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

Things That Matter

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Today I’m participating in a radio interview with Kirsten Sikkelee, executive director of the YWCA Central Carolinas and Rob Harrington, attorney at Robinson Bradshaw. Rob has a story featured in Giving Back, and he recently participated in a panel discussion hosted by the YWCA.

The topic of our discussion on WFAE’s Charlotte Talks is philanthropy and racial justice. Throughout the country, YWCA’s mission is “eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity of all people.” As a part of its mission, Charlotte’s YWCA hosted a community forum last month that centered on the intersection of philanthropy and racial justice and focusing on my book Giving Back.

The aim of writing Giving Back was to spur conversation about inclusive and responsive philanthropy and to shift thinking and actions for the betterment of our communities. I’m ecstatic about being a part of the Charlotte Talks interview this morning. The discourse I hoped for has definitely begun, as shown here and here and here. — VF

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” —  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Today’s Forecast

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Warmth with Scattered (Word) Clouds

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“A warm smile is the universal language of kindness.” — William Arthur Ward

‘A great tradition of giving, sharing and caring’

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Mr. and Mrs. Jones, parents of Melandee Jones | Charles W. Thomas Jr., photographer

“The humility, sincerity and genuine spirit of African American philanthropy are what move me the most. There is not a sense of needing to advertise or make political plays—it’s a sincere desire to help another human being, and that is the true meaning of philanthropy. Our community is great at this and has a great tradition of giving, sharing and caring.”

— Melandee Jones, member of New Generation of African American Philanthropists with a tribute story about her parents featured in the book Giving Back

For Lovers of Humanity

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Charles W. Thomas Jr., photographer

A loving heart is the truest wisdom. — Charles Dickens

Giving Back reframes portraits of philanthropy, while reclaiming its root meaning: love of humanity. Put simply, each page pictures love.

Wishing “lovers of humanity” everywhere a Happy Valentine’s Day! — VF

Ninety-One Years

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Aunt Dora, a great aunt, indeed. Photography by Charles W. Thomas Jr.

My muse and great-aunt, Dora—whose hands provide evocative imagery for the cover of my book Giving Back: A Tribute to Generations of African American Philanthropists—celebrated her 91st birthday last week. What a blessing!

When I called Aunt Dora with birthday well-wishes that night, she told me about her day. She began with a swim and water aerobics class. Then she had lunch with the friendly faces at Our Daily Bread, the soup kitchen she founded over 20 years ago. She delighted in the steady inflow of birthday calls and cards from folks around the country. And she wrapped up her special day with a family dinner at her favorite seafood restaurant.

If I’m granted 91 years on earth (or anywhere near that many), I hope each one is filled, like Aunt Dora’s, with a fair share of faith, health, family, friends, passions and purpose. May your year and every one to come be filled with the same. — VF

29 Days

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Black History Month begins, again.

“Those who have no record of what their forebears have accomplished lose the inspiration which comes from the teaching of biography and history.”

— Carter G. Woodson, Ph.D., The Father of Black History (1875–1950)

A Peachy Good Time

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“This book shares the stories of men and women whose philanthropy, big or small, is an indelible part of American history. Through their individual and collective generosity, children were educated, families were strengthened, communities were built and their legacy is a bridge for the next generation. On each page, I recognized—if not by name—the spirit of someone I know and respect. These lessons on the ‘love of humankind’ are universal.” — Deborah J. Richardson, executive vice president, National Center for Civil and Human Rights

Our Giving Back book event in Atlanta last week was a delight, and Charles and I are grateful to Deborah Richardson of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights for the opportunity to engage such a warm audience. As a setting, the Georgia-Pacific Auditorium was perfectly located in the heart of downtown on Peachtree Street. The NCCHR staff was professional, thorough and attentive to Charles and me as well as to every detail.

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Photo caption: Photographer Charles Thomas with portrait of his mother on stage screen at the Georgia-Pacific Auditorium in Atlanta. Event photography by Alex Johnson III.

Not only did we sell a lot of books, we met lots of great people affiliated with a wide range of foundations, networks, nonprofits and communities. We look forward to pursuing the newest opportunities presented in Atlanta, which include speaking at upcoming conferences and engaging groups of youth and college students.

Our deepest gratitude goes to our event sponsors and co-hosts in Atlanta:

  • National Center for Civil and Human Rights
  • African American Development Officers Network
  • The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation
  • The Community Foundation For Greater Atlanta
  • Georgia Tech Black Alumni Organization
  • National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Metropolitan Atlanta Chapter
  • Southeastern Network of African Americans in Philanthropy
  • Southeastern Council of Foundations

I’m personally thankful for the friends, family members and giving circle members who came to the event and helped us set up, sell books, feel supported and then, afterward, celebrate!

QOTD from MLK

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Charles W. Thomas, Jr., photographer

“Pity may represent little more than the impersonal concern which prompts the mailing of a check, but true sympathy is the personal concern which demands the giving of one’s soul.”

— Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

2011 in review

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The WordPress.com stats helper elves prepared a 2011 annual report for valaida.com.

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 3,200 times in 2011. If it were a cable car, it would take about 53 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

Swept Up

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Last week, as a guest blogger, I posted a written piece on Collective Influence, the Community Investment Network (CIN) blog. CIN is a national network of donors and giving circles and its mission is to inspire, connect and strengthen African Americans and communities of color to leverage their collective resources and create the change they wish to see.

Charles W. Thomas Jr., photographer

My giving circle New Generation of African American Philanthropists is a member of CIN, and my experiences within the Network were instrumental in the development of Giving Back. I’ve posted the CIN blog piece here for followers of my blog. It’s titled “A Confluence of Influence,” because that is precisely what has swept the Giving Back Project into a whirlpool of exciting possibilities.

A Confluence of Influence

“The nation’s premier multi-cultural awards show celebrating the outstanding achievements and performances of people of color in the arts as well as those individuals or groups who promote social justice through their creative endeavors” — About the 43rd NAACP Image Awards

More on the awards program a little later…first, I’d like to say that you never know what life has up her sleeve. Until it’s revealed, the best we can do is to stay purposeful, pursue our passions and prepare for the twists and turns that come our way.

About a year into forming our giving circle, I approached the members of New Generation of African American Philanthropists (NGAAP-Charlotte) with the idea of publishing a book about Black philanthropy. [Click here to read the full story]