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I recently had the privilege of attending the AFP International Conference in Toronto and was deeply moved by a session I attended titled “Breaking the Silence: Confronting Anti-Black Racism in AFP”, led by the co-conspirators, a group of racial justice activists supporting fundraising leaders Nneka Allen, Mide Akerewusi, and Múthoní Karíukí in their pursuit of racial justice and accountability from the AFP Greater Toronto Chapter. Hearing firsthand about their struggle, the barriers they face, and their work to reshape the narrative for a more equitable charitable sector left me feeling inspired to share their journey with you and encourage you to join me in taking actions to ensure our Fort Worth Metro Chapter guarantees safety, belonging, and value to all.
As fundraisers, we have a pivotal role to play in bringing about transformational change in our sector. I encourage each of you to think about what you can do to break the silence. Here are two calls to action:
- Call out injustice. Especially if you have privilege, lend your voice to what needs to be said. As the co-conspirators shared in their ICON session, "When we want as much for others as we want for ourselves, that's when the world will change."
- Consider joining our chapter's leadership team or a committee to help us build a stronger chapter that has value for all. Our AFP Chapter Board recruitment will start this summer, so please be on the lookout for an announcement soon.
We will continue this critical conversation during our upcoming chapter program on May 13, where Marcus Cunningham will present "Community-Centric Fundraising: Turning Theory into Practice." Marcus will illuminate how integrating Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) principles into our daily fundraising practices can help dismantle the harmful structures that persist.
Marcus will empower us to reflect on our practices and align our work with the values of race, equity, and justice. We have a collective responsibility to address and call out injustice. When we use our voice, especially those of us with privilege, we can start the transformation toward a more just future.
I look forward to seeing you on May 13 as we deepen our commitment to advancing the principles of IDEA in our chapter and community.
Hillary Bessinger, CFRE
AFP Fort Worth Metro Chapter President
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