SNEETS ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> Crossley: WELCOME TO "BASIC BLACK."

SOME OF YOU ARE JOINING US ON OUR BROADCAST AND OTHERS OF YOU ARE JOINING US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.

I'M CALLIE CROSSLEY, HOST OF "UNDER THE RADAR," 89.7.

TONIGHT: THE NEW COMMONWEALTH RACIAL EQUITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE FUND, BLACK PHILANTHROPY REIMAGINED.

WE, LIKE YOU, ARE DEALING WITH THE EFFECTS OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC AND ARE TAKING PRECAUTIONS.

WE ARE WORKING WITH LIMITED STAFF AND OUR GUESTS ARE JOINING US REMOTELY.

GEORGE FLOYD'S MURDER SHOCKED THE NATION AND SPARKED RENEWED FOCUS ON A TOXIC RACIAL CLIMATE AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF A RAGING GLOBAL PANDEMIC.

LOCALLY, A GROUP OF MASSACHUSETTS' TOP BLACK AND BROWN EXECUTIVES RESPONDED TO THE URGENCY OF THE MOMENT, CREATING A CHARITABLE FUND TO ADDRESS RACIAL EQUITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE.

BRINGING TOGETHER THEIR COLLECTIVE TALENTS, THE FUND'S FOUNDERS ARE RETHINKING THE TRADITIONAL APPROACH TO GIVING, REEXAMINING HOW MONIES ARE GRANTED AND TO WHOM.

JOINING US: QUINCY MILLER, VICE CHAIRMAN AND PRESIDENT, EASTERN BANK; MARQUIS VICTOR, FOUNDING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ELEVATED THOUGHT; ROMEO ROMERO SIGLE, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, PA'LANTE RESTORATIVE JUSTICE IN HOLYOKE-- THE ORGANIZATION FOCUSES ON DISMANTLING THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE; AND PAMELA EVERHART, S.V.P., REGIONAL PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS AT FIDELITY INVESTMENTS.

WELCOME TO ALL OF YOU.

AND PAM, I'M GOING TO START WITH YOU.

GEORGE FLOYD'S KILLING WAS SHOCKING TO SO MANY.

WHAT ABOUT HIS PARTICULAR MURDER?

BECAUSE OF COURSE BLACK FOLK HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THIS KINDS OF TRAUMA FOREVER.

CATALYZE THE GROUP OF THE 19 OF YOU, INTO ACTION.

FRTION.

>> YES, THANKS, THANKS CALLIE FOR HAVING US.

I'LL JUST SAY THAT ALL OF US SAW THAT SLOW DEATH, RICE, OF GEORGE FLOYD.

AND OBVIOUSLY, WE KNEW OF OTHER HORRIFIC EVENTS.

BUT I THINK SEEING THIS IN OUR LIVING ROOMS, WHEN WE WERE ALL HOME, DUE TO COVID, I THINK IT JUST AMPLIFIED WHAT WAS GOING ON IN OUR NATION SO DIFFERENTLY THAN EVER BEFORE.

SO OUR 19 FOUNDERS THOUGHT THAT WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.

WE HAVE A LOT OF POWER, THAT IS, WE HAVE INFLUENCE, AND RESOURCES, AND ACCESS TO CAPITAL, AND WE THOUGHT THAT WEE NEED TO TAKE ACTION -- WE NEED TO TAKE ACTION AND DRIVE IMPACT IN THE COMMONWEALTH.

>> Crossley: IN FACT TODAY IS MARTIN LUTHER KING'S BIRTHDAY, WE CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAY ON MONDAY.

AND HE SAID THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH POWER IF POWER IS USED CORRECTLY.

TAKE US TO THOSE EARLIER ZOOM MEETINGS WHERE ALL OF YOU WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO, WHAT WAS IT LIKE, WHAT WAS THE ENERGY?

>> IF YOU THINK BACK TO THAT TIME, IT WAS JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AFTER GEORGE FLOYD'S MURDER.

AND HONESTLY I REMEMBER THE CONVERSATION ON OUR FIRST CALL THAT SO MANY OF US WERE EXHAUSTED.

AND THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE MOST EMOTIONAL TIMES OF TWO WEEK PERIOD OF OUR LIVES.

