Greater Washington Community Foundation Awards Over $330,000 in COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Grants

Ten Local Nonprofits Receiving Support to Address Vaccine Hesitancy, Mental Health, Food Access, and Reopening Schools

The Greater Washington Community Foundation is proud to announce an additional $337,000 in relief and recovery grants from the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund. Since March 2020, The Community Foundation has raised and distributed more than $11 million for coordinated emergency response and recovery efforts. These rapid response grants have helped local nonprofits to expand critical services, ensure continuity of operations, transition to virtual service delivery, and counteract lost revenue due to closures or event cancellations. 

The Community Foundation established the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund to lead a coordinated regional philanthropic response to the pandemic and resulting economic crisis. Together with our peers in philanthropy, this effort focused on addressing urgent needs and reaching adversely affected communities, especially low-income households and communities of color who have been disproportionately impacted by this crisis.

As we continue responding to urgent needs while fostering an equitable recovery, The Community Foundation’s new round of funding will make investments in 10 nonprofits working across four priority areas:

Supporting efforts to overcome vaccine hesitancy and to open vaccination sites in impacted communities:

• Family & Medical Counseling will receive $15,000 to support COVID-19 testing and vaccination targeting residents of DC and Prince George's County, especially those living in Ward 7 and 8 and in the southern areas of Prince George's County.

• La Clinica del Pueblo will receive $15,000 to support COVID-19 testing and vaccination targeting majority Latinx communities in DC and Prince George's County.

• Latin American Youth Center will receive $27,000 to support engagement and outreach efforts to disseminate information on combating spread of COVID-19 and testing and vaccination options to increase the vaccination rate among Black and Latino populations in the region.

• Mary’s Center will receive $50,000 to replicate its mobile vaccine clinics, currently serving disproportionately impacted communities in DC, and expand into Montgomery County and Prince George’s County with a focus on hard-to-reach populations.

Addressing the mental health needs of frontline workers:

• Wendt Center for Loss and Healing will receive $85,000 to provide emotional support sessions (workshops and process groups) for frontline professionals and social services nonprofits whose staff members have been deeply impacted by COVID-19.

Advancing efforts to increase food access:

• DC Hunger Solutions and Maryland Hunger Solutions will receive $40,000 to deliver critical outreach to prospective and eligible SNAP participants, provide technical assistance on school meal programs, offer education and training, and advance advocacy campaigns to increase access to federal nutrition programs.

• The Mid-Atlantic Food Resilience and Access Coalition (MAFRAC) will receive $45,000 to extend its local food mini-grant program to resource BIPOC-led organizations with funds to purchase food through MAFRAC’s extended network of local food producers, including a number of Black-owned farms.

Ensuring an equitable and safe return to school:

• Community Youth Advance will receive $25,000 to recruit, onboard, and train mentors for 25 students to work on a pathway for re-engagement in school, as part of a partnership with PGCPS and the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER) focused on re-engaging at-risk and chronically absent high school students.

• DC Action for Children will receive $35,000 to support building strong partnerships between schools and Out of School Time programs to ensure an equitable and safe return to school and advocate for access to high quality learning opportunities beyond the school day that prepare DC’s youth for success in education, careers, and life.

“Due to the deep pre-existing inequities that have been exacerbated by COVID-19, we know that many communities in our region are still struggling—and will be for some time,” said Benton Murphy, Senior Adviser for Impact at the Greater Washington Community Foundation. “As our region’s crisis response leader, The Community Foundation and our partners will continue to respond to the critical needs of our community as we work towards building an equitable recovery and future for our region.”

The COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund was established on March 12, 2020 with support from nearly 1,500 foundations, corporations, and individuals/families. A list of the major partners and contributors to the Fund can be found here.

More than 1,600 nonprofits applied for a total of $60 million in grants – approximately six times the amount of funds raised to date. The Fund has provided support to 300 nonprofits providing food, shelter, educational supports, legal aid, and other vital services to our neighbors facing hardships due to COVID-19. Over half of all recipient organizations are led by people of color. A list of nonprofit partners can be found here.

Statement on Saving DC’s Rental Housing Market Strike Force

We are honored that our President and CEO, Tonia Wellons, was invited to participate in the Saving DC’s Rental Housing Market Strike Force convened by Mayor Bowser to develop balanced solutions to address the current rental housing crisis. We recognize the crisis that is facing our community and the need for an expedited process to identify a set of recommendations to resolve the immediate and urgent issues facing renters and landlords. 

While we support many of the short-term recommendations to prevent evictions and ensure tenants can remain stably housed, we are concerned that many of the recommendations also focus on longer term issues and address some of the most important tenant protections in the city like TOPA and rent control. We believe these recommendations can be used as a starting point for further conversation. However, we feel strongly that these matters deserve more deliberation from a diverse and varied group of stakeholders that includes substantial representation from renters, advocates, and those most affected by any proposed policy changes.

The pandemic and economic crisis have made it crystal clear that stable, affordable housing is the foundation of healthy communities. Now is the time to take bold action to alleviate the suffering and address the economic damage caused by the pandemic -- and to ensure that everyone has safe, stable housing they can afford. Part of that is prioritizing investments and policies to preserve and create PSH and 0-30 MFI housing, including public housing. It also means continuing to examine the systems that have created our current housing crisis. We are committed to being a part of the solution and look forward to continuing these conversations. 

Greater Washington Community Foundation Announces $1 Million Gift from MacKenzie Scott to Arts Forward Fund

Ten Local Funders Also Supporting New Funding Round in July

Author and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has awarded $1 million to the Greater Washington Community Foundation to support Arts Forward Fund, an equity-focused funder collaborative formed in 2020 by local funders to help arts and culture organizations in the DC region to stabilize, adapt, and thrive through the COVID-19 pandemic. The gift to Arts Forward Fund is one of 289 grants totaling $2.7 billion that Scott announced through a June 15 blog post on Medium.

In her post announcing the gifts, Scott wrote:

“Arts and cultural institutions can strengthen communities by transforming spaces, fostering empathy, reflecting community identity, advancing economic mobility . . . and improving mental health, so we evaluated smaller arts organizations creating these benefits with artists and audiences from culturally rich regions and identity groups that donors often overlook.”

The purpose of Arts Forward Fund is to provide resources to help arts and culture organizations continue their work despite the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and respond to the national movement for racial justice. Created with a lead gift from The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, Arts Forward Fund awarded 43 grants totaling $1,048,500 in October 2020. More than 60 percent of these grants and grant funding went to organizations that are BIPOC-led and predominantly BIPOC-serving, with most grants supporting the shift to online and digital programming. 

Including Scott’s gift, more than 20 foundations and individual donors have contributed just under $3 million to Arts Forward Fund since 2020. Major supporters include the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Diane & Norman Bernstein Foundation, England Family Foundation, Philip L. Graham Fund, Harman Family Foundation, Linowitz Family Fund, Nancy Peery Marriott Foundation, Howard and Geraldine Polinger Family Foundation, and Weissberg Foundation. 

In March 2021, a follow-up survey of 2020 Arts Forward Fund applicants confirmed ongoing uncertainty related to the COVID-19 pandemic and a return to in-person events and programs. Frequently cited challenges included increased costs and limited revenue for online and limited in-person programs, audience reluctance to return to venues, staff capacity to maintain virtual programs while simultaneously restarting in-person programs, and concerns about maintaining individual donor support.

To provide relief and recovery funds to help organizations address these issues, Arts Forward Fund will open the application for another round of funding on July 6. With Scott’s gift and commitments from local funders, Arts Forward Fund anticipates an additional $1.7 million to award in grants. For the 2021 grant round, Arts Forward Fund’s focus will be on providing general operating support funding for community-based organizations with annual revenue of $3 million or less. Arts Forward Fund will continue to prioritize organizations that are BIPOC-led and BIPOC-serving. Details will be posted here.

“As a steadfast supporter of the arts community, The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation is honored to be part of the collective effort to help our local cultural organizations recover and reopen,” says Calvin Cafritz, President and CEO of the Cafritz Foundation, which made a lead grant of $500,000 to establish Arts Forward Fund. “In its first round of grantmaking, the Fund received 227 applications totaling nearly $8 million, evidence of the enormous disruption the COVID-19 pandemic created in the sector. Arts Forward Fund, including MacKenzie Scott’s generous gift, is only part of the ongoing community commitment that will be needed to support our region’s arts and cultural organizations as they rebuild and thrive.”

