with the District, we are working with Black women in executive roles. I am a volunteer; if I fail, I walk away without much impact on my person, but if we fail the executives, it impacts their livelihood, careers, and employees' well-being. They are the leaders of this organization.  Earlier, I mentioned feeling humbled, but Breonna McCree teaches me far more with her leadership than I provide. Alongside her co-executive, Carlo Gómez Arteaga, we learn together. They have an in-depth understanding of their employees, the organization, and their community. It is beneficial to view policy as the guiding force and to support our policy to be more equitable and effective. We, as a board and executive team, collaborate to hold our guiding force (our collective boss)  accountable, ensuring that our actions align with the organization's mission and vision. https://lnkd.in/gZw9U4GD

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My thoughts exactly.

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[NEW PODCAST] Trends in direct #fundraising: keeping it real with Erica Waasdorp Erica is President of A Direct Solution and a guru on direct fundraising and especially monthly giving for nonprofits and NGOs. I am on a journey to deepen my understanding of resource mobilization and fundraising - including public fundraising. Erica was the logical person to ask. ﹖How do I know whether my organization has a culture of philanthropy? What do I *see*, when such a culture is in place? (I've seen it lacking in some cases, which makes you wonder where those staff think their salary comes from) A pretty critical question for many social sector orgs that depend significantly on public engagement and fundraising from the broader public.   In this #NGOSoulAndStrategy podcast episode, the arc of my interview with Erica goes something like this: 🎤 How has the field of direct giving by small donors, and monthly giving as a donor practice in particular changed in the last 10-20 years? 🎤 There is much discussion about the need for a shift towards ethical storytelling, with local program participants in the driver's seat, and a focus on local persons' agency. The raison d'etre for this is clear. However, to what extent can we align this with what motivates small donors (at least in traditional fundraising 'markets') to give? And what about fundraising in new middle/high-income countries where public fundraising is growing? 🎤 Is child sponsorship on life support as a fundraising strategy - or not quite? 🎤 At a more practical level, what hurdles do nonprofits need to overcome in persuading donors to shift their practice to monthly giving? Erica, who also happens to be a 'Dutchie' (like myself) and who has lived in the United States for decades (like myself), is keeping it real in our interview! Listen in! Podcast Audio: https://lnkd.in/ebjV2ea3 Podcast Video: https://lnkd.in/esranCYQ   What does your experience with resource mobilization, especially direct public giving, tell you? PS: Misty McLaughlin, another specialist-extraordinaire on resource mobilization, Kim Goldsmith-N'Diaye and I will host two mini-masterclasses as well as two conference sessions on the role of team structures and team operating models in effective nonprofit/NGO fundraising performance at #IFC2024 (International Fundraising Congress, organized by the The Resource Alliance) in October of this year. DM us if you plan to attend and want to learn more about our sessions. #nonprofits #podcast #NGOPodcast #NGOInsights #PodcastInterview #NGOCulture #NonprofitManagement #PodcastDiscussion #NGOStrategies #5OaksConsulting #PodcastEpisode #resourcemobilization #nonprofit #fundraising

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Excited to share that the 2023 impact report for LISC's Black Economic Development Fund (BEDF) is now live. Since 2020, with generous support from our investors, BEDF has committed a majority of its capital, investing $211.9 million to fuel Black-led financial institutions, Black-led businesses, and other organizations doing business in predominantly Black communities addressing economic challenges and contributing to closing the racial wealth gap. Through initiatives like BEDF, LISC remains at the forefront of efforts to enhance capital access for entrepreneurs serving communities of color. Here's the breakdown: https://lnkd.in/epq7mrN5 LISC Strategic Investments

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This Pride Month: Rethink the Narrative of Queerness outside Western Countries Let's challenge the misconception of queerness being solely a Western concept. As Ifeatu Nnaobi, curator of the African book festival in Berlin, states in an interview to Verlag Der Tagesspiegel: "When one hears of queerness in Africa, it is mostly about that a government has done something terrible. But there are also countries and places where there is progress. There are representatives from North Africa, West and East Africa, southern Africa, and also people in the diaspora, because queer people often move abroad. When Africans seek cultural connections, they also look abroad......Historically, queerness was not a problem on the continent. It was colonialism and the laws that made it a problem. In many African languages, including my language, Igbo, there are gender-neutral pronouns. So, if I tried to tell someone, "Can you refer to me as a non-binary person?", that could be a problem in English, but if we switch to a local language like Igbo, it wouldn't be a problem at all. Second, with colonization came religious fundamentalism. In Western societies, people tend to be less religious, but on the African continent, people often find it hard to believe when you say that you don't subscribe to any of the major religious practices." There are pre-colonial societies with 'third gender' roles like the Zunis or Muxe in America, or Hijra and Kathoey in Asia and The Siwa people of Egypt, Benin and Nzima people of Ghana, San people of Zimbabwe, and Pangwe people of Gabon and Cameroon all had traditions that acknowledged same-sex relationships or non-binary identities. Western nations sometimes use LGBTQ+ rights as a 'progressive' tool (Homonationalism), neglecting issues like racism and Islamophobia, while discouraging allyship with other marginalized groups. Homonationalism harms our community in several ways: 🔻 Selectivity: Certain rights (e.g., gay marriage) are championed while others (e.g., transgender rights) are ignored. 🔻 National exceptionalism: Homonationalist countries paint themselves as superior to "homophobic" nations, often Muslim-majority countries. 🔻 Internal divisions: Focusing on specific identities can create divisions within the LGBTQ+ community Our rights shouldn't be a political tool. Let's build bridges, not walls. Let's dismantle the system that excluded us all and work for true allyship across marginalized groups, leaving no one behind. #PrideMonth #LGBTQIAfrica #Homonationalism"

