Voqal

In the lastest DEI spotlight, Voqal’s Mary Coleman takes a look at the two sides of white fragility and what they mean for addressing systemic racism.  In 2018, Robin DiAngelo published White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism. Per DiAngelo, “White fragility is a state in which even a

We would like to say a fond farewell to Voqal board member, Frances “Pancha” Valdez who resigned from the board at the end of July. Pancha joined the Voqal board in 1993 and has spent the past twenty-seven years providing valuable insight and leadership to the organization as it has continued to evolve and grow

In the latest Voqal DEI spotlight, Mary Coleman examines her privilege and the need to leverage it to address structural racism during the current pandemics.  Recently, in a group meeting, a question was posed: how are we doing amidst the COVID-19 and structural racism pandemics? My first reaction was “awful.” I feel awful every day,

Voqal recently joined a coalition of foundations and philanthropic organizations formed in response to the killing of George Floyd. These organizations have partnered to denounce anti-blackness and racism in Minnesota. The Philanthropic Collective to Combat Anti-Blackness and Realize Racial Justice plans on raising $25 million to transform the field of institutional philanthropy and invites additional

In Voqal’s latest DEI spotlight, Voqal business support specialist, Annie Stoneburner, reflects on a recent experience she had discussing the complex issue of systemic racism with a family member and her thoughts on the challenges that arise during those conversations. Prior to the passing of George Floyd, it was my intent to write a blog

We are profoundly saddened by George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis on Memorial Day. And we are outraged. But this statement isn’t about how we feel. It’s about state-sanctioned violence against Black and Brown people. It’s about the devaluing of Black and Brown bodies. It’s about the systemic racism that leads to a white police officer

As we discussed last month, Voqal staff members have embarked on a shared journey to better understand diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in relation to our work and as individuals. In the second installment of our DEI Spotlight Series, Mobile Citizen anchor institutions program manager, Molly Fohn, reflects on her experience with an introductory anti-racism

  Voqal invests in groups and individuals on the front lines of weaving equity into our social and public systems. A key element of achieving social equity is embracing the social part, recognizing that we don’t live in a vacuum but operate within multiple communities affected by our own actions and decisions. In light of

The coronavirus pandemic has created an uncertain future for many in the nonprofit community. Below, Mary Coleman shares some thoughts from Voqal’s grant team on how funders can best help organizations adapt to the changing times. When we rang in 2020, many of us had one thing on our mind: November 3. However, the recent

As the country adapts to the unique circumstances created by the COVID-19 pandemic, nonprofits are being faced with new challenges as they continue their important work. Fortunately, there are hundreds of emergency relief funds at the global, national, and local levels, offering individual and organizational funding for basic needs, direct services, and other immediate concerns.