“Arts and culture organizations are a critical economic engine for this region, and they contribute immeasurably to our sense of community and our well-being,” says Tonia Wellons, President and CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation. “We are humbled by this recognition of the Arts Forward Fund’s efforts and proud to bring much needed relief to organizations in the region that enrich our communities and touch our lives.”

Juneteenth: The Gap Between The Promise and the Experience of Freedom

By Ronnie Galvin, Managing Director, Community Investment

Juneteenth, an African-American ‘high-holy day,’ marks the date (June 19, 1865) that enslaved African people in Galveston, Texas, learned of their emancipation from slavery. This was over 2 ½ years after the initial issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862, and its actual enactment on January 1, 1863.

You might ask (as I did when I first learned this history), why it took so long for Galveston’s African peoples to learn about their release from chattel slavery? Some have rationalized that Texas being the Union’s outermost slaveholding state is the reason why news of the proclamation arrived so late. Others ascribe to the belief that slaveholders in Galveston purposely withheld news of the Proclamation as a way to maintain their power, and to extend the exploitation of Black bodies. 

The first rationale here is perhaps plausible. The second rationale is most probable and likely.  

In preparation for our next DMV Community Book Group, I’ve been reading and contemplating Heather McGhee’s The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together. McGhee uses economics, history, and storytelling to make a point that some may know, yet others fully reject: that the persistence of racism that has undermined Black people’s aspirations and progress also has high costs for us all.

Connecting McGhee’s book to the history of Juneteenth and Lincoln’s Emancipation, I find myself reflecting on the gap between the promise of freedom, and the experience of freedom. She cites countless moments when a nation that proclaims to be “home of the free” actively reneges on the promise of freedom for Black people.

While the national narrative amplifies the idea that America is the greatest democracy the world has ever seen, electoral gerrymandering, police assaults on Black bodies and neighborhoods, and disparity gaps between white and Black people in the areas of income, debt accumulation, access to higher education, health, and wealth suggest otherwise. So much promise pronounced in anthems, speeches, and national myth, is only contradicted by so much pain, disappointment, and the feeling of betrayal that Black people continue to experience in this stolen land.

Even as I pen this piece, the United States Senate has unanimously voted to make Juneteenth a federal holiday. For some this is a cause of celebration. I cannot join them, however. Not while they actively block reparations legislation, fuel voter suppression efforts meant to discount Black voting power, bristle with the rise of critical race theory, and amplify “alternative facts” meant to sanitize America’s racist settler colonialist history. 

Symbolic pronouncements such as this, and the social-moral contradictions it reveals, are too much to ignore and can no longer be tolerated. To paraphrase the great Langston Hughes, this incongruity is yet another indication that the America that professes to be, “has never been America to me.” 

This nation will never reach the pinnacle of its potential as long as Black people continue to suffer this demise. As the country continues to grow in its awareness about the cost and loss that Black people have endured, McGhee gracefully (but poignantly) reminds us that this pain also accrues to the masses of Americans. In other words—we all lose as long as systemic racism prevails. 

It’s been nearly 160 years since the first Juneteenth, and our nation is still very much grappling with the origins of this milestone day. The way forward will require the kind of cross-racial, cross-class coalitions that have inspired the best moments in our democracy’s history. Moments that are once again taking their rise in current-day movements for better wages and income, healthcare for all, the generation and enjoyment of wealth, and repairing the damage we have done to the climate. To be sure, the threats to Black people—and all people—are significant and seemingly insurmountable, but they can be confronted and turned back in the face of the sum of us.

We are all in this together. We’re all we got. That’s more than enough.

How Intersectionality Fuels My Activism

By Nora Olagbaju (she/her/hers), LGBTQ+ Fellow

Growing up in a Nigerian home as a lesbian, I often had to grapple with my own identity. Knowing that it was unsafe to be myself on the land of my ancestors still is a painful reality that I have come to terms with. Fortunately, my parents are both activists who encouraged me, from a young age, to advocate for myself and my community.

As early as high school, I was active in the community, interviewing people all over the DC area at the intersections of many avenues of oppression. Many of the topics that came up included issues like violence against the LGBTQ+ community, mental health disparities, unemployment, housing inequality and homelessness—issues that align with many of the priorities at The Community Foundation.

More and more, I see how social issues like these are interconnected. For example, did you know that almost half of the youth experiencing homelessness in DC identify as LGBTQ+? According to Maggie Riden, who runs the DC Alliance of Youth Advocates, many more are at risk of winding up on the streets, too.

This is a perfect example of intersectionality, which I define as the unique challenges or discrimination one can feel as it relates to overlapping aspects of their identity and position within society. Intersectionality is deeply intertwined with the LGBTQ+ work we do at The Community Foundation because understanding these intersections helps better shape our priorities and navigate next steps. 

As the LGBTQ+ Fellow at The Community Foundation, I’m thankful for the opportunity to help address some of these inequalities. Our recent work with direct cash transfer programs, which provide immediate financial aid to those in need, and budget advocacy, to help increase funding and support for organizations, will have a direct impact on a vast portion of the community that is often overlooked. It is our hope that by advocating for LGBTQ+-focused or serving organizations, we can empower them to fight discrimination, and address intersectional issues like homelessness.

Outside of The Community Foundation, as a Howard University student who has grown up in the DC area, I feel a need to make sure that students are providing support to DC advocacy  organizations. In my junior year, I joined the Coalition of Activist Students Celebrating the Acceptance of Diversity and Equality (CASCADE) as the deputy director of community service. Now, I serve on the Advancing Black Strategists Initiative advisory board, which aims to provide a network to amplify black strategists’ voices and power, while also providing leadership resources. My experience has been rewarding and healing, as I’ve been able to connect with like-minded people. 

My identity and lived experiences have made me an advocate both by necessity and passion. As a Black lesbian woman, I am more likely to experience violence, poverty, homelessness, and discrimination just for being who I am. I have seen the growth of my city while simultaneously seeing many of the people who have made a home here for generations being pushed out. I have seen the deep need for support of the LGBTQ+ youth in DC.

I’m excited to be working to help The Community Foundation emphasize intersectionality through its LGBTQ+-focused work. As we celebrate Pride Month, it is inspiring to see how far we’ve come--and it motivates me to continue to do the work that is needed. 

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About Nora Olagbaju

Nora Olagbaju is the LGBTQ+ fellow at The Community Foundation. She is currently a Senior at Howard University where she is pursuing a degree in political science and African studies. Her lived experience as a Black and lesbian woman has driven her advocacy within her community.

Changing Hearts and Minds: What Inspires Trustee Catherine Pino’s LGBTQ+ Advocacy

In honor of Pride Month, we sat down with Trustee Catherine Pino, co-founder of D&P Creative Strategies and one of our newest board members. Along with her wife Ingrid, Catherine has dedicated her life and her work to advocating for change in LGBTQ+ communities across the nation. As a Latina, she’s especially passionate about building bridges between Latino and LGBTQ+ communities.

Read on for our in-depth conversation with Catherine on her LGBTQ+ advocacy, and why intersectionality and authentic community listening are essential for meaningful change.

Community Foundation: You’re a co-founder of D&P Creative Strategies, a DC-based strategic consulting firm focused on inclusive and equitable advocacy. What initially inspired you to co-found D&P? 

Catherine Pino: I have to say that it was really our love and desire to change the world. [My wife] Ingrid and I wanted to build a bridge between the Latino and LGBTQ+ communities. We knew there was a great deal of homophobia within the Latino community, and we felt compelled to try and change that narrative. We wanted to create an entity that would allow us to work on various of projects and issues. We were really adamant about being out and open about our love and who we were.

CF: In what ways have you seen these values show up in your work at D&P and beyond?

CP: Ingrid and I both have this sense of responsibility to improve conditions for marginalized [populations]. We always have the interests of the communities we represent at the forefront of our work to ensure they aren’t left behind. Our passion for what we do shows up in a variety of ways, including when we advise corporate executives on diversity, equity, and inclusion and corporate giving strategies. It also shows up in our advocacy on Capitol Hill. 

It shows up in our film work, which we describe as a labor of love. We've produced six documentaries for HBO and PBS on identity. People telling their stories helps change hearts and minds.

