The third annual Crisis Palace feel good guide to year end giving
Wschód Księżyca (Moonrise), Stanisław Masłowski, 1884.
—
One of the things about living during the Biden administration is that the Republican Party’s horrors hit differently than they did under Trump, when they were mostly inescapable, because try as you might, you could not separate them from your day to day because that’s what autocrats do, they fill up the space of public life with themselves. Under Biden, there’s generally less perpetual dread, and some things you can point to as hopeful, so life kind of chugs along in some version of normalcy. But just under the surface the project of the GOP churns away, which is the restriction of democracy to enshrine permanent rule with a minority of voters, retraction of rights and freedoms for people they don’t deem worthy, and keeping power accumulated within rotten systems of patriarchy and white supremacy. And it just keeps going and going while Democrats hold two out of three branches of government and are like, you know what I think we can work with these guys to fill some potholes and then one day, whoopsies abortion is illegal.
It is really the kind of thing that makes you understand why people don’t vote, and even though I have never not voted, and I know from years of shitty experience that it is much, much better for the country to have Democrats in power than Republicans, let’s not forget how awful the Democratic Party and its leadership and many of its members are and how their centrism fails over and over again and our electoral system at its best routinely falls far well short of what you might call democracy.
All of which is to say it has been a frustrating week. But I also think that during times like these, when it becomes really clear the amount of regression that is happening, it is important to think about the ways we still can and should participate in democracy and otherwise support our communities, outside of the horror happening on the main stage.
An imperfect but important way that happens under our current system is through giving away money. I know it might feel like it’s unfair or kind of pointless to ask ordinary individuals to write these $100 checks or whatever to ameliorate our failing systems. But as I sometimes argue here, and have argued in the past as a fundraiser and as someone covering philanthropy, giving money is a form of power, which sounds bad but it can also be a form of power that ordinary people can harness.
It is also a practice that has existed in humanity in some form for time immemorial, and is a much broader and multifaceted activity than the modern, largely plutocratic incarnation that captures most of the discourse (think Bill Gates, the Rockefeller Foundation, donor advised funds). And what I mean specifically by that is, affluent people are given disproportionately high tax breaks for donations that often advance their own interests, and in the process siphon tens of billions from public coffers every year. But philanthropy as a part of being a person in society and a person participating in democracy has a much broader meaning than that, and a meaning that has been to an extent stolen away by what we might call big philanthropy.
In other words, small-p philanthropy is an imperfect tool within an imperfect system that allows us to do the work of changing the system. But it’s also, even in a good system, just a thing that people do to help other people, and can even be a useful feature of democracy.
Some of the best thinking about the political theory of philanthropy is coming out of the Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society. The co-director of the center Rob Reich (not the Clinton-era labor guy) wrote a great book on the topic Just Giving, and the center’s scholars also released a denser, more academic collection of essays a while back called Philanthropy in Democratic Societies, which explores similar themes. In Reich’s book, he points out that philanthropy may be a universal activity, and is shaped for better or worse by our norms and institutional arrangements. Our version of philanthropy may be corrupting and plutocratic, not because charity and giving inherently are that way, but because of the machine we filter it through.
Reich’s book and the authors in the collection of essays outline, not only the problems with philanthropy in society, but also the ways in which it might be beneficial and necessary. Some of the latter include:
- Pluralism – This is especially important for ordinary individual donors, in that it is a check against government orthodoxies and market forces in the production of public goods. (Reich) A good example of this is actually funding for abortion care and rights in a country where, just for a totally extreme example, a bunch of grandpas in robes can impose theocracy by forcing pregnancies to be brought to term.
- Discovery – This one is good for foundations, in that they can experiment with smaller-scale projects that test certain policies or practices, and if people like the outcomes, the state can adopt them. The reason this is good for philanthropic institutions is they can (in theory) exist outside of political cycles and act with long time horizons in mind. (Reich)
- Reparative justice – Chiara Cordelli in Philanthropy in Democratic Societies writes that while living in non-ideal societies, “philanthropy should be understood foremost as a duty of reparative justice” in which the well-off must repair “harm to the worst-off, for which the former can be held liable.”
- Damage limitation – She continues, “Spending time and money in political advocacy so as to support the provision of more and better services in five years’ time cannot compensate damages caused by cuts to these services here and now. Compensation must happen before more just institutions can be brought about.”
I have similarly argued that philanthropy should be seen as a way to redistribute power with justice as the goal, which means shifting wealth in ways that allow people harmed by a system to gain greater control over how that system might be changed for the better.
I should also note that Lucy Bernholz is another scholar at Stanford PACS who has a new book out called How We Give Now, which I am excited to read and will report back on it once I have. In it, she challenges us to expand the way we think about philanthropy, to include the many ways non-wealthy people use giving to “live our values and fully participate in society.” There are countless ways that we do this, and I attended a panel in which she made a really good point that for many communities, this definition of philanthropy happens, not as a kind of optional generosity, but almost a given in which support is exchanged from peer to peer as is necessary. (This gets to the idea of mutual aid, which I would argue is one of the many forms of philanthropy but that is another newsletter.)
