Our Fifth Round of Funding Supports Black Power-Building in Los Angeles
By Marc Philpart
The California Black Freedom Fund is committed to ensuring that Black communities win decision-making power over the systems, policies and institutions that shape our lives. I am excited to announce that our fifth round of grants will help make that happen in Los Angeles. As a city and county, LA has one of the highest Black populations in the state. It’s also where Black communities are disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system and continue to face systemic barriers, from housing to economic opportunities, making Los Angeles crucial for racial justice efforts in California and our nation.
The leaked recordings of LA city council members and elected officials remind us that representation does not always equate to progress. Black liberation is realized when Black movement leaders have the resources and space to hold decision-makers accountable and stand up against anti-Blackness and white supremacy in all its forms. Philanthropy must boldly support organizations and leaders who are organizing, building Black power, and creating strong Black institutions.
For this round of grantmaking, we awarded a total of $1,000,000 to five groups organizing Black communities in Los Angeles to build power and dismantle anti-Black systemic racism.
Meet the Round 5 2022 Grantee Partners:
- Los Angeles Community Action Network (LA CAN) – Based in Skid Row, LA CAN strengthens Black voices, power and opinion in decisions that are directly affecting Black community members.
- Dignity & Power Now – DPN is dedicated to fighting for the dignity and power of all incarcerated people, their families, and communities in Los Angeles.
- Students Deserve – A multi-racial organization of students, teachers and parents that prioritizes the leadership of Black students for Black liberation, Students Deserve is working for justice in and beyond schools across the Los Angeles Unified School District.
- The Hub at LA Black Worker Center – The Hub centralizes Black leadership and for understanding Black economic and social justice solutions in Los Angeles, for and by Black workers.
- Youth Justice Coalition – Through building a youth, family, and formerly and currently incarcerated people’s movement, Youth Justice Coalition is challenging America’s addiction to incarceration and race, gender and class discrimination in Los Angeles County’s juvenile and criminal injustice systems.
Black civic engagement and the advocacy to combat anti-Black racism is a year-round endeavor – not an episodic activity connected to an election cycle or a political or tragic moment. These grantees are working with communities to ensure the school district, city council, board of supervisors, and all those in positions of power are accountable to Black Angelenos and prioritizing their issues and perspectives.
We encourage our partners in philanthropy to continue making historic investments that repair harm, close inequities Black communities face, educate about anti-Black racism, and invest deeply in Black power-building in Los Angeles and around the country.
Join us in congratulating these grantee partners! We look forward to sharing more of their stories with you in the coming weeks.