Another way these values show up is through our political work. In 2008, Ingrid and I created PODER PAC, a political action committee dedicated to supporting Latina candidates as they run for Congress. After Hillary Clinton lost the 2008 Democratic primary, we created the PAC after traveling around the country as surrogates and meeting all these incredible Latinas who shared stories with us about how difficult it was to secure the resources they needed to run for office. 

CF: You’ve done a lot of work in the LGBTQ+ space through an intersectionality lens, especially through your work on the Board of the Arcus Foundation. Can you tell us about some of the LGBTQ+ projects or initiatives you’ve spearheaded that have stuck with you? Why?

CP: One of my favorite projects of all time is Familia es Familia—Family is Family. We created a national education campaign to work on anti-bullying discrimination, family unity, and gay marriage. When we worked on this—before marriage equality—there was a lot of distrust between mainstream LGBTQ+ groups and Latinos. Many felt that Latinos and Blacks were more likely than whites to oppose same-sex marriage. Ingrid and I felt strongly that if we shared stories of LGBTQ+ Latinos, our family members and community members would be more accepting.

We were able to garner the support of over 25 national Hispanic organizations and partners, and created strong allies. We traveled across the country to various Hispanic conferences, held workshops, and talked to Latinos about our community. And we created lots of online resources, including videos of celebrity LGBTQ+ couples talking about anti-bullying and discrimination. 

This campaign was highly instrumental in changing hearts and minds about acceptance of LGBTQ+ family members and, frankly, about marriage within the Latino community. It was beautiful to see how the Latino community grew and came around on many of these issues. 

CF: Based on this work, how would you define “intersectionality?” 

CP: Intersectionality really challenges us to look at how intersecting social identity, particularly minority identities, relates to systems and structures, inequity, and discrimination. It helps us make sense of how race, class, ethnicity, socioeconomic standing, gender, religion, and so much more can overlap and affect how others perceive you. 

Take me, for instance. I’m Latina, a woman, and a lesbian raised by a single mom in a very low income, conservative Catholic family. Intersectionality is the way all of our multiple identities and dimensions intersect and, at least for me, embracing them.  

CF: In what ways might we leverage this approach to create change for our LGBTQ+ neighbors in our region? 

CP: Intersectionality means listening to others, examining our own privilege, and asking questions about who may be excluded or affected by our work. It means taking measurable action by intentionally including other voices and acknowledging the contributions of marginalized individuals. We must recognize that there are multiple forms of systemic discrimination or barriers to opportunity and multiple forms of prejudice that prevent LGBTQ+ people of color from being successful.

As a community foundation, the most important thing we can do is listen and respect the voices of those impacted by issues, be inclusive, and invite people into discussions to incorporate different perspectives. 

CF Why did you decide to join The Community Foundation’s board? 

CP: Most of my foundation experience has been at the national level, so I was genuinely excited to join an organization focused on local issues. I honestly believe that community foundations play a critical role in engaging the community, building community capacity, expanding financial capital, and educating the public about philanthropy. There isn’t always an understanding of the importance of giving, especially in minority communities. Ingrid and I try to do as much as we can to educate our communities about the importance of philanthropy. I believe that if you educate young people about philanthropy and about giving back early on, it will help become part of their world throughout their lives.

CF: Finally, what do you think lies ahead for us in terms of LGBTQ+ rights, and social justice—as a region and a nation?  

CP: I still really believe we need the Equality Act. Many states don't have laws to protect people who are vulnerable to discrimination in key areas of life. I'm also really concerned about the anti-trans legislation popping up and in various states across the country. It’s been a record-breaking year for anti-trans legislation. 

We need to be fierce advocates for trans and LGBTQ+ rights, especially for young youth of color. The Trevor Project recently published their annual survey on LGBTQ+ youth mental health, and 52% of all transgender and nonbinary young people reported seriously contemplating suicide in 2020. We’re just losing too many of our LGBTQ+ young people, and it breaks my heart. It’s really critical to provide mentorship and leadership for future generations.

Empowering Change: Investing in our LGBTQ+ Communities

By Benton Murphy, Senior Advisor, Impact

Benton Murphy

Pride Month presents an opportunity to celebrate how far we have come as a nation in fostering safer, more secure and welcoming communities for LGBTQ+ people. This was not the case when I came out in the 1990’s in rural Colorado. At the time, the murder of Matthew Shepard was still fresh in our minds, and we faced efforts like Colorado’s notorious Amendment 2, that would have barred the state from protecting gay and lesbian people from discriminations.

Like so many others in the LGBTQ+ community, it was hard for me to come out in the face of a hostile community. I came out in high school and faced a lot of bullying, violence and trauma, but I never looked back, because living out and proud is the only way I can be.

With the passage of the Marriage Equality Act and the wind-down of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, our country has made progress. In 1996 when the Supreme Court struck down Amendment 2, only 27% of Americans supported marriage equality. Today, more than 70% of Americans support it. But there is still much work to do, even in a place as diverse and open-minded as our region.

In Greater Washington, more than 10% of residents identify as LGBTQ+, with nearly 20% of youth self-identifying as LGBTQ+. Our 2020 VoicesDMV Community Insights survey found that nearly one in 10 LGBTQ+ Greater Washington residents experience discrimination on a daily basis, as compared to just 2% of non-LGBTQ+ residents. Over the past year, a total of 55% of LGBTQ+ residents said they felt discriminated against. 

These are just a few of many reasons why, this month, we are proud to announce new investments in the LGBTQ+ community. Despite the concentration of LGBTQ+ people in our region, Greater Washington’s nonprofit support network for the LGBTQ+ community has been perpetually underfunded. While this is a national issue (only 28 cents of every $100 granted by philanthropies nationally support LGBTQ+ issues), local nonprofits supporting LGBTQ+ communities also compete for donor attention, especially with national advocacy groups located here in Washington. Over time, we hope to offer even more funding opportunities for local groups supporting local LGBTQ+ communities, especially BIPOC individuals.

I’m excited to announce these new investments in LGBTQ+-led and serving organizations working to improve the lives of our LGBTQ+ community. 

Investments include:

• A $30,000 grant to SMYAL for leading a coalition of LGBTQ+ groups striving to ensure the District budget process sufficiently addresses and funds the community’s needs, including services for violence prevention, and housing for LGBTQ+ youth. Our grant is co-funded by our Partnership to End Homelessness in recognition of SMYAL’s advocacy efforts focused on housing and homelessness for youth.

• A $20,000 grant to the Wanda Alston Foundation to support 21 youths who are experiencing homelessness. Alston’s Place is a transitional housing program for youth ages 18-24. Funds will be used to support emergency needs of program participants who have been negatively impacted by COVID-19, including updating legal documents, addressing physical and mental health needs, enrolling in continuing education programs, and securing steady employment. 

These investments were made using a participatory grantmaking approach. A majority BIPOC and entirely LGBTQ+ grants committee not only reviewed and scored applications, but also set our funding priorities. These are individuals who know the needs in our region well—and how COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted our LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities. In many places, the social safety net that helps LGBTQ+ people to access needed services, especially housing, is gone or severely disrupted.

I’m excited that The Community Foundation is prioritizing the opportunity to listen to the LGBTQ+ community, gain a better understanding of its needs, and make investments now and into the future! It’s both a professional and personal cause for me--one I’m excited and humbled to be part of helping lead. We’ve come a long way, and have a long way still to go. I hope you’ll join us.

Community Foundation Recommits $5 million for Affordable Housing

We know that housing ends homelessness and that to reach our goal, we must increase the supply of deeply affordable housing. The City is making strides, including the Mayor’s historic commitment to the Housing Production Trust Fund and Local Rent Supplement Program (LRSP) funding, which better targets funds to serve our lowest-income neighbors. But it will take all of us doing our part to ensure everyone has a home they can afford.

Through the Partnership to End Homelessness, The Community Foundation has partnered with Enterprise Community Loan Fund, Inc. (ECLF) to offer an impact investing option to address the shortage of deeply affordable housing in DC and the surrounding areas. We are extremely excited to share that this year we will be reinvesting in the ECLF Impact Note to continue building and preserving critical affordable housing for our neighbors. Through this partnership, we have invested alongside donors and other partners to create and preserve over 500 units of affordable housing.

Using Your Voice: Contact Your Elected Official

In March, we sent a letter to Mayor Bowser urging her to make bold investments in deeply affordable housing and homeless services with this year’s budget. Since then, the Partnership Leadership Council has been meeting with City Council members to tell them that housing ends homelessness and that this year, we have an unprecedented opportunity to make substantial progress toward our goal.

