This workshop is a direct challenge to philanthropic norms that position Black communities as problems to be solved or causes to be “supported,” rather than as powerful agents of change, innovation, and leadership. It is about shifting from transactional funding to a model rooted in solidarity, wealth redistribution, and trust, while holding funders accountable for their role in maintaining systemic inequality.

At its core, it demands a clear reorientation: White people and institutions are not neutral helpers — they are often power holders who must be disrupted and decentered.

Workshop Objectives:

• Examine the racialized roots of philanthropy, from Gilded Age industrialists to present-day social impact branding.

• Explore how “helping” frames strip Black people of agency, and how whiteness is often centered in grantmaking, evaluation, and storytelling.

• Equip Black-led organizations with tools to set boundaries, assert value, and reclaim narrative control.

• Teach funders how to listen, redistribute power, and practice repair — not just write checks.