Jaime Sharp's Blog

"Jawole Willa Jo Zollar is the founder of the legendary ensemble Urban Bush Women. She is also a winner of the MacArthur Genius Award. I met Jawole at a Creative Change Retreat, an intersection of artists and activists that used to be held at the Sundance Resort, in Provo, Utah. One of my favorite gatherings to facilitate," said Gibrán Rivera "I was immediately moved by Jawole’s presence, and I could sense how she was tuning into a deeper energy in my facilitation.

From Good Work Institute: "At the start of a New Year, dedicate some attention to a fresh approach to your working relationships! In this 7-week workshop, we will cultivate our capacity to connect with ourselves and others and practice nonviolent communication skills that can support our working together productively, authentically, and with care, in service of our work towards collective liberation."

From the California Black Freedom Fund: "We, the undersigned, lead philanthropic institutions throughout California that came together to seed and establish the California Black Freedom Fund. Established just two and a half years ago following the brutal murders of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, and countless others, the California Black Freedom Fund was created to mobilize the resources necessary to build Black power and eradicate systemic and institutional racism."

"Like you, I’ve been thinking about the police brutally murdering Tyre Nichols in Memphis, the latest in the countless murders of Black people by the police," said Vu Le for Nonprofit AF. "I’m thinking of Tyre Nichols, who loved skateboarding and photography and who had a son a little younger than my six-year-old, and I’m thinking of his family, whom he was just trying to get home to. I cannot imagine their pain."

We at Grantmakers in the Arts (GIA) must express our grief at the loss of 18 innocent lives and injuring 10 others in the shootings at Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay this January. It is especially devastating as Lunar New Year celebrations are a time for joy and family, culture and community.

"What if I told you that we all possess the power to heal and transform how trauma manifests in our bodies? Further, music, art, and creative expressions are portals through which we can activate our power to heal," said Nineequa Blanding for Nonprofit Quarterly. "According to Dr. Sará King— neuroscientist, medical anthropologist, and founder of Mind Heart Consulting—'we actually have been imbued with superpowers' that enable healing. In her opening comments during a session entitled 'Art, Music, and Science as Catalysts for Healing & Transformation,' she expressed her interest in exploring the ways our bodies have been designed to support our capacity to heal."

From Hyperallergic: "Last week, the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture opened applications for its new grant program Creative Recovery LA. The regional initiative will distribute $26 million to nonprofit arts organizations hardest hit by the pandemic — the “largest investment we’ve ever received at the County level for the arts,” according to Anji Gaspar-Milanovic, director of grants and professional development for LA County Arts and Culture."

"Creativity, Culture & Capital is a collaborative project between Arts & Culture Finance (UK), Upstart Co-Lab (US) and Fundación Compromiso (Argentina), three women-led non-profit organisations, all working at the intersection of impact investment and the creative economy."

Despite civil society organizations being at the forefront of fighting the complex problems of our world, most of them suffer from financial instability. Research done by Humentum highlights these “starvation cycles” CSO’s are stuck in with recommendations for funders to break that cycle. What comes after that research?

"The Mellon Foundation—the nation’s largest funder of the arts, culture and humanities—today announced more than $12 million in funding to support twenty-six colleges and universities across the nation mounting social justice-related research or curricular projects."