Partner news! Awards and Acknowledgements (March 2021)
News
Replanting Roots, Rebuilding Community has released their research project report focused on the effects of gentrification on the Black Community in the Central District of Seattle and finding solutions to overcome the effects gentrification has caused. The Black Community Impact Alliance (BCIA) / Village Spirit Center was tasked to perform research with the Black Churches in the Central District. Read the report here.
COO partners Communities Rise, Africatown, and the White Center Community Development Association are mentioned in this Seattle Times article which talks abou the Building High-Impact Nonprofits of Color Seattle cohort in the context of the racial wealth divide in Seattle and a new report detailing racial wealth inequities by Prosperity Now:
“Our American Western view of individuality and capitalism really creates a structure where folks can look at that and say, ‘Oh, it’s not about race [or] class. It’s about these individual people [who] aren’t working hard enough or don’t have the talent. So it’s not about past wrongs. It’s about the people now,’” Nishioka said. “And that’s coming from one, a place of privilege and two, really not having a deep understanding of race and its impact on our society as a whole, and how deep it runs, and of the systemic barriers.”
Seattle Foundation partners with King County Elections to increase voter participation in historically excluded communities. Deadline to apply for funding is April 2, 2021. The Seattle Foundation has also launched a new initiative to drive investments to Black, Indigenous, and Communities of Color in the Greater Seattle Region — the Fund for Inclusive Recovery will take actionable steps toward an inclusive recovery from COVID-19.
Tours of the RBAC@MLK site to begin soon! The Food Innovation Center serves and belongs to members of the community and to reiterate this commitment, RBAC would like to begin welcoming folx to tour the site. Email Managing Strategist, Gregory Davis, regarding your interest. The Rainier Beach Action Coalition (RBAC) also received a Priority Hire program contract from the City of Seattle — one of eight organizations that were awarded a two-year contract to continue doing outreach, assessments, & referrals as part of the Priority Hire program. This funding supports the work of RBAC’s community promoter, Eddie Grinnell (who also helped create the contract-winning proposal), and will allow us to build capacity within our existing program. Click here to read the full announcement! AND! The first episode of RBACast is out! RBACast as a way of uplifting voices and changing the narrative surrounding South East Seattle where the youth will have a platform to tell their own stories. The first episode is a conversation with local poet, Fatima Kabba. Click here to listen to the full episode.
Awards
UTOPIA WA is a non-profit in South King County, WA working with the Asian Pacific Islander gender diverse community. They have received funding from the Renton Regional Community Foundation and we want to highlight their work.
UTOPIA Washington is the recipient of 2 grants from Renton Regional Community Foundation that allows us to execute our COVID-19 response work. Leading that work is Diana Krishna, who is featured in Renton Regional Community Foundation's video (linked to the left) that was shared at their 2021 Virtual Conference held on February 25, 2021