The Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundations (the Foundation) today announced the awarding of two grants to nonprofit organizations that will work in coordination to provide immediate trauma-related services to the community after the recent unrest in Minneapolis and St. Paul due to the death of George Floyd.
A grant of $50,000 will fund programming of the Minneapolis-based African American Leadership Forum (AALF), an organization of African American community leaders and volunteers who seek to uplift the Black community by identifying and empowering its leaders. Funding will further programs and services tailored to youth and young adults through the creation of healing spaces, virtual individual and community-based therapy and through the sharing of uplifting narratives of the African American Community.
“We are grateful to the Foundation for funding that comes at a critical time for greatly needed healing in our community, compounded by the tragic death of George Floyd,” said Marcus Owens, executive director of the AALF. “Improving well-being for all is key to building a healthier and just community. This grant will further our ability to reach the underserved communities in the Twin Cities during a time of great and immediate need.”
A second grant for $50,000 will fund the work of St. Paul-based Healing Justice Foundation (HJF), a national philanthropic non-profit with roots in Minnesota. The organization provides individuals, families, organizations, and communities with resources to address inequities. Special focus is given to providing urgent healing support to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color and to youth who are most directly impacted by inherently racist systems. Funding will broaden the reach of therapeutic programming offered by the organization’s community healers, social justice advocates and activists, and conscious creatives.
“Healing is a justice issue. Our cities are literally burning, because as Black people, we are imploding from unprocessed historic trauma and the present day trauma of the tragic murder of Mr. George Floyd,” said Dr. Joi Lewis, founder and executive director of Saint Paul-based HJF. “The Healing Justice Foundation is thankful for the generous support of the Foundation that will allow direct support to community healers, racial justice activists, organizers and conscious creatives, who are doing the invisible and mostly non-compensated emotional labor of healing our community. This support will provide much-needed space for our community to hold both heartbreak and joy.”
“Our communities and community leaders were already stressed by COVID-19, navigating a new reality,” said Foundation Senior Vice President of Community Impact Pahoua Yang Hoffman. “The recent events related to the killing of George Floyd is re-traumatizing our communities, especially our black community. Black leaders are answering the call to support their communities, but they are frustrated. They are tired. They, too, need healing in order to continue doing their critical work in our communities. I am proud that the Foundation is supporting community-led healing efforts so that we can continue to seek justice together
About the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundations
The Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundations believe in the best of Minnesota and the power of its communities. With roots in Saint Paul and partners across the state, it is Minnesota’s largest community foundation and the partner of choice for thousands of donors, nonprofits and community organizations. The Foundations inspire generosity to make Minnesota better for all who call it home. Visit: spmcf.org.
About the African American Leadership Forum
The African American Leadership Forum (AALF) mobilizes and activates dynamic groups of committed and passionate African Americans to influence the social, economic and political landscape that impacts our daily lives. To learn more visit www.aalftc.org
About the Healing Justice Foundation
The Healing Justice Foundation works to not only galvanize healing resources for Black people and IPOC folks in the face of compounded racial injustices, but is also grounded in the principle that people and organizations from our communities should be the primary leaders of that important work. As communities all over the country respond to the daily racial injustices supported by anti-blackness, the Healing Justice Foundation works to interrupt those atrocities as they show up in destructive levels of stress, burn-out, and chronic depletion, by providing space to also access #blackjoy. The Healing Justice Foundation is committed to imagining and building a world of interconnected liberation to create a healed future. To learn more visit http://www.healingjusticefoundation.org/