RELIVING THAT MOMENT, HAVING CONVERSATIONS, BOTH WITH OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS, BUT ALSO, IN OUR COMPANIES.

AND MANY COMPANIES ASKING, YOU KNOW, WHAT DID THEY NEED TO DO, AND SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT SORT OF GALVANIZED THAT FIRST CONVERSATION.

MANY OF US, ALL OF US REALLY WERE INVOLVED ALREADY IN THE COMMUNITY.

BUT WE KNEW AT THIS TIME WE HAD TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS MOMENT BECAME A MOVEMENT AND AS PAM SAID.

HOW CAN WE LEVERAGE OUR MOVEMENT AND THE GIFTS WE HAVE BEEN RECEIVED, GOD GIVEN GIFTS TO BE ABLE TO HELP AND SUPPORT OTHERS.

THAT WAS REALLY WHAT SORT OF DROVE THAT INITIAL CONVERSATION.

>> Crossley: SO PAM THERE HAVE BEEN MANY OTHER CHARITABLE FUNDS SET UP BY BLACK FOLK.

BUT YOUR MISSION IS QUITE DIFFERENT AND YOUR APPROACH IS QUITE DIFFERENT AND WHO YOU WILL GIVE TO AND HOW YOU WILL THINK ABOUT IT.

PLEASE EXPLAIN.

>> YES, CALLIE.

IN TERMS OF OUR FOCUS, WE THOUGHT THAT IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT, PARTICULARLY DURING THIS TIME AFTER COVID, OR IN THE MIDST OF COVID, THAT WE FOCUS ON THOSE SMALL, NONPROFITS, WHO ARE DOING THE WORK IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE THEY ARE BEING LED BY BLACK AND BROWN LEADERS.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT SETS US APART FROM SOME -- FROM SOME OF THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.

BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.

THEY KNOW WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO DRIVE CHANGE.

THEY JUST NEED A LIFE LINE.

SO FEW OF THE BIG DOLLARS GET TO THESE NONPROFITS.

NUMBER 1 BECAUSE THEY JUST DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO MAKE THE APPLICATIONS, THEY MAY NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO KNOW THAT THERE IS FUNDING AVAILABLE.

SO WE WANTED TO MAKE OUR PROCESS EASY.

WE WANTED TO BE MORE TRUST-BASED PHILANTHROPY.

SO WE CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS AND THESE LEADERS TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WHERE THEIR NEEDS ARE AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME.

>> Crossley: AND QUINCY JUST TO PUT A BUTTON ON THAT, AN ORGANIZATION CALLED BRIDGE SPAN PHILANTHROPIC CONSULTING DID A STUDY AND FOUND THERE WAS A $20 MILLION GAP IN THE KIND OF EARLY FUNDING THAT ORGANIZATIONS RUN BY ROMEO AND MARQUIS WORK WITH.

WHAT'S THAT ABOUT?

>> WELL, LOOK.

THE REALITY IS, IT'S SOMETHING THAT IT'S BEEN REALLY CALLED VALOPPITHROIK REDPHILANTHROPIC ORED LINE.

WHAT YOU FIND IS BLACK AND BROWN NONPROFITS HAVE LESS RESTRICTED ASSETS THAT THEY'VE BEEN GIVEN.

THEY'RE CHALLENGED MORE IN TERMS OF QUESTIONING CAN YOU DRIVE REAL CHANGE AND I THINK IT'S ALSO THE WAY PHILANTHROPY HAS HAPPENED YOU KNOW PARTICULARLY IN CORPORATIONS AND FOUNDATIONS ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR SCALE.

SO IT'S A SELF FULFILLING PROPHECY THAT YOU HAVE TO SERVE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OR TENSE OF THOUSANDS AND -- TENS OF THOUSANDS AND THROWS ARE THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT TEND TO GET THE SUPPORT.

THESE ORGANIZATIONS ARE DRIVING MEANINGFUL CHANGE.

THEY CAN'T GET THE FUNDING AND COME TO SCALE SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS.

>> Crossley: ROMEO YOUR ORGANIZATION, PA'LANTE WAS ONE OF THE GRANTEES, THEY GAVE AWAY A GRANT OF $50,000 TO EACH OF YOU.

