I’ve been noticing a disturbing trend recently: over-generalizing in response to news stories and allegations against Black-led community organizations. This trend threatens to roll back progress made by the Dream Keeper Initiative here in San Francisco and could doom other programs like it trying to make a difference for communities of color.
The Dream Keeper Initiative is deeply impactful and vital to the city of San Francisco and to the region through its work to combat poverty and racially disparate policies. Its work to resource nonprofits serving the Black community has demonstrated the power of grounding solutions in community engagement.
Offering no excuses for missteps, intentional or not, I encourage the Bay Area community to stand firmly behind the Dream Keeper Initiative’s work, and the often heroic efforts of Black- and people of color-led organizations. Their on-the-ground impact is essential for the wellbeing of our entire region.
Because of Dream Keeper funding and targeted outreach, a city program that provided down payment assistance helped 22 Black families buy homes in San Francisco and spurred a 380% increase in the number of Black homeowners in the downpayment assistance program, according to a report on the first two years of the program.
Furthermore, the Dream Keeper Initiative has built bridges between San Francisco’s Black community and its city government. The program report found that city staff and Dream Keeper grantees alike agreed that it was important that the Dream Keeper Initiative and its programs were shaped through community engagement and that this approach should expand to other city departments.
Many of the organizations supported by the Dream Keeper Initiative are also San Francisco Foundation grantees, and I am proud of our longtime relationship with the Dream Keeper Initiative. We remain committed to supporting their critical mission.
Rather than use examples of mismanagement as an excuse to walk away and exacerbate inequities, this is a moment to strengthen our resolve and demonstrate greater support for Black-led efforts such as the Dream Keeper Initiative.
There is a role for philanthropy in partnership with the City and the Mayor’s Office to ensure programs like these have the support they need to be successful. In the coming weeks, in partnership with our philanthropic and nonprofit colleagues, the San Francisco Foundation will be working with the City to find ways to strengthen organizations’ financial infrastructure.
Now is the time to reaffirm commitments to justice and equity. Let’s work together to build a future where every member of our community has the opportunity to thrive. The road ahead may be long, but the destination – a truly just and equitable society for all – is worth every step of the journey.
