If you’re a CEO and signed a Diversity Pledge or Racial Justice Letter, this is for you

Over a year ago, I saw the launch of something called the Startup Diversity & Inclusion Pledge.

Wow, I thought. Another pledge.

Recently, I posted an article about funding majority black-owned and founded nonprofits and businesses as I started to see the surge in support of black-run organizations wane. I was also called out as having a negative view on the incremental changes being made. Insert sad face.

So, I thought, why not post something happy and optimistic!

And as warm and lovely as it is, it’s a challenge to all CEOs and Execs who signed the Diversity & Inclusion Pledge.

Ok, here it is. Fund a black founder or majority-black led organization! And then make THAT public so that your peers can see it and follow your lead. Here are a few in the Austin area (since so many of these companies who signed the pledge are in Austin) that you can fund, along with the contact information of their black founder/leader:

1. E4Youth (https://e4youth.org/): E4Youth provides learning and employment opportunities for creative youth in the Central Texas area and partners with a number of community organizations. The org is currently raising $250k to scale his efforts to serve thousands more students. E4Youth has been operating for over a decade. Carl Settles, Jr., the Founder and Executive Director, can be reached at carl@e4youth.org
2. KAZI FM (https://www.kazifm.org/): KAZI FM (“the voice of Austin”) is the oldest community radio station in Austin. The station supports independent, local artists through its programming, as well as a variety of local businesses by providing awareness through interviews and radio spots. KAZI is listener-supported, almost entirely run by volunteers and has been operating for nearly forty years. Juliet Washington, the KAZI Office Manager, can be reached at juliet@kazifm.org.
3. Austin Chapter of the NAACP (http://www.naacpaustin.com/): The Austin chapter of the NAACP does a great deal of racial justice work in the community, as well as a great deal of political, educational and advocacy work to support the black community in Austin. Nelson Linder, the NAACP Austin President, can be reached at lindernelson@aol.com.
4. Huston-Tillotson University (https://htu.edu/): As the sole HBCU in the Austin area, HT has done a phenomenal job of adjusting swiftly and poignantly amidst the pandemic. The institution is developing some of the brightest minds in Austin and should be supported to continue this great work.

I intend to continue to add to this list as much as I can to amplify the work of these black founders and nonprofit leaders who, like me, struggle with awareness. I encourage you to donate to them directly on their sites, contact them to find out how you can do more and as I mentioned in my other post, cede power and give money directly to these black founders/nonprofit leaders.