As Women’s History Month draws to a close and we approach the anniversary of the pivotal end of the sanitation workers’ strike on April 16, we seek to honor new chapters written in the legacy of this historical event by MSC’s board member Anasa Troutman and her work at Historic Clayborn Temple.

Nestled in the heart of Memphis, a city where the echoes of the past meet the momentum of the future, Historic Clayborn Temple stands as a beacon of resilience and hope, deeply rooted in the Civil Rights Movement’s legacy. Together with the dedicated women of the Big We and BIG We Foundation, Troutman is helping transform the temple and seed profound change in the city, championing a future where history’s lessons pave the way for a brighter, more inclusive tomorrow.

Troutman, the founder of BIG We Foundation, a Movement Strategy Network (MSN) partner, has been instrumental in the $25 million renovation of Historic Clayborn Temple, a site deeply entrenched in social justice history. With her multifaceted expertise as a music producer, cultural strategist, writer, and director, Troutman is not merely renovating a building; she’s reimagining a beacon for civil rights advocacy, artistic exploration, and meaningful community engagement in celebration of the temple’s legacy as a cultural and spiritual sanctuary.

Last year, Carla Dartis, MSC’s executive director, visited Memphis. In a chat on the Big We Podcast’s fifth season, Dartis described the site “as a living archive, a tangible reminder of the struggles and sacrifices that have shaped our collective journey toward justice.” Her words remind us of the temple’s deep significance as a symbol of resilience and community spirit, and a beacon in the ongoing quest for civil rights.

Located in downtown Memphis, the temple played a starring role in the sanitation workers’ strike of 1968 — a significant chapter in the struggle for civil rights. The strike began after a tragic incident in February of that year, when two African American sanitation workers lost their lives due to a malfunctioning garbage truck. As a result, city workers demanded better pay, safer working conditions, and the right to unionize. The strike would draw national attention and the involvement of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Clayborn Temple served as the epicenter of the strike, offering not just a meeting place but a symbol of communal strength and unity. It was here that strategies were devised, spirits were lifted, and the community came together to support the cause. The temple’s significance was further underscored by its close proximity to notable events and locations tied to the civil rights struggle in Memphis, including Mason Temple Church of God and Christ, where Dr. King delivered his prophetic “Mountaintop” speech the night before his tragic assassination at the Lorraine Motel.

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On March 28, 1968, thousands congregated at the steps of Clayborn Temple A.M.E. Church in Memphis.

One march, led from the temple to city hall, was violently interrupted by police. When protesters retreated to the temple, police fired tear gas into the sanctuary — a sacred space turned into a scene of panic where attendees had to break stained glass windows to escape.

Clayborn Temple closed its doors in 1999. A significant revival effort began in 2015 under Clayborn Reborn (now Historic Clayborn Temple), as spearheaded by Frank Smith, and supported by Neighborhood Preservation, Inc. In 2018, the National Park Service contributed a significant grant to continue work. Now, under Troutman’s guidance, the new Clayborn Temple will honor its history and support future activism as a hub for community, education, and civil rights advocacy.

The national recognition and revitalization of landmarks like Clayborn Temple — which are already imbued with historical significance — play a crucial role in propelling social movements forward by fostering a sense of collective identity. That significance is detailed in a timeline across the tiles outside of the temple at I Am A Man Plaza — named for the strike’s “I AM A MAN” mantra, which underscored the humanity of these workers and the racial and economic disparities they faced. 

Being there amplifies the temple’s significance. Dartis admits she “did not fully realize the significance of [Clayborn Temple] to the Civil Rights Movement and the partnership that was forged between local movement leaders and Dr. King in championing employment protections for African Americans. The strategic interplay of that partnership and Dr. King’s untimely death played a pivotal role in bolstering the unionization of Black sanitation workers and securing federal support for the advancement of civil rights for African Americans.”

The blueprint for Clayborn Temple isn’t just about bricks and mortar; it’s a holistic approach that taps into restorative economics, aiming to weave joy, sustainability, and fair access to resources into the fabric of the neighborhood. The temple is nestled just behind the bustling FedEx Forum and a stone’s throw from the lively Beale Street, which, per Dartis, “is now a tourist trap filled with souvenir stores and entertainment spots not fully reflective of the cultural richness and movement heritage of Memphis.” 

The area — wedged between the Mississippi River and the arteries of major interstates and dominated by expansive parking lots for the FedEx Forum — faces the harsh realities of gentrification and poor land use. With the National Civil Rights Museum just a few blocks away, “the location and its proximity to Beale Street hammers in the need for [the temple] to anchor a civil rights district in Memphis.” All said, the neighborhood’s history and present development challenges highlight the fine line between progress and preservation. 

