After witnessing months of civil unrest, watching innumerable news clips of American citizens brutalized while exercising their constitutional right to gather and protest, and reading hundreds of statements of solidarity against racism from countless organizations, RCF Connects has come to the conclusiuon that our past efforts were not enough.

Yes, we stand against racism, but taking a stand is not enough.
We must be better. We must do more.

What is that more? 

Simply, that we must recognize, revere and help people wield their power.  In every instance, we must ask ourselves:

“What power do I hold and how can I use that power to shift the culture from exclusively adhering to patriarchy and white supremist culture into an all-inclusive, human-based power structure?" 

and,

"How should I best use my power to change damaging norms and “old power dynamics” in every organization that I am a part of?"

In our equity work, we are internally examining how “power” works in the construct of today’s society, current organizations and in particular RCF Connects. And after we have identified and examined these power dynamics, we then imagine a different outcome, and a much different world. 

We are connecting the dots and putting conscious action into the re-imagining and re-distribution of power to those who have always felt powerless.

As our name indicates, RCF is about connection. Connecting organizations, programs, funding, resources and people together to build healthy, thriving communities.  However, we realized to build those thriving communities, we must first connect historically marginalized people with their own power.

Thus RCF Connects has committed to help each person we touch and each community we serve to recognize, identify and wield their own power with the sole purpose of eraticating systematic racism, the very obstacle that has gotten in the way of The People's progress to a more perfect union for centuries.

We invite you to join us in our work.  Power.  Equity.  Justice.

As a Black woman, I believe it is particularly important during this time that RCF Connects continue to work on changing systems and empowering communities of color to be full participants in our community. It's my commitment to continue to grow this work.  

RCF Connects has a good reputation and is viewed as doing important work.  We have a strong staff and a supportive Board.  Through an initiative to enhance Board/Staff partnership, it is my vision that our Board will actively partner with staff and use their influence to address community concerns and issues.

But first, we have to look at ourselves, individually and collectively.  We have completed an assessment of where we, as an organization, land on a continuum of becoming an Anti-Racist Organization. The staff and Board are committed to do this work, hard work, but important work.  Equity is pivotal and essential to this.  We have reviewed our structures, policies and practices to ensure that equity exists.  Foremost in our minds, even when we hire staff and recruit Board members, equity becomes an essential value that must be demonstrated.  

RCF can serve as a model for other philanthropic and foundation organizations and is willing to assist these organizations in understanding what it takes to be equity-committed and an anti-racist organization. Ultimately, we are committed to speaking up, acting against injustices and being more visible in our commitments and actions.

Sweet Honey in the Rock, an all-women African-American a capella ensemble, sings Ella's Song, reflecting the words of civil rights activist, Ella Baker.  The refrain simply says, "We who believe in freedom can not rest."  It is this song that reminds me that until we are all free, I can not rest and neither can you! 

Introducing RCF's New Executive Board:

To learn more about each of our Executive Board Team members, simply click on their photo.

When shelter-in-place was mandated, our quick-thinking staff brainstormed how they could continue to provide vital services to our clients. We are all experiencing and working to overcome the challenges of COVID-19 at work and especially at home. Here at SparkPoint, we are putting every effort into figuring it out and we are continuing to adjust to the changes every day while still serving the most vulnerable whose vulnerability has only become more emphasized. 

To learn more about SparkPoint services, contact our East office at 925-252-2300 or SparkPointEast@richmondcf.org or our West office at 510-478-7919 or GMendoza@richmondcf.org. Please check out all of our latest resources at facebook.com/SparkPointContraCosta.

Although Mother’s Day is long over, this does not mean we should stop celebrating the mothers in our communities who are just as essential as our most essential workers but are often overlooked and uncompensated. Therefore, Healthy Richmond would like to feature Super Women who have made waves in our communities through their roles as leaders, innovators, advocates, activist, and mothers. 

Specifically, we would like to acknowledge a group of local mothers who have partnered with Healthy Richmond to advocate for educational equity in the wider Richmond Area. These women are a force of nature for their involvement as resident experts in LCAP or the Local Control and Accountability Plan. 

The LCAP process allows parents to provide input and influence the educational priorities and budget spending of local school districts. Therefore LCAP is a fundamental arena of civic engagement allowing the everyday parent to hold systems accountable and advocate for marginalized students and families. Healthy Richmond cannot extend our gratitude to these women enough for what they have taught us.

Meet our Super Women:

Learn more about Healthy Richmond by contacting Roxanne Carrillo Garza, Senior Director Healthy Richmond, rcgarza@richmondcf.org 

When an organization rises to the challenge to create solutions in a crisis there is often no time to assess the successes, everyone is too busy moving to the next bit of damage that needs attention. However, there's nothing more gratifying than someone taking the time to acknowledge how your work has made a positive difference. One of our coaching clients sent RCF Connects a letter:

"I want to express my heartfelt thank you and share some thoughts I have around the generous coaching RCF Connects has provided to local nonprofit leaders during this pandemic.  I believe it was toward the end of March when I received the first email about this "free" coaching opportunity.  I use quotation marks because we know nothing is truly free in the nonprofit world; somebody somewhere is working to raise money to make it free for the recipient.  And I know RCF Connects was funding this someone to fund this opportunity and for that, I thank you.  But there is so much more . . .

