Hope on the Horizon
Dear WOC Community,
As I write this, the United States, and the many other countries where WOC members are found, are in a state of taking things day-by-day. For the U.S. we are a bit shell-shocked following an unprecedented attack on the National Capitol and on our democracy. This is something the world has watched closely. The Coronavirus pandemic still rages, yet somehow, the most basic of public health methods to stop the spread of the virus have become politicized and vaccination roll-outs have not gone according to plan.
Yet, as I’ve mentioned to you before, I am a pragmatic optimist, and I happen to be a person of faith. So, I just want to remind you, that even in a year where we're only a few weeks in and things have already had a rough start: there is still hope on the horizon.
We look ahead to the inauguration of the next American President, we look forward to the positive changes in the Coronavirus vaccine plans, we look forward to an economic stimulus plan that will certainly effect all us in the fundraising and philanthropic sectors, and we look forward to the hope that only a New Year can bring.
We did something a little different with this month’s e-News, and in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we celebrate the insightful words of his wife, Coretta Scott King. This quote does not mean that it is up to women - and women of color in particular - to always save the day as is so unfairly and so often expected of us. But it is a powerful testament to the fact that at the crux of a society's soul are incredible women. We understand certain things on such an innate level, we most often have such extraordinary intelligence to read between the lines of a hard-hearted world that has for so long been led by men and determine the best solutions for change. We hold incredible power and while we have not always been allowed the opportunity to use it as we deserve, along with the hope on the horizon are leaders, such as the very first woman of color Vice President-elect of the United States, who has grand plans to move women forward.
It is in that very spirit that I invite you to enjoy this month’s e-News, featuring a wonderful, inspiring article by Tokiwa Smith. And congratulations to this month’s Wonderful Woman of WOC, Danielle Lovell Jones. We also want to thank our sponsor, Black Fox Philanthropy, for its steadfast support of WOC. Black Fox is doing some incredible work in the philanthropic sector today and you can learn more about them below.
Stay hopeful. Stay vigilant. And let’s keep things moving...
Onward, upward, forward,
Yolanda F. Johnson, Founder
Women of Color in Fundraising and Philanthropy
*Our founder’s letter was originally distributed in our WOC Community newsletter; now available to read here.