Troutman, in collaboration with the local Chamber of Commerce, rolled out a series of events and programming designed to invigorate the neighborhood’s economy. This collaboration, made in the spirit of true abundance, seeks to enhance the temple’s cultural and historical significance, spark economic vitality, and create an ecosystem where the community can come together and flourish. “With healing arts and culture programming, a museum that honors the history of the building, and community outreach initiatives that support economic justice,” Troutman told Archinect News that “we’re committed to reclaiming a sacred space for the community, and ensuring that the resilient spirit of this iconic landmark continues to inspire generations yet to come.”

In a conversation with Steve Dubb of Nonprofit Quarterly, Troutman said “true abundance is about recognizing and honoring everyone’s right to joy, fulfillment, and the opportunity to thrive.” This vision was shaped by transformative relationships that developed during her tenure at the Highlander Research and Education Center and while serving as a fellow at MSC. 

In the same piece, she added that inclusivity is core to the project’s governance model and its deliberate focus on valuing and magnifying the voices tied to its rich history. This thoughtful approach aims to ensure the temple’s revival resonates with authenticity, collective stewardship, and community involvement.

Clayborn Temple continues to stand as a beacon of empathy, understanding, and collective action. On October 4, 2023, Little Amal, a 12-foot-tall puppet symbolizing a young Syrian refugee, made a significant arrival at the temple. The parade, starting at the temple, was a vibrant fusion of local and international support and marked a key moment in Amal’s extensive 6,000-mile journey across over 35 U.S. cities.

Little Amal’s trek symbolizes global solidarity and aims to spark discussions on identity and heritage. To enrich the narrative, Memphis Girl — an eight-foot companion puppet crafted by the esteemed puppeteer Jeghetto — joined the Little Amal. Collaborating with a number of organizations, including Shelby County Schools and Memphis Youth Arts Initiative, Clayborn Temple facilitated workshops for kids to create additional puppets that were used in the parade. Troutman explains that the goal was to encourage “1,000 children from all over Memphis” making “puppets in their own image to be able to say things like, ‘I am beautiful, I am worthy, I am the future’.” 

The parade continued to the Orpheum Theatre, a site chosen for its storytelling significance, where students from the Refugee Empowerment Program warmly welcomed Little Amal with personal messages. Troutman emphasized, “instead of trying to go and recruit all these young people to our organization, it felt really juicy and exciting to go to places where children already were because we want to support organizations that are already supporting young people, and we want to become part of their community and have them become part of our community. So, the message of our local work has amounted to building a culture of love. This project has really brought us closer to the Memphis community and I love that.”

As we stand at the threshold of a new era for Historic Clayborn Temple, we are reminded of the profound interplay between honoring our history and sculpting our future. This sacred space is set to emerge as a vibrant crucible for storytelling, dialogue, and active community engagement. Guided by the collective vision of Troutman and the broader community, the revival of this piece of history symbolizes a commitment to a community-led renaissance, inspiring both present and future generations to forge spaces that celebrate our shared narrative. The temple’s role as a cornerstone for healing, intersectional dialogue, and the nurturing of collective agency, pays homage to the rich tapestry of legacies that have resonated within these walls.

“In this rebirth, we aspire to be more than a historical monument,” reflects Troutman. Dartis echoes this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of reimagining historical sites not merely as relics but as living testaments to our journey toward justice and equity. “I was truly inspired and awestruck. It truly is a grand facility and the care and attention that Anasa’s team is bringing to the restoration is absolutely stunning — it brings history into the present and future!” 

At Movement Strategy Center, our dedication to language as a transformative tool recently inspired a significant update to our Glossary and Terms to Avoid webpage — an in depth resource for definitions and terms to avoid within the Transformative Movement Building space.

This inspiration came from an insightful email from Edward Strickler — retired from the Institute of Law, Psychiatry and Public Policy, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, and a proud resident of rural Virginia. He highlighted a critical gap in the first version of this resource — the underrepresentation and misunderstanding of terms relating to rural America. He pointed out the issue of “structural urbanism” and how that can colonize and overshadow rural communities, “both culturally and economically.” He explained that this erasure — whether implicit or explicit — is yet another symptom of “extractive capitalism.”

His feedback set us on a path of thoughtful reflection and revision. We aimed to broaden our language to encompass a wider array of perspectives, integrating the principles of a Just Transition as a values filter. One suggestion from Strickler was to include derogatory terms that unfairly categorize rural residents without acknowledging the diversity of their occupations and locations to foster a more inclusive and respectful dialogue. 

Strickler also challenged us to rethink our approach to discussing the economy and poverty.  Inspired by his insights, we revised our glossary to avoid oversimplified terms. We replaced “Income Gap” with “Income Inequality,” “Wage Inequality,” “Racial Income Inequality,” and “CEO/Worker Pay Gap” for a clearer depiction of financial inequities. Though not exhaustive, our goal was to ensure our glossary not only promotes economic, racial, and social equity but also honors diversity.