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From Sara Keenan at POCIT The Google for Startups Founders Fund is back for the fifth year and is funding 20 Black and Latine AI companies in the US. The fund first launched as part of Google’s $175 million commitment towards racial equity and to date has deployed more than $50 million dollars to more than 570 Black and Latine founders around the world. The criteria to qualify is: - Diverse companies with at least one underrepresented founder on their founding team - Between Pre-seed and Series A - Scalable product or service with a significant total addressable market and defensible growth model - Ready to go global #GoogleForStartups #BlackFoundersFund #LatinxFoundersFund #AIforGood #RacialEquity #SupportingEntrepreneurs #TechInnovation #FundingDiverseFounders #InvestInAI #CommunityCollegeSuccess #blackowned #blackled #latineled #minorityfounders #intentionalinvesting https://lnkd.in/gkrAZdvY

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🌟 "If you're not at the table, you're on the menu" - DEI Insights from Fadzi Whande 🌟 Today, our MBA cohort had the honor of hearing from Fadzi Whande, Chief of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at UNHCR. Her insights on DEI were both eye-opening and inspiring - here are a few gold nuggets: 🌍 Diversity & Inclusion: "Diversity is what you have. Inclusion is what you do. Belonging is what you get." Without inclusion, diversity can lead to people talking over each other, making it hard for anyone to be heard. Inclusion means valuing everyone intrinsically. Achieving gender parity is pointless without a cohesive team. 📚 Equity: Recognizing historical barriers and providing the necessary support to those in need is crucial. We don't choose our sex, skin color, country of origin, or level of privilege at birth, yet we often face discrimination for these very reasons. If you're born with privilege, use it to be a force for good. 🔑 Strategies for DEI: While it's easier to set diversity targets and KPIs, true inclusion requires a personal commitment to team cohesion. This involves your attitude, behavior, and personal responsibility. DEI must be embedded in an organization's culture through its practices, symbols, norms, beliefs, assumptions, and values. 👀 Addressing Microaggressions: We should judge ourselves by our impact, not our intentions, and take accountability for our words and actions. Each microaggression is like a small raindrop slowly eroding the ground. Impact matters. 🗣️ Checking our Biases: Describing countries as "developing" implies inferiority. Similarly, preferring "native English speakers" over non-native speakers shows bias. Inclusion means valuing everyone for their unique selves. 🤝 Inclusive DEI Efforts: To practice true DEI, we must include everyone, even those in privileged positions. Engage white men in the conversation and understand how they can use their position to amplify other voices. DEI efforts need everyone on board to be effective. 🔍 Finding Your 'Why': Understanding why DEI is important makes your actions more impactful. Figure out your reason for advocating DEI to make it meaningful. 📖 Storytelling: The stories you listen to shape the stories you tell. Embrace multiple narratives to gain diverse perspectives. Fadzi's session was a profound reminder that DEI is not just a strategy but a commitment to creating a world where everyone feels valued and included. Let's all strive to make this a reality! 🌟

