Hello CSWAC Supporter,
This is part 3 of a 10-part series by Dr. Charley Flint and Jeff Hitchcock, CSWAC’s founders, on our future direction. We value your time and support.
WEEK 3
Root Causes and Crying Babies
There is nothing more compelling than a crying baby. It demands immediate help, rightly so. Just mentioning it here draws your attention. But the often-told parable of “babies in the river” reminds us that immediate help is not enough. In the parable…
…a group of townspeople spy a baby floating down their river. They rescue it. Over time they see more babies floating in the river, and they organize a rescue operation which consumes all their time and drains their energy. Finally, someone suggests going upstream to see how the babies are getting into the water to begin with.
The parable points to the importance of root causes. All too often addressing root causes takes a back seat to meeting immediate needs. At CSWAC we are confronting a root cause, which is white centeredness, whiteness, or white supremacy, by whatever name you give it.
Cognitive psychologist George Lakoff offers us another nugget of wisdom:
Every language in the world has in its grammar a way to express direct causation. No language in the world has in its grammar a way to express systemic causation…. We see direct causation all around us: if we push a toy, it topples over; if our mother turns a knob on the oven, flames emerge…. The same is not true of systemic causation. Systemic causation cannot be experienced directly. It has to be learned, its cases have to be studied, and repeated communication is necessary before it can be widely understood.
At CSWAC we look at how racial structure produces systemic outcomes and how we might change that. Like Lakoff says, we study it and we repeatedly communicate about it. This is our work. It takes time and money.
Our staff are passionate, and we have no shortage of ideas. But there is only so much we can do without financial support. Money is a force multiplier. We will always pursue our mission, but we will pursue it more broadly, more visibly and more effectively with your support.
Nonprofits like CSWAC are in constant competition for funding from governmental, philanthropic and individual sources. CSWAC does not receive government funding. This is not by design. Government funders simply are not looking for the services CSWAC provides. Given recent events, this is not likely to change soon.
When it comes to philanthropic support, the “babies in the river” parable rings true. According to the Philanthropic Initiative for Racial Equity, funding for racial equity is only a thin sliver of grants given for education, health, human rights, economic development and human services. And for organizations like CSWAC that “emphasize transformative solutions that impact multiple systems,” funding amounts to a minuscule part of even that sliver.
Being a thought leader sure has its downside. Funders have a tough time understanding our purpose. Because we are forging a new direction, there is little institutional understanding of our purpose. Even as we educate the public, the philanthropic community needs the same education and consciousness-raising.
There really is only one place where funders are clear on the need for our work. That is with you, and people like you. There is only one place where our work is clearly valued. Yes, again it is you, and a growing number of people like you who know us and follow our work.
We’re entering a new year. Let’s move ahead together. Help us stay the course. For all of us engaged in this work, please donate now.
Charley Flint . . . . . . Jeff Hitchcock
Next Tuesday: The Work Begins