Our updates were a significant undertaking. We examined and re-evaluated each term for its impact and alignment with our values. We sought inspiration from resources such as the Center for Community Organizations’ guide on White supremacy culture in organizations and the National Center on Disability and Journalism, which offers a comprehensive disability language style guide. These sources were instrumental in helping us create a glossary that is more than just words and definitions. We feel it is a dynamic, evolving tool that mirrors our ongoing journey of understanding and adapting to the changing dynamics of the world we inhabit.

We also explored our greater ecosystem, uplifting key terms, definitions, and context that resonate with our values. This exercise involved breaking down complex concepts into accessible language and is reflective of diversity within our community.

When it came to updating the design of the glossary, we started with how users navigate and experience the page, evolving the design to deliver more clarity and accessibility. Visual dividers and clear titles separate each section making the page more readable, digestible, and searchable. This redesign coincides nicely with our brand new Why MSC? website landing page, where similar grids were used to increase functionality and clarity (you can read more about the design process of Why MSC? here.) 

Our glossary update is a big step in our mission as a values filter, helping to connect funders and movement leaders in the pursuit of a Just Transition. This shift towards more inclusive language and a more accessible design, inspired by Strickler’s observation that “small changes … Can lead to larger changes, more broadly,” truly hits home. It’s about more than words or design; it’s about creating a shared understanding that bridges different perspectives. We see this effort as a key part of our ongoing journey — one where we constantly strive for deeper understanding and equity, always remembering that every voice is important, and every word has the power to bring us closer together. 

As the political climate around libraries and books becomes more contentious — a school district in North Florida banned nearly 2,000 books, including the dictionary — it’s crucial to remember the importance of diverse and impactful literature. Last year, during Banned Book Week, Read a Book Day, and International Literacy Day, Movement Strategy Center’s core staff highlighted books that faced censorship and offered thought-sparking perspectives across our various social media channels. As this trend of censorship continues, we’re resharing these powerful reads.

Here’s a glimpse into the diverse and thought provoking selections from our staff:

David Malinowski, our Advancement Coordinator, selected books that shed light on the intersection of racial justice and health equity. The riveting the Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is bigger than the story of Lacks’ cells revolutionizing modern medicine. It’s a story of struggle and demand for acknowledgment against institutions like John Hopkins University⁣ and a reminder that while we laud scientific advancements, we must never forget the individuals who make discoveries possible. He also recommended Pageboy by Elliot Page, an honest, unapologetic memoir from childhood to adulthood and his journey as a trans man. Page’s story helped him better understand what it means to be transgender and the consequences of a society built to delegitimize a person’s very existence from childhood and is a testament to the power of love and acceptance.

Daniel Parada, Director of Fiscal Sponsorship, champions So You Want to Talk About Race? by Ijeoma Oluo, a must read for anyone eager to understand and engage in meaningful dialogues on race. Oluo offers insights on apologizing, fostering meaningful dialogues, and urging societal introspection; the book supports readers in deepening their understanding and sparking compassionate conversations on race.

Similarly, How To Be An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi, educates and inspires people to accept, embrace, and celebrate differences. Our Chief Advancement Officer, Mohini Tadikonda, feels it should be a required curriculum for children and adults. Kendi uses relatable stories and references, explicitly drawing attention to conscious and unconscious bias and explicit racism towards Black people in America, and offers solutions for positive change. “Why anyone would find this book divisive or dangerous is beyond comprehension. It’s a guide to being a better person,” Tadikonda says. “I’ve used this book as an effective tool in DEI workplace training and encourage everyone to keep a copy handy and share this powerful manual with others.” 

Tadikonda also recommended the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass. The author’s powerful, inspiring, and rare 75-page autobiography should be mandatory reading for all humans. We know of the savagery of slavery as told by scholars, historians, and storytellers, but to have a first hand account written by a formerly enslaved person, in his own words, and with his own hands, is a precious gift. Despite the extreme brutality and hopelessness of his situation, he found a way to teach himself to read and write, free himself, become a scholar and abolitionist, and publish his incredible story. It is the ideal book to pick whenever we need a reminder of what it means to truly struggle, overcome adversity, and live a purposeful life.

Project Advisor Karmella Green suggests Abolish the Family: A Manifesto for Care and Liberation by Sophie Lewis, a provocative examination of family structures and care in a capitalist world. Lewis asks how we view family in a world conditioned by capitalism and challenges us to reimagine what family and care look like for each of us collectively. Though small, it’s packed with sharp and engaging revelations. 

M Archive: After the End of the World, by Alexis Pauline Gumbs, is another of Green’s favorites. Gumbs, a trusted name within our ecosystem, challenges readers to contemplate: “how many breaths did you enjoy?” Green describes it as an enthralling and nuanced exploration of revolutionary love, asking, “in pursuit of revolutionary love, what does love mean beyond your own survival?” 

