Building Together - October 12, 2024
Newark, NJ
Overview
Newark Future Forum: Building Together brought together leaders, community organizers, youth, and philanthropic organizations to discuss critical topics surrounding racial equity, community empowerment, economic justice, and youth leadership in Newark. Presented by Victoria Foundation and hosted at Rutgers University-Newark, the forum provided a platform for meaningful dialogue and strategic collaboration. It aimed to inspire action across various sectors to strengthen community power, foster economic justice, and promote youth self-determination. Attendees engaged in discussions led by thought leaders in philanthropy, social justice, education, and economic development, all with the shared goal of creating a more equitable future for Newark’s diverse communities.
Opening Plenary
Building Collective Power: Community-Led Solutions for Equity and Justice
This panel discussed the evolving landscape of philanthropy with a provocative and candid conversation about the role of movement funders in organizing philanthropy to transform society, emphasizing collaboration and coordination among funders. The conversation also covered the importance of political power in combating rising authoritarianism, the need for philanthropy to support youth organizing, and the necessity for philanthropy to be transparent and accountable. The panelists stressed the importance of unrestricted, multi-year funding and the need for philanthropy to align with movement priorities, including endowments and solidarity economy projects.
Featured Speakers
- Nyoka Acevedo, Fund Coordinator, Youth Organizing and Culture Change Fund
- Jennifer Ching, Executive Director, North Star Fund
- Lisa Owens, Executive Director, Hyams Foundation
- Moderated by Craig Drinkard, Executive Officer, Victoria Foundation
Keynote Address
Reclaim Your Community: You Don’t Have to Move out of Your Neighborhood to Live in a Better One
The Newark Future Forum keynote address was delivered by Majora Carter, an award-winning community revitalization strategist, MacArthur Fellow, and author. Majora’s address centered on the importance of talent retention in community development, urging communities to invest in local entrepreneurship and neighborhood revitalization rather than abandoning "low-status" areas.
Featured Speakers
- Majora Carter, Principal, Majora Carter Group
Keynote Address
Breakout Sessions
The session, True Liberation Requires Collective Action, featured a powerful discussion on fostering racial equity and justice through collaboration. Panelists Ryan Haygood, Esq., president and CEO of the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice; Cuqui Rivera, outreach director at the Latino Action Network Foundation; and Rahsaan Harris, Ph.D., of Princeton University, shared insights on their work addressing systemic racism and building collective power within impacted communities and the nonprofit sector.
Featured Speakers
- Ryan P. Haygood, Esq., President and CEO, New Jersey Institute for Social Justice
- Rahsaan Harris, Ph.D., Princeton University
- Cuqui Rivera, Outreach Director, Latino Action Network Foundation
- Moderated by Sharnita C. Johnson, Vice President of Strategy, Impact and Communications, Victoria Foundation
