Dear SV2 community,
Like you, the SV2 Board, Partners, staff and Grantees have been deeply disturbed and saddened by the horrific display of violence and hatred in Charlottesville, Virginia in August. We have also watched as similar displays have taken place across the country. Troublingly, these events are not isolated incidents, but an outgrowth of a larger movement fueled by racism, bigotry, and white nationalism that has no place in our Bay Area community or our country.
We stand with our neighbors whose fundamental right to live without fear is threatened by such acts. We remain heartened by the work of our grantees, who embody the fierce and relentless dedication to equity and justice that these times require. And we are renewed in our gratitude for SV2’s community of changemakers and civic leaders, in this time when standing together means more than ever.
At SV2, we’ve always believed that together we can do so much more than we can alone, and that each person’s contribution to our shared work makes it more powerful and effective. In this season, we’re aware that many Partners and community members may be responding to our social and political climate in new or different ways. You may be giving differently, thinking in new ways about equity and social justice, reading helpful articles or books, or newly aware of social impact organizations doing urgent and critical work. We’d love to know how members of the SV2 community are activated and engaged so we can all learn and benefit from each other’s care and engagement as a network. We’d also like to gauge interest in an SV2 community event or ongoing affinity group around your evolving community engagement. If you’d like to share what you are thinking, how you are engaged given recent events, and how you would like to engage through SV2, please let us know through this quick form (you may let us know anonymously, or provide your name as desired).
SV2’s vision is of a more equitable and sustainable Bay Area and world where everyone thrives. The events in Charlottesville and across the country have fueled our deep sense of urgency as we together work toward this vision, and our knowledge that our work together matters more than ever.
In closing, here is a brief sample of reflections from grantees, peer funders and field leaders: We Stand in Solidarity with our Anti-Racist Comrades by SV2 Grantee Somos Mayfair and other Mayfair nonprofits; This is Not the Time for Silence by Fred Blackwell, CEO of the San Francisco Foundation; and Charlottesville and a Time for Gracious Anger by Vu Le.
With determination and hope,
— Team SV2