Do you remember Christian Cooper? Frank Gargione’s pick, Better Living Through Birding by Cooper, provides a unique perspective on birding, identity, and nature. Released in 2023, the book is as much a tribute to birds and birding as it is a travelog, a spiritual journey, and a reflection on growing up Black, queer, and nerdy. 

Gargione, MSC’s Communications Director, also suggests Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. This powerful narrative — a 2022 Pulitzer winner and Oprah pick — is set in Appalachia and is a contemporary retelling of Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield. Another favorite of his is Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead, which captures the essence of 1960s New York City — centering on the riots, the culture, race, class, and the often told tale of Manhattan strivers striving to be bigger and better in any way they know how. 

Our Communications Manager, Lidia Alvarez, shared her appreciation for ancestor Octavia Butler’s work. Kindred mixes sci-fi with raw, historical truths, giving a deep look into America’s brutal history of slavery. It tackles the past to shape our future through its unflinching examination of slavery and racial discrimination. “The ease. Us, the children … I never realized how easily people could be trained to accept slavery.” For Alvarez, Kindred isn’t just a story but a stark reminder that understanding our past is crucial in shaping a more equitable tomorrow.

Andrea Granda, MSC’s Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer, is also a Butler fan. She recommends Parable of the Sower, a sci-fi story that unfolds through the diary entries of Lauren Olamina, a Black teenager, in 2024. Butler delves deep into humanity’s resilience amidst global climate change and the profound upheavals of capitalism. Granda joins other team members who have visited EARTHseed Farm in Sonoma County — a Black-owned regenerative haven. The farm is tangibly inspired by Butler’s visionary world, and serves as a poignant reminder of the novel’s relevance. 

As shared by project advisor Alejandra Lezma, Homo Irrealis by Andre Aciman, is a book that reflects a state of mind we often have as humans. The “irrealis” is a limbo between fantasy and reality, the longing for what could’ve been, didn’t, but could still be. Lezma was drawn to it because the author bases this feeling on his immigration journey, looking at the life that wasn’t and the conflict around that — Lezma’s perpetual state of mind. 

These books, along with others like Good Talk by Mira Jacob, Listening to Stone: The Art and Life of Isamu Noguchi by Hayden Herrer, and Breaking Out In Prison by Babita Patel, offer insights into diverse experiences and perspectives. They remind us that understanding our past and embracing different viewpoints is crucial in shaping a more equitable future.

The list of recommendations is long. Other honorable mentions include Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe, the Vanishing Half  by Brit Bennett, and the Sixth Man by Andre Iguodala with Carvell Wallace. For the young adult in all of us, A Tale of Redwall by Brian Jacques. And last, but certainly not least, the classic, the Bluest Eye, by ancestor Toni Morrison. 

These selections illustrate the power and necessity of diverse voices. As the political climate around libraries intensifies, we encourage you to continue to support libraries and librarians as well as local bookstores and used booksellers. Most importantly, we urge you to join your local school boards and city councils. Ensure these and all reads remain accessible; and that diverse voices and stories are celebrated, not silenced. Your voice and actions can make a significant difference in preserving the freedom of literature and thought. Let’s stand together to keep our bookshelves diverse and our minds open.

Back in 2022, Carla Dartis, MSC’s Executive Director, asked us to consider adding a DEI page to MSC’s website. Honestly, we — MSC’s small Communications Team — were taken aback by the request. DEI, or Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, “encompasses the symbiotic relationship, philosophy and culture of acknowledging, embracing, supporting, and accepting those of all racial, sexual, gender, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds, among other differentiators,” per InclusionHub. Yes, DEI within organizations is crucial — but MSC, in a way, is DEI. 

As defined by our Mission, MSC is an equitable movement support organization that provides infrastructure and thought partnership “for BIPOC, women, and LGBTQIA+ movement leaders, activists, and communities challenging intersectional issues of systemic racism, rampant environmental destruction, and crippling economic exploitation.” And our Vision conjures “a world of interdependence, liberation, and resilience — where the many govern for the benefit of all.”

Behind the flowery language, our small staff is a DEI stock photo of race, sexuality, geography, and background led by an all women of color senior leadership team. Likewise, the leadership and staff of the many organizations we work with are the picture of diversity. And all of us — from our core staff to our extended ecosystem of partners — are working, in different ways, in support of social justice, racial equity, movement building, and a Just Transition. DEI is embedded in our ethos; we can’t relate to some heteropatriarchal organization that forces its human resources teams to invent a front-facing DEI program to create a virtue signaling veneer for fed up employees and idealistic jobseekers.  

All that said, what would a DEI-focused page on MSC’s website even look like? Or contain? 