TELL ME ABOUT IT, HOW YOU RECEIVED IT, HOW DID YOU KNOW ABOUT IT, HOW DID THEY KNOW ABOUT YOU, HOW DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THEM?

>> WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THEM.

THEY REACHED OUT TO US.

WE GOT THIS E-MAIL, FOLKS WERE INTERESTED, BLACK AND BROWN ENTREPRENEURS WHO WANTED TO BE SUPPORTING SOCIAL JUSTICE.

I GOT A CALL AND NEXT THING YOU KNOW, WE HAD $50,000 THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE.

WE DIDN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH ENORMOUS GRANT APPLICATIONS, REALLY PROVE OURSELVES TO BE WORTH FUNDING, INSTEAD IT WAS JUST A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE WORK, THE VISION, THE DREAMS AND THEN WE ENDED UP GETTING THE FIRST ROUND OF FUDGED WHICH WAS JUST -- IT WAS AMAZING.

WE WEREN'T EXPECTING IT.

WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT PEOPLE IN THE WORLD WOULD DO THAT WITH THEIR MONEY.

AND SO YEAH, THAT MONEY.

AND THEN ALSO WHAT HAPPENS WITH US WE ARE A SMALL ORGANIZATION, AND WE HAVE TO APPLY FOR THESE GRANTS, NEW THAT WE WANT TO DO BUT WHAT WE STRUGGLE WITH WITH PA'LANTE IS STAINING, TO HELP US QUONTD TO STAY AFLOAT AND CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK WE ARE ALREADY DOING RATHER THAN HAVING A NEW INITIATIVE OR NEW PROJECTS TO PROVE OURSELVES TO STILL BE RELEVANT OR INTERESTING YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR BUT TO CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THE WORK WE'VE BEEN DOING, IS REALLY AMAZING, TO KEEP IT HEALTHY, THIS DRIVE GOING, WE'RE REALLY GRATEFUL, CAN YOU ASK THEM HOW THEY FOUND US.

I HAVEN'T ASKED.

>> Crossley: BEFORE WE DO THAT ROMEO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS, THE WORK YOU'RE DOING, IN TERMS OF INTERRUPTING THAT SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE, WHICH HAS OFTEN BEEN DISCUSSED BUT ESSENTIALLY IT MEANS THAT THESE ARE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO THROUGH SUSPENSIONS OR OTHER KINDS OF PUNISHMENTS GET ON THEIR RECORD AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT THEY'RE ON THE PATH TO PRISON.

AND SO YOUR ORGANIZATION IS WORKING TO INTERRUPT THAT.

>> YES.

SO WE ARE RESTORATIVE AND TRANSFORMATIVE JUSTICE.

IT IS A REALLY HE FASCINATING AND BEAUTIFUL MODEL I THINK IS GROWING IN SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY BUT STILL PRETTY NEW TO HAVE YOUNG PEOPLE AT THE FOREFRONT OF RESTORATIVE JUSTICE MOVEMENTS.

WE INTERRUPT JUSTICE SYSTEMS, WE HAVE YOUNG PEOPLE INTERVENE WITH OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE, IF THERE IS A FIGHT IN SCHOOL OR FIGHT WITH A TEACHER OR SOMETHING HAPPENS, WE GIVE EVERYBODY AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ABOUT WHAT WAS THE IMPACT AT THAT MOMENT?

IF IT WAS A FIGHT IN THE LAL WAY WHO WAS AFFECTED -- HALLWAY, WHO WAS AFFECTED?

TAKING THE STUDENTS INVOLVED OUT OF SCHOOL DOESN'T ACTUALLY CREATE ANY MEANINGFUL REPAIR OR INSTEAD, HAVING FOLKS COME BACK AND REPAIR THAT MOMENT CREATES A STRONGER COMMUNITY WHERE WE DON'T HAVE TO THINK ABOUT SENDING STUDENTS OUT OF SCHOOL IN ORDER TO CREATE SAFETY BUT ACTUALLY BRINGS THEM CLOSER TO US, CONTINUES TO GIVE THEM ACCESS, RATHER THAN TAKING A REALLY MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITY AWAY FROM THEM.