If you haven’t already, please read our letter to the Mayor and contact your elected officials to tell them that we MUST make substantial investments to ensure everyone has housing they can afford. The Council is working on the budget now, so reach out today!

Not only does housing end homelessness, it leads to better health outcomes, education outcomes, and stronger employment. The Partnership to End Homelessness is bringing private sector leaders to the table to make sure our elected officials understand that our entire community and economy are stronger when everyone has stable, affordable, and decent housing. And that in order to advance equity, we have to make sure that we have housing that people can afford.

Remembering Rhonda Whitaker and Waldon Adams

Last month, our community suffered a shocking loss when Waldon Adams and Rhonda Whitaker, two fierce advocates for ending homelessness, were killed in a hit and run. They were longtime members of the Miriam’s Kitchen and Pathways to Housing DC families, and treasured friends of ours as well.

As a member of our Partnership to End Homelessness Leadership Council, Waldon was instrumental in our work to ensure everyone has housing they can afford. Today, we invite you to join us in honoring their memories.

Celebrating Reginald Black

Congratulations to Reginald Black for being selected as a Black Voices for Black Justice DMV Fellow! Reginald is a leader in the field and a strong advocate for ending homelessness and ensuring everyone has housing they can afford. He is currently the Advocacy Director at People for Fairness Coalition, an organization aiming to empower people to end housing instability in the DC metro area using advocacy, outreach and peer mentoring.

About the Partnership to End Homelessness

The Partnership to End Homelessness, led by the Greater Washington Community Foundation and the District Government’s Interagency Council on Homelessness (ICH), brings together the public and private sectors to ensure homelessness is rare, brief, and non-recurring in DC. We believe that all DC residents deserve a safe, stable, and affordable place to call home.

By joining together, we will increase the supply of deeply affordable housing, help everyone find a home they can afford, and help more people access housing and exit homelessness more quickly.

A Community Transformed: The Visionary Leadership of Milton V. Peterson

The Greater Washington Community Foundation is deeply saddened by the passing of Milton (Milt) V. Peterson, founder of the local real estate development firm Peterson Companies.  He was a business leader who never lost sight of the need to give back and support our communities and people in need. While Milt Peterson may be best known for his vision and the creation of National Harbor, we will remember him for his caring spirit, generosity, and deep commitment to Prince George’s County and the region. 

Peterson Companies joined The Community Foundation family of donors in 2007, establishing the National Harbor Community Outreach Grant Fund to support community, civic, religious, educational, and recreational organizations serving the residents of Prince George’s County, Maryland. Thanks to Peterson Companies, we were able to support the work of 128 nonprofit organizations working to increase economic security in the areas of education, workforce development, and safety net services in Prince George’s County.  

Peterson Companies has continued to support and partner with The Community Foundation, most notably through our Civic Leadership Awards, which recognizes, honors, and promotes outstanding community leadership in Prince George's County. The Peterson Family Foundation also recently supported our Food for Montgomery Fund to improve food security in Montgomery County and our Neighbors in Need and Equity Funds to help Prince George’s County residents facing economic hardship. 

 “The Community Foundation could not be more proud of our long-standing partnership with Peterson Companies. The National Harbor Community Outreach Grant Fund, and more, is a testament to Milt Peterson’s vision of what our region could truly be. His generosity has contributed greatly to our mission to build thriving communities,” said Tonia Wellons, President and CEO. 

We send our heartfelt condolences to the Peterson family and all those touched by Milt’s work, civic engagement, and philanthropy. Milt Peterson has forever transformed our community, and helped improve the lives of countless residents throughout the Greater Washington region. He will be sorely missed, but has left an enduring legacy. 

The memorial service for Milt Peterson will be live streamed on Wednesday, June 9 at 1 p.m. ET. Click here to watch the service.

A Drive for Justice: Local Asian Leaders Share Their Stories

Leading With Service

Trustee Veronica Jeon considers entrepreneurship—and service—core foundations of her career.

 “I am a product of entrepreneurial parents, [and] I’ve always played a part in giving back. I’ve been blessed and fortunate to do that in my community where I live, work, and play,” she says. 

As President and CEO of VSJ, Inc, a minority, woman-owned public relations and strategic communications firm, she serves clients across the nonprofit, corporate and government sectors. “Your success is our passion” is VSJ’s mission—a charge that also fulfills Veronica’s personal passion for service. 

Veronica also serves as the Chair of the Prince George’s County Advisory Board and as an executive committee member of our Emerging Leader’s Impact Fund in Prince George’s County, helping determine the focus of grantmaking and rallying resources to deepen impact in the County. 

In honor of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, she shares what inspires her to continue to serve in philanthropy in our region—especially in this pivotal moment in our nation’s history. 

“As we continue to emerge in Prince George’s County and beyond, I am committed to effectively grow the culture of philanthropy by advocating and leading initiatives; partnering to elevate and engage in philanthropy on all levels locally and regionally; and, mentoring the next generation of entrepreneurs and leaders,” says Veronica. “As a servant leader in this pivotal time in our nation’s history, I am of the belief that we all must lead in such a way to make others better as a result of our presence. And, in doing so, making sure that impact lasts in our absence.”

Empowering Others Towards Action

The Asian American Lead Youth Council, a group of high school and middle school AAPI youth who advocate for diversity and racial equity, is working hard to combat gentrification in DC’s Chinatown. A VoicesDMV Community Action Awards winner, the Council is leading efforts to uplift residents’ stories to raise awareness of the negative impacts of gentrification. Stories are shared on their project-dedicated website, and in their petitions for change to city leaders. 

“The main reasons that inspire me to continue to lead and invest in AAPI-focused work are the opportunities to inspire other scholars to fight for what they are passionate about and to spur change in my community,” says Maricarmen, AALEAD Youth Council member. “This work is so important because current social and political issues have created massive tension in communities, where voices are no longer heard. [It] allows the public to learn and spread awareness about the issue at hand.”

Through their work with Chinatown residents, youth leaders have developed meaningful, inter-generational relationships with community members. They’ve facilitated partnership conversations and presentations with groups, and had the opportunity to get to know those directly affected by Chinatown’s rising housing costs. 

“Something that inspires me to continue to lead and invest in this work is definitely my culture and background. Oftentimes Asian Americans in settings such as schools are seen as timid or not assuming of a leader. I aspire and live to prove that wrong. I want to be a role model and norm breaker for people out there and give my fellow Asian Americans inspiration as to what they can achieve even in a society filled with ignorance today.” – Jerry, AALEAD Youth Council member.

A Drive for Justice

The National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC) works to empower Koreans and Asian Americans as change-makers in their communities. Through expanding AAPI voting power; developing a new generation of youth and immigrant leaders; and building a sustainable movement organization, NAKASEC is forging a new future for Korean and Asian Americans.

As one of our Resilience Fund grantees, we were proud to partner with NAKASEC during the height of COVID-19 to help support individuals excluded from federal relief.

“Right now the spotlight is on AAPIs because of increased reporting of interpersonal discrimination, harassment violence towards AAPIs. None of this is new though to us. And while our communities are in focus - even for horrible reasons - this has created opportunities for AAPIs to re-assert belongingness, think about solutions to address the conditions behind the ‘anti-Asian hate,’ and expand the conversation to institutionalized oppression,” says Sookyung Oh, NAKASEC Director.

“People of Asian heritage have always played a central role in leading campaigns and movements for change in solidarity with others. I see this drive for justice among AAPIs who want to fight for change, but didn’t always have a political home or community to be grounded in. That’s what inspires me to lead NAKASEC Virginia. We want to be a place of connection and growth for AAPIs and this work is more important than ever.”

Celebrating Our Community Champions

On Thursday, May 20, 2021, our community came together for our virtual Celebration of Community Champions: an hour of inspiration to celebrate our collective efforts and impact this past year. Together, we recognized the everyday heroes - including the donors, nonprofit partners, corporate supporters, and local government advisors - who stepped up to help our community navigate COVID-19.

“This evening, I am delighted to celebrate and give special thanks to you, our Community Champions. With your support and partnership, we were able to fund 300 local nonprofits to weather this crisis - over half of which are BIPOC-led.” –Tonia Wellons, President and CEO

“At The Community Foundation, our work is transformative. And it would not be possible without you, our Community Champions.” -Katharine Weymouth, Board Chair

Honoring Our Community Champions

We were proud to honor four incredible Civic Heroes and our Collaborative, Corporate, and Community Heroes - local individuals and companies that have shown up for Greater Washington in exceptional ways.

