Black Future Co-op Fund

The #BlackWellbeing: Moving Toward Solutions Together report is a collective naming of what is wanted in our communities and the solutions Black Washingtonians have identified to manifest our collective vision.  We share it today for the first time publicly in love and with deep gratitude to everyone who has shown up, shown out, tuned in, and turned up with us to make this moment happen! Now live, it is yours to own and craft new possibilities from. Link in bio! #community #wastate #blackfuturewa #washingtonstate

Our current systems of public safety have long been rooted in harm, especially for Black communities. From over-policing to mass incarceration, these systems perpetuate a cycle of trauma and disconnection. True safety isn’t about more police or prisons. It’s about systems that support education, health, and community. It's about empowering Black communities to thrive, not survive. We deserve systems that invest in our lives, our futures, and our families. For more community identified approaches to public safety, check out our Black well-being report: https://lnkd.in/eC8XpkY2.

The carceral system has a devastating impact on Black people and their families nationwide. According to the Prison Policy Initiative, Black people in Washington were incarcerated at 5.7 times the rate of white folks. Because of how widespread this issue is, many Black folks have a family member who is being detained. Miles and miles away from the people who love them, our incarcerated community members often face severe social disconnection. As we know, that connection is critical to life. Even in the face of these hardships, we have the power to show up for one another and create meaningful change. Caring for our community means showing up, showing love, and resourcing incarcerated folks and their families. Check out our Black Well-Being Report for additional community identified approaches guided by the input of Black Washingtonians: https://lnkd.in/eC8XpkY2

As we continue to sit with the weight of this moment, we want to resurface this post by Charmel Gaulden (CEO of the Foundation for Louisiana) created earlier this year. Black joy has been and continues to be one of our strongest tools of resistance against the complex and harmful systems we exist in. In it, we find the strength needed to “keep on keeping on.” Now is the time for radical, Black joy! https://lnkd.in/gQHWzWr4

✨Celebrating the legacy of Dick Gregory, a true trailblazer and inspiration! ✨ Dick Gregory was not just a groundbreaking comedian, but also a passionate civil rights activist and health advocate who rose to national prominence in the 1960s. Known for his sharp wit and fearless humor, he used comedy as a powerful tool to challenge racial prejudice and spark change. At the height of the Civil Rights Movement, Dick Gregory was moved to support the fight for Native fishing rights in the Pacific Northwest. In the 1960s, Native tribes in Washington state organized "fish-ins" to protest laws that restricted fishing to hook-and-line methods—laws that violated rights guaranteed by the 1854 treaty. Gregory joined forces with Native activists, even getting arrested and spending 90 days in jail in Thurston County for his solidarity. Today, we honor Dick Gregory not only for his groundbreaking work in comedy and civil rights but also for his unwavering commitment to cross-movement support. His life reminds us of the power of solidarity and the deep interconnectedness of our struggles for justice.

“As our nation faces escalating political violence and repressive legislation, I’m grounding myself in the wisdom of these movements, amplifying their optimism that we can strengthen sector wide readiness, and fostering trust among coalitions toward a secure future for all.”~ Jas Wade, Solidaire Network As grassroots nonprofits and organizers strategize for the future, one of the key ways that philanthropy can stand in solidarity with movements is through supporting movement safeguarding and planning. To learn more about what this can look like in practice and how the Solidaire Network has leaned in as a funder & partner, check out this article: https://lnkd.in/gHiQXbJc

Happy Thanksgiving to our Black Future Co-op Fund family! Though this holiday was born of false narratives and colonial violence, we center our celebration on the ways in which Black communities have redefined the day as a time for gratitude, community, and togetherness. Today, we embrace the warmth of family, the power of community, and the resilience that has carried us through. (Image source: Drazen Zigic / Getty) #BlackJoy #Community #Gratitude

 Happy Native American Heritage Month! This month, we celebrate the incredible resilience, strength, and beauty of Indigenous communities across the country. As a Black-led and serving organization, we honor the deep roots of our shared histories, cultures, and the vital contributions Indigenous peoples continue in our communities. We are reminded that our futures are interconnected, and that solidarity, mutual respect, and collective action are key to building a more just and liberated world for all. We are excited to continue  learning, growing, and standing together in the journey toward equity. #community #NativeAmericanHeritageMonth https://lnkd.in/gJ8EZF5F

As we continue to celebrate the importance of solidarity between Black and Indigenous communities, we are excited to uplift this beautifully curated exhibit held by the National Museum of the American Indian. Ancestors Know Who We Are seeks to move beyond the idea of the “Native experience” or the “Black experience” to highlight how gender and mixed-race identity informs art and creative expression. The exhibition brings together Black-Indigenous women artists (including folks from South Seattle’s own yəhaw̓ Indigenous Creatives Collective) whose work addresses issues of race, gender, multiracial identity, and intergenerational knowledge. This exhibit also includes reflections by Black and Black-Indigenous scholars from a variety of disciplines. We encourage you to check out the virtual exhibit to learn more! https://lnkd.in/gD6bxa2G

To build a future rooted in justice, we must dismantle the systems that harm us and replace them with systems that heal. As the great Audre Lorde said, "The master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house." True transformation comes when we create new tools—tools that reflect our collective power, wisdom, and vision for a better world. Creating sustained safety in our communities requires that we dismantle systems that harm us and replace them with systems that center our healing and well-being. To explore additional community identified approaches, check out our Black Well-being report: https://lnkd.in/eC8XpkY2 #safety #community