>> Crossley: ALL RIGHT SO MARQUIS, LIKE ROMEO YOUR ORGANIZATION IS YOUTH FOCUSED AS WELL AND YOU TOO WERE REACHED OUT TO BY THE FOLKS FROM THE COMMONWEALTH FUND.

EXPLAIN THAT EXPERIENCE OF BEING IN CONVERSATION WITH THEM.

YOU KNOW TRYING TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT YOUR ORGANIZATION DOES.

>> YEAH, I MEAN FIRST OF ALL, TO ROMEO, THE FIRST THING THAT CROSSED MY MIND, IS THIS A SCAM?

IT DOESN'T HAPPEN TOO OFTEN.

ANDYOU NODZ WE WERE ON THE CALL WITH -- AND YOU KNOW WE WERE ON THE CALL WITH PAMELA AND MS. LOPEZ AND THE FEELING WE HAD AFTER THE CALL WAS THAT WAS A VERY WHOLESOME CONVERSATION, IT FELT REAL, IT FELT GROUNDED.

IT FELT LIKE WE DIDN'T HAVE TO -- IT FELT LIKE WE DIDN'T HAVE TO SELL OURSELVES.

WE JUST TALKED, YOU KNOW, AND HAD A LITTLE BACK AND FORTH.

AND IT WAS BEAUTIFUL.

AND YOU KNOW TO HAVE A PROCESS WHERE WE DON'T HAVE TO DO AN EXPENSIVE APPLICATION, ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS THAT MOST ARE -- ARE RELEVANT BUT SOME, YOU KNOW, ARE NUMBERS-BASED, DATA-DRIVEN, ALL THESE THINGS THAT REALLY KIND OF FUNNEL INTO THIS CAPITALISTIC VIEW OF PHILANTHROPY.

TO BYPASSESTO OBYPASS THAT AND TO KEEP FOCUS ON THE WORK WE DO IT WAS TOTALLY UNIQUE IN THE FUNDING PROCESS.

>> Crossley: WORKING WITH YOUTH RIGHT NOW OUTSIDE A LOT BECAUSE OF COVID BUT REALLY THE FOCUSED ON ART AND YOUTH LED PROJECTS.

>> YEAH, SO WE BELIEVE ART IS A FORM OF LIBERATION.

AND WITH OUR YOUNG PEOPLE WE ALLOW THEM TO BE IN A SPACE, TO HOLD CONVERSATIONS, COLLABORATE, CREATE, AS A WAY FOR THEM TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC REALITIES AROUND THEM.

AND TYPICALLY WHEN THEY DO THAT, THEY START TO UNDERSTAND THE LONG HISTORY OF THINGS THAT ARE STACKED UP AGAINST THEM.

THE OPPRESSIVE NATURE OF THE SYSTEM STRUCTURES THAT THEY EXIST IN.

AND SO THEY COLLABORATE, THEY START TO BRAINSTORM, CREATIVE SOLUTIONS, CREATE, TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES AND BRING IT ON TO THE COMMUNITY TO CREATE A GREATER CONVERSATION.

>> Crossley: ALL RIGHT SO PAM.

HOW EXCITING IS THIS FOR YOU TO BE IN A POSITION TO IDENTIFY ORGANIZATIONS LIKE ELEVATED THOUGHT AND PA'LANTE AND ACTUALLY GIVE THEM A BOOST AND GIVE THEM SOME FOUNDATIONAL MONEY TO KEEP GOING?

>> CALLIE, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING THINGS I THINK I HAVE EVER DONE.

AND I REMEMBER BEING ON THE ZOOM CALL THE NIGHT THAT WE BROUGHT THE 20 GRANTEES TO THE SCREEN, IF YOU WILL, TO PRESENT THEM WITH THEIR $50,000 IN TERMS OF A GRANT.

AND IT WAS JUST WONDERFUL.

IT WAS JUST WONDERFUL TO ACTUALLY SEE THE EXPRESSIONS ON THEIR FACES.

