What Did 2020 Teach Me? Answer The Call to Lead
We have made it through a tough year together.
As sobering as 2020 has been, ushering in a world pandemic, social isolation, staggering death rates, spotlighting racial killings and inequalities, and a polarizing political divide among our nation, the inspiring silver lining is that we did not bow out. We did not give up.
We got things done!
We rose up and called out for positive change. This year had its moments of tears, fear, devastation and silent struggle, but moreover, it has unveiled the power and creative resolution that resounds in our communities when we pull together our collective talents, resources and hope.
People are finding their voice in the power of empowering others in meaningful ways through the force and unity of giving circles.
What made this year even more significant for me was the launch of Philanthropy Together in April, and my offer to become its Executive Director.
Although the position is one I excitedly accepted, navigating and coping during the COVID-era hasn’t been easy. Though I grappled with the stark reality of the coronavirus outbreak, and how it affected my loved ones and community, I was compelled more than ever to push through, show up and serve.
Philanthropy Together’s mission to democratize and diversify philanthropy by amplifying and scaling the giving circle movement was too critical to deny.
Within the first few months of launching Philanthropy Together, my team created Launchpad, a five-week training program to help people interested in philanthropy to start their own giving circles. And many, upon completion of the program, have hit the ground running.
It has been encouraging and heart-warming to see the outpour of giving circles, newly developed and established, step up to serve and be the support so many communities needed to fund causes like food for families, social justice campaigns, women and girls organizations, STEM programs and COVID relief.
In such an unprecedented time of uncertainty and loss, people withstood the storm and came out stronger and more resilient.
So what 2020 has taught me is to gather and rise. Gather together in knowledge, resources and push each other to be better, go farther, and to rise tall, answering the call to lead. I now know that where there are challenges, injustice and despair, there is an opportunity for innovative solutions, positive change and champions to bloom.
Through collective giving, you can answer the call to lead. You have what it takes to rebuild and sustain your communities. YOU are a philanthropist!
This year has left me feeling overly optimistic for what’s to come in the new year.
- Philanthropy Together’s flagship program Launchpad will welcome new community leaders eager to launch their own giving circles. We launched this program on GivingTuesdayNow with great success and are now watching along as our program graduates start more than 6 dozen giving circles. Here, Jessica, one of our Fall 2020 graduates, announces her giving circle’s launch.
- Giving circles will continue to form around the world. While we’ve seen more than eight countries represented through our Launchpad For You and Launchpad For Partners programs, we know that the culture of collective giving is growing in popularity globally.
- The movement will be more connected than ever before as giving circle network leaders host the largest convening of everyday givers in the world: We Give Summit in May 2021! Save the date!
Knowing now that we are stronger than we imagined and more effective than we realized, I whole-heartedly embrace this new year, 2021, with an unshakable confidence that giving circles will continue to usher in a future that is healthy, just, sustainable and bright as we take the lead together.
