Author Archives: valaida

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About valaida

writer. thinker. listener. idea whisperer. traveler. mad word geek. absolute scrabble freak. drinker of life. da*n good friend. ridiculous foodie. imaginative dreamer. afflicted party planner. kind conqueror. okra lover. hillbilly w/ southern roots far-stretched global sights. author of book that reframes portraits of philanthropy. Giving Back: A Tribute to Generations of African American Philanthropists | http://bit.ly/htLxQU

guest blog post // Respect, Love and Space: A Culture Revealed

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With The Mountaintop, directed by LOU BELLAMY, opening in Charlotte this evening, this guest blog post by Anne Lambert from last spring seemed apropos.

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Tonight, the nonprofit professional theatre company On Q Performing Arts, Inc. is hosting a fundraiser featuring the theatre legend Lou Bellamy. I serve on the board of On Q and am ecstatic to share this recent interview by Anne Lambert with Lou Bellamy on my blog. Enjoy!

Respect, Love and Space: A Culture Revealed
An interview with theatre legend Lou Bellamy, founder and artistic director of the renowned Penumbra Theatre Company

By Anne Lambert

on_q_logoSummer 2012, Charlotte’s Quentin “Q” Talley, founder and artistic director of On Q Performing Arts, Inc., became one of only six theatre professionals nationwide awarded a Leadership U fellowship. Made possible by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and Theatre Communications Group, the 2012-13 fellowship provides Q a residency at Penumbra Theatre Company in St. Paul, MN and professional mentorship from Lou Bellamy, Penumbra’s founder.

An Obie Award-winning director, accomplished actor and sought-after scholar, Bellamy…

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A History of Giving

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Soon after my elder cousin Nettie’s passing about two weeks ago, I spoke with my mom to arrange coming home for her funeral service. Later that morning a reporter from The Charlotte Observer called, requesting an interview on my family history and genealogy for a story he was writing.

While initially reluctant, I began to feel a heightened sense of legacy and responsibility to share a family history that Cousin Nettie committed her life to teaching me, her children, my cousins and the people of Burke County.

The Observer ran the story on Sunday, in observance of Black History Month, and I’m honored to have shared some fascinating aspects of my family, about the lost community of Fonta Flora and stories of my great-great grandfather Riley McGimpsey. Below is a link to the story, which also includes a family story from Giving Back photographer Charles W. Thomas, Jr.

Read Research into African-American families shapes 4 Charlotteans by Mark Price, The Charlotte Observer, 2 Feb 2014.

My drawing of North Carolina's Table Rock in the Linville Gorge area with my family tree that we used for the t-shirt at the 2013 Fullwood Family Reunion

My drawing of North Carolina’s Table Rock in the Linville Gorge area with my family tree that we used for the t-shirt at the 2013 Fullwood Family Reunion

Reclaiming The Root Meaning of Philanthropy

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Political activist, scholar and social justice advocate Angela Yvonne Davis (born 26 January 1944) celebrates a milestone birthday this week. I celebrate her courage, voice and journey with this repost.

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  Radical simply means ‘grasping things at the root.’ — Angela Davis

Let’s engage in the radical work of reclaiming the root meaning of philanthropy: love of humanity. Philanthropy, a curious word to many, evokes a range of images, beliefs and emotions. To contemplate its semantics and evolution and then to initiate anew our collective philanthropic practice could prove a seminal undertaking for black America.

This moment hangs ripe. The “season of giving” is near and clears the way to a new year of possibilities. The election of President Barack H. Obama has substantiated, again, the might of black unity. And yet, between the hopes and history making and the thanks and gifts giving are uncharitable acts and vitriol that signal a shift back in time, not forward. Indignities, inequities and injustices do not simply dissipate; instead, we must come together in systematically uprooting them.

With community needs great and…

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Phoenix Foundation’s ‘Feed Your Soul’ Series

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Food for the body is not enough. There must be food for the soul. — Dorothy Day, journalist and social activist

Phoenix rising on the horizon as the Arizona Community Foundation presents its Feed Your Soul lecture series.

Photography by Charles W. Thomas, Jr.

Photography by Charles W. Thomas, Jr.

“In honor of Black History Month, the Black Philanthropy Initiative will host an intimate discussion regarding the history of African American giving, featuring Valaida Fullwood, author of Giving Back: A Tribute to Generations of African American Philanthropists, and Charlene Tarver, Esq., estate planning attorney.

Join us as we investigate the journey through Black traditions in giving and explore ways to drive change in our communities.”

More info here.

Seven Generations and One Hundred, Ten Years Ago

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Sharing this blog post again in memory of my cousin and fiercest of family historians Mrs. Nettie McGimpsey McIntosh, who passed on and was delivered home today. Rest in power and peace.

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This is a story about Riley R. McGimpsey (28 Mar 1845 – 20 Apr 1934), my great-great-grandfather, as told to me by my elder cousin Nettie McGimpsey McIntosh for my book Giving Back:

Despite common perceptions, Black men have long been industrious. And evidently my grandfather Riley was as hardworking as men of any race come. I call him a Black entrepreneur, but back then industrious is the word people used.