We talked about it for months but kept coming back to this idea that MSC is DEI. But why? And how do we do a better job of sharing that we are living and working DEI every day? With that, Why MSC? was born.

Why MSC? is what we are calling our brand new landing page, over a year in the making. Launched at the very end of 2023, Why MSC? is more than a blurb, a donation plea, and a series of links (which was the whole of our old landing page). It’s more like your Netflix home screen — it’s all right there: you can peek into the whole of our ideas, partnerships, and resources. You can get lost in it — you’ll find featured partners as well as easy links to access all our partners. You’ll find our beautiful staff. You’ll find shortcuts to our robust social media channels, to our mission and vision, our annual report, and — of course — a plea to donate. And you’ll find some of the stuff that sometimes gets lost in the shuffle — our videos, our essay series on Shifting Philanthropy, and our Q&As with ecosystem movement leaders we so admire. Best of all, it will allow us to easily update featured components.

You will find Diversity; you will find Equity; you will find Inclusion. Because MSC is DEI. 

The design was inspired by a series of disparate websites across disparate industries that employed a sort of grid to differentiate different sections, links, and ideas. The sites we looked at — there were many — were dynamic, graphic, and playful. More importantly, those grids made updating sections very simple. We look forward to swapping our featured partners, resources, blogs, videos, and photos regularly — to keep things fresh and share as much of the critical work our partners are doing as we can. All of this was possible with the help of our friends at Agenda28 who worked with us to develop Why MSC? over many months and many iterations.

We couldn’t be happier with the result. Especially with DEI — all the good, and all the virtue signaling — under attack in the wake of last June’s Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action. Please check it out and check it often. And let us know if you have any feedback.        

The battle for representation is not over. While it may be more common to see women or people of color in levels of leadership across all sectors, a recent Pew research study found the representation of women lags across STEM — science, technology, engineering, and math — occupations. Likewise, Black and Hispanic workers continue to be underrepresented in computing jobs, despite significant growth in recent years. In fact, after 48 years of active efforts and initiatives, only 2.5% of STEM deans at colleges and universities are Black. 

Our partners at STEM Funders Network (SFN), led by Executive Director Errika Mallett Moore, understand that representation matters. She told us that if she didn’t share her story, BIPOC STEM students “would be unaware of their connectivity and the common thread in me and others like me.” That conviction helps ensure that students see teachers and faculty who resemble them. Moore — who recently celebrated five years with the Forbes Nonprofit Council — has been a lifelong STEM education champion, a change agent, and is now contributing editor for STEM Magazine, the world’s most read STEM educator resource. 

Movement Strategy Center (virtually) sat down with Errika Moore, where she talked about the folks who have supported her and the crucial need to advocate for equity in the entire Pre-K and K–12 continuum. Read on for more.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

MSC: Congratulations on SFN’s new role as contributing editor of STEM Magazine. How did it come about? 

EM: This partnership is a reflection of nurturing and staying committed to lasting relationships. I was first introduced to STEM Magazine by the Technology Association of Georgia. From 2018 to 2019 I served as the editor for Georgia Pathways, a regionalized by-product of the STEM Magazine franchise. Based on my connection with the magazine publisher, Wayne Carley, we discussed the opportunity for a partnership between the national magazine and SFN. I appreciate the quality he provides as a publisher, his intentionality, his focus on details, and the breadth and depth of his existing relationships with NASA, MIT, and NASCAR. He has an ideal platform, reaching 325,000 definitive subscribers.

MSC: You have a lengthy history of volunteering. Why is volunteering so important to you? Can you share some of your memories of volunteering? 

EM: My parents, Cleve and Pat Warren, taught me at a very young age that you are blessed to be a blessing. Regardless of your status. Regardless of what you do — or don’t — have, you always have the opportunity to give back and to do what you can to make the world a little bit better for someone else. 

Being a change agent has been my life’s charge since high school. During my senior year, I was president of the Urban League and went to Europe for the first time with the Girl Scouts. I recently reconnected with the Girl Scouts, where I met one of my mentees, Samyukta Iyer, participating in a Girl Scouts program called Camp CEO. I grew up in a village, an environment that reinforced the message of paying it forward and that you were created to do something for others. 

MSC: What informs where you spend your time? 

EM: In college, a circuits Professor told me (at the time, I was the first and only Black woman in the computer engineering program) that “Black women have no business in engineering.” To say it upset me is an understatement. But more importantly, it inspired me. Thirty years after that incident, STEM advocacy for underrepresented women is still my focal point.

Eight years ago, a close friend encouraged me to join a board focused on early education — at that time, I had an epiphany — how can I call myself a STEM education advocate and not be equally committed to early education? A student can’t read to learn if they don’t first learn to read. I learned more about the disparities in early education and the economic impact and opportunities when we ensure equitable early education. 

