The Network has dedicated funding and created peer exchange and structured learning environments to accelerate our collective work, focusing on centering equity.
We want to support our members in deepening their understanding of racial equity and implementing those learnings in their organizational processes and culture. For example, Anna Cruz, Managing Director of Strategic Learning, Research, & Evaluation at The Kresge Foundation spoke to AFN members at a virtual speaker event, Adopting a DEI Lens: Moving from Organizational Learning to Action. You can learn more and view a recording of this session here.
In addition, AFN worked with Dr. Akuoma Nwadike of Inclusivity Education. Dr. Nwadike is a scholar and reacher-practitioner dedicated to Liberation through increasing Inclusivity. Dr. Nwadike uses scholarly, research-based best practices and originally designed frameworks to advocate for, design, implement, and measure Inclusivity development.
As an organization, the Appalachia Funders Network aligns its priorities around those strategies that support our members in their work to address the impacts of structural barriers to economic opportunity and by doing so, advance equity.
We recognize that structural inequities have historic and ongoing impacts across our region, especially for Asian American, Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Pacific Islander, and other people of color. In addition, these structural inequities arise because of where people live and differences in language, education, and culture.
Barriers to opportunities in our region have and continue to include, but are not limited to:
To mitigate these barriers and move our region toward opportunity for all residents, the Network will use its strategic framework and investments in response to our members' aspirations for equity. This includes offering capacity-building opportunities, convening in collaborative environments, lifting up new approaches involving nontraditional leaders, and research and analysis. We believe that no matter the size, location, or specialization of our members, each one has an approach to overcoming barriers that has potential to be adopted by other members and partners.
Specifically AFN aims to:
