In this engaging conversation, Dr. Joseph Smith shares his expertise and passion for equity and inclusion and the emotional intelligence needed for productive conversations between people of diverse backgrounds. He talks about the work underway to close the gap in philanthropy in Canada, in which the needs and assets of Black Communities have been overlooked.
Dr. Smith is the co-founder of the non-profit organization Generation Chosen which focuses on Mental health and Emotional Intelligence within underserved communities. He is a founding member of the Foundation for Black communities, a non-profit organization designed to adjudicate grants, develop policy and liaise with government and the philanthropic sector to serve Black-led and Black-serving non-profits and charities.
The Foundation’s report: Unfunded, was a catalyst for $200 million in federal government endowment funding in Canada this year and has prompted a transfer of endowment funds from traditional philanthropic organizations to the new Foundation to better balance investment in Black Communities.
Dr. Smith is also a project coordinator the Black Experience Project through the Environics Research Institute; works as a facilitator and consultant in the area of Anti-Black Racism and Emotional Health at LifeWorks; and sits on the board of Operation Black Vote Canada as the Director of Youth Outreach.
In today’s conversation, we talk about how change can happen and is happening through understanding how we got where we are, how institutions and structures keep us from moving forward, and how intentional and generous action in how we live our lives- from who we engage, what we buy and how we spend our free time can lead to a better future.
Resources:
Joseph Smith LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-smith-29b9a615b/
https://www.forblackcommunities.org/assets/docs/Unfunded-Report.pdf
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