By Stuart Comstock-Gay and Paul Herdman
Inspired by Black History Month and our unwavering desire to address structural and systemic racism in Delaware and beyond, the Delaware Community Foundation and Rodel are proud to sponsor the Black Voices for Black Justice Fund.
This initiative aims to highlight black voices in our community. Through nominations, the program provides strong, imaginative Black leaders with a financial award to use their voice and solutions for building a fair, equitable, and anti-racist America that better reflects the best of humanity.
Through this partnership, a person from Delaware will be selected as a leader.
Wes Moore, the bestselling author of Five Days: The Fiery Reckoning of an American City, co-chairs the fund. Moore spoke to the DCF and our friends during a 2020 “Building Opportunity” keynote.
Click here to learn more about the Black Voices for Black Justice Fund, and click here to nominate a Black leader from your community. The deadline to submit nominations is March 15.
Archive for opportunity
It’s time to lean into a new normal. If ever a year required us to re-think how things have been done, it’s this one. And the renewed reckoning on racial equity in America is most certainly part of that new normal.
We at the DCF have been deeply focused on Covid response work over the past nine months. During this time, we’ve also reflected more deeply on the growing Black Lives Matter movement, and protests and organizing across the nation. We had the chance to welcome Wes Moore and to engage hundreds of Delawareans in discussions about the deep history of racial inequality, and the need that all of us be part of building a society that is inclusive and equitable.
A big part of how we at the DCF are working on these issues starts with what we learned from the Community Equity Project cohort, a group of Delaware leaders – people with experience addressing equity issues – who met for over a year to define a shared vision around racial equity. We are pleased to release the report of recommendations from this cohort, which will help us continue driving important conversations statewide.
Out of that group’s work, there are six commitments the DCF is making now and for the long-term:
• Make racial equity an explicit priority in all the work of the DCF.
• Increase the impact of resources invested in the community that focus on racial equity.
• Encourage civic discourse – spark conversations throughout Delaware on racial equity issues.
• Shine a light on research and data through our communications channels and events.
• Continue to bring together and rely on the expertise of the Community Equity Project cohort to move the work forward and build broader partnerships.
Those five bullets are only the beginning, and only scratch the surface of course. They have led to specific actions. A new board equity committee – chaired by former federal Judge Greg Sleet – is meeting to develop metrics and resources for the work. Our Wes Moore Building Opportunity event is leading to continued community conversation about how and where Delawareans can engage in this work. We will be launching a new grants program focused on organizations led by people of color. We will be working with consultants to review our own practices – organization-wide – to ensure we are implementing the best practices to ensure perspectives of people of color are represented, heard and honored.
It’s also only the beginning of our work. We know that over time, work on racial equity issues will evolve, improve, and change. And we are committed to being in this work for the long haul.
I also want to thank and honor the people who participated in the Community Equity Project cohort, who are helping lead us to these changes. They are: Daniel Atkins, Rosa Colon-Kolacko, Rebecca Cotto, Dorothy Dillard, Kim Graham, Marshala Lee, Shyanne Miller, Michael Minor, Cimone Philpotts, Jaclyn Quinn, Shardae White and Christian Willauer. Read more about them here. A shout-out also to Social Contract, the outstanding consultants who helped design and coordinate the process.
I urge you to take a look at the report. Each section provides important insights and suggestions.
• Developing an Equity Lens describes the cohort’s work to define equity, and to understand and adopt an equity perspective.
• Empowering Communities provides an overview of the centrality of communities in the journey toward equity and offers recommendations for placing communities and their work at the forefront of the equity journey.
• Restructuring for Impact focuses on the organizational changes necessary to transform structures and processes to support and ensure equity.
• Institutionalizing Equity addresses the changes necessary in public awareness and education as well as in policies and law to shift toward equity.
• The Evolution of the Community Equity Project describes the goals, participants and process of the Community Equity Project.
The year ahead is going to be a momentous one. As we begin to ramp out of the pandemic, we need to keep our eyes on the changes we need to pursue. And in our vision of a Delaware that serves all, racial equity simply must be part of the equation.
My synapses are firing, and I’m full of appreciation and joy!
Last night, hundreds of you joined us in a discussion with Wes Moore – about race, structural racism, hope, and passion. We also heard from a local panel, featuring Bebe Coker, Rev. Edwin Estevez, Alonna Berry and Charito Calvachi-Mateyko, responding to Wes and sharing their thoughts about where we are, and where we need to go. 
