Monday, June 30, 2014

Facing Race June 2014 - Funding Opportunities

See below for the Facing Race June 2014 e-newsletter, featuring new equity funding opportunities and a blog post from Minnesota Philanthropy Partners racial equity manager, Rowzat Shipchandler.

New Equity Funding Opportunities Available


Minnesota Philanthropy Partners affiliates currently have multiple grant opportunities for culturally specific and equity-related projects and programs. Please visit the web page of each fund or project to learn more.
  •  Asian Pacific Endowment is currently seeking proposals for projects and/or programs that use culture---broadly defined to include values, language, traditions, customs and other unique aspects of a community---to address social issues and give voice to the experiences of the diverse Asian and Pacific Islander (API) community within the state of Minnesota.   
  • El Fondo de Nuestra Comunidad is currently seeking proposals for projects, initiatives, or programs which influence immigration policies affecting the Latino community in Minnesota.
  • MSPWin is now seeking partnerships within the seven-county Minneapolis-Saint Paul region to systematically align job training with opportunities that lead adults, especially people of color, to jobs and pathways toward family-sustaining wages.
  • Pan African Community Endowment is currently seeking proposals for projects and/or programs focused on reducing racial disparities in Minnesota in four strategic areas: 1) Health; 2) Housing; 3) Justice; and 4) Education. 
  • The Two Feathers Endowment is proud to partner with the Tiwahe Foundation on 2014 grantmaking. Please visit Tiwahe's Website for more information on grantmaking guidelines and deadlines.  


Racism is a Hydra - The Monster is in Us

Rowzat Shipchandler
A hydra is one of my most often-used racism metaphors. In previous Facing Race e-newsletter articles, Racism is a Hydra and One of the Hydra's Heads - Subtle Discrimination, I used the hydra--- a multi-headed monster from mythology--- to describe the monster of racism. While some manifestations of racism are visible, others, like some of the heads of the hydra, lurk in less obvious but still dangerous places.   

One of these less visible but insidious manifestations of racism is revealed through research compiled by the
Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity at The Ohio State University. The research shows that our brains--- without conscious prompting--- react differently to different races. The conclusion is scary: the monster of racism is inside of us.  Read more

Rowzat Shipchandler is the racial equity manager at Minnesota Philanthropy Partners. This is the third in a series of posts by Rowzat exploring the metaphor of racism as a multi-headed monster or  hydra.


Minnesota Philanthropy Partners | 101 Fifth Street East | Suite 2400 | Saint Paul | MN | 55101

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

LOCUS "Keeping Current" Happy Hour on 6/25

LOCUS "Keeping Current" Happy Hour

On the heels of "Affirming Authenticity: Identity-Driven Leadership" conversation series focused on the challenges that women of diversity face at home, in the workplace, and in their communities, LOCUS invites you to a casual summertime "Keeping Current" Happy Hour! Taking a few pages (and no more than that!) from the book club model, our prompts for light conversation include a recommended reading list of articles covering recent and current events related to equity and inclusion. 
Join us on the patio (or indoors in the case of inclement weather) at the Green Spoon Cafe on Wednesday, June 25, from 5:30pm - 7:30pm to enjoy drinks and appetizers, discuss the Recommended Reading List articles and other related questions, and to connect with great people!
"Keeping Current" Happy Hour Reading List


*Event attendees are responsible for the cost of their meals and beverages.