Civic Heroes

These inspiring individuals have demonstrated outstanding civic leadership and service dedicated to improving the lives of Prince George’s County residents:

• Dr. Monica Goldson, CEO of Prince George’s County Public Schools

• Steve Proctor, President & CEO of G.S. Proctor & Associates, Inc.

• Dr. Alvin Thornton, former Chair of Prince George’s County Board of Education

• Senator Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr. (in memoriam)

Collaborative Hero: Food for Montgomery

Community Hero: Feed the Fight

A public-private effort to combat food insecurity in Montgomery County.

A volunteer-driven effort to support local restaurants while feeding frontline workers

Corporate Hero: CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield

For committing to distribute 1.6 million units of PPE at no-cost to nonprofit health centers and independent providers on the frontlines of the pandemic.

“I am incredibly grateful for all the work you’ve put into truly helping our community survive and thrive. Tonight is all about celebrating what we can accomplish together” -special guest Abby D. Phillip, Anchor & Senior Political Correspondent for CNN. 

Showcasing Local Talent

The Celebration also featured a cohort of renowned local artists, from four regional arts organizations supported by the Arts Forward Fund. These performers represent some of Greater Washington’s most impactful nonprofit arts organizations, including Arts on the Block, DC Jazz Festival, Joe’s Movement Emporium, and Synetic Theater. 

Arts on the Block: Young Artists from Youth Arts Movement

Students from AOB’s STEAM-centered visual arts program present and discuss their creative works.

DC Jazz Festival: Jazz Pianist Allyn Johnson & Friends

DC-born jazz pianist Allyn Johnson performs with longtime collaborators Herman Burney on bass Carroll V. Dashiell III on drums

Joe’s Movement Emporium: Sainey Ceesay, Youth Poet Laureate of Prince George’s County

Synetic Theater: ‘All the Word’s A Stage’

Sainey Ceesay performs her poem ‘Water,’ commenting today’s social and political climate. 

An excerpt of Synetic’s first film, featuring Scott Brown and Maryam Najafzada

Paying Tribute

The evening concluded with a heartfelt thank you from President and CEO Tonia Wellons to our Community Champions for joining the Celebration and for supporting our community throughout this truly unprecedented year. She offered a call to action for anyone who would like to continue partnering with The Community Foundation to support our community.

Featuring our final performer, @SnyteticTheatre. Tune in for their inaugural short film, “All the World’s a Stage.” #CommunityChampions pic.twitter.com/KNY0fWLr8O

— Greater Washington Community Foundation (@communityfndn) May 20, 2021

Want to catch the full evening? Watch the full event recording

Love and Activism: The Legacy of Diane Bernstein

Diane Bernstein was a champion for our community and a compassionate leader and activist. We were sad to hear of her passing on April 30, 2021.

A long-time member of The Community Foundation family, both as a board member and major donor, Diane began her decades-long relationship with us in the early ‘90s when she was invited to serve on the board by then Chair R. Robert Linowes. A deeply committed advocate for children for over 50 years, she chaired our grants and program committee, and supported the development of many youth and children-focused initiatives, including The Community Foundation’s first major initiative, The Circle of Hope. This violence prevention initiative focused on community organizing and advocacy, and increasing resources for youth and adults in the Barry Farms, Congress Heights, Columbia Heights and the Northwest One neighborhoods in Washington, DC.

In recent years, Diane and her family foundation, the Diane and Norman Bernstein Foundation, have generously supported the Partnership to End Homelessness, enhancing our efforts to bring deeply affordable and supportive housing to every ward of DC. Her support and advocacy have helped the most marginalized in our region, and allowed people experiencing homelessness to access critical services and safe, stable housing.

In addition to her six children and 12 grandchildren, Diane touched the lives of countless others:

“Diane took me under her wing 28 years ago when I was a new program officer at The Community Foundation. She became a mentor, close friend and was like a second mother to me. She taught me to trust my instincts and speak truth to power —how to use my voice on behalf of those whose voices are not being listened to,” said Silvana Straw, Senior Community Investment Officer and Philanthropic Advisor at the Greater Washington Community Foundation.

“She loved life. She was a nurturer and supported my work as a program officer and as an artist,” Silvana continues. “She was wise and brave. She was fun and funny as hell. I am blessed to have had her in my life.” 

Diane Bernstein will be missed by our community. Though she is no longer with us, her legacy will certainly continue—at The Community Foundation, and beyond.

Campaign for Grade-Level Reading Recognizes Children’s Opportunity Fund as a Bright Spot Community During COVID-19 Pandemic

Children’s Opportunity Fund Recognized for Work in Supporting Early School Success

The Greater Washington Community Foundation is pleased to share that the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading (CLGR) named Montgomery County, Maryland, as a 2021 Bright Spot community for its responses to the COVID-19 crisis last year.

Specifically, CLGR is highlighting communities that developed exemplary or innovative responses to the COVID-19 crisis, including new or adaptive roles, programs, organizational relationships/collaborations, policies and/or resources. In particular, the Campaign is recognizing communities for crafting solutions that seem especially effective, replication-worthy and/or deserving of being sustained during the post-COVID period.

As a co-founder of the Educational Enrichment and Equity Hubs in Montgomery County, we are humbled and proud to be recognized for this COVID-19 response work in the County. Established by The Community Foundation’s Children’s Opportunity Fund (COF), in partnership with certified childcare providers, The Black and Brown Coalition for Educational Equity and Excellence, and Montgomery County Public Schools, Equity Hubs offer low-income students grades K-8 a safe place to learn during remote learning due to the pandemic. These enrichment centers continue today, acting as active academic partners in assisting with distance learning and working to ensure that all students can excel.

“We are so thankful for all our community partners who have stepped up to help us close the opportunity gap by addressing racial inequities and expanding opportunities for Black, Brown, and low-income students,” said Anna Hargrave, executive director for Montgomery County at the Greater Washington Community Foundation. “The Equity Hubs are critical in our efforts to support our most marginalized youth and families in Montgomery County and we look forward to continuing this work in the future.”

Since September 2020, the Equity Hubs have welcomed over 1,400 students across 70 sites. Thanks to the support of public and private community partners, COF has raised and administered over $8.3 million to fund the Equity Hubs.

About the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading
Launched in 2010, the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading is a collaborative effort of funders, nonprofit partners, business leaders, government agencies, states and communities across the nation to ensure that many more children from low-income families succeed in school and graduate prepared for college, a career and active citizenship. CGLR focuses on promoting early school success as an important building block of more hopeful futures for children in economically challenged families and communities.

Since its launch, CGLR has grown to include more than 300 communities, representing 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and two provinces in Canada — with 5,000+ local organizations and 510 state and local funders (including 200+ United Ways). To learn more, visit gradelevelreading.net and follow the movement on Twitter @readingby3rd.

About the Greater Washington Community Foundation
The Greater Washington Community Foundation exists to Build Thriving Communities by guiding strategic philanthropy, providing leadership on critical issues, promoting civic engagement, and inspiring local giving. Founded in 1973, The Community Foundation is a public charity made up of hundreds of charitable giving funds established by generous individuals, families, and businesses. We work with donors and partners to enhance the quality of life in the District of Columbia, Montgomery County, Northern Virginia, and Prince George’s County. As the region’s largest local funder, we manage $350 million in assets and have invested nearly $1.3 billion to build more equitable, just, and enriching communities where all residents can thrive.

The Children’s Opportunity Fund is a component fund of the Greater Washington Community Foundation. Funded jointly by the government of Montgomery County, Maryland, and Montgomery County Public Schools to leverage public funds to attract private investment, the Fund champions, plans and funds strategic investments that improve the lives of low-income children and families in the county. With a focus on innovative, evidence-informed efforts targeted at closing the opportunity gap, the Fund identifies priority areas for investment based on unmet need, aligns resources toward effective multi-sector collaborations serving the county’s most marginalized youth and their families, and seeks new funding sources.