I’ve had access to phenomenal opportunities. But I recognize that this is a different trajectory for most working class families or definitely for those from under-resourced communities. Therefore, I’ve been committed to equity of opportunity for years. I’ve witnessed too many disparities in our ecosystems to be okay with things as they are … Sometimes that means being a disrupter or speaking truth to power. I’m okay with both, even when others have sought to penalize me for doing so.

MSC: As a champion for mentorship opportunities, can you share a bit about the mentors who were most influential in your life? 

EM: Dr. Augustine Esogbue and Dr. Gary May are two trailblazing STEM higher education leaders who have paved the way and continue to teach others how you reach back and bring others forward. Dr. May was an integral part of the success of the Georgia State program called Focus and is responsible for developing ten deans of color in STEM.

My first boss, Alex Shootman, at IBM, who has been a champion for DEI in technology 20 years before it became trendy; he’s the epitome of allyship, and continues to be a friend to this day. 

Lastly, Pat McCraken and Viola Maxwell-Thompson. Both have been my bosses and are two amazing women leaders in technology who’ve led with phenomenal strength and compassion. Viola shared the most encouraging conversations about the challenges of childcare, which led me to decide to become a stay-at-home parent. Pat centered my humanity, not just as an employee, all before the “Girlboss” and “Lean In” movements.

My mentors are gracious, empathic, and supportive. They are formidable, phenomenal thought partners that allowed me to support students and young professionals in continuing the thread …  My goals are to live up to their standards.

MSC: You note “the purpose of life is to live a life of purpose” as one of your mantras. What made the Power of Positive Influence webinars purposeful to you? 

EM: Through the Power of Positive Influence (PPI) series, we hope to uplift and amplify impactful initiatives, inspire and influence collective movement within STEM philanthropy, and serve as a change agent in creating a more equitable STEM ecosystem. When we take on new roles, we should start with the end in mind. Philanthropic transformation must happen in our lifetime and reflect trust based philanthropy and strategic partnerships between funders and grantees. I hope my legacy in this role at the end will be the opportunity to influence philanthropic transformation via platforms like the Power of Positive Influence. 

MSC: “I’m no longer accepting the things I cannot change; I’m changing the things I cannot accept,” by Angela Davis, is another mantra. What are the things you want to change through your leadership at SFN? 

EM: SFN will change how people understand the relevancy of Representation Matters. We hope to change how funders look at the cradle to career STEM continuum holistically — regardless of where their investment strategies are positioned on the continuum — and that they’ll embrace the interdependencies within the continuum.

The historical power dynamics between funders and grantees have, unfortunately, been empowered and enabled for hundreds of years. Representation [is important] not only for students but for the invisible disparities that exist in equitable representation for K–12 teachers, higher education faculty, and higher education administrators. The funding community has yet to acknowledge — at an impactful scale — that if we don’t impact this aspect of representation, it’s challenging to impact the student aspect. 

MSC: Can you share more about the Representation Matters initiative? Can we ever have too much representation? One of the tactical focus areas mentioned is “Connecting the Representation Data Between Education, Nonprofit, and Industry.” What are the gaps that need to be closed? 

EM: As a black female engineer in 2023, statistically, my profile is an anomaly. That’s a travesty.  The reality is we will never reach too much representation status. Despite efforts to increase diversity in STEM fields, there is a lack of representation of Black and female people in technology leadership positions. After 48 years of active efforts and initiatives, Black STEM deans only represent 2.5% of the STEM deans. Technology executives of color only represent 6% of the population, and women of color technology executives are just 2%. 

Phenomenal organizations and programs are working to make a difference. The missing link is literally a missing link … Our education experts from the President’s Advisory Board and Dean Council have told us through their own lived experience and professional focus that currently, there isn’t a centralized, synergistic source for connecting one program to the next — or connecting the historical trajectory of a student from one program to the next.  

Short of others sharing their stories, how do we know we’re making a difference if we’re not tracking the data and not sharing the information? How are we statistically and holistically measuring our collective impact? And if we can’t answer this question, how can we say that we believe representation matters? SFN is trying to encourage funders to see the interdependencies that exist in all of these relationships. 

MSC: How does SFN persuade funders to invest in representation? 

EM: SFN plans to announce a project to generate a study, tools, and collaboration that will analyze and organize data that clearly shows which areas of STEM programs advance students’ lives the most during the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) annual conference in March 2023. Multiple engineering associations will show up, including Native American, Hispanic, and women. This resource will guide funders to identify the most equitable and impactful ways to engage with our community and is meant to challenge traditional philanthropy. 

Last year, SFN launched a deans’ advisory council that works with minority administrators at predominantly White institutions. Specifically, their unique journeys provide tremendous insight because of their commitment to their higher education students and the K–12 space. And they’re leveraging that insight to impact the next generation of students and leaders positively. Funders need to hear from minority deans who have had the lived experience and have taken initiative to pay it forward and not wait for funding to happen. 