AND, YOU KNOW, FOR US, AS BLACKS AND BROWN LEADERS, TO SUPPORT OUR OWN AND TO GIVE, LIKE I SAID, LIFE BLOOD TO THOSE ORGANIZATIONS SO THEY CAN STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITIES, AND I THINK IN PARTICULAR LIKE ELEVATED THOUGHT AND OTHERS FOCUS ON YOUTH AS EDUCATION, THAT IS SO CRITICAL, PARTICULARLY FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF ART.

WHEN WE RECOGNIZE THAT IN MANY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, DUE TO LIMITED BUDGETS, THEY HAVE TO CUT THE ART PROGRAM TO BE ABLE TO OFFER THIS AS A GIFT TO THESE KIDS, IN THESE COMMUNITIES, AND OUTSIDE OF BOSTON, THAT'S ONE THING WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT, CALLIE.

THIS IS THE NEW COMMONWEALTH FUND.

AND OFTENTIMES, THE FUNDING GOES TO ORGANIZATIONS IN THE BOSTON AREA.

WE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE FUNDED THOSE IN OTHER AREAS.

SO LIKE IN LAWRENCE, AND YOU KNOW IN SPRINGFIELD AND OTHER PARTS OF THE COMMONWEALTH, THEY NEED SUPPORT AS WELL.

AND SO IT'S JUST SO GRATIFYING THAT NEW COMMONWEALTH FUND CAN BE ABLE TO BE HELPFUL IN DRIVING CHANGE IN ALL AREAS OF THE COMMONWEALTH.

>> Crossley: OKAY.

QUINCY IT MUST HAVE ALSO BEEN GRATIFYING FOR YOU IN RAISING IN SEED MONEY, YOUR GOAL IS EVENTUALLY TO HAVE $100 MILLION TO BE SUSTAINABLE.

WHERE ARE YOU NOW IN TERMS OF RAISING MORE PAST YOUR SEED MONEY, INITIAL GATHERING OF FUNDS I GUESS?

>> YEAH, NO, GREAT QUESTION CALLIE.

AND SO WE REALLY SEE THAT WE'RE JUST ACTUALLY ENTERING THE FUNDRAISING STAGE NOW QUITE FRANKLY.

WE'VE HAD CORPORATIONS, INDIVIDUALS, PRIVATE DPOWNGSES, ALL COME -- FOUNDATIONS ALL COME TOGETHER TO SUPPORT THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE HERE.

SO WE'RE JUST ABOUT TO $30 MILLION NOW.

AND LIKE I SAID WE'RE JUST GETTING FOCUSED.

AND THE REALITY IS, WHAT THE FOCUS OF THIS FOUND HAS REALLY RESONATED WITH SO MANY PEOPLE, CORPORATIONS AND FOUNDATIONS.

NOW, WE IDENTIFIED FOUR KEY PILLARS THAT WE WERE GOING TO FOCUS ON TO HELP BREAK DOWN SYSTEMIC RACISM AND BARRIERS IN THE COMMONWEALTH AND THEY MAKE SENSE TO PEOPLE.

THEY WERE POLICING AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM, HEALTH EQUITY, YOU THINK ABOUT THE IMPACTS OF COVID RIGHT NOW, YOUTH EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC POWERS AND DEVELOPMENT.

THESE INEQUITIES HAVE EXISTED AND BEEN BUILT OVER 400 YEARS AND WE'VE ASKED PEOPLE TO COME TOGETHER ON MULTIPLE YEARS WORTH OF COMMITMENT.

NOT JUST WRITE A CHECK AND WALK AWAY BUT DAY IN THIS WORK WITH US -- STAY IN THIS WORK WITH US.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE A WHILE TO BREAK DOWN THESE BARRIERS AND CREATE EQUITY IN THE COMMONWEALTH.

>> Crossley: A QUESTION TO TO ALL OF YOU.

PEOPLE WILL LOOK AT THAT AND SAY, WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES THAT MAKE?

THAT THESE ORGANIZATIONS ARE BLACK AND BROWN LEAD, WHAT DIFFERENCE IS THAT MAKE?

PAM WE'LL START WITH YOU.

>> CALLIE WE MENTIONED THIS EARLIER, THE LACK OF FUNDING THAT GOES TO BLACK AND BROWN ORGANIZATIONS IS EXTREMELY LOW SO THAT IS WHY IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE.

