I often find myself going back to Davis’ words, especially on days when progress feels so excruciatingly slow and hopelessness begins to set in. Lately this has come in the form of news headlines of another school shooting and continued disappointment with elected officials for not delivering on their promises. Yet Angela Davis’ quote not only reminds me that the fight toward a liberated world takes time, but also that, even on the most difficult days, you must be as bold and far reaching as possible. After all, there is a role for everyone, including those of us in philanthropy, in the long-term fight for equity and justice. Given the considerable influence and power of philanthropy – a $90 billion sector – funders are well-positioned to play a key role in its radical transformation.
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In her fourth quarterly message of 2021, GCIR president Marissa Tirona reflects on her first year at the helm of GCIR and looks forward to what the coming year will bring for GCIR, for movement leaders and organizations, and for our shared work.
One month after a 7.2-magnitude earthquake killed over 2,200 Haitians and left 650,000 more in need of humanitarian assistance, the Biden administration is undertaking a mass expulsion of Haitians seeking safety in the United States. Under the guise of stopping the spread of Covid-19 through the Trump-era Title 42 policy, migrants are being sent back to a country reeling from overlapping crises and decades of political upheaval and natural disasters. Returning to Haiti is not a viable option for them.
GCIR is announcing the California Dignity for Families Fund’s first round of grantmaking investments, totalling $2.8M. The Fund, launched in May as part of a public-private partnership with the State of California, mobilizes philanthropic dollars to provide urgent humanitarian relief to migrants and support for their resettlement in California communities.
GCIR President Marissa Tirona speaks with Kris Hayashi, Executive Director of Transgender Law Center, the largest trans-led organization in the country.
The Third Quarterly President's Message from Marissa Tirona, GCIR President
We at GCIR are heartbroken about the devastating crises unfolding in Afghanistan and Haiti. Our country can rise to our highest ideals by providing protection to those who most desperately need it and welcoming them into our communities. Read our statement with recommendations for philanthropy.
The recent federal court decision blocking approval of new and pending DACA applications underscores the need for a pathway to citizenship for all 11 million undocumented immigrants who call this country home. Read our statement for analysis and specific actions philanthropy can take to help the immigrant justice movement reach this goal.
GCIR President Marissa Tirona speaks with Lian Cheun, Executive Director of Khmer Girls in Action (KGA) in Long Beach, California, an organization working for gender, racial, and economic justice through community and power building efforts led by Southeast Asian young women.
As Covid-19 vaccination rates increase and infections plummet, our society is reopening and a feeling of normalcy is returning for many of us. But those hit hardest by the pandemic, including immigrants and people of color, are returning to communities devastated by a disproportionately high death toll, rampant job loss, and the compounding traumas of the past four years, including hostile immigration policies, toxic rhetoric, surging hate crimes, and a massive racial reckoning. Not everyone has the privilege of returning to normal, and, even before the pandemic, “normal” was not working for everyone.