Thank you to everybody who participated.
There is so much to digest and think about, but a few items stuck hard with me.
The racial awareness that has come about in 2020 is not, said Wes, because of something different that happened this year vs. last. Killings of, and harassment of, black men and boys have been with us for a long time, and are not going away. What’s different now is that we are in a movement, not a moment. And at some point, we will reach a time when we will say, “Can you believe racial justice was something people had to fight for?”
Wes also reminded us that we do not have the luxury of “looking past race,” when race remains the most accurate predictor of life outcomes in America.
Wes reminded us that every person’s story matters, and every story is interesting “because it is that person’s story.” Unfortunately, we too often don’t know people’s stories until it is too late.
And there’s not really room to discuss the powerful statements by all of our panelists. Suffice it to say, they were great.
Finally I appreciate that so many of us want to make progress. In his book Five Days, Wes says, “The figures in this book were each, in their way, fighting to prevent the tragedy of Freddie Gray from playing out again and again…In their small victories and looming failures, they revealed to me the importance of individual changemakers and the indispensable necessity of collective action.”
As for us at the DCF, we believe that collective and individual action to reduce racial inequities is and must remain central to all of our work. The work is not just a one-time thing, but will imbue all we do.
We are engaging in this work in a number of ways.
• Right now, in partnership with the Rodel Foundation, we are pleased to say that we will support a Delaware participant in the Black Voices for Black Justice Fund, a national initiative co-chaired by Wes.
• We are developing new grant opportunities focused on better supporting and investing in leaders of color, the organizations they lead, and the communities they serve.
• We are implementing recommendations of the fellows who were part of our Community Equity Project – their work will be featured on the DCF website in the upcoming weeks.
• And we are continuing to participate with the Delaware Racial Justice Collaborative being coordinated by our partners at the United Way of Delaware.
We are on a path. And we all have a part to play. And (using Alonna Berry’s metaphor), while none of us alone can move the wall, we all need to work hard on moving our individual bricks.
“You see all of these issues that we’re dealing with today and that the nation has been dealing with it for quite some time, that were all percolating under the surface, and it all came to light during these five days, post Freddie Gray’s death. The parallel to where the nation is now, post George Floyd’s death and in this pandemic era that we’re living in, the similarities, it’s a song that hasn’t stopped playing yet. And it will continue to play for quite some time.”
– DCF Board member Chanta Wilkinson, talking about Wes Moore’s Five Days.
Like everybody, I’m terribly preoccupied by the upcoming election. But I also want to make sure we’re all looking at the long-term issues as well. So I want to share just a few quick notes about the upcoming Building Opportunity Keynote event with Wes Moore, which will build on the ongoing DCF Book Circles, reading Wes’ book Five Days … We’ve given away 500 books — many more are on loan from the state’s libraries — and Book Circles are meeting across the state to discuss it. My personal book group meets this week, and I get to participate in a larger discussion on Nov. 10. 
What’s clear is that Delawareans want to engage, to learn from each other, to listen, and to find ways to do the right thing. The Book Circle pictured here included some extremely thought-provoking statements, including the one I share above from Chanta Wilkinson. But I’m also struck by Ronald Hale’s comment:
I’ve seen many marches. I’ve seen the demonstrations. I’ve watched the tapes of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X and all of the other leaders who’ve marched before my time before I was even born. And the things are still going on. So when does the change really happen? How are we on this call going to make an impact in our communities and what are we going to do and who are we going to speak to? It all starts with each one of us, you know?
It is up to each one of us. Let us know what your group is talking about.
I felt hopeful that people with such powerful voices and so many gifts are willing to take such great risks to make sure that change happens. That made me hopeful. But I also felt a lot of anger and embarrassment for myself and for this country. To me, this is the kind of book that you have to participate in a book club for, because you have to be able to unpack it with somebody, otherwise it really weighs on your heart. The thing that I enjoyed about the book is that it really showed how one person can have this ripple effect throughout the community. – Margie Lopez Waite at 9/23/2020 book discussion
The book circles are underway. In our third annual series of book discussions, Delawareans are now using Wes Moore’s Five Days as a stepping off point for deep dialogue about race and equity in our country.
The book tells the story of the days after Freddie Gray was killed in Baltimore – from the perspectives of real people in the city – a business executive, a police officer, community activists, city councilman, and more. Through Wes’ book, we get a chance to hear the thoughts of many, all of whom want things to improve, but all of whom also see these challenges through their own lens.
Americans are seeking to confront our racial past, present and future. More of us are confronting our own role, our own opportunities, weaknesses, and biases. For me, I also come to this with a belief that the vast majority of us want to do the right thing, want to address the historical racism in the country, and and want to make change. But we don’t always know how to do that, have not done that yet, and recognize there is much yet to do. We owe it to our country’s future to lean in, reflect, learn, and be part of the solutions.
A colleague from the community foundation in Buffalo told the DCF Board recently that in their work on equity, they emphasize the importance of “calling people in to the conversation and the work, not calling people out [for their errors and weaknesses].” That’s how we hope this book helps the conversation. I hope this book contributes not just to the analysis, but also toward bringing people into the conversation, and inspiring the change we must see.
Wes will join us in a discussion on Thursday, November 19. We hope you will have read the book, talked with others about it, and are thinking about the change you can make before then. You can also join one of our larger book discussions – and can sign up on our website.
The 500 books we purchased for this event are, fortunately, already out in the hands of Delawareans. So we don’t have any more to send. But the state’s libraries have books to borrow (on-line, too), and the book is also available through on-line book portals. Please check it out, and join us on the 19th of November.
When you have your own book discussions, send us your observations, and photos, and we’ll share them as well. To do that, send comments to Kelly Sheridan (ksheridan@delcf.org).
Central to any discussion about community and building opportunity is our public library system. “Palaces for the people” was Andrew Carnegie’s phrase when he was building over 2,500 libraries across the country in the early part of the 20th century.
And so, in this episode, it is a pleasure to talk with one of the state’s librarians. Adriana Camacho-Church is a library specialist in the Bear Library. In her work, she spends time with the area’s immigrant community, helping them navigate resources and take advantage of the library’s many programs. Adriana herself found the library when she moved to Delaware, and it became a home to her – a place to feel welcome.
“I know what it’s like not to know the culture, not to know the system. You feel lost, you feel vulnerable, and you feel like you don’t belong. Especially if you don’t feel welcome.
“I think that’s what the libraries do. They help people feel welcome. We try to, we try to do that. We want them to know that this is a safe place where they can come and learn a language or find information that will give them hope, that will help them find direction.
“I’ve been there so I know and my whole family has been there because we came from Columbia.”
Palaces for the people. Building opportunity. Check it out.
It’s time for our first two-fer here on 5Qs – with Lynne Howard and Don Brown.
Lynne, a former government employee for the city (including a stint as chief of staff for the council), county (including time as Chief HR officer), and state (advisor on family issues for Gov. Carper); treasurer for the campaigns of Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester; consultant; longtime volunteer (including many years with the Christina Cultural Arts Center); and philanthropist/donor. Don, former assistant county attorney for New Castle County; former Chief Deputy AG for the state of Delaware; former Corporate Counsel for Dupont (16 years); pro bono counsel for low-income Delawareans; volunteer with DCF’s grants and scholarships committees; and philanthropist/donor.
I admire these people greatly, not just for their accomplishments, but for their decency and friendship. And for their commitment to giving back. Enjoy.
1. What first motivated you to get involved in philanthropy?
We were both raised in families that valued being engaged in community, educational, faith-based work, political issues and action. Our parents modeled these values, and we were taught to give of our time, talents and resources, however small, for the betterment of others to make a difference in our communities.
Lynne attended a college that taught about and valued giving to support those in need or to make a change in a community condition. She attended college in Atlanta, in the home base of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s work was an environment of community action and social justice, and that has remained with her to this day. Service to others was also a theme in Don’s college and early career as well.
2. What community endeavors are you proudest to support or engage in?
Areas of interest: education, childcare, arts, affordable housing, access to justice, and community health.
Organizations:
1. Christina Cultural Arts Center
2. Wilmington HOPE Commission
3. Mitchell Center for African American Heritage
4. Delaware Volunteer Legal Services
5. Children & Families First
6. Center for Educational Equity and Public Policy
3. Where do you see the greatest potential for philanthropy to drive change in Delaware?
Filling the gaps and complementing the work and financing where government and other funding support is just not adequate to make a sufficient difference. Philanthropy, in addition to providing needed resources to meet community needs, can also be a catalyst to inspire others to understand the gaps and needs and to step up with whatever they can bring to the table for the betterment of their community,
Philanthropy can also support bringing best practice experts to our community to enhance local work, research and advocacy already happening, thus moving action and improvements forward at a faster pace.
4. What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned through your work in philanthropy?
Effective and meaningful contributions need not always be financial. Giving can include the giving of time and talent in areas such as planning, strategic guidance, staff encouragement, mentoring, outreach, advocacy and supplementing an organization’s limited staff and resources
All should recognize that philanthropy happens in both small and large ways. A small organization can have just as major a need for a new printer as another might have for a new roof. It’s a matter of perspective. People often think that philanthropy means having lots of money to give. That truly does not have to be the case. All have something to give, time, talent or treasures. We all need to find a way to get that message out more effectively.
5. How does your philanthropy contribute to expanding opportunity for people in Delaware?
We select causes and organizations focused on making a demonstrated difference each day in their service mission. A good project, well-conceived and carried out, attacks urgent needs and delivers clear results while constantly assessing and improving programs. A top-notch organization sets the area of focus and constantly assesses the effectiveness of results and stays in close touch with its customers and clients.
We particularly look at organizations that serve the truly under-served sectors of our community and the diversity of our community, not just on paper but in reality.
ABOUT 5Q with Stu: This series is a chance to highlight philanthropists who are helping to keep Delaware a great place, and to make it better.
I love this discussion.
I feel like I could have talked with Edwin Estevez for a whole day. As pastor of the Grace 
Methodist Church in Wilmington, convening minister of the Riverfront Church, and active member of many diverse communities in Wilmington, Edwin is thoughtful, passionate and connected. We shared stories of our church backgrounds, and connected around why strong communities drive our respective work.
To me, one of the most compelling themes was the basic human idea of truly seeing each other – in our varied experiences, needs, backgrounds, and humanity. I believe there is a lot of today’s divide that is driven by misunderstanding, and not genuinely listening to others and trying to understand. In Edwin’s discussion, he talks also about organizations that he admires, and that includes those that “walk alongside,” but don’t try to dictate.
For me, whether the motivation for this kind of community work comes from a religious base or another sense of community, it can get us to a positive place.
n.b. There’s a small oops in here. In our discussion of Francois Clemmons and Mr. Rogers, I said that Francois was the postman on Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. Later in the discussion, I realized my error, and acknowledged at the end that he was indeed “Officer Clemmons.” Mr. Rogers lovers will know what I’m talking about.
Rev. Edwin Estevez, senior pastor of Grace Church UMC and the Riverfront Church in Wilmington, talks about the role of the faith community in building opportunity. The son of Guatemalan immigrants, Estevez grew up in North Jersey and is now a proud Delawarean. With his leadership, Grace Church is launching a kitchen incubator to empower people struggling with poverty to learn culinary and restaurant skills, transforming the church campus into a green, energy-efficient example of “creation care,” and opening Grace Cafe, a welcoming “third space” for conversation and reflection over a cup of coffee.
Our nine-episode Building Opportunity in Delaware podcast series focuses on how can we build opportunity and strengthen community for all. DCF President & CEO Stuart Comstock-Gay talks with Delawareans who are building opportunity through the arts, faith communities, libraries and everything in between.
You can listen and subscribe on Apple, Spotify. and Google Podcasts. Find all podcast episodes at delcf.org/podcast
For over twenty years, Diane Laird led Delaware’s Main Street Program – a program that 
focuses on what downtowns can do to become healthier, more welcoming, and more robust. And for the past year and a half, she’s been the Executive Director of the Downtown Dover Partnership. It’s an important program that works to make downtown Dover a great place to be. Diane is our guest on this week’s podcast.
Diane makes clear that success in her work needs to involve anybody and everybody. “Our partners are anybody that I could lay eyes on truly because I really consider anybody that has an investment of any kind in the Downtown to be a potential partner, because they’re part of the future. They should be part of the planning for the future.”
And she is clear that the small size of Delaware makes it possible to do much more than elsewhere. “When I would travel to National Conference and talk with my fellow coordinators and the Texas coordinator would have to take planes to visit her city, her cities and towns in Texas and I can drive top to bottom and side to side. I guess there’s something about the close connections and the quickness of getting things done. I mean, there are certainly challenges as everywhere, but there is an opportunity to do things a little more quickly and maybe even get recognized, towns or people getting recognized on a statewide level that you wouldn’t necessarily have in Texas.”