As diversity comes under attack, we continue to stand by the Black community every day, and celebrate the community on Juneteenth. Our world and our understanding of our role in it continues to evolve.
This is the sixth year of the Gobioff Foundation’s Juneteenth grant-making. The program started initially as a reaction to the horrible murder of George Floyd and a way to acknowledge the accountability we had as philanthropists in a system that continues to marginalize the Black community. In 2021 we announced that every year on Juneteenth we would highlight 5 organizations to receive $20,000 in the form of an unrestricted grant from the Gobioff Foundation.
This year we acknowledge the harm being caused by the cuts to diversity programs throughout our country. Our values at the Gobioff Foundation will continue to involve seeking out diversity in our grantmaking. We will continue to do what we can as an organization and as individuals to support the voices of marginalized communitied.
The Juneteenth progam is unique for the Gobioff Foundation, becasue some of the organizations supported through the program are outside our normal giving areas and not in Hillsborough or Pinellas Counties, Florida where we focus our giving. The Juneteenth grantees can be located anywhere in the United Sates.
This year, the progam continues to evolve. Most of the organizations chosen for this years grantmaking were identified by one of our Youth Board members who is currenlty attending UCLA. We were excited to see how their compassion and strong sense of justice would impact their suggestions. Their unique viewpoint looked for organizations that did work not just in large cities, but in rural communites as well.
We welcome any feedback surrounding our Juneteenth program. Please contact us at juneteenth@gobioff-foundation.org.
As the world shifts, it becomes even more urgent that we as a country speak ourt and stand up against systemic racism. We must be present, we must listen, and we must act. We must be more than an ally, be an accomplice. Not just on Juneteenth, but every day, Black Lives Matter.
Neil Gobioff
President, Gobioff Foundation
The five organizations receiving $20,000 unrestricted grants from the Gobioff Foundation this year are:
Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth
“Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth, RJOY, interrupts cycles of violence and incarceration by promoting RJ practices and policies in schools, communities, and the juvenile justice system. Since 2005, RJOY has been a national thought leader, pioneering race-conscious restorative justice (RJ).Though during the first 40 years of its existence the restorative justice movement had no significant racial justice consciousness, today this has dramatically changed, largely due to RJOY’s national leadership. Though we started with a geographical focus on the East Bay Area, community organizations and school districts in California and the nation are increasingly calling on RJOY for training and technical assistance.”
The Okra Project
“Who We Are
Our mutual aid collective is focused on supporting Black Trans people and alleviating the barriers that our community faces. We envision a safe, abundant, and equitable life for Black Trans people across the United States, and our service pillars reflect this vision.”
Black Mamas Matter Alliance
“OUR MISSION
The Black Mamas Matter Alliance (BMMA) is a Black women-led cross-sectoral alliance that centers Black mamas and birthing people to advocate, drive research, build power, and shift culture for Black maternal health, rights, and justice.”
Thurgood Marshall College Fund
“The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) significantly impacts students’ lives by offering a comprehensive pathway from high school to career. TMCF’s efforts are particularly crucial given the challenges historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) college students face. Through our various programs and support systems, TMCF manages to transform the lives of thousands of students annually, making a substantial difference in the educational and professional landscape.”
National Black Farmers Association
“The National Black Farmers Association (NBFA) is a non-profit organization representing African American farmers and their families in the United States. As an association, it serves tens of thousands of members nationwide. NBFA’s education and advocacy efforts have been focused on civil rights, land retention, access to public and private loans, education and agricultural training, and rural economic development for Black and other small farmers.”