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.

Connect with us June 2014 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 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. The Minnesota Philanthropy Partners network includes The Saint Paul Foundation, Minnesota Community Foundation, F. R. Bigelow Foundation, Mardag Foundation and more than 1,700 additional charitable affiliates. Together, the MN Partners network shares expertise and services to make charitable giving thrive and benefit all Minnesotans. Learn more at mnpartners.org.

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Former Minnesota State Senator Mee Moua in PPIA Newsletter

Former Minnesota State Senator, Mee Moua, is featured in the Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) program Winter 2014 newsletter. See below for highlights from her recent interview discussing her career and accomplishments on behalf of marginalized and vulnerable communities. 

Alumni Voice: Interview with Mee Moua

"I have always believed that it is better to lead from the heart rather than the head."   Mee Moua attended the Princeton Junior Summer Institute in 1991. Since then, she has had an impressive career in public service, including being the first Hmong American elected to the Minnesota Legislature and leading Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC. In her interview with PPIA National Director Erin Mann, Ms. Moua reveals her advice for staying motivated and inspired even when goals seem out of reach and how she has chosen to lead throughout her career. Mee Moua is currently the president and executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, a leading, national, nonprofit organization that works to advance the human and civil rights of Asian Americans and build and promote a fair and equitable society for all. At Advancing Justice | AAJC, Moua leads efforts toadvocate for policies and programs that enable Asian American and other vulnerable communities to reach their full potential and address unfair and discriminatory structures and institutions that systematically deny Asian Americans and other vulnerable communities their civil and human rights. Previously, Moua served as vice president of strategic impact initiatives for the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, a national health justice organization. Before moving to Washington, D.C., Moua served as a three-term Minnesota State Senator and was the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Follow her on Twitter @Mee_Moua. Read the full interview here.