Good Tidings News from the Hampton Roads Community Foundation
Unmasking Hampton Roads
Photo by Irene Aquino Davis
What if there was a safe space to talk about race, racism and their impact on Hampton Roads? Recently, the Hampton Roads Community Foundation sponsored a learning series to encourage area residents to have frank conversations about race and to learn constructive ways to identify and address racism in their daily lives. The series, called Ebony Love (center) listens to a participant’s viewpoint Unmasking Hampton during a recent conversation about race. Roads, aligns with the community foundation’s new racial equity initiative, which seeks to make the Hampton Roads region a more inclusive and equitable community. Two series held this fall – one in Virginia Beach and another in Portsmouth – attracted diverse residents from across the region. On the first evening of each series, participants attended a play followed by candid conversations over dinner. The following days included a panel discussion with civic and business leaders as well as an intensive diversity training and bias workshop. Participants shared their experiences with racism throughout the series. For example, one woman, who is Black, recalled telling her White grade-school classmate that she had a crush on him. She said he responded with a racial slur, saying he would not date a Black girl. Others recalled being teased about their skin tone, language differences and hair types. “I can appreciate moments like this,” said attendee Ebony Love on the first night of the three-part series. “It’s not pointing fingers. It’s not bashing. It’s literally open dialogue.” Love, who is Black, joined a group discussion with Emily Cross, who is White. Cross, who grew up in the mountains of Virginia, recalled her humble beginnings and being discriminated against as a child. “I grew up in the country. This year, the Hampton Roads Community Foundation hit We were very, very poor,” said two scholarship milestones – the nearly $1.5 million Cross. “People would call us awarded for 2019-20 is the largest amount given in a ‘White trash.’ We had hand-mesingle year. The 434 college students on scholarship down clothes. We ate pinto beans are the most recipients since our founding in 1950. every meal.” Learn more on page 4.
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2019
Recent Grants
Learning Series Connects Diverse People
Did You Know?
FA L L / W I N T E R
................................................. The Hampton Roads Community Foundation recently awarded the following competitive grants to area nonprofits. Grants were made possible by donors’ field-of-interest and unrestricted funds. Grant recipients are: .................................................
American Heart Association , $100,000 over three years to expand its mobile cooking program and provide healthy cooking classes for clients of the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore. The program, which aims to improve the health of participants, is in partnership with Eastern Virginia Medical School and Healthy Portsmouth. Funding comes from the William A. and Jane M. Charters Fund. .................................................
The Chas Foundation , $54,000 over two
years to double the number of families served by its Mental Illness Navigator and Support program. It provides peer crisis support, assistance with navigating the court system, transportation assistance and the development of action plans.
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Commonwealth Catholic Charities , $193,500 over three years to support rapid re-housing services for people facing homelessness in Western Tidewater and Chesapeake. Funds will help individuals find permanent, stable housing and provide case management services. Funding comes from the William A. and Jane M. Charters Fund.
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The Endependence Center , $147,890
over three years to create the Road 2 Independence program. This transitional life skills program is for area residents ages 16 to 22 living with disabilities. The program helps participants prepare to transition to post-secondary education or careers.
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