Ask a young man of color what he wants to be when he grows up, and he’ll likely give you a list.
Ahmaud Arbery was studying to be an electrician, just like his uncles. Elijah McClain worked as a massage therapist and had plans to go to college. At 17, George Floyd wanted to “touch the world.”
The murders of these young men extinguished those dreams. The events sent shockwaves throughout the country that sparked protests in the middle of a global pandemic and shone a spotlight on centuries of injustices and dehumanizing practices against people of color.
In response, philanthropic organizations — big and small — donated to anti-Black racism causes and posted statements on their websites affirming that Black lives matter. They noted their commitment to calling out systemic racism and doing their part to make the world safer for Black people. For many, these outward declarations mark the first time their organization has ever addressed issues of race.
These are critical steps in the journey toward healing and equity. But now is not the time to settle for “wokeness,” which acknowledges that you know a problem exists, or complacency, which demonstrates comfort that what has been said or done is enough.
As grant makers, we must continually examine our own practices to ensure that they align with the belief that people of color possess the expertise and lived experiences to develop and direct solutions that will enable their communities to thrive.
Foundations can make a big difference in ending systemic racial inequities so all young men can achieve their aspirations — and more. Here are some key approaches:
Understand how racism and dehumanization make people of color sick. Research shows how trauma hurts children and youth and prevents them from succeeding in life. That’s why when young people of color are told they are not worthy of basic human dignities, the impact is long lasting. The mental scars of George Floyd’s murder will undoubtedly be felt by those who knew him. However, research shows that killings of unarmed black men also harm the mental health of the Black population in the entire state where it occurred. Racialized trauma is linked to higher presence of stress-related hormones, which sets the stage for obesity and heart disease. Teens who experience heightened discrimination have trouble sleeping, higher blood pressure, higher body mass index, and higher levels of stress-related hormones — all of which are tied to the manifestation of chronic diseases. Understanding these connections should increase the value grant makers place on approaches that address racism as a root cause of many challenges facing boys and young men of color.
Include in your decision making the perspectives of the people that your work will affect. The experiences and wisdom of people of color, young people, and those who engage with them should serve as the ultimate barometer of effective and equitable strategies. Invite them to speak to your staff about their experiences. Visit the people the foundation seeks to serve with the goal of increasing understanding and working together to shape solutions that address their needs and circumstances. Seek out guidance from organizations doing culturally responsive work with youths, as well as colleagues working in foundations with a similar desire to fund work focused on people of color. In cases where young men of color are supposed to benefit from your decisions, ask: Does this effort acknowledge the value and humanity of boys and young men of color, and will it give them the best chance to heal, grow, and thrive?
Make funding organizations that tackle racialized oppression a long-term priority. In the wake of George Floyd’s murder, frontline organizations saw an intense surge of donations. So intense, in fact, that many turned away support and asked donors to give to other nonprofits instead. Previously, these organizations struggled for funding from philanthropy and barely survived on GoFundMe campaigns. That’s a problem. For years, there’s been a significant disparity in the proportion of philanthropic dollars that are directed toward organizations run by people of color. They also face major barriers in fundraising, which hinders sustained impact. These organizations need consistent support from philanthropy. Now is the time to examine how we solicit proposals and fund operating budgets to ensure dollars go to groups that may not have the connections that other groups do. Funding and supporting youth-development programs must include organizations that tackle healing from racialized oppression as a core tenet of their work. Organizations built and run by people of color are in the best position to address the needs of boys and young men of color and most effectively carry out culturally responsive approaches to racial trauma in their program.
Depict boys and young men of color in ways that show reality, not false narratives. Despite the pervasive challenges facing boys and young men of color, we also know this: They are resilient, remarkable, and capable of excelling when given fair and just opportunities to heal, grow, and thrive. They graduate at the top of their classes. They run successful businesses. They become wonderful fathers, artists, teachers, engineers, doctors, and engaged members of their neighborhoods. We need to show those images of success in our reports and social media posts, instead of ones that perpetuate false narratives of Black boys and young men as predatory and dangerous. Too often we rely on terms like “at-risk,” “disadvantaged,” and “vulnerable” to define young men of color. These are common practices for foundations and nonprofits led by people of all races and ethnicities. But cognitive research shows that disparaging terms and stereotypical imagery are ways that racist narratives become ingrained in our society. That’s why we must make every effort to use images, narratives, and language that focus on a person’s assets and aspirations.
Fund data-collection efforts that measure how dehumanization harms boys and young men of color. No national database exists to assess the depth and the frequency of dehumanization. Even so, we can begin to measure its impact. Grant makers should encourage researchers to consider the role of racism as they collect data on heart disease or sleep deprivation for young people; evaluate the impact of bias on admissions into gifted programs in elementary-school programs; or explore how more punitive punishments get handed down to young men of color engaged with the justice system. As grant makers, we aren’t responsible for changing bad policies in every system. But we can be a serious champion for data that drives change where it’s needed.
We’re at a pivotal moment in our nation’s history. Multiple instances of fatal police violence against Black men and Covid-19’s racial and socioeconomic disparities have driven millions of Americans of all races to demand something better.
In the years to come, no young man of color in America should feel as if good health, a safe neighborhood, or a good education is beyond his reach. The opportunity to lead a healthy life should be a critical part of what it means to live in America.
Achieving enduring societal change will take all of us working together. We must continue working to change our culture into one that values health and well-being — promoting, sustaining, and safeguarding it — everywhere, for everyone. In doing so, we can ensure all boys and young men of color have the best chance to achieve their greatest hopes and dreams — today and for generations to come.
