Celebrating Pride Month and Juneteenth: Honoring Diversity & Freedom
This June, we have the privilege of celebrating two significant events that highlight the rich diversity and resilient spirit of our communities: LGBTQIA+ Pride Month and Juneteenth.
LGBTQIA+ Pride Month is celebrated every June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in New York City, a pivotal moment in the fight for LGBTQIA+ rights. The Stonewall Uprising began as a series of spontaneous demonstrations by members of the LGBTQIA+ community in response to a police raid at the Stonewall Inn, a popular gay bar in Greenwich Village. This courageous act of resistance marked the beginning of a broader movement advocating for equal rights and acceptance. Today, Pride Month is a time for parades, festivals, and various events that not only celebrate the progress made but also continue to advocate for the rights and dignity of LGBTQIA+ individuals worldwide.
Juneteenth, observed on June 19th, commemorates the day in 1865 when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, with the news that the Civil War had ended and enslaved people were now free. This was a full two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, is a celebration of African American freedom and achievement, a time for reflection on the ongoing struggle for equality, and a recognition of the strength and resilience of Black communities.
At LeaderSpring Center, we believe that embracing diversity and fostering an inclusive environment is fundamental to building strong, vibrant communities. As we celebrate Pride Month and Juneteenth, we honor the history, struggles, and triumphs of the LGBTQIA+ and African American communities. We are reminded of the importance of standing together in solidarity to advocate for justice and equality for all.
Happy Pride Month and Juneteenth!
In community and gratitude,
LeaderSpring Center
20th Annual International Queer Women of Color Film Festival
Dates: June 14-16, 2024
Location: Presidio Theatre, 99 Moraga Avenue, San Francisco’s Presidio National Park
Admission: Free
Celebrate QWOCMAP’s 20th annual International Queer Women of Color Film Festival (QWOCFF24). Enjoy 44 films across five screenings, exploring diverse stories about human connections and the concept of home. Highlights include the "Unshakeable Legacy: Queer Women of Color Filmmakers" panel, moderated by Madeleine Lim, QWOCMAP’s founding Executive/Artistic Director.
Festival Focus: "Joyful Reunion," featuring a rich mix of films and discussions.
Committed to disability justice, the festival offers subtitles, audio descriptions, and ASL interpretation for all screenings.
Join us for a vibrant celebration at "Hella Juneteenth: The Cookout" on Saturday, June 17, 2023, from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM at Liberation Park in Oakland! This family-friendly event, hosted by the Black Cultural Zone, promises an unforgettable day of culture, community, and culinary delights. Enjoy an array of delicious food, live music, engaging activities, and local vendors. Come together to honor Juneteenth, a significant day in American history, and experience the rich heritage and spirit of Oakland. Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to celebrate freedom and community in style!
Ticket Details:
Event attendee tickets to the Hella Juneteenth “The Cookout” are $10 and include access to all the OMCA galleries. Purchase food separately.
A limited number of free General Admission Member tickets are available.
Children 12 and under are free.
Skip the lines and pre-purchase your Cookout Plate for $25.
Join the Chronicle of Philanthropy for three 75-minute sessions tailored for small nonprofit leaders. Learn how to create a vibrant, inclusive organizational culture that attracts and retains top talent. Their expert speakers will provide budget-friendly strategies to build a positive work environment from within.
Join us on Tuesday 6/18 (10 am to 12 pm) for a Workshop: Knowing What to Say presented by Development Executives Roundtable.
In "Knowing What to Say," you'll uncover the transformative power of your words and master the art of effective communication. This workshop dives deep into identifying and overcoming your personal self-sabotaging tendencies, offering strategies and a structured framework for crafting impactful messages. Whether you're interacting with colleagues, seeking support from donors, or engaging with loved ones, you'll gain valuable insights into creating influential dialogue.
INSIGHTS: Reports & Articles
Melinda French Gates has announced a three-way split for some of the $1 billion she’s committing to improve the health and power of women and girls. Twelve people will receive $20 million each to distribute to groups doing “urgent, impactful, and innovative” work to help women’s health and well-being. Another portion will go to nonprofits and collectives, including the Ms. Foundation for Women and the 19th. Lever for Change will manage the third portion: a $250 million global open call for organizations working to improve women’s physical and mental health.
French Gates will decide later in the year how to use the rest of the money. The grants will be flexible: Neither she nor her grant maker, Pivotal Ventures, will have a say in how the money is spent.
The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Big-Gift Fundraising in Shifting Times: What’s Working Now, shares some of the ways in which you can improve your fundraising campaigns primarily focused around big gifts. Learn how to attract big and mid-sized donors, build relationships, and success amid economic dips.
"This is Not a Nostalgic Post. It is Sankofa," our Executive Director, Safi Jiroh, reflects on the enduring struggle for freedom and self-determination, drawing on personal experiences from the 60s and 70s in Oakland and Berkeley. The post emphasizes the interconnectedness of various liberation movements and the importance of community, solidarity, and resilience in the face of systemic oppression. It calls for continued resistance and the passing of the baton to future generations to uphold justice and equality.
Stanford Social Innovation Review - We the Non-profit Institutions: Transformation for Liberation, discusses how nonprofit organizations to play their part in building a multiracial democracy for all, many nonprofits will need to embrace their own transformation.
GRANT RESOURCES
Job Skills: The Teshinsky Family Foundation is dedicated to promoting personal liberty, economic freedom, and career opportunities through support, training, and accountability. Through the Manufacturing Workforce Training Grant request for proposals, the Foundation seeks to support nonprofit organizations that run manufacturing skills training programs. Program grants cover direct training and program costs and equipment and capital grants support updating equipment, purchasing new equipment, and updating or enhancing facilities leading to more effective and efficient training. Grants range from $25,000 to $100,000; inquiry forms due July 26.
Social Challenges: MacArthur Foundation has launched a new round of its 100&Change competition, which will award a single $100 million grant to help solve one of the world’s most critical social challenges. 100&Change is open to organizations and collaborations working in any field, anywhere in the world. One $100 million grant will be given; application deadline August 15.
Trans Resilience Fund: The Trans Resilience Fund is a grant program of Gender Justice Fund to support regional trans communities. The Fund uses a participatory grantmaking process in which a committee of trans and non-binary community members sets guidelines and makes funding decisions. The Trans Resilience Fund is a pooled fund supported external funding partners. The 2024 funding partners are: the Claneil Foundation, the Collective Future Fund, the Homeless Assistance Fund, the Patricia Kind Family Foundation, and the Valentine Foundation; application deadline June 21st.
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Arab Resource And Organizing Center (AROC) - Organizing Director - $85 to $90k/annually (Apply here)
Housing Rights Committee of San Francisco (HRCSF) - Public Housing Advocate - $31.25/hourly (Apply here)
Housing Rights Committee of San Francisco (HRCSF) - Cantonese/English Bilingual Tenant Educator - $65k/annually (Apply here)