MSC: We heard a bit about your husband’s work and your recent visit to Rwanda, where you met with President Paul Kagame. Tell us a bit about that experience. 

EM: I’ve always admired my husband, S. Gordon Moore, Jr., for his impact on hundreds of students and how he’s influenced systemic change without always receiving the credit.

At the invitation of Dr. Acha Leke, Chairman of McKinsey’s Africa region, my husband and I spent a week in Rwanda [the three met at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech)]. Rwanda is evolving, and the significant history of genocide has left a generational stain on the country … Even out of devastation, what can we learn from a country who has been historically exploited? Many are unfamiliar with the amount of development that has happened and the intentionality around all of that. 

We sat next to [Paula Ingabire, the country’s Minister of Information and Communications Technology and Innovation] at the president’s luncheon and learned about the $250 million investment from MasterCard, received by African Leadership Academy and University, where students align their mission with a major, then work backward from there. We can share these innovative ideas with our community, and do things differently.

Despite the ongoing struggle for representation and equity, Moore has faced these challenges with grace and determination and is a role model for all of us. She has positively impacted many people’s lives and is an inspiration for what can be achieved through hard work, perseverance, and community support. How has Errika’s story inspired you? Let us know in the comments and share her story. 

Curious to learn more about players in our ecosystem? Read more at the Move Blog.

Last summer, we witnessed many institutions and nonprofits denounce systemic racism amid the world’s sharp focus on George Floyd’s murder and the larger Black liberation movement, yet few organizations have moved toward tangible action. A recent report from PolicyLink and Bridgespan Group found that of the $11.9 billion in philanthropic capital publicly pledged to support racial equity, only $1.5 billion is trackable.

It’s true that transformative movements are never singular and always a long-term process, and philanthropy must play a critical role in resourcing the infrastructure, ecosystem building, and sustainability of those movements over time — but what can explain the profound disconnect between pledged funding and payout? How can philanthropy better and more quickly support these social change movements while creating genuine relationships with movement leaders and realizing a Just Transition?

Movement Strategy Center (MSC) believes that the problems can be at least partially attributed to the institutional racism embedded within the systems of philanthropy and traditional grantmaking. We — intermediaries, foundations, funders, and philanthropists — must reevaluate what works and what causes more harm than good. The racial reckoning of 2020 has led many organizations to adopt stricter racial-bias programs and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives; but compliance is not enough when “culture eats strategy for breakfast.”

Like it or not, humanity — and, of course, philanthropy — is inclined to take the path of least resistance. To make any strategy successful, whether related to DEI initiatives or in social justice work, we need to not only set goals but foster values-aligned character traits and culture. Social activist and philosopher Grace Lee Boggs warns, “whenever an organization is in a crisis, it is necessary to look at your concepts and be critical of them because they may have turned into traps.” Plainly, we have to name it to change it. We have to admit that even as many nonprofits work to improve equity, White Supremacy is embedded in our culture and our organizations. And to change structures and systems we must also change how we think, the way we live, and even who we are. Everyone who participates in the movement ecosystem — community leaders, organizers, policymakers, corporate donors, and philanthropists who fund the organizations pushing for the change — all have an essential and evolving role to play in shifting social systems and practices.

To decolonize philanthropy, and support this crucial movement work, we must be open to the concept of Emergent Strategy policies and culture building. Emergent Strategy, a book and framework written by facilitator adrienne maree brown, suggests that western culture tends to work against the emergent strategies and processes that are realized over time as intended goals collide with the shifting realities at hand. The writer explains that “emergence is the way complex systems and patterns arise out of a multiplicity of relatively simple interactions.” By being cognizant of how needs and environments change — including a holistic focus on authentic relationships and the evolving needs of movement leaders — philanthropy can reshape their values and what they’re advocating for.

It’s a concept that MSC subscribes to. Executive Director Carla Dartis says, “if philanthropy is really about reaching an outcome of social justice, it also needs to be about a set of practices that engage multiple partners on the ground and in the boardroom, and it needs to be about the changing environment.” She continued, “as a result, the work is going to change. And it is out of that space that you can really advocate for the people.”

Mohini Tadikonda, MSC’s Chief Advancement Officer, agrees: “philanthropy needs to put it all on the table and commit to learning and evolving together. We need to admit to what we do not understand and commit to overcoming it.” Self-Accountability and reflection are essential in repairing generations of racial bias when White Supremacy is prevalent. And that goes hand in hand with the need to move money into the communities that need it most. To do that we need to change the policies and cultural practices that allow internal bias to persist. Part of that relates to any philanthropic endeavor that boasts perpetuity — because forever is often at the expense of the very communities these organizations aim to heal, and is at odds with the concept of Emergent Strategy.