THEY NEED THE FUNDING.

>> Crossley: QUINCY.

>> SURE.

AGAIN I THINK PAM HIT THAT ON THE HEAD.

AND WE'RE NOT EXCLUSIVE BUT THAT IS THE FOCUS.

RIGHT?

WE ARE EXCLUSIVE TO ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORTING BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES.

BUT AGAIN IT IS THE CHICKEN AND EGG CONVERSATION.

UNLESS WE GET THE RESOURCES THERE THEY WON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO SCALE THEIR MODELS AN THEN TAKE THOSE MODELS FROM ONE COMMUNITY IN THE COMMONWEALTH TO ANOTHER COMMUNITY IN THE COMMONWEALTH AND REALLY ADD VALUE THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITIES.

>> Crossley: ROMEO, WHAT DIFFERENCE HAS IT MAKE, WHAT DIFFERENCE HAVE YOU SEEN IT MAKE FOR YOU AND YOUR ORGANIZATION?

>> YEAH, I MEAN WE ARE A COMMUNITY THAT IS PREDOMINANTLY LATINX.

THE WAY SOCIAL EQUITY, RACE CIVIL AN INSID INSIDDARY, HORRIFIC THICK.

THEY SEE THINGS THAT FOLKS OF COLOR WHAT'S WORTH FIGHTING FOR, THEY KNOW WHAT'S REQUIRED FOR THEM TO LIVE LIVES WHERE THEY CAN THRIVE AND BE SEEN AS LEADERS.

AND I THINK CONTINUING TO INVEST IN THEIR LEADERSHIP.

BOTH LIKE EMOTIONAL,LY AND FINANCIALLY, THEY DESERVE IT AS MUCH AS WHITE STUDENTS WHO GO TO FULLY FUNDED SCOOLTSD.

THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THEIR COUNCILMEMBERS AND BE PART OF THINKING ABOUT LEGISLATION AND SCHOOL TRANSFORMATION.

THEY ARE THE ONES WHO KNOW BEST.

>> Crossley: MARQUIS.

>> SIMILAR TO ROMEO, I THINK IT'S A CLEAR INDICATION OF THE HUMANIZATION PROCESS THAT THEY ARE NOT GETTING IN OTHER INSTITUTIONS THAT THEY'RE IN.

YOU KNOW WHEN YOU COUNCIL INTO A SPACE AND IT'S -- COME INTO A SPACE AND IT'S ABOUT LED BY SOMEONE THAT LOOKS LIKE YOUR FOLKS THAT LOOK LIKE YOU THAT HAVE SIMILAR EXPERIENCES AND THERE IS GENUINE CARE AND LOVE AND SUPPORT TO PROVIDE SPACE FOR YOUR VOICE IS HEARD, YOUR PAST IS REFLECTED ON, YOUR VISIONS FOR THE FUTURE ARE ABLE TO COME OUT, BE TARGETED AND CRAFTED -- ARTICULATED AND CRAFTED, SO THEY'RE ABLE TO REALLY DISTINGUISH WHAT SHOULD BE AND WHAT ISN'T AND WHY I.T.

ISN'T AND WHY IT -- WHY IT ISN'T AND WHY IT SHOULD BE, YOU KNOW?

>> Crossley: MARQUIS WAS THE $50,000 A LIFE LINE OR A BRIDGE OR BOTH FOR YOU?

>> LITTLE BIT OF BOTH.

LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING.

YOU KNOW I THINK WHEN YOU DO THIS WORK IT'S A GRIND AND A HUSTLE.

IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE.

BUT I THINK THERE'S THIS MINDSET THAT WE HAVE TO DESTROY OURSELVES, BOTH LIKE MENTALLY, PHYSICALLY, FINANCIALLY, TO DO THIS WORK.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S TYPICALLY PREDICATED ON WHITE PEOPLE GIVING US MONEY.

SO THEY GIVE US MONEY SO WE CAN WEAR A MILLION HATS LIKE WE TYPICALLY HAVE TO DO.