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To this we say - if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. Sadly, the future landscape of funding for Black entrepreneurs shows no signs of improving. In fact, according to a recent piece by AFROTECH, it's getting worse. "According to insights from Crunchbase, Black-founded startups pulled in a mere $705 million in venture funding in 2023, barely scratching the surface (0.5%) of the colossal $140.4 billion #VC pot feeding all U.S.-based #startups last year. For the first time since 2016, this drop is below the billion-dollar mark, though still higher than that year’s total of $582 million raised by Black-founded startups. This is particularly striking considering that 13.6% of the U.S. population identifies as Black or African-American, per the United States Census Bureau." And, if the recent successes in the higher courts of the case against the Fearless Fund, brought last year by the American Alliance for Equal Rights, a group led by Edward Blum, who also led the charge to overturn Affirmative Action tells us anything, interest in leveling the playing field in general is clearly still subject to "fragility." Harder still, according to an outlook published by Wellington Management, distributions from VC funds overall dropped a staggering 84% from 2021 to 2023, further growing dry powder inventory and extending the allocation drought. Competition for fundraising will continue to be a trending theme among all emerging companies in 2024.   It's up to us as a community to see and build our way out of and beyond this. We cannot rely on anything but our own proven will to thrive against all odds. But we must do it together. If we intend to thrive as a community we must work as a community. Join our movement today! #BlackBusinessesMatter #VentureCapitalInequality #LevelThePlayingField #EntrepreneurshipEquity #FundingDisparities #BlackStartupStruggles #CommunityEmpowerment #InclusiveEconomy #BuildingBlackWealth #SupportBlackEntrepreneurs

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Pagedip secures $150K #AI grant from Google! Exciting news for #colorado #blackfounders #womenfounders 🚀 Pagedip, a cutting-edge content management system, offers top-notch analytics and automation, streamlining document chaos for major clients like Salesforce, NetApp, and Gallup. Do you struggle with document chaos too? Reach out if you need help navigating data rooms and repositories. Read more about Pagedip's success: [Link to the article] 📈 #Entrepreneurship #TechNews

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🖤 Today is Black Women's Equal Pay Day. Here is the reality: For every $100 a white household holds, black households hold only $15. This stark disparity underscores the urgent need to address the broader implications of the racial wealth gap, especially when it comes to creating affordable and sustainable care solutions for Black women, mothers, and their families. The racial wealth gap is a serious barrier to accessing quality childcare and eldercare, both of which often come at a premium. Low-paying jobs, held disproportionately by Black families, cannot meet these costs. In the last decade alone, the price of childcare has surged by over 25%, further widening the gap. The impact of this disparity is profound: 🖤 Black women are paid 63 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men, leading to an average loss of nearly $24,110 per year. 🖤 Black families are less likely to have access to employer-sponsored childcare or eldercare benefits. 🖤 Black women are more likely to work in the care economy yet face some of the lowest wages in these sectors. We need structural solutions to close the racial care gap, including: 💵 Fair pay: Ensuring that Black women receive equal pay for equal work. 🇺🇸 Fair policies: Implementing policies that support affordable and accessible childcare and eldercare for all families. 🏣 Fair workplaces: Creating work environments that provide necessary support and benefits for Black women and their families. Addressing these issues is not just about equality but also about justice and economic sustainability. We must work together to ensure that Black women are not left behind in the fight for fair wages and equitable care solutions. Let's commit to taking actionable steps toward closing the racial care gap and ensuring a more equitable future for all. The Care Gap (by Mother Honestly) #BlackWomensEqualPayDay #EqualPay #RacialCareGap #CareEconomy #EquityInCare #FairWorkplaces

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The community power and influence is undeniable.

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Tonight’s presidential #debate will undoubtedly inform conversations about Black voters, the policies that matter most, and promised actions to increase opportunities and improve outcomes for every member of our community. As you prepare for the debate, and the balance of the election cycle,#WorkWoke and leverage data designed to turn down white noise, correct for white lies, and otherwise center Black people and our communities needs. Learn more about the #BlackFacts data project at NBJC.org/BlackFacts #CiteThisData #Data #Research #CiteYourSource #CiteYourSources #DataScience #AI #Technology #Tech #Advocacy #Action #LetsALLGetFree ✊🏾 #Debate #presidentialdebate #presidentialelection @nbjconthemove @hrc @familyequality @nclrights @glsen @taskforceaf

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300+ years of social and economic terrorism against the Black community yet one fund trying to support Black women entrepreneurs achieve economic liberation is illegal. The justice system is not working when a fraudsters who calls for the overthrow of our democratic system (aka sedition) finally faces accountability. It is functioning when it recognizes that our system has been finely tuned and engineered to ensure economic power is unequally distributed and whenever programs (be they privately funded or otherwise) aim to right those systemic wrongs, the system reverts to homeostasis—it’s racist and misogynistic foundation—to ensure the erosion of any ability to accrue wealth is denied. “Black-owned companies generally attract only about 1% of VC funding despite African Americans making up about 14% of the U.S. population. In 2021, the year after the police killing of George Floyd and as businesses committed to investing in more Black-owned businesses, venture funding of African American companies reached a high-water mark nationally and in Atlanta. VC investments in Black-owned startups reached nearly $5 billion in the U.S. in 2021. That figure plummeted by more than half to $2.4 billion in 2022. Crunchbase found in 2023, just $705 million in venture funding went to Black-owned startups, the first year that figure was less than $1 billion since 2016.”

