Racial Equity

Central New Yorkers are resilient individuals who believe in the values of hard work and determination. Everyone deserves a fighting chance at success here. Today, though, not everyone in our region has an equal opportunity to succeed. Black, Latino, Native American and Asian/Pacific Islander people face undeserved and unfair obstacles due to racism that has been woven into the structures of our schools and workplaces, economic situations, and health and living conditions. By addressing structural inequities in Central New York, we‘ll move a step closer to ensuring opportunity for all.

Here is a sample of what we accomplish when we combine the generosity of our donors with the hard work of our community partners. With your help, we can do more.

Our Impact

$1,316,689

in BE&E grants awarded since 2020 to Black-led organizations

179

Black-led organizations applied to CNYCF for the first time

What We're Doing

Leadership & Advancement

*NTL teaches participants how to become effective board members with the goal of increasing diversity across nonprofit boards.*

People of color still face obstacles to advancement that White people do not. They are less likely than their White peers to be hired, professionally developed, and promoted. And their lived experience is demonstrably worse due to implicit bias and inequitable treatment in the workplace. We’ve helped:

Educate and inspire a diverse pool of community leaders to become effective nonprofit board members
Publicize leadership training tips and advice for young women of color
Develop the personal and professional competencies of emerging nonprofit leaders of color

Health & Wellness

Woman holding instructional props — *Sequoia Kemp, co-founder of Sankofa Reproductive Health & Healing Center, is using a grant to provide community doula care for Black women.*

Due to a history of neighborhood segregation and discriminatory practices in healthcare systems, people of color are more likely to not have insurance, experience language-barriers with medical personnel, be exposed to environmental pollution and suffer from compounding factors that shorten their lives. We’ve helped:

Make homes lead-safe in neighborhoods historically underinvested due to redlining and segregatory lending practices
Provide mental health support to youth living in neighborhoods experiencing high levels of gun violence
Diversify child therapists to be representative of the client population that they serve
Hire Black doulas and purchase materials for Black maternal health community outreach and education

Business & Wealth Creation

NaDonte Jones in front of a worksite of a plumbing system. — *NaDonte Jones, owner of NJ Jones Plumbing, credits UMEA with helping him launch his business and establish his apprenticeship program.*

Data from the 2019 Survey of Consumer Finances show that long-standing and substantial wealth disparities between families in different racial and ethnic groups have remained unchanged over the past few years. The typical White family has eight times the wealth of the typical Black family and five times the wealth of the typical Hispanic family. We’ve helped:

Provide wardrobe, styling and career enhancement services to potential job candidates
Connect low-income residents with job opportunities in high-need industries
Start up a chamber of commerce for minority-owned businesses and minority professionals
Offer workforce training and certification assistance for Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBE)
Create an online directory of Black-owned businesses

Arts & Culture

Jaleel Campbell stands with one of his handcrafted dolls — *Artwork by Jaleel Campbell is using a grant to conduct doll-making workshops.*

The arts & culture sector generates, amplifies, and reproduces stories and narratives about who belongs and who is valued. Narratives that uplift the art, culture, voices, and experiences of marginalized communities can have a significant impact on social justice movements. We’ve helped:

Conduct workshops to bring local Black artists and entrepreneurs together
Elevate Black voices by providing a media platform for individuals to share their stories
Host Black-art exhibitions and virtual art classes

Civic Engagement

The facilitation of a community discussion about the benefits and challenges surrounding I-81. — *NYCLU used a grant to conduct outreach both in city and suburban neighborhoods to encourage an open dialogue on various I-81 replacement options.*

Building healthy, sustainable and equitable communities requires civic and social engagement of community members. We’ve helped:

Convene public dialogue on important social justice issues such as the benefits and challenges of I-81 replacement options
Make it easy for historically hard-to-count populations such as refugees to complete the census
Launch a phone application that encourages civic engagement by local residents

Youth & Education

Child watches as machine works at the MOST Museum — *The MOST launched an after school mentoring program for Black youth exploring careers in science and technology.*

Education disparities differ from community to community and can range from inequitable funding and budget cuts to children of color being subject to more extreme disciplinary measures. This can deny students the adequate knowledge and skills needed for a 21st century job market. We’ve helped:

Offer students of color with tutoring and emotional, physical and life skills training
Mentor Syracuse-area students to pursue careers in video production
Launch an after-school mentorship program for Black youth that will guide them through career exploration in the areas of science, technology, skilled trades and manufacturing
Provide career, college access and college success services to students living in high poverty neighborhoods
Make higher education attainable for Syracuse City School District students

Our Work

To learn more about what we are doing to incorporate diversity, equity and inclusion into the work of the Community Foundation, visit our equity commitment page.

Learn More