BUT THERE'S A REAL CONCERN ABOUT CAPACITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND I THINK WITH THIS GRANTS WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE A BREATH, ABLE TO HIRE SOMEBODY WHO'S JUST GOING TO FOCUS ON THE SOCIAL JUSTICE WORK, THE SOCIAL JUSTICE FELLOW WHO IS GOING TO BUILD THE CURRICULUM AND GUIDE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AS THEY DO THIS ACTIVISM WORK IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND THAT'S HUGE.

THAT'S A BREATH FOR ME.

THAT'S A BREATH FOR OUR PROGRAM DIRECTOR AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO THIS WORK EFFECTIVELY.

>> Crossley: ROME HE YOA SAME QUESTION.

A LIFE LINE, A BRIDGE OR BOTH.

>> I AGREE WITH MARQUIS, I LOVE HOW HE SAID, IT'S A GRIND AND A HUSTLE.

WE'RE CONSTANTLY FINDING OURSELVES OVERCAPACITY, THE NEED IN THE SCHOOL IS HIGH, THE NUMBER OF KIDS THAT COULD BENEFIT FROM THE FROM WHAT OUR PROGRAM HAS TO OFFER, BUT THE EXEAFT IS LESS THAN NEED.

EVERY TIME WE GET MORE FUNDING THAT MEANS A LITTLE BIT MORE CAPACITY TO HAVE ENERGY, FOR OUR PEOPLE TO SUPPORT MORE AND MORE STUDENTS WHO DESERVE IT.

THEY DESERVE ALL THE ATTENTION THAT WE CAN GIVE THEM.

>> Crossley: SO PAM TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BLACK FOLKS AND PHILANTHROPY IN GENERAL.

BECAUSE THERE'S A MISCONCEPTION THAT THAT IS NOT A PART OF THE WORLD OF MOST BLACK PEOPLE THOUGH CHURCH GIVING IS OUT THERE AND DOESN'T GET COUNTED.

SO MUCH LIKE YOUR FUND WHICH IS LOOKING AT NONTRADITIONAL WAYS OF GIVING AND THINKING ABOUT WHO YOU'LL GIVE TO, ARE YOU ALSO HELPING A WHOLE COMMUNITIES RETHINK ITS VALUE AS PHILANTHROPISTS?

>> YES, AND OFTENTIMES, I THINK, THE THE DATA DOESN'T SUGGEST OR INDICATE ALL OF THE PHILANTHROPY THAT GOES ON FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF BLACKS.

AND OUR FUND REALLY WANTS TO SHOW THAT THIS IS NOT TRUE.

I THINK CALLIE, THAT NOT ONLY WILL WE BE GIVING THESE GRANTS FROM THE NEW COMMONWEALTH FUNDS, THE 50,000, WHATEVER ELSE WE MIGHT GIVE BUT I'M HOPING THEN, THAT THIS WILL BE A WAY TO MARKET IF YOU WILL, THESE SMALLER ORGANIZATIONS, SO OTHERS CAN SEE THAT THEY ARE THERE, IN THE COMMUNITIES.

I'M HOPING THAT THE LARGE CORPORATIONS, NOW THAT THEY SEE THESE REALLY GOOD ORGANIZATIONS DOING THE WORK, THAT THEY WILL STEP UP AND SUPPORT THOSE ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL.

I HAVE DONE COMMUNITY RELATIONS FIDELITY INVESTMENTS AND MANY OF THE GRANTEES I WAS NOT AWARE OF MYSELF.

SO AS I LOOK AT WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IN TERMS OF DRIVING CAN IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITY, WHERE IT ALIGNS WITH OUR VALUES, THEN WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO THEN GIVE ANOTHER LIFE LINE AND A BRIDGE TO THESE ORGANIZATIONS.

SO I'M HOPING THAT THIS IS A MULTSMULTIPLIER EFFECT.

>> Crossley: OKAY QUINCY SAME QUESTION TO YOU.

>> I THINK PAM HAS DONE A GREAT JOB ARTICULATING THIS.

OUR HOPE IS THIS IS THE POWER OF COMMUNITY AND BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER NOT JUST THE 19 OF US BUT BRINGING TOGETHER OTHER BLACK AND BROWN LEADERS AND SUPPORT THE FUND AND WORKING WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS ON THE GROUNDS TO PAM'S POINT TO UNDERSTAND WHO'S REALLY THERE IN THE COMMUNITY MAKING A DIFFERENCE THAT NEEDS THIS LEVEL OF SUPPORT?