Friday, June 13, 2014

TruArtSpeaks Presents: The Push Back


The Push Back
The Push Back 
The dropout crisis in America is a grave and growing concern. One million high school students drop out annually. We want to know why, so we are seeking your voice. Join the conversation and change the narrative. We want to know the real reasons, what is happening behind school doors and how can we all move towards a different future? 
TruArtSpeaks is inviting you to push back! Create, develop & share your three minute poem or rap addressing the national high school drop out crisis and submit it to the TruArtSpeaks website to enter into the competition. There will be a public event showcasing the top three poems/songs addressing this increasingly significant issue in our community. The competition is open to artists between the ages of 15-22 with a MN address. The top three videos, as well as the two runner ups, will be displayed at a public event honoring the participants and dispersing rewards for the top three videos. All videos will be entered into a national educational scholarship competition for $5,000! For more information on the national competition, the RAISE Up Project, click here
The deadline to submit your three minute poem/song as part of The Push Back competition is June 30th. 
Poems/songs can be developed and filmed independently and submitted here. * Or poets/emcees can attend one of four community workshop series, facilitated by some of the Twin Cities' freshest artists, in an effort to assist with not only your writing process, but with the filming process. All workshop participants will have their poem filmed by Line Break Media during the final session. 
This workshop series is structured in a three tier fashion. Participants will learn and explore the dropout crisis in America in a structured environment, alongside a professional artist from the Twin Cities community. The first set of workshops will be facilitated by Chantz Erolin at Diamonds Coffee Shoppe NE., Minneapolis, MN, 55413 from 5-7p on two consecutive Thursdays:
  • June 17th, 2014 - Introduction to Content & Writing Workshop
  • June 24th, 2014 - Performance Rehearsal & Filming
Participants need only register once, they will be automatically enrolled in all three workshop sessions. Youth must attend all sessions to enroll in the competition.To register for these free workshops and have your poem entered into a national education scholarship competition for $5,000 as well as a statewide competition, CLICK HERE!

*All videos must be filmed in front of a solid background

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

2014-2015 Boards and Commissions Leadership Institute (BCLI)

Nexus Community Partners is recruiting applicants for the second cohort of their Boards and Commissions Leadership Institute (BCLI) program, which is advancing racial equity in the Twin Cities through participation and policy-making on local and regional boards and commissions. To learn more about nominating someone or applying to the 2014-2015 BCLI cohort, RSVP today to take part in an upcoming information session!












Boards and Commissions Leadership Institute Information Session

Join us this Thursday to learn more about the BCLI














Join us to hear how the Boards and Commissions Leadership Institute (BCLI) community is advancing racial equity in the Twin Cities through policy on local and regional boards and commissions - and find out how YOU can nominate or apply to the 2014-2015 BCLI cohort. 
When: Thursday, June 5, 2014: 9-10:30am
Where: Hope Community, Inc, 3rd Floor Loft: 611 E. Franklin Ave, Minneapolis 55411
(free Visitor Parking in lot - enter parking lot from Oakland Ave; also street-side parking on Oakland Ave or Portland Ave)

Please RSVP to abrown@nexuscp.org. Light refreshments will be provided.

"We need to be running our own folks for seats by building power that pursues true democracy...We need to be developing leaders to be bold at those decision-making tables and to never leave their community behind. This is how we tell our own story. This is a story that tells everybody they can belong, and this is how we build our movement." Kandace Montgomery, 2014 BCLI Graduate



Can't make it this Thursday? 
Join us for one of our additional info sessions throughout the Twin Cities (please RSVP to abrown@nexuscp.org and indicate which session you plan to attend):
  • Tuesday, June 17, 2014 (5:30-7pm) @ CLUES, McKnight Room
  • Thursday, June 19, 2014 (6:30-8pm) @ Brookdale Library, Room AB
We're now accepting applications for the 2014-2015 BCLI cohort! 
All Nomination Packets are due July 18, 2014 by 12 midnight CST. 
Download the Nomination Packet here. 

About the BCLI
Nexus' Boards and Commissions Leadership Institute (BCLI) is a 7-month leadership program that supports, trains and places people of color and other underrepresented community members on publicly appointed boards and commissions that influence and impact equity in the Twin Cities Metro Area.

About Nexus Community Partners
Nexus Community Partners (Nexus) is a community building intermediary whose mission is to build more engaged and powerful communities of color by supporting community building initiatives that expand community assets and foster social and human capital. Learn more about our work here

Copyright © 2014 Nexus Community Partners, All rights reserved.