Community Foundation Announces $500,000 Gift from Howard Hughes Medical Institute To Children’s Opportunity Fund

The Greater Washington Community Foundation is pleased to announce a new $500,000 contribution from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) to the Children’s Opportunity Fund (COF). The gift will help the Educational Enrichment & Equity Hubs to close the opportunity gap by addressing racial inequities and expanding opportunities for Black, Brown, and low-income students and families in Montgomery County, Maryland. This gift recognizes HHMI’s support of the hubs concept and the work of the Black and Brown Coalition for Educational Equity and Excellence and its partnership with COF.

COF, an impact initiative of the Greater Washington Community, champions, plans, and funds strategic investments that improve the lives of low-income children and families in the county. The Black and Brown Coalition for Educational Equity and Excellence focuses on eliminating systemic barriers for student to thrive. In response to the pandemic and school closures, COF along with the Black and Brown Coalition for Educational Equity and Excellence, with certified childcare providers, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), and community members came together to establish the Equity Hubs program in Montgomery County. Since September 2020, the Equity Hubs have welcomed over 1,300 students across 70 sites. Through the support of public and private community partners, COF initially raised over $4.2 million to fund the Equity Hubs for low-income students through the first semester. In February 2021, MCPS and Montgomery County Council provided another $3.6 million to continue this effort into the second semester.

“We are so thankful for partners like HHMI and others who have stepped up to help us close the opportunity gap by addressing racial inequities and expanding opportunities for Black, Brown, and low-income students,” said Tonia Wellons, President and CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation. “These contributions help bolster our ability to support our most marginalized youth and families in Montgomery County as schools begin to reopen.”

Recent news coverage has highlighted how the pandemic has exacerbated the documented achievement gap in Montgomery County. The efforts of the Children’s Opportunity Fund and the Black and Brown Coalition and its partners to support the county’s most vulnerable students came to the attention of HHMI President Erin O’Shea, who reached out to explore how HHMI could contribute.

O’Shea notes the value of targeted interventions that leverage school community member expertise to provide students with resources they need.

"We're pleased to support the innovative equity hub model catalyzed by the Children’s Opportunity Fund and the Black and Brown Coalition in Montgomery County," said O'Shea. "By ensuring that students have access to learning tools and support services, the hubs directly address systemic inequities in education that have widened during the pandemic."

Even as schools begin to reopen, the need to support our community’s children and families will continue, especially as the implications of the pandemic are more fully understood. COF will continue working with the community partners to understand the evolving needs of the most vulnerable youth and families to close the steadily increasing opportunity gap in Montgomery County.

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About the Greater Washington Community Foundation

Since 1973, the Greater Washington Community Foundation has been a champion of thriving communities and a catalyst for change through local philanthropic engagement, effective community investment, and civic leadership. We work with donors and partners to enhance the quality of life in the District of Columbia, Montgomery County, Northern Virginia, and Prince George’s County. As the region’s largest local funder, we have invested more than $1.3 billion to build more equitable, just, and enriching communities where all residents can live, work, and thrive.

About the Black and Brown Coalition for Educational Equity and Excellence

Cofounded in 2019 by Identity and the NAACP Parents’ Council, the Coalition’s mission is to ensure by 2025, all students, and particularly Black and Brown students, have equitable access to the resources, opportunities and supports they need to be successful in college, career, and life. The Black and Brown Coalition harnesses the power of two historically disenfranchised communities who have not traditionally advocated together. By joining forces, the Black and Latino communities leverage the influence of 54% of the MCPS student body to push to undo the deeply embedded impact of systemic inequity.

About the Howard Hughes Medical Institute

HHMI is the largest private biomedical research institution in the nation. Our scientists make discoveries that advance human health and our fundamental understanding of biology. We also invest in transforming science education into a creative, inclusive endeavor that reflects the excitement of research. HHMI’s headquarters are in Chevy Chase, Maryland.

Remembering Rhonda Whitaker and Waldon Adams

Waldon and Rhonda were an inspiration to so many in our community. After overcoming so much, they used their experience to help others secure permanent housing and became fierce advocates for ending homelessness in DC.

As an advocate with Miriam’s Kitchen, Rhonda joined us last year to educate donors and private sector leaders on “The Truth About Chronic Homelessness and the Solution” and how housing can save lives

As a member of our Partnership to End Homelessness Leadership Council, we were honored to work closely with Waldon. You couldn’t be a part of this work in DC without knowing him and feeling his commitment and passion. We are incredibly grateful that he was willing to lend his passion and expertise to the Leadership Council. His personal experience and years working to help others both grounded our strategies and made our work stronger. Whether running marathons, speaking with private sector leaders, or helping someone find housing, he gave 100%.

We will never be able to adequately express our gratitude and appreciation for everything they have done for our community. We know our partners, especially those at Miriam’s Kitchen and Pathways, are grieving and we also know they will continue to fight to end homelessness as Rhonda and Waldon did every day.

A Space for Healing: Reflecting on the COVID-19 Interfaith Memorial Service

By Ronnie Galvin, Managing Director, Community Investment

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis, the Greater Washington Community Foundation was compelled to convene our community on April 16 for a time to lament, heal, and hope together. Following our COVID-19 Interfaith Memorial service, I am much clearer about a reality that frontline leaders in the Movement for Black Lives, Indigenous Movements, and Immigrant Rights Movements have been teaching us for some time now.

We cannot ignore the emotional and physical impacts we are experiencing in the face of multiple pandemics. These pandemics include but are not limited to white supremacist extremism, gun violence in neighborhoods and mass shootings all across the country, the ongoing killing of Black people at the hands of the police, and economic precarity felt by frontline workers.

We need spaces where we can retreat, take stock of what we have learned, and set the course for healing and acting together. This is especially true as our community looks to make meaning of the recent verdict following the senseless murder of George Floyd, and the recent tragic killings of Daunte Wright and Ma'Khia Bryant. These are just the latest among far too many other lives lost at the hands of police and gun violence, which has terrorized communities from Atlanta to Indianapolis to Boulder.

I believe that failing to create such spaces reinforces the status quo that sacrifices our humanity and collective well-being, for work and productivity. Without taking time and space, the possibility for creating a more transformed, equitable, and just region will continue to elude us.

We were humbled to offer such a space with the COVID-19 Interfaith Memorial service led by spiritual leaders and artists. This special convening was held as a healing space to acknowledge and honor the lives we’ve lost, reflect on our shared truths, and open our hearts and minds to building a transformative future. Service leaders included Sixth & I’s Rabbi Shira Stutman; National Council of Church’s Rev. Aundreia Alexander; MakeSpace’s Imam Makhdoom Zia; Singer, songwriter, and producer Tamara Wellons; and Rev. Raedorah Stewart.

During the service, we invited participants to create two collages: one listing the names of people we have lost over the past year and, the other, a collection of words that expressed the feelings we were holding. We invite you to add to each of them if you feel compelled to join us. 

As we continue to feel the impact of multiple pandemics; as people rise to care for each other and defend our common humanity; as we celebrate the verdict of the Derek Chauvin trial, while poising ourselves for the next attack on Black lives; my colleagues and I at the Greater Washington Community Foundation remain committed to creating these spaces for discussion, reflection, and community-building.

I am looking for thought partners and community builders who are already creating these kinds of truth-telling, meaning making, and healing spaces. If this sounds like you, drop me a line at [email protected] with the subject line “Community Builders Unite!” 

Thank you for standing with us in our continued quest for justice, and for healing. Community is our way. It is the only way.

Pumoja Tutashinde.  Together We Will Win.

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Weren’t able to join us for our COVID-19 Interfaith Memorial Service? Watch the recording here.

Renowned Local Artists To Perform At Celebration Of Community Champions

We are thrilled to announce the cohort of renowned local artists, from four regional arts organizations, who will perform at our virtual Celebration of Community Champions on May 20. 

These performers work with some of Greater Washington’s most impactful nonprofit arts organizations, including Arts on the Block, DC Jazz Festival, Joe’s Movement Emporium, and Synetic Theater, which are supported by the Arts Forward Fund. Arts Forward Fund is a funder collaborative that provided over $1 million in emergency support to help arts and culture organizations struggling due to the pandemic.

Read on to learn more about our featured artists and organizations—and get a sneak-peak of their performances.

Arts on the Block:
Young Artists From Youth Arts Movement

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Since 2003, Arts on the Block (AOB) has helped young people imagine and plan fulfilling lives and careers, join the creative workforce, and contribute to their own communities. AOB’s programs provide creative expression and learning, studio skills, job training, and career path support to young creatives who might not otherwise be introduced to art and design careers. 

