2021 Center Highlights

As 2021 draws to a close, we are sharing highlights from the year, including events, reports and articles from Center faculty, visiting practitioners, students and alumni. We want to thank everyone who contributed to the Center’s work this year and look forward to collaborating with you in the new year.

Annual Issue Forum on Leading Systems Change – Based the report by Center Associate Director Luisa Boyarski, we discussed what it takes to change the systems that perpetuate the greatest inequities in our country, with expert panelists Tram Nguyen, Co-Executive Director of New Virginia Majority, Tiffini Andorful, Senior Director of Network Engagement at CityBridge Education, and Carolynn Brunette, Managing Director of Prince Charitable Trusts.

From Classroom to School District: Creating Systemic Change – The Center hosted Leigh Ann Erickson and Stacey Walker to discuss race, bias, and education reform. Topics included the racial gaps within the U.S education system and the importance of policy reform for systemic change.

Georgetown University Class Awards $30,000 to DC Nonprofit Organizations – Students in Center Director Kathy Kretman’s class, “Philanthropy, Power and Social Impact”, awarded $30,000 to DC community-based nonprofit organizations.

The Push for Racial Equity in the Howard County Public School System – Victoria Owens, a Pablo Eisenberg Public Interest Fellow at the Center, addressed the state of racial equity policy in the Howard County, Maryland Public School System, highlighting students’ experiences and proposing action steps.

Effective Board Leadership: Institute for Social Policy and Understanding Case Study – Nonprofit Management Executive Certificate Program Alumna, Ghazala Salam, documented the commitment of an American Muslim-led nonprofit to advancing its board leadership, while exploring real vulnerabilities, challenges, and lessons learned.

Protecting Democracy: Making Every Vote and Voice Matter – The Center hosted prominent voting rights’ leaders to discuss some of the immediate actions underway to stop voter discrimination and increase citizen civic involvement. The event included a panel featuring Gary Bass, Executive Director Emeritus of the Bauman Foundation, Christine Chen, founding Executive Director of APIAVote, Ashley Shelton, Executive Director of the Power Coalition, Arturo Vargas, Chief Executive Officer of the NALED, and Janeen Comenote, founding Executive Director of NUIFC.

Beyond Window Dressing: Actions to Eliminate the Race-Based Wealth Gap – Expert panelists, Vanessa Daniel, Executive Director of Groundswell Fund, Messay Derebe, Program Director of the Washington Area Community Investment Fund’s Enterprising Women of Color Center, and Hannah Hahn, Visiting Practitioner at CPNL, discussed the ways in which the philanthropic sector can invest more in advocacy to dismantle systemic injustice while supporting creative entrepreneurship to build more equitable communities.