At MSC, we support organizations that tackle social justice causes centering on the interconnected issues of racial, gender, and environmental inequity. Our infrastructure supports partners seeking to foster deep-rooted connections, collaboration, cross-pollination, and evolution. Our approach centers on responding to the needs of groups, and supporting them without imposing artificial processes and deadlines or irrational expectations. “These groups are not coming from a structure that is valued within capitalism — there are no customers, no-one is buying anything, no-one is profiting. You can’t expect or exert specific performance or achievement goals as if these groups are businesses,” Dartis adds.

To support social change movements, we must also recognize that long-term fundamental mindset change is required to elevate these concepts. To do that, funds should be unrestricted and should, ideally, not expire. “When we are fueled with a scarcity mindset, as so many of our communities have been conditioned to be, organizations scramble to do as much as they can before the funds run out,” said Dartis. She continued, “this causes people to take shortcuts that we can not afford when we are attempting to build and sustain equity.” In other words, long term sustainability for grassroots organizations requires the resources and flexibility to support work without burnout — because thriving and robust movements need thriving and robust staff and infrastructure. It’s important to remember that while love is at the center of movement work, it does not pay the bills.

Further, the mainstream understanding of philanthropy today is derived from a White supremacist, capitalist, and patriarchal frame of thinking. We must consider how the tenets of White Supremacy Culture like, “Perfectionism,” “Concentration of Power,” and the objectivity of “Progress is Bigger and/or More” have contributed to the roadblocks that BIPOC, women, and LGBTQIA movement leaders, activists, and communities face when they are asked to out-organize racist laws, systems, institutions, and policies without funding and support. These platitudes and bureaucratic hoops can set up those on the ground to fail.

Social change funders are embracing general operating support for these communities, and that is great for optics. But funding often gets caught in a bottleneck on its way into the hands of the communities who need it most; or that funding expires just as the communities are seeing the impacts of that hard work. We cannot let symbolism overtake substance.

It comes down to trust. adrienne maree brown reminds us, “trust your people, and they will become trustworthy.” This vital lesson in Emergent Strategysummarizes what many in philanthropic circles are beginning to learn. Foundations have to change their habits to build trust; and they have to add diversity to their staff and their boards. They need to listen to the folks who are actually out there doing the work — and not just the elites in their conference rooms. When funders understand that systemic racism — and their cultural blinders — are the root cause of massive and growing economic and social disparities, they will seek to break down silos around funding priorities; and they will work to create funder and organizer coalitions that foster accountability and experimentation that can lead to important positive shifts.

When White wealth — any wealth — is moved into a space without cultural awareness, and where decisions should be made by people who are not traditional gatekeepers and decision makers, it needs to be done without unreasonable stipulations or any sense of superiority. The Building Movement Project (BMP) released a report that found people of the global majority “do not reap the advantages of leadership to the same extent as their White peers, as indicated by the extent to which common frustrations and challenges among nonprofit staff persist for leaders of color while they seem to ease for White respondents who have reached leadership positions.” It begs the question: are the individuals in these leadership positions evolving? Are they culturally competent? Open?

Philanthropic habits must change, and the solution won’t be the same for every partnership. It can mean building relationships with program officers and movement leaders through phone call updates and not just reports. MSC works with each partner organization in ways that work for them, in ways that support and care for movement leaders, and support the ongoing engagement that builds collective leadership. Decentralization can be slower and more resource intensive, but investment in coaching, financial and administrative support, leadership development, and capacity building supports and enables frontline success and longevity while allowing for experimentation and learning.

Philanthropy for social movements must begin to level the playing field and move away from the current hierarchies that temporarily fund outcomes rather than sustainably funding relationships. A way of contextualizing a reprioritization of support to BIPOC-led movement organizations is to consider reparations. Edgar Villanueva of Decolonizing Wealth said this is “a direct way to use money as medicine. Humans have used money wrongfully. We’ve made money more important than human life. We’ve allowed it to divide us. We forget that we gave money its meaning and its power.” Reparations are a commitment to trust, a commitment to relearning, and a commitment to fundamentally change the embedded culture of White Supremacy.

Boggs’ asserted that “a revolution that is based on people exercising creativity in the midst of devastation is one of the great historical contributions of mankind,” and that “these are the times to grow our souls.” MSC believes this: communities have the answers, and we just have to listen. Not only should they have a seat at the table, but they should set the agenda so the solutions center on love and can be tailored to the shifting needs at hand.

Everyone has a role to play in Movement building. Philanthropy’s primary function should be rooted in radical trust that supports the practices behind equitability and diversity. This community-centered funding and fundraising, with a focus on the types of engagement that sustain movement building for the long term, can contribute to a radical and deep network that strategically navigates toward a future we envision: of interdependence, of liberation, and of resilience.