"Philanthropy is a Space to Think About What a Redistribution of Wealth Could & Should Look Like"
Reflecting on Darren Walker's new book, “From Generosity to Justice: a New Gospel of Wealth,” Elizabeth Alexander, president of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, answered some questions posed by the Chronicle of Philanthropy that shed light on the philanthropic field.
To a question about "the most important takeaway from the new gospel that you hope foundation trustees will consider," she answered:
No matter the foundation, I think it’s important to remember that we would not be in the position that we are in, with all the resources we have, if there were not people in need somewhere else. In some ways, philanthropy is a space to think about what a redistribution of wealth could and should look like. And I think it can, and must, be about justice. I come back to what feels like a simple idea: If there is too much someplace, the people there have a moral obligation to be thoughtful about sharing it. That moral obligation can be a more fundamental part of all of the decisions we make, and a lens through which we view our work of building a more just society.
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