Movement Strategy Center Highlights Milestones, Stories, and Achievements from the Ecosystem
Community Chronicles is a seasonal shout-out to our ecosystem partners and their incredible achievements. Read on for some of the ways our ever-growing list of over 150 community-led and centered partners — including Fiscally Sponsored Projects (FSPs), the Movement Strategy Network (MSN), and grantees — are making the world a brighter place.
As we bid farewell to the winter chill and embrace the vibrant spirit of spring, we find ourselves at the threshold of new beginnings. Spring is not just the blossoming and greening of the world outside our windows but the rejuvenation of our own spirits. It’s a time for growth, renewal, and the promise of brighter days ahead. However, amidst this season of hope, we must acknowledge the challenges that continue to shape our world in communities worldwide, including those in Palestine, Sudan, and Congo.
As a movement intermediary support organization dedicated to equitable services, we play a vital role in channeling resources to frontline communities. Our deep commitment to driving meaningful change is central to our mission, and we are proud to showcase the innovative methods our partners use to challenge and reshape the status quo. Over the course of the winter months, the MSC ecosystem has been abuzz with exciting events and achievements. Read on for some highlights. Stay informed with our newsletter and connect with us on social media so you don’t miss a moment of inspiration.
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After Incarceration Goes to Selma
Jose Pineda, and the collective of emerging leaders at After Incarceration, recently undertook an inspiring journey from New York to Selma, AL. There, they delved into a five-day Kingian Nonviolence Training with Dr. Bernard Lafayette at the Selma Center for Nonviolence, Truth, and Reconciliation. Their journey stands as a powerful testament to their commitment to shaping a world where nonviolence lights the way to unity, justice, and mass liberation.
MSN Members Create Art for Palestine
Beloved Communities Network and Wakanda Dream Lab cohosted Solidarity for Palestine, an art activism event, along with the Palestinian Feminist Collective in Oakland, CA. Interactive gallery art from Wakanda Dream Lab and Palestinian artists provided inspiration for poster-making as an act of solidarity.
Brown Boi Project Creates Change in the Big Easy
Brown Boi Project co-hosted a caucus space at Creating Change in New Orleans, LA. Together with Gender Justice LA, they held space for masculine BIPOC organizers, artists, activists, cultural workers, and community builders. These supportive spaces allow for critical dialogue about gender and leadership development where transformation occurs.
Vision | Power | Solutions is Back
Facilitating Power, alongside NACRP, hosted and curated another session of the VISION | POWER | SOLUTIONS — an online workshop series focusing on building our collective capacity for community-driven planning and solutions for racial and climate justice. The second workshop of the 2023-24 run featured presentations from Colin Miller and Marybelle Tobias from Environmental / Justice Solutions and discussed community-driven planning in action.
Focus on the Farm Bill
HEAL Food Alliance launched their Farm Bill blog series, where they dive into how the Farm Bill can prioritize communities over corporations. The series is also key to understanding how the Farm Bill impacts us all, whether or not we work in food or farming.
SheStories Sizes Up
BIG We Foundation expanded their SheStories grant program, and selected six grantees from an overwhelming 400 applicants, in order to support projects by Black, Indigenous, Latino/a, Asian American, Pacific Islander, Multiracial, and femme-identifying womxn in storytelling for social change. The overwhelming response led to two additional $15,000 grants, funded by Pivotal Ventures, a Melinda French Gates Company.
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LREP Retreats to the Dominican Republic
Latinx Racial Equity Project (LREP) recently held its annual staff retreat in the Dominican Republic, where they encountered the femme deities of Santa Marta and Anacaona — powerful symbols for Black and Indigenous people within Latinidad. They also evaluated their 2023 accomplishments, learned from local organizers, and planned to support grassroots allies on the island and across Latin America. Energized, they now aim to engage in narrative change work and expand training offerings, inviting the Latine community to join them in considering shared responsibilities and pathways towards solidarity.
New Leadership at PWN
Positive Women’s Network – USA (PWN) welcomed two new co-directors, Marnina Miller and Keiva Lei Cadena. Miller, a highly accomplished human rights activist, has been part of PWN’s Greater Houston chapter and served on their Board of Directors since 2018. Cadena, a nationally recognized activist, and a Native Hawaiian cultural practitioner, is a graduate and faculty member of PWN’s R.I.S.E. (Resist, Inspire, Sustain through Education) Gender Justice Training Academy. We are confident they will lead PWN into a future filled with unwavering support for women living with HIV.
New Ways to Engage
Resonance Network has been blending community engagement with fundraising, hosting memorable in person events such as a trivia night that brought diverse groups together for an evening of camaraderie and knowledge. Continuing this creative streak, they’re now gearing up for a unique pilates fundraiser in Washington D.C. These events support Resonance Network’s commitment to building community and fostering inclusive support through imaginative and engaging activities.
A Monthly Reminder Rooted in Love
Thrive Network launched Rooted in Love, a monthly membership community of practice. The forward thinking program is aimed at fostering a sense of belonging and prosperity with monthly resources and insights from distinguished visionaries plus both in-person and virtual community gatherings for members.
Congrats Nicole Lee and UPM
Nicole Lee from Urban Peace Movement (UPM) has recently been recognized with the prestigious 2024 O2 Sabbatical Award. This well-deserved accolade celebrates her dedication over the last quarter century to the racial justice movement in Oakland, CA. Lee remarked on the importance of this sabbatical to her — “I currently live on the edge of burnout and have done so for over two decades.” Congratulations on this period of rest and reflection.
And Right Here at MSC
A Woman of the Year Among Us
Sending a wave of congratulations to Jacqui Patternson, MSC board member and co-founder of the Sandbranch Revitalization Fund, and founder of the Chisholm Legacy Project. She has been recognized by Time Magazine as one of their Women of the Year and Earth Award recipient.
Welcome to Our Newest FSPs and Board Member
We welcomed three new fiscally sponsored projects, Art.coop, Justice Capital, and Proximate. And Errika Moore, project director at STEM Funders Network, joined our board, representing the interests of MSC’s FSPs.
New Landing Page Alert
We launched our new website landing page! It offers a richer experience for our visitors and a gateway to thoroughly explore the MSC ecosystem. To read a bit about the process, visit the Move Blog.
What the DAF?
We also launched a Donor Advised Fund (DAF), read a bit more about what a DAF is and why ours is so unique on the blog.
Year in Review
Don’t miss MSC’s 2022–2023 annual report.
Want your happening or achievement included in the next Community Chronicles, in our newsletter, across our social media channels, or in a feature blog? Shoot us an email!