For this special performance, several young artists from Youth Arts Movement (YAM), AOB’s STEAM-centered visual arts program, will present and discuss their creative works. The YAM program, conducted in both English and Spanish for students ages 4-13, provides an introductory experience in the elements of visual art. Projects are integrated with science and technology activities, allowing students to explore the creative connection between science and art.

DC Jazz Festival:
Jazz Pianist Allyn Johnson & Friends

DC Jazz Festival (DCJF) presents world-renowned and emerging jazz artists to audiences in Greater Washington, and beyond. Throughout the year, DCJF also advances music education by extending free educational programs to underserved neighborhoods in DC, and to DC public and charter school students. Signature programs include the annual DC JazzFest, slated for September 1-5 this year; the year-round DCJF Music Education Program; the Charles Fishman Embassy Series; and the DCJazzPrix competition. 

Allyn Johnson, jazz pianist

For the Celebration,  DC Jazz Festival will present Allyn Johnson, a DC-born jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and producer. He will be  joined by longtime collaborators Herman Burney on bass, and drummer Carroll V. Dashiell III.

Johnson is known for his trademark sound that gives brilliance, and fortitude, to the art of jazz improvisation. A protege of the late great jazz legend Calvin Jones, a venerable figure in the international jazz community, Johnson makes it his mantra to never rest on his laurels. He hopes to continue Jones' rich legacy of service, musicianship and academic excellence.

Joe’s Movement Emporium:
Sainey Cesay, Poet Laureate of Prince George’s County

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Joe’s Movement Emporium, a cultural arts hub based in Mount Rainier, Maryland, inspires creativity through cultural experiences, arts education, job training, and creative community. Located in the Prince George’s Gateway Arts District, Joe’s serves more than 70,000 visitors annually through arts-based youth programs that bridge the creative divide between under-resourced families, and those with means. Current programs include Club Joe’s Arts Education After School; Artist Partners; CreativeWorks job training in digital and theater technology; and, an active theater in both of its locations.

At the Celebration, Joe’s will present Sainey Cesay, a graduate of Joe’s CreativeWorks program, and the 2021 Youth Poet Laureate of Prince George’s County. Her poem Water deftly comments on race, politics and the environment. 

Synetic Theater:
‘All The World’s A Stage’

Synetic Theater redefines theater by blending innovative techniques and movement, investing in artists’ growth, and creating unforgettable visceral experiences for every audience. Founded by Paata and Irina Tsikurishvili, Georgian artists who moved to the US in the 1990s, the Tsikurishvilis combine traditions of the Caucasus with distinctly American styles to tell classic stories through movement, music, technology and visual arts.

Synetic will present an excerpt from ‘All The World’s a Stage,’ the first Synetic Motion Pictures short film, featuring Scott Brown and Maryam Najafzada. The film tells the story of life from one of Shakespeare's most famous speeches.

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Excited to see these incredible artists in action?

RSVP for our virtual Celebration of Community Champions on May 20. Registration is free (though, donations are appreciated!)

Introducing the Black Voices for Black Justice DMV Fellows

Meet our Black Justice Fellows: ten local Black leaders fighting for racial justice in our region, and beyond. These 10 visionary leaders were selected from 4,334 nominations representing 362 Black leaders, as the inaugural Fellowship cohort of the Black Voices for Black Justice Fund DMV. Launched fall 2020 in partnership with Bridge Alliance Education Fund and the DC-based nonprofit GOODProjects, the Black Voices for Black Justice Fund DMV supports activists, organizers, and leaders who are on the front lines of advancing social justice and racial equity.  

Each Fellow will receive a personal grant of $30,000 to support their work and living expenses for a year, in support of their racial justice work that is shaping and driving this powerful movement to build a fair, equitable community. 

Read on to meet (and congratulate!) these 10 inspiring Fellows—and learn what values drive them to continue pushing for change.  

Reginald Black: People for Fairness Coalition

“My personal brand is giving the city everything it needs.”

Reginald Black is an advocacy director at People for Fairness Coalition, an organization aiming to empower people to end housing instability in the DC metro area using advocacy, outreach and peer mentoring. Their vision is to use practical and educational processes to get residents from poverty to self-sufficiency. In his spare time, Black serves as an artist and vendor for Street Sense Media.

Xavier Brown: Soilful City

“I am rooted deeply in nature and the community. I’m focused on creating more leaders by working with people to find the power already within them. My personal brand is about building community connections, networks, and community power based on the wisdom of nature.”

Xavier Brown is a native Washingtonian and founder of Soilful City, an organization building bridges between urban agriculture, environmental sustainability and people of the African diaspora. Their work is part educational and part collaboration with fellow Black farmers. Brown sees nature as a way to uplift and heal stressed communities. He is considered the face of DC Black farmers. 

Aalayah Eastmond: Team Enough and Concerned Citizens DC

“I am focused on uplifting the voices of Black youth and families—as well as the most marginalized groups, such as transgender Black women. These values are based on addressing the intersections of gun violence, the leading cause of death for Black youth, with racial equity/justice and police violence.”

Aalayah Eastmond is the co-founder and finances and operations director of Concerned Citizens DC, an organization aiming to improve the quality of life for Black people in DC and improve policing practices. As a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Eastmond experienced an attack by a gunman that resulted in 17 deaths among students and staff. Since, she has advocated against gun violence, in particular the chronic gun violence affecting Black communities daily. Eastmond serves as an executive council member for Team Enough, a youth-led organization working to end gun violence. She’s spoken about her experiences and mission at the 2018 March for Our Lives, the 2020 March on Washington and before Senate and House judiciary committees. Eastmond is also a BLM supporter who’s spent time at protest frontlines in DC.

Jawanna Hardy: Guns Down Friday

“Our main value [at Guns Down Friday] is integrity: doing the right thing when no one is watching. Other values are commitment and consistency. We’re loved by the community, because we never gave up.”

Jawanna Hardy is the founder of Guns Down Friday, an outreach program that provides resources to communities affected by youth homicide, suicide and mental health illnesses. Hardy is a US Air Force veteran who recognized that DC streets were worse than the warzone. Guns Down Friday was founded in 2018 in collaboration with Hardy’s daughter Dnayjah Joseph. The organization provides services such as the mobile trauma unit emergency response, therapy, books, food and clothes giveaways and violence intervention.

Liz Jones: Greenwithin

“My personal brand is being honest about your contribution to the earth and even more honest about how you care for yourself. Adopting eating habits that are best for yourself and the Earth. Having genuine connections and engagement with your community. An easily achievable plant-based diet. Simple sustainability practices.”

Liz Jones is the founder of Greenwithin, an organization creating sustainable food opportunities for underserved DC residents through local organic agriculture, plant based food and nutrition education. Jones hopes to refamiliarize her community with unprocessed, whole foods and to provide resources that lead to sustainable and self-sufficient lifestyles. She calls this her life’s work and family legacy.

Myron Long: The Social Justice School

“My brand is love, learning, and liberation, and my values are community, family, justice, service, and spirituality. I am and have a reputation of being authentic because my professional persona matches my personal and spiritual identity. Who I am as an educator and entrepreneur is who I am as a community activist, husband, and father.”

Myron Long is the founder and executive director of The Social Justice School, a revolutionary DC charter school that educates with social justice and design thinking at its core. Long has served the DC community as a veteran teacher and a principal. He hopes the school, which will eventually expand to accommodate 5th through 8th graders, will develop students academically and produce social justice advocates with skills to interpret and dismantle systems of oppression.

Ashley McSwain: Community Family Life Services

“My personal brand is relentless and unapologetic advocacy for justice-involved women.” 

Ashley McSwain is the Executive Director at Community Family Life Services, a nonprofit serving re-entry women and families by providing wrap around support as they move towards self-sufficiency. McSwain is a licensed social worker in Maryland and a certified domestic violence counselor. She has worked in the human services field for over 25 years and is a recognized expert in women’s reentry. 

Ty Hobson-Powell: Concerned Citizens DC 

“My personal brand is radical love. I believe that the world only seems as careless as it does because we care less about each other than we should. The problem is that for so long there are many of us who’ve felt like we’ve had to do it all ourselves.”

Ty Hobson-Powell is the founder and Director of Policy of Concerned Citizens DC, an organization aiming to improve the quality of life for Black people in DC and improve policing practices. He has led protests in Washington, DC streets to bring awareness and dialogue to critical issues. Hobson-Powell is a child prodigy who graduated high school at 13 years old and earned his master’s in human services by 17 years old.

