CSHPE student Jarell Skinner-Roy writes about dismantling white supremacy in the nonprofit sector
In an article for the Twin Cities Young Nonprofit Professionals Network blog, CHSPE’s Jarell Skinner-Roy shared his thoughts on white supremacy in the nonprofit sector. His article, titled “Dismantling white supremacy in nonprofits: A starting point,” noted that the challenges inherent to the nonprofit arena cannot be used an excuse to avoid dismantling the white supremacy that takes place within the field.
He suggested that the first course of action involves understanding the history and pervasiveness of white supremacy in the field. “Many, if not all of the social services, education, and other unmet needs that nonprofits work tirelessly to address largely exist because of the lasting ramifications of colonization, slavery, segregation, redlining, mass incarceration, and many other manifestations of white supremacy,” he said. “Without this explicit acknowledgement, our work can unintentionally uplift white supremacist ideology and do more harm to the very communities we hope to serve.”
He also recommended reducing deficit-based narratives and language, which includes avoiding labeling groups and communities as “at-risk,” and elevating ethical storytelling. He advised against the overuse of negative statistics.
An organization’s excellence depends on diversity, equity, and inclusion across all levels, he said, especially across leadership levels. White supremacy, he added, “can be dismantled and ultimately eradicated through our individual and collective efforts towards social justice.”