So that is a little preamble to my annual year end giving guide. As always I’ll start with my three main principles of good individual giving: 1) lean toward local giving; 2) avoid big legacy NGOs, which usually have way too much money and sometimes but not always do more to protect the status quo than to change it; and 3) don’t worry about “getting scammed” or about ensuring “impact” because giving that is transactional and demands a quantifiable ROI is not really giving and also that is neoliberalism doing its work inside your brain.
There are a lot of repeat groups from past years because social change takes time and commitment you know, but some new ones too this year. I’m also going to break this up into different categories and branch out a bit from climate, starting with abortion care for obvious reasons, which is informed by ~my wife~ Jamie who works on reproductive rights and justice as her whole life’s work so she knows a couple things. Here are some ways you might decide to give this year:
1. Give to support the human right to a safe and easily accessible abortion.
National Network of Abortion Funds – First in this category is Jamie’s employer so I guess this is technically what we call in the biz “self-dealing” but NNAF is doing some of the best work nationally on this issue, supporting local needs through locally run funds that provide abortion care and also organizing to build power behind the right to abortion. You can give directly to network itself and PS they actually have really good merch too.
Give to a local abortion fund – Next, a preferred option under my first principle up there might be to give directly to a local abortion fund where you live or maybe in a place you are particularly concerned about of which there are many to choose from. NNAF can help you out on that front too, with this handy map and list that often includes direct links to donate.
Abortion Care Network – One more recommendation here is this network of independent clinics around the country, which is where most people get abortions (two out of three), but generally struggle to find funding. The network’s mission is to ensure access, provide exceptional care, and end harassment of people seeking care.
What about Planned Parenthood and ACLU you might be asking? Well, RE principle #2 up there, they are both very well funded already, and their work doesn’t necessarily support people who need abortion care directly or center the needs of those people, as they tend to work on a broader set of issues and policy goals (though their work still fills an important niche, particularly on the litigation front). And speaking personally here, I appreciate the way NNAF combines power-building led by people on the ground with the act of directly providing care, an approach that has a way of grounding their advocacy in the experiences of those in need.
2. Give to build a just multiracial democracy.
Working Families Party – WFP is a multiracial, working-class movement of individuals, unions, community-based organizations and movement groups. They sometimes but not always operate as an actual third party, and frequently will support candidates through Democratic primaries and up and down the ballot. A great group to donate to, and otherwise connect with through volunteering, organizing, online meetings and trainings, etc.
Movement for Black Lives – Most people probably know M4BL for its affiliation with the protest movement, but it is a staffed up organization running campaigns and organizing a coalition of groups who work toward justice and liberation across a whole set of issues including reparations, defunding police, economic justice, the right to protest, LGBTQ+ rights, disability rights, immigration, and climate change. They are an organizing powerhouse and unapologetic about their vision for the future.
Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA) – This one is Arizona-specific, but you know Arizona is a battleground, which is clear if you have been paying attention to the Senate even a little bit lately. LUCHA is awesome, formed in response to the bigoted immigration laws that came out of the state government over the years, but now organizes around all kinds of candidates and issues with a big focus on immigration but also economic justice including increased minimum wage and social service funding.
3. Give to build a grassroots climate justice movement.
Climate Justice Alliance – CJA is my sort of go-to group when it comes to following what is happening in the climate justice movement and keeping track of who the main players are. Similar to NNAF, I like the way they combine local needs and leadership with national organizing. They have an amazing steering committee and leadership and staff and are always just super on point and clear-eyed about what needs to be done and who should lead the way.
Give to a local climate justice group – A similar dynamic as NNAF, you might prefer to give directly to a group that is a member of CJA, and they make it very easy to do so. Some member groups I like and/or have backed in the past: ACE here in Boston, Green Roots also here, PUSH Buffalo, Cooperation Jackson, APEN in California, Gulf Coast Center for Law and Poverty, I could go on.
Power Shift Network – Power Shift is a youth-focused and youth-led organizing network that is horizontally structured, focused on climate and environmental justice through systemic change with an intersectional lens that takes into account issues such as poverty, democracy, health and racial justice.
4. Give to groups that act with the understanding that we are in a global emergency.
Climate Emergency Fund – This is one of my favorite groups to back right now, because they channel funds directly to activists working with dozens of groups to do things that a lot of donors and funders do not want to support, which is to say, raising complete hell about climate change. They back things like mass protests, hunger strikes, vandalization, disruptions of public spaces and roads, people gluing themselves to places like capitol steps or one of my personal favorites the big window outside the Today Show. (Holding media accountable is one focus area.)
Sunrise Movement – No surprise here I am a fan of this group. They’ve gone through some turmoil and are kind of in a spot where they are working to adapt to their incredible growth and grappling with some of their weaknesses (aka whiteness). But I still think they have the hot hand when it comes to US policy and organizing and can go toe to toe with powerful NGOs and special interests alike.
Extinction Rebellion – XR is a group that has similarly stumbled on issues of race in its early days, but from what I’ve read, it’s come a long way and expanded fast. I like them because for one they simply do not fuck around, and I also really like how they have a program that organizes writers and poets. They use a similar distributed model as Sunrise, all taking a page from Act Up’s work in the 80s.