I archive and keep our family’s history. I have scoured over family artifacts and Census data. Some time in the mid-1800s on the McGimpsey farm in Burke County, North Carolina, a slave named Clarissa gave birth to a son she named Riley. While born into slavery, Riley eventually became a sharecropper who sold his part of the produce—corn, wheat, molasses and such. Documents I have come across show his products sold as far away as Mullins, South Carolina…

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Here’s To 2013!

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It was a very good year.

And my giving circle, New Generation of African American Philanthropists, had the good fortune of serving up heaps of good stuff. See for yourself here.

NGAAP at Pikes

Circle members at a monthly meeting (with requisite food in abundance). And while not the best photography, one of the greatest pictures ever!

 

Happy New Year! Make 2014 a good year, too.

Related stories
Year-end Message from New Generation of African American Philanthropists, Dec 2012 – valaida.com

 

Go Far and Together

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Charles W. Thomas Jr., photographer

Charles W. Thomas Jr., photographer

Giving circles are growing in popularity, as indicated by this story in The New York Times…and this one from The Foundation Center…and this one from The Chronicle of Philanthropy.

That’s why I’m energized about the upcoming panel discussion that my giving circle and the Gantt Center are co-hosting on National Philanthropy Day (November 15). It’s free and open to the public, so if you’re in the Charlotte or would like to swing through, I encourage you to come. But first, R.S.V.P.

Eric Frazier, writer for The Charlotte Observer and The Chronicle of Philanthropy, is moderator for this week’s panel discussion on giving circles and collective giving, which is part of a Black Philanthropy series. The panelists are friends and fellow members of Community Investment Network: Linsey Mills and Michelle Serrano Mills of Next Generation of African American Philanthropists; Barron J. Damon of A Legacy of Tradition; and Diatra Fullwood, Renee Bradford and Ed Franklin of New Generation of African American Philanthropists.

Learn more about the event on BGB and then come participate on November 15!

If you want to go fast, go alone. 
If you want to go far, go together.
African proverb

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Love. Give. Go. Do.

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Three stories have come my way the last week or two, revealing how the video introducing Giving Back, titled [ philanthropy reframed ], is being used as a tool with a range of groups and in a variety of settings. Immense satisfaction fills me when I hear these stories. With a running time of a whopping 2.5 minutes, the book trailer took nearly as long to produce as the book and required eking out every ounce of my perseverance and resourcefulness.

So here’s one example of how and why the video is being shared with youth:

“Our Jack and Jill teens group is comprised of five young people in high school. …They are committed to philanthropy and giving back—a characteristic that will distinguish them as a small but mighty set of young people, and we are using ‘philanthropy reframed’ as an orientation to owning the language.”

Then there’s this example:

“I shared ‘philanthropy reframed‘ in a [church] seminar just this past week. Your personal advice about connection, audience and your speaking engagements touched me…a wonderful reminder of God’s grace, and how He works through people too.”

And then there’s this piece that was sent to a friend and then forwarded to me:

“… I was recently in a leadership training workshop and we viewed a short video that YOU were in!!! It was about the changing face of philanthropy. Basically African Americans’ increasing role in philanthropy…Many people from my leadership class (including myself) wanted a copy of that video! If you have it, can you forward me a link or URL to that video? It was super impact-ful!”

So if you’ve never seen it or it’s been a while, here it is . . .

philanthropy reframed vid screenshot

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‘Philanthropy is the soul revealed’

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Photography by Charles W. Thomas Jr.

Photography by Charles W. Thomas Jr.

“Although I’ve previously browsed through your book, I now have a copy and began to read through each page. I am still only at the beginning, but I have to tell you that it is so very moving and inspiring.

You ask how we define philanthropy? I think philanthropy is the soul revealed—and that’s what makes your book so powerful. And, you have such a beautiful way of writing. So, I just had to tell you this and to thank you for your beautiful book.” 

— Pat

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Global Fellowship

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GivingBackCPCSInternationalFellows[5]

Current members of the Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society’s Emerging Leaders International Fellows Program

Feeling immense thanks to fellow BGB contributor Akira Barclay for this email message and photo, which made my day.

Hi Valaida!

I hope you are well. I just wanted to share how Giving Back is reaching an exciting audience and making an impact on how we learn and practice philanthropy.

As you may know, I completed the 2012 Emerging Leaders International Fellows Program last year where my research project “The Value of Giving Circles in the Evolution of Community Philanthropy” referenced Giving Back. During the presentation of my research, I showed my copy of Giving Back and my peer Fellows and the Program administrators were very impressed.

A few weeks ago, I was invited to speak with the new cohort of Fellows about collective giving and giving circles. I thought it was the perfect time to present my gift copy of Giving Back (the one you signed). Needless to say, Barbara Leopold, Director of the International Fellows Program was delighted.

Attached is a photo of Barbara and the Emerging Leaders Fellows who have come to New York from across the globe to study community foundations and diaspora philanthropy.

Enjoy!

Akira

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