EGA President and CEO
This February, the Environmental Grantmakers Association joins the nation in celebrating Black History Month.
EGA respects and celebrates Black life, livelihoods, and legacy. We recognize the constant work of liberation as evidence of the efficacy of our union. Today, we collectively face political challenges to hard-won freedoms, inalienable rights, and human dignity and identity. It is our honor and duty to continue to look to past, present and future generations to inspire us to act and advance a just democracy for all.
Black history reminds us all that we are privileged. We are privileged to learn from people of courage, living as examples of agape love for humanity, whose dedication to the principles of racial justice becomes the dignity, care and service functions of philanthropy. Our response to today's trials must be daring and unequivocal. In honor of the inventors, innovators, and instigators, we must remain in solidarity with racial justice leaders who are standing up in the face of political repression. This Association for people and planet is capable and must be ready to amplify and resource the stories and practices that motivate aligned philanthropy.
The words of the late and great Reverend Jesse Jackson are instructive to us even now, “At the end of the day, we must go forward with hope and not backward by fear and division.”
The accelerated and aggressive attacks of state violence on people of conscience, on the vulnerable, the politically marginalized, targeted and isolated communities in every corner of America require us all to stay vigilant, focused, resourced, and ready to support communities. In honor of generations of Black histories, I reaffirm our shared commitment to racial equity and belonging. EGA stands ready to offer continuing support to your operations and missions toward a steadfast courage that meets the shifting tides.
In honor of communities that stood up against ruthlessness and resettlement, whose testimonies, trials and losses became the firmament of cases, studies, contests and mobilizations, we are all being called to task. Yesterday's sacrifices gave us a government capable of finding endangerment for people and planet. Today, I dare you to keep hope alive.
In that spirit, I invite you to remember the value of our shared work. I encourage your continued application of the Racial Equity Point of View (REPOV) to your decisions as you align your grantmaking and strategy in 2026, and beyond, on this last day of reverence for Black History.