Spotlight: Driving Impact for Racial Equality

The Impact Executive serves as a platform to elevate the voices of leaders dedicated to creating real and sustainable social change. Representing all sectors, these leaders use their values, passion, and innovation to drive progress across their organizations and in the communities they serve.

In observance of Juneteenth, as well as the one-year mark of the historic racial justice protests that took place across the nation, the Impact Executive is honored to highlight a few of the many nonprofit organizations committed to racial equality. These organizations have spent the past year utilizing the outpour of support to promote racial equality to create long-lasting impact.

Read more about their work below and consider the ways you can help:

Color of Change

Color of Change is the nation’s largest online racial justice organization, with the mission to help people respond effectively to injustice in the world around us. Through numerous campaigns and initiatives, the organization seeks to fight racism and injustice—in all areas of life, while uplifting Black voices and experiences. Prior to the racial justice protests last summer, Color of Change pushed companies and police forces to change their policies, products, and behavior. Since then, the organization has doubled down on its efforts by enabling change through multimedia campaigns and advocacy efforts, with President Rashad Robinson speaking publicly about George Floyd and other victims of police brutality. In addition, the organization has led large-scale initiatives which include a national boycott of Facebook for failing to prevent the spread of hate speech and the release of a first-of-its kind report, Normalizing Injustice, that highlighted how prevalent racist storytelling practices are in Hollywood.

Learn more about Color of Change and ways you can support here.

The Loveland Foundation

Rachel Cargle founded The Loveland Foundation in 2018, an organization committed to bringing opportunity and healing to communities of color, especially Black women and girls. Through fellowships, residency programs, listening tours, and more, the Foundation provides access to therapy through financial support to ensure communities or color feel empowered and liberated to talk through their experiences.

Additionally, this past March the organization partnered with Silpada, a fine silver manufacturer created by women for women, with the goal of raising $20,000 to ensure that Black women and girls have the financial support they need to heal.

Learn more about The Loveland Foundation and ways you can support here.

Equal Justice Initiative

Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) is a non-profit organization that fights for equality in the justice system with the goal of ending mass incarceration. EJI challenges racial and economic injustice and protects the human rights of the most vulnerable, while providing awareness about slavery, Jim Crow, and the effects of police brutality. Since the historic protests last year, the EJI has used its resources to focus on educational and awareness efforts. In fact, in September of 2020, the EJI and Donors Choose created a partnership to provide educational materials to public schools to teach youth the history of racial injustice and necessary prison reform.

Learn more about EJI and ways you can support here.

Marsha P. Johnson Institute

The Marsha P, Johnson Institute (MPJI) protects and defends the rights of black trans and trans people of color. The group organizes and cultivates a community of healing, develops leadership, and harnesses their collective power. Over the last year, the organization has been actively engaged in bettering trans lives and helping trans and non-binary people across the globe as they deal with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of their mission to help those in need, especially communities who have felt the disproportionate effects of institutionalized biases, the MPJI gave a $500 one-time direct bank account donation, helping people in 40 states and the countries Columbia and Mali.  

The organization has led groundbreaking partnership with SheaMoisture through a large-scale social media campaign. Through this partnership, the MPJI has shared stories about the journey and struggles of black trans people in America and themes such as resistance, self-love, and communal solidarity.

Learn more about the MPJI and ways you can support here.