WHO MAY BE FUNDING THIS OUT OF THEIR OWN POCKET, YOU KNOW THEIR PROGRAMS OUT OF THEIR OWN POCKET TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR COMMUNITY?

AND SO THAT FUNDING'S HAPPENING OUT THERE BUT HELPING TO PARTICULARLY BRING THE CORPORATE DOLLARS INTO IT I THINK IS THE KEY IMPORTANT CONNECTION THERE.

>> Crossley: IS THERE A POINT OR A GROUP OR A TIME IN HISTORY THAT YOU ALL ARE KIND OF ECHOING NOW IN THIS SPACE AND DOING THIS WORK AND RETHINKING BLACK PHILANTHROPY IN THIS MOMENT, QUINCY?

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK -- WELL WHAT I WOULD SAY IS YOU KNOW FOR ALL OF US, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE THE FOUNDING BLACK AND BROWN LEADERS WHO CAME BEFORE US WHO WE WATCHED AND SAW MAKING A DIFFERENCE, RIGHT, WHETHER THAT WAS EARLY IN MY DAYS, IN SORT OF YOU KNOW IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT OR HAS GONE ON THROUGHOUT THE TIMES HERE IN THE COMMONWEALTH.

AND I THINK THE GROUP THAT'S COME TOGETHER HAS SAID NOT SO MUCH WHAT CAN WE DUPLICATE BUT IT'S NOW OUR TIME TO BE ABLE TO STAND UP AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

AND HOLD CORPORATIONS ACCOUNTABLE, AND THE COMMUNITY ACCOUNTABLE AS A WHOLE, TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS MOVEMENT.

AND REALLY, IF WE'RE SITTING HERE, 20 YEARS, TEN YEARS FROM NOW HAVING THE SAME CONVERSATIONS, THEN WE WILL HAVE FAILED.

>> Crossley: ALL RIGHT, PAM, I DON'T KNOW, DID I LOSE PAM?

>> NO, I'M HERE.

>> Crossley: OKAY, PAM, THANK YOU, WOULD YOU ADD TO THAT PLEASE?

>> I WOULD JUST ADD CALLIE THAT YOU KNOW THE SAYING THAT DON'T LET A GOOD CRISIS GO TO WASTE?

AND I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE WE ARE AT THIS MOMENT.

AND THIS IN COVID AND THE GEORGE FLOYD MURDERS AND ALL OF THE OTHERS, IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX, OR AS I TELL MY TEEN, TO THINK AS IF THERE IS NO BOX.

AND TO BE INNOVATIVE AND CREATIVE.

IN TERMS OF HOW WE ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY AND SUPPORT PHILANTHROPY.

>> Crossley: OKAY, MARQUIS AND ROMEO, ONE WORD FROM EACH OF YOU ABOUT HOW YOU'RE FEELING NOW GOING FORWARD WITH YOUR $50,000.

MARQUIS.

>> I GUESS ENCOURAGED.

>> Crossley: ALL RIGHT.

ROMEO.

>> SUPPORTED.

>> Crossley: VERY GOOD.

THIS IS AN EXCITING MOVE HERE.

AND IN THE COMMONWEALTH, I WAS ABOUT TO SAY BOSTON BUT AS PAM HAS CORRECTED ME IN THE COMMONWEALTH, WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE SO ALL OF YOU ARE ACTUALLY PART OF AN HISTORIC MOVE IN THIS BECAUSE YOU ARE RESHAPING ABOUT HOW WE THINK ABOUT ALL THESE ISSUES.

HOW MONEY IS GIVEN, PHILANTHROPY IN GENERAL AND THE IMPORTANCE OF SMAWLG BLACK AND BROWN LED ORGANIZATIONS.

I THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING ME.

>> THANK YOU CALLIE.

>> THANK YOU YOU CALLIE.

>> Crossley: THAT IS THE END OF OUR BROADCAST AND THE END OF OUR SHOW.

THANKS TO ALL OF OUR GUESTS AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

STAY WITH US AS WE CONTINUE OUR CONVERSATION ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.

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