Optimist Youth Homes and Family Services’ Post

We envision a world where everyone feels belonging through: 🔗 connection to community 🍃 rootedness in nature ⛪ agency in civic life 💞 a sense of shared purpose with others Learn more at https://buff.ly/3W4afar

To my LinkedIn friends and colleagues,   Some of you are aware of my passion for documentaries covering topics such as industry, government, public figures, and transportation. It's my privilege to share with you a documentary (see YouTube link below) about my hometown of Jefferson City, MO, which captures the oral history of residents from a black neighborhood known as "The Foot". This area was a vibrant mixed-use community, boasting everything from hotels to grocery stores. When it came to entertainment, The Foot was a hotspot where talented musical acts like Ike and Tina Turner often performed. I'm sharing this video not just because it's about my hometown, where many of my family members still reside, but because it provides a broader insight into the issue of Urban Renewal. We all know that Urban Renewal initiatives were largely destructive practices that disproportionately affected low-income and minority neighborhoods. However, too often, I think people associate Urban Renewal as an issue that only impacted large urban areas like Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, NYC, and St. Louis.    Small cities, like the one I grew up in, also suffered from this same negative approach to planning, and the impacts it had on small communities were just as devastating for those who lived there as they were for residents of big cities.   Many of you are involved in industries that support and lead projects with the potential to profoundly influence both infrastructure and the social fabric of the communities they serve. This documentary, along with other examples, serves as a reminder that what we do truly matters and can have a lasting and deep impact. We must never lose sight of this as we advise and lead such developments.     Happy Black History Month! https://lnkd.in/gtXy9tfC

More news to come on this next week!

Our latest research at Shiva Foundation, conducted in collaboration with Wilberforce Institute and West Midlands Anti-Slavery Network, highlights the critical need to integrate cultural competency into support services for modern slavery survivors. This work was made possible through funding from Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre and Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). By building trust and making systems more accessible, we can develop key strategies to more effectively combat exploitation. This article offers valuable insights into the need for enhanced approaches to tackle this global issue, providing essential strategies to strengthen our responses. Discover how these strategies can lead to more effective solutions 👇   🔗 https://lnkd.in/d2wUTTdE

Hear, hear

Juneteenth marks a pivotal moment in American history, commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S. As we observe, let us acknowledge the past, celebrate the progress, and continue to work towards a future where freedom and equality are universal. Learn more about the history and significance of Juneteenth below.

This is a day of reflection on the truths of history. It is also a day to focus on what moves us forward. Implementing UNDRIP is one very important step in moving us to true reconciliation. But implementation is about actions, not merely words.

On this National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the CRNA stands in solidarity with Indigenous communities. We commit to fostering understanding, respect and healing as we work together toward meaningful reconciliation. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3NcUGXX

Juneteenth commemorates the day that all enslaved people in the United States were freed and is a day for reflection, inspiration and education. Learn more about #Juneteenth, its significance in our country’s past and its importance in creating a unified and inclusive future: https://okt.to/wcy3Dl

The Trust for Civic Life and $8 million to fund civic participation in rural communities are examples of what philanthropy can accomplish when funders work together. That was the goal when Stephen Heinz, president of Rockefeller Brothers Fund, asked Carnegie Corporation of New York to join a funder collaborative a year ago, resulting in an early commitment of $3.5 million from the foundation. Today the collaborative has 15 funders. The Trust’s work is grounded in research that was funded by philanthropy and conducted by the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. Its report titled "Our Common Purpose" made a strong impression. It provides pragmatic, nonpartisan approaches to countering mistrust and division in our society. A second round of grants to support civic entrepreneurs is planned for later this year, and if all goes as planned, the collaborative will invest $50 million over the next five years. https://lnkd.in/ebyPnCVt