Our ASCEND: BLO staff cohosted the Reparations. Power. Healing. convening with the Bese Saka initiative, a collaboration between San Francisco Foundation and Brotherhood of Elders Network. The event began with a day of community service and healing opportunities throughout San Francisco and the East Bay. The next day, over 200 Black leaders, students, organizers, business owners and Bay Area residents gathered in community to discuss and advance issues that are most pressing for the Black community. Organizers also awarded $2,000 mini-grants to 10 local nonprofits, injecting funding into vital community work. The convening wrapped up at the Oakland Museum of California with an evening of celebration, joy and art – the Liberated Culture Concert & Film Screenings featured powerful performances and screenings of local films. (fb)

We’re thrilled to continue our in-person site visits alongside our Belonging in Oakland fund partners at Akonadi Foundation and City of Oakland Cultural Affairs. This time, we connected with the visionary collaborators behind R3: Black Cultural Zone CDC, Alena Museum, Black Terminus AR, and East Side Arts Alliance. R3 is reimagining Oakland through a bold vision: a city where Black Cultural Hubs – from land and housing to market halls and art spaces –make up at least a quarter of the commercial landscape. Rooted in legacy, liberation, and love, R3 is building an ecosystem where Black arts, culture, and commerce thrive. Our team is thankful for the time and space to hear directly from our grantee partners about their work and to deepen our partnership. (fb)