What’s possible when you ditch the 501(c)(3) playbook to scale grassroots impact? How can funders move from charity to solidarity? Why must philanthropy help build a labor movement for the 21st century?
I get into all this and more with one of my favorite people in philanthropy: Leah Hunt-Hendrix, cofounder at Solidaire and Way to Win, and coauthor of Solidarity: The Past, Present, and Future of a World-Changing Idea.
In this new episode of Stupski Foundation’s #BreakFakeRules Podcast, we hear the story of how the Solidaire Network emerged in the early days of the Occupy movement, and how it provided important lessons about decentering donor control (and tax breaks) in favor of grassroots impact.
Leah walks us through how these lessons proved invaluable when it was time to trust organizers, put her money on the line, and fund the frontlines of the Black Lives Matter movement a few years later.
She makes a compelling argument that philanthropy should fund worker power—whether through strike funds, legal support, or community organizing. (Yes, even if it means bypassing 501(c)(3) restrictions.)
Leah’s insights are a wake-up call: Philanthropy can’t help change the world by playing it safe.
Listen and share the full episode here, or wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Then, connect with me on LinkedIn to keep the conversation going.
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