U.S. Release Date: September 7, 2021
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-57869-064-0
Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-57869-065-7
Library of Congress Control Number: 2021938204
eBook: 978-1-57869-066-4 Click Here to Purchase the eBook
Booksellers and Libraries: Order Here.

SYNOPSIS

Collecting Courage: Joy, Pain, Freedom, Love—Anti-Black Racism in the Charitable Sector is a collection of 15 first-person narratives shared by accomplished Black fundraisers and equity, racial, and social justice advocates, documenting their experiences confronting and surviving racism working in charitable and philanthropic spaces across North America. With searing and intimate detail, they write about their experiences with anti-Black racism: from coping with being last hired, first fired, and overlooked for promotion to outright hostility in toxic workplaces. Their testimonies chip away at the idea of the inherent goodness of the charitable sector.

“This book is the start of a process to systematically document our experiences, so our voices are the ones that shape the narrative," say the editors. "And, for those whom our stories resonate, we hope they give you the courage to voice your own experience. For those committed to being allies and accomplices in dismantling barriers and championing a sector culture of belonging and reciprocity, we hope the book illuminates a path to action.”

This collection of works also speak to the journey of asserting Black identity in all-white work environments. The writers speak of their quest, often thwarted in the charitable sector, to bring to their workplaces the love they have inherited from their struggles to survive in a white dominated society. These brilliant, first-person narrative essays give voice to a more accurate and complete picture of philanthropy and charity in North America.

In addition to the editors Nneka Allen, Camila Vital Nunes Pereira, and Nicole Salmon, contributors to Collecting Courage include: Birgit Smith Burton, Christal M. Cherry, Kishshana Palmer, Heba Mahmoud, Mide Akerewusi, Naimah Bilal, Niambi Martin-John, Fatou Jammeh, Muthoni Kariuki, Sherrie James, Nicole E. Cozier, and Marva Wisdom. Meet the contributors here.

Please visit the Collecting Courage website to learn more and connect with more resources: www.collectingcourage.org.

The original edition was published in Canada for worldwide distribution by Gail K. Picco, Civil Sector Press, in 2020. Rootstock Publishing has licensed the book for this U.S. edition.

PRAISE

“This is the philanthropic sector’s most important new book to read in 2021! This collection of stories blew my mind. As someone who has worked for years in organizations rooted in the philanthropic sector in the United States and Canada, I found the testimonies of the authors in each of the chapters to be both heart-rending, inspiring, exquisitely written, and convicting. If you are looking for a book to help frame how to move the philanthropic sector towards racial justice or social justice in general, then the leadership of the authors in this book will provide you a humanizing roadmap to do so. Usually a collection of stories can feel disjointed and academically dry, but I think the editors of this collection have gone a long way to ensure that the authors included in this collection were able to write in their own unique style and then they grouped the stories in such a way that those styles blended together perfectly. It's not just a book. It's a song and a call to action.”

—Chris Conroy, partner at The Wellspring Group

______________________

“Collecting Courage is the first and only book that is brave enough to expose the poison that pervades our institutions, corrupts the corridors of power, fuels hate amongst its people, and allows injustice to flourish. But that’s not its endgame. Each writer, by laying bare their pain, also expresses a special resilience through which they find love for oneself and community, create a space for healing, and invite everyone to rebuild a sector that sees its own truth and potential….This book is a must-read as you deepen your personal commitment to equity and social justice. It is a raw and honest chronicling of how racism, white supremacy and patriarchy permeate the world of charitable giving..."

—Dr. Krishan Mehta, The Charity Report

______________________

“Each carefully woven piece carries a segment of a soul, lifts up the brilliance of a brain and gifts to you—the fortunate reader—an unforgettable collection of courage. Collecting Courage satisfies intellectual curiosities while teaching you how to silence negativity and rise above overt obstruction. Each account unleashes familiar feelings through a progressively compassionate prism. This read serves up relevant teachable moments. You will gain tremendous insights on how to empathize, enrich and empower underrepresented identities . This book is a treasured collection.”

—Tycely Williams, chief development officer at America’s Promise Alliance and member of AFP’s Ethics Committee, from a review in Advancing Philanthropy, The Extraordinary Costs of Fundraising While Black.

______________________

“Collecting Courage feels like a healing circle that gives space for discussion with colleagues who bravely share their hurts, their celebrations, and their hopes. It also reads like sitting in a master class with some of the continent’s most successful fundraisers.”

—Raine Liliefeld, The Philanthropist

______________________

“Two themes emerge from Collecting Courage. Firstly, racism towards Black fundraisers is historic and continues to this day, penetrating, poisoning, and polluting the charitable sector. Secondly, that by sharing the narrative of fundraisers who are Black and have experienced that racism can come unity, joy, freedom and love.”

—Rubin Kataki, The Charity Report

______________________

“In the last 10 years of writing what’s amounted to thousands of blog posts, Richard and I have never promoted or reviewed a book… until today. Being middle-aged, white men, it’s easy to go through life not realizing the privilege we’ve had and not having to think about our whiteness. This book brought me to my knees. It opened my eyes and challenged me to really think about what I can do as a white male ally to bring racial and gender equity to our industry.”

—Richard Perry & Jeff Schreifels, Veritus Group Blog

______________________

“This book tells the truth. These