For background, I have worked at Choice in Aging for over 18 years.  I began as the program director of one of their Adult Day Health Care programs in 2002, having just come from the financial services world, but missing working with older adults as I did in high school and college and seeking the connection back to my soul work.  My studies were in Sociology and Political Science -- not really financial or aging, but that didn't stop me.  And as you know, I blossomed being back in my soul work and began to grow our programs, service lines, geographic footprint, and in 2012, was promoted to CEO.  I never went to business school, never took any budgeting courses, never learned how to run a business -- or any of the things one thinks a CEO might do prior to being offered such a position.

And I haven't done any of the aforementioned since.  I never had time to worry about my deficits of knowledge because it's just been a long ongoing struggle to survive -- this is the story of many a nonprofit, but particularly when serving impoverished refugees, frail elders, and people with disabilities.  So I never thought about investing in me, because I have always been focused on agency survival and keeping up with minimum wage increases for direct care staff when reimbursement rates stay stagnant for decades in our Medi-Cal programs.

All this to say I never would have invested money in me -- it didn't dawn on me that I could make things better by making me better (though it's a pretty obvious concept).  It wasn't a conscious weighing of a decision -- it was just an underlying reality.  So I thank you and your team at RCF Connects for recognizing this and knowing that we need support to ensure our organizations and our leaders stayed afloat during this insane time.  As you can imagine, given we are serving the people with the worst outcomes (death) from COVID, my first few mothers were without a day off and averaging 16- to 18-hour workdays. Having a coach allowed me to know I was human, I was fallible, I was doing amazing things, I was able to feel weak, I was able to be bold -- so very many things I needed to know/hear.  She was like having a cheerleader, a reality checker, an angel on my shoulder (I can be my own devil), and dark, rich chocolate -- I say that because she was such a decade indulgence in addition to being necessary.

I have never felt I had the time or that it was worth money to invest in me in this way -- and I never would have if you didn't take this opportunity available.  So I just want to share deep gratitude with you, your team, and your funders, for seeing the value in investing in our nonprofit leaders -- our team members, and the people we serve, our communities, and our nonprofit infrastructure all benefit from this investment.  Thank you for making it happen!"

Sincerely,

Debbie Toth, 
President & CEO of
Choice in Aging (Pleasant Hill)

Learn more about RCF Connects' Embodied Leadership Coaching or send inquiries to Iris Podschun, Director of Community Engagement & Collaboration at ipodschun@richmondcf.org

The Ensuring Opportunity Campaign and the Multi-Faith Action Coalition have collaborated to create a series of webinars that explores the deep issues present in our social safety nets due to the COVID-19 pandemic, what work and advocacy is currently happening to make these systems more equitable, and what YOU can do to get involved in supporting these efforts.

We call this webinar series: Transforming the Social Safety Net as we Emerge from COVID-19

Our presenters have included members of the Budget Justice Coalition, the Bay Area Regional Health Inequities Initiative, Justice for Miles Hall, East Bay Housing Organizations, and many others. Since we began hosting these webinars, we’ve had over 400 people join our discussion, with many reporting to support calls to action that ensure we are supporting our most disenfranchised and marginalized communities in the wake of COVID-19.

If you would like to access our recordings, please click on the links below:

Demystifying the County Budget – Click to access recording

Reimagining Community Safety and Policing – Click to access recording

Inequities Present in our Food and Health Systems – Click to access recording

Housing Justice and Equity – Click to access recording

Ensuring Opportunity asks you to Vote YES on Measure X to create a
Healthy and Safe Contra Costa 

On November 3, Contra Costa voters will have a rare opportunity to bring much-needed new resources into our county, by voting YES on Measure X, the Healthy and Safe Contra Costa initiative. Measure X authorizes a half-cent sales tax increase that will generate an estimated $81 million each year, totaling $1.6 billion over the next 20 years.

The funds raised through the measure will help fund a strong public health system, increased fire protection, violence prevention, expanded programs for children and seniors, and other core safety services that have become even more essential during the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Healthy and Safe Contra Costa was created by a diverse coalition of local community-based organizations and labor unions, including healthcare providers, fire and emergency professionals, community service providers, housing advocates, and others working to strengthen communities throughout our county.

In case you missed it, click here to view Measure X campaign kick-off .

Here’s how you can help!

Check out the website and read the Countywide Needs Assessment that was shared with the Board of Supervisors this spring. Vote YES on Measure X and encourage your friends to do the same!

Learn more about Ensuring Opportunity Campaign to End Poverty by contacting Hector Malvido, Policy, Advocacy & Community Engagement Manager at hmalvido@richmondcf.org

RCF Connects recognizes that we are extremely fortunate to be able to expand our staff to meet our community's needs in this time of crisis. We've been blessed with awesome new team members:

Learn more about RCF Connects' open positions by visiting our job opening webpage, or contacting Stacey Street, COO at sstreet@richmondcf.org

The John R. Lewis Voter Equity Campaign, sponsored by Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA), has a vision is to engage Black young adults on the importance of advocacy and involvement in the political process. Our specific focus will be on Education, Registration, and developing a plan of action to ensure that Black Young adults will vote during this election cycle. We are ultimately looking for young adults who will provide leadership in organizing this effort.

Please contact: Cynthia LeBlanc or Linda Whitmore with names and contact information of interested young leaders.

If you have questions about RCF Connects' End of Year Campaign submit inquires to Development Manager at info@richmondcf.org