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Just to frame up this story clearer, only 1%-3% of all Venture Capital goes to women & people of color. I’m just sayin. This fund should not be hindered. Wanna good story? “Movie Pass/Movie Crash”. Watch it. Two black entrepreneurs found it, grow it to profitability, two old white men take it over and kick them out, then run the whole thing into the ground in SPECTACULAR fashion. Oh…they’re currently on trial for securities fraud😂 Spoiler!: the original black founders bought Movie Pass from the junk heap of Bankrupcy court, dusted it off, turned it profitable again! And it’s a huge win-win-win for studios, theater owners, consumers. Data analytics for studios, increased concessions for theaters, cheaper prices for consumers https://lnkd.in/gtXutkDX

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As a Black woman deeply committed to uplifting marginalized communities, I am profoundly disappointed by the recent decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit to block the Fearless Fund from awarding grants exclusively to Black women entrepreneurs. This decision overlooks the historical and systemic barriers that Black women face in accessing capital and opportunities in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. The Fearless Fund was established to address these disparities by providing essential resources and support to Black women, who are often underrepresented and underserved in the venture capital space. By prohibiting the Fearless Strivers Grant Contest, the court is effectively stifling efforts to level the playing field and promote economic equity. While Title 42 aims to ensure equal rights under the law, it is crucial to recognize that equity does not mean treating everyone the same but rather addressing the unique challenges faced by different groups. Black women entrepreneurs have historically been marginalized and denied equal access to funding opportunities. Initiatives like the Fearless Fund are vital in correcting these inequities and fostering a more inclusive and diverse business environment. This ruling sets a troubling precedent that undermines targeted efforts to support those who need it the most. We must continue to advocate for and invest in initiatives that empower marginalized communities and ensure that all entrepreneurs have a fair chance to succeed. The fight for economic justice and equity is far from over, and I stand with the Fearless Fund in their mission to uplift and empower Black women entrepreneurs. https://lnkd.in/eP3Dvp8J

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🙌🏽Closing the opportunity gap starts by closing the gap between institutions and the residents they hope to serve - bringing people together across difference, unpacking our complex systems, and building innovative collaborations for change. 💡When Bryan Wang, co-founder & CEO of bosWell, joined GenUnity's Spring Health Equity Fellowship, he had the chance to practice this and experience firsthand how the relationships he built led to a deeper understanding of our health systems and the opportunities for him to make a difference. 🙋🏽If you're interested in learning more about Bryan's story or other GenUnity fellows, check out the blog post or sign up for our newsletter using the links in the comments! #opportunitygap #connectivetissue #socialcapital

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This is interesting on two fronts: One- Funds should have the autonomy to support and fund initiatives they believe in, including those that target specific demographics such as Black women business owners. This aligns with the principle of freedom in investment decisions and philanthropic endeavours, allowing VC firms to address particular disparities and support underrepresented groups. The First Amendment protects charitable donations, and VC funds should be free to use their resources to promote diversity and support marginalized communities as part of their mission and values. Two- Programs that exclude individuals based on race, such as the Fearless Fund's Strivers Grant, can be seen as discriminatory and polarizing. The Civil Rights Act of 1866 prohibits racial discrimination in contracts, and ensuring equality means that opportunities should not be limited to certain racial groups. Discriminatory practices, even if well-intentioned, can undermine efforts towards inclusivity and equality, creating further divisions. Your thoughts? https://lnkd.in/d57dD2Rd

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It’s been such a privilege to help research, design, and release the latest report from Alliance for Entrepreneurial Equity: The State of Black Business. This is a foundational report for our joint initiative between Third Way & National Urban League. We dove into publicly-available data from the Federal Reserve, US Census Bureau, and other various sources to focus on Black-owned employer businesses with at least two employees. And we took an expansive look at their attributes, performance, and challenges. The State of Black Business uncovers a dozen insights that illustrate significant disparities in access to capital, market opportunities, and resources. For example, we found that Black-owned businesses are: * Growing…Slowly: Seeing year-over-year growth but are still drastically underrepresented. * Small: 97% have less than 20 employees, and 3-in-4 have fewer than five employees. *Young: Likely to have been in existence under two years. *Flying under $100k: Taking in less revenue than other businesses. *Often Shut Out of Financing: Far more likely to experience pervasive barriers to accessing capital. *Infrequent Contract Recipients: Inadequately represented among government contract awardees. Report can be found here: https://lnkd.in/e588SMwS It’s been wonderful working with Imani Augustus Rachel Evans Madeline Burke Stephanie DeVane Tara Murray Dennis G. Serrette on this vital research.

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Teach us, sis. Letha Muhammad!!

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