Fridays for Future – This is the youth strike movement started by Greta Thunberg that has been particularly effective in Europe but operates globally. A similar distributed model that uses online organizing to mount disruptive actions in tons of locations, relentlessly.
5. Give to Indigenous-led groups working on climate change.
Indigenous Environmental Network – IEN and Oil Change International (another great group) recently put out a report that found Indigenous resistance to fossil fuel infrastructure has reduced emissions equivalent to at least a quarter of annual emissions in US and Canada. IEN has been supporting this work since 1990.
NDN Collective – NDN Collective gives out grants, fellowships, impact investing and lending in support of Native-led climate justice work. They got a big grant from Bezos, but they should get even more money because Nick Tilsen is a fucking badass.
Native Renewables – This group is awesome they fund off-grid solar grids to provide power to homes on the Navajo and Hopi reservations. The also do workforce training and education on installing solar power.
6. Give to other groups I don’t have a category for.
Corporate Accountability – This is a great organization that is unique for the way that it frames all of its work in opposition to corporate interests. Their climate program focuses on things like making the fossil fuel industry pay for decarbonization, kicking them out of climate negotiations, and calling out BS net zero pledges.
Solidarity Economy groups – Check out the New Economy Coalition to learn about and support organizations that advance alternatives to capitalism through cooperatives, community ownership and participatory democracy. In Boston we’ve got the Boston Impact Initiative and Boston Ujima Project.
Rewiring America – That’s right, I’m recommending a tech-focused organization founded by a couple of white dudes, buckle up. Saul Griffith is just a really cool, really smart guy who is has this single-minded vision and focus on electrifying everything through massive government mobilization, with social benefits top of mind. If you find yourself drawn to the tech and infrastructure challenges of climate change, this is the group to check out.
Food banks – Finally, COVID was a gigantic reminder that, as important as advocacy and organizing are, the project of social change can’t be separated from meeting the immediate needs of people who are being left behind by failing systems. Your neighborhood might have a mutual aid group or a community fridge that provides food to people in need, but every city has a local food bank.
—
Links
- The Supreme Court, which has three members appointed by a president elected with a minority of the vote and who attempted to overthrow the US government, and one of whom is credibly accused of multiple accounts of sexual assault, looks ready to overturn Roe v. Wade.
- A long-term study found that having an abortion helped the people who had them in measurable ways and the vast majority did not regret the decision. (Which debunks a common lie about abortion but is also really not even necessary to know because abortion is a matter of bodily autonomy.)
- Voluntary corporate pledges don’t work part 1 million. Hundreds of companies pledged to stop cutting down forests. Ten years later, none were successful at eliminating deforestation from their supply chains and many didn’t even try!
- Companies building smart cities from scratch also doesn’t work nobody wants to live in them.
- Researchers chart the successes and struggles of Extinction Rebellion and Fridays for Future.
- Environmental causes receive less than 2% of charitable giving, climate mitigation gets 0.4%, and environmental justice gets 0.5% of all environmental giving (about the same amount annually as The Nature Conservancy gets every week).
- Build Back Better would funnel billions to fossil fuel companies via tax credits.
- How environmental justice work takes a toll on people of color.
- Doreen St. Felix on Insecure.
- Baby Tate.
—
Podcasts
I really loved the Aack Cast limited series that is all about the comic Cathy, and how all of the hacky jokes that it’s all about chocolate etc are largely unfair and sexist. Comedian and writer Jamie Loftus (who covered Mensa and Nabokov’s Lolita in previous podcasts) does an amazing job of criticizing the problems with Cathy while giving it credit that it often is not given, while exploring the generational divides in feminism the strip often portrays. She also draws lines from Cathy to modern, more diverse voices in autobio comics. Highly recommend!
—
Watching
Counterpart. I’ve been getting more into spy fiction lately and this show is amazing, like Le Carre but with an amazing sci-fi twist. It got cancelled unfortunately but there are two seasons of 10 episodes and it is great. Also Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was super fun.
—
Hey I wanted to share some bad news which is that in the last newsletter I used that word populous instead of populace I am sorry and I’m still working through it emotionally but I think it will be OK.
One fun thing however is that last weekend we went to see Dinosaur Jr. and The Lemonheads it was a real Gen X party. An annoying part is that it was at the House of Blues which is this awful venue and sometimes they sell you these tickets where you can’t see anything which is unfortunately what happened in this case because these 8 foot tall dudes formed a wall between the balcony view and everyone else in the section. We did manage to steal one guy’s spot while he was in the bathroom and then took turns standing in it so in other words we forcibly liberated the House of Blues balcony section. Then later I took things a little far and got into an argument with a security guard it was like Crisis Palace IRL but we don’t need to get into the details. Bottom line, it was extremely loud and fun and we didn’t get COVID.
One nice thing you can always be sure about is that in Crisis Palace everyone gets a clear view and tall men have to stand in the back and there are no security guards, ever.
Tate