NeeNee Tay: Black Lives Matter DC (BLM DC)

“I am seeking to solve a better education system for our children. To have health care and housing for all of our people. To dismantle systems that contribute to state sanction and inter community violence. To defund the police and re-invest funds into programs and resources that will empower marginalized people and communities.”

NeeNee Tay is an Activist and Core Organizer for Black Lives Matter DC, is a member-based abolitionist organization centering Black people most at risk for state violence in DC, creating the conditions for Black Liberation through the abolition of systems and institutions of white supremacy, capitalism, patriarchy, and colonialism. Tay’s current focus is on criminal justice reform, displacement and youth in the DMV area. Tay describes her activism as walking “in the spirit of Harriet Tubman.”

Bethelehem (Beth) Yirga: The Palm Collective

“I am a single mom who values collective action, education and authenticity. The vision of a future deserving of my daughter is what keeps me fighting for racial justice. I have no choice but to use my power to prepare our emerging generation of leaders in DC, and beyond, through cultivating spaces of learning, collaboration and standing in your power.”

Bethelehem Yirga is the co-founder, chief strategist and lead organizer of The Palm Collective, a Black-led organization connecting individuals, networks and grassroots organizations working to end systemic racism in DC. Their goal is to create powerful communities through Collective Action. Yirga has over 10 years of experience as an educator. She believes in inclusivity, collaboration, collective action and fighting for Black, Brown and BIPOC people to matter.

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About the Black Voices for Black Justice Fund (DMV)

The Black Voices for Black Justice Fund (DMV) was seeded by the Bridge Alliance Education Fund and Greater Washington Community Foundation. This local initiative stemmed from the national Black Voices for Black Justice Fund, which was launched from a partnership between many philanthropic organizations across the country.

‘Investing in Our City’s Future:' New Board Members Reflect on Service

Over the past several months, The Community Foundation has welcomed several new members to our board, with expertise ranging from arts management, to civil law. We’re thrilled to work with these inspiring leaders—and excited to introduce them to you! Read on to learn about their backgrounds and what they’re most excited about in joining The Community Foundation family. 

Rachel goslins

With over 25 years’ experience in the cultural sector, creative industries, social impact and law, Rachel Goslins is the Director of the Arts & Industries Building at the Smithsonian Institution. In that capacity she is responsible for all aspects of developing and implementing plans to reopen the building, closed to the public for over a decade, as a space to explore creativity, innovation and the future. Prior to that, she served as Executive Director of the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, an advisory committee to President Obama on cultural policy, from 2009 until late 2015.

“I am so thrilled and honored to join The Community Foundation board—especially in this moment of inflection for the organization. With Tonia and Katherine at the helm, coming out of a robust strategic planning process and the lessons of a tumultuous year, which reinforced our mission and value to the communities we serve, we are poised to do even greater things. I am committed to do whatever I can to help build and grow the legacy of this dynamic foundation.”

Ronald Machen

Ronald Machen is a partner at the law firm of WilmerHale. He serves on the firm’s Global Management Committee and is Co-Chair of the firm’s Investigations and Criminal Litigation Group. He is an experienced litigator, having tried more than 35 cases to verdict, who specializes in complex criminal and civil actions. He also routinely helps clients navigate high-stakes, crisis situations that garner the attention of multiple regulators, Congress and private litigants.

“Having spent a large portion of my career devoted to improving public safety, I am very excited about becoming a board member of The Community Foundation and serving my community in a different capacity. There are so many pressing challenges our society faces today—homelessness, income and racial inequality, job preparedness, lack of educational opportunities for our youth, just to name a few.  I look forward to working with my fellow board members of the foundation to attack these and other issues in order to  improve the quality of life for all residents of the greater Washington region.” 

Catherine Pino

Catherine M. Pino is Founder and CEO of D&P Creative Strategies, a certified Latinx, LGBTQ, Veteran and Women’s business enterprise she and her wife, Ingrid Duran, created in 2004. Catherine’s aim is to advance corporate, philanthropic and legislative efforts that mirror her deep passion and commitment to social justice and civil rights issues. Catherine has extensive experience working in the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors, where she developed an expertise for designing and evaluating programs that target underserved populations

“I am so honored to join The Community Foundation familia, and to be part of this incredible organization that does vital work in our community. I am especially looking forward to working with the board under our President’s leadership to guide the staff on the implementation of The Community Foundation’s new, thoughtful, and very bold strategic plan. I am excited to see the fruits of its success as we lead with racial equity and inclusion to strengthen our most vulnerable communities in the area, particularly our immigrant community.”

Archie Smart, Founder, DKR Insights

Archie has counseled political campaigns, global corporations, NGOs, and trade associations to use technology to solve modern communications challenges. A veteran of Madison Avenue, political campaigns, and tech startups, Archie builds offensive and defensive narrative strategies to enhance reputations and influence audiences using data, analytics, and advertising technologies.

Before founding DKR Insights, Smart was an Executive Vice President at MSL / Publicis Groupe, where he was responsible for managing global client engagements.

“Washington, DC is a beacon of hope, freedom, and opportunity for people everywhere, yet many living in the shadow of the Capitol dome struggle for genuine equality. When I joined the board of The Community Foundation, I committed to helping our community achieve the ideals our city represents to the world. I am looking forward to learning from the staff as we make investments in our city’s future.”

learn more

• “‘What Does Being African American Mean To You?’ 3 New Board and Staff Members Share”

• “Community Foundation Welcomes Racial Equity Expert To Board And Bids Farewell To Longest Standing Member”

• “Community Foundation Welcomes New Advisory Board Members in Prince George’s County”

Community Foundation to Honor Community Champions

Hundreds will gather virtually to celebrate the individual and collective efforts to address the most pressing needs of our community

In celebration of what makes the Greater Washington region truly remarkable, the Greater Washington Community Foundation has announced the honorees for its upcoming Celebration of Community Champions on Thursday, May 20, 2021. 

The virtual Celebration will uplift and honor several local Heroes for their exceptional efforts to help our community navigate the pandemic and economic crisis.

CareFirst workers delivering PPE.

• Corporate Hero: CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield
  For committing to distributing 1.6 million units of PPE at no-cost to nonprofit health centers and independent providers on the frontlines of the pandemic.

• Community Hero: Feed the Fight
  A community-driven, volunteer effort with a dual mission to support local restaurants and provide meals to healthcare and frontline workers.

Food for Montgomery volunteers distributing food at a food distribution site.

• Collaborative Hero: Food for Montgomery
  A public-private effort to coordinate and expand food distributions, support local farmers and small businesses, and improve food systems to combat food insecurity in Montgomery County.

• Civic Heroes
  For demonstrating outstanding civic leadership and service dedicated to improving the lives of Prince George’s County residents.

  • Dr. Monica Goldson, CEO, Prince George’s County Public Schools

  • Steve Proctor, President and CEO, G.S. Proctor & Associates, Inc.

  • Dr. Alvin Thornton, former chairman, Prince George’s County Board of Education

  • Senator Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr., in memoriam

While 2020 was an incredibly challenging year, the generosity and commitment of our community has been nothing short of incredible. Since the early days of this crisis, our community has stepped up to provide much needed support and resources to help our neighbors facing hardship due to COVID-19. 

The Community Foundation was proud to partner with and serve this community during its time of need. Since March 2020, The Community Foundation has mobilized over $10.5 million in community support to help families put food on the table, keep a roof over their heads, access medical care, find or maintain a job, and fully participate in remote learning.

The Celebration of Community Champions will honor the generosity of our community and help The Community Foundation continue to raise vital support to respond to this ongoing crisis and work toward an equitable recovery for our region.   

“Small actions can add up to make our community a better place,” said Tonia Wellons, President and CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation. “Over the past year, our community has come together to respond to the unprecedented challenges of a global pandemic, economic crisis, and racial reckoning. This virtual Celebration will recognize and honor the people and partners who stepped up to meet these challenges with equally unprecedented generosity, creativity, and compassion.”

 The Celebration will feature special performances from local artists and arts organizations supported by the Arts Forward Fund and representing a range of creative expression including music, theater, visual arts, and dance. The Arts Forward Fund is a funder collaborative at The Community Foundation which provided $1 million in emergency support to help struggling arts organizations, especially nonprofits led by and serving BIPOC communities in our region.