Save for some key runoff races, what felt like a decades-long election is finally over. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have won. And organizers of color—including organizers in seemingly-unflippable red states—made it happen.
It seems like the past few days have dramatically altered the public narrative about who and what creates electoral change. Suddenly, the internet is overflowing with gratitude for Georgia's Black organizers and Arizona's Latinx organizers for saving our democracy. It's becoming increasingly clear to the general public that community organizing is a game-changer; that BIPOC organizers and BIPOC communities are key to electoral success; and that change is possible in states commonly thought of as deeply conservative.
Of course, none of this is news to anyone who's been paying attention to BIPOC-led organizing in red states. The changes we're seeing on the electoral map aren't a fluke; they're a result of a long-term strategy, and years of hard work on the part of organizers of color. This was a long time coming.
But up until this week, the public at large failed to recognize this. Unfortunately, so did philanthropy.
To be fair, some funders have realized that it's worth investing in BIPOC-led organizing in traditionally-red states. Unfortunately, this is not the norm. Many national-level foundations seem to have created their own movement strategies, rather than listening to the strategies emerging from organizers of color on the ground. As a result, these funders still think of places like the South as unsalvageable, and fail to see the potential of long-term, "year-round" grassroots organizing in Black and Brown communities.
The results of the 2020 election should serve as a wake-up call. The work many funders have refused to invest in is changing the face of the United States. Imagine what Black and Brown organizers could achieve if foundations actually listened to them, and accepted that they know what they're doing? Imagine if BIPOC organizers didn't need to do backflips to convince funders that their strategies are worth investing in? How much more could they have achieved this year? How much more could they achieve by 2022, or 2024?
With that in mind, here are a few lessons I hope funders take away from the election:
1) When BIPOC-led organizations tell you change is possible in their traditionally-conservative geographies, listen to them. And give them money.
2) When BIPOC-led organizations tell you their strategies work in their communities, listen to them. And give them money.
3) When BIPOC-led organizations tell you that a one-time grant isn't going to cut it because real change takes time—especially in traditionally-conservative geographies—listen to them. And give them money.
4) When BIPOC organizers tell you to fund their whole movement—not just a single, highly-visible organization—listen to them. And give them money.
5) When BIPOC-led organizations tell you they could get so much more done if they weren't chronically underfunded, listen to them. And give them money.
6) When small, promising BIPOC-led organizations send you a less-than-stellar grant proposal, this doesn't necessarily mean they aren't worth funding—they might just lack the resources to hire a grants professional. Listen to them. And give them money.
7) When BIPOC organizers tell you what needs to happen in order to create real change and save our democracy, listen to them. And for @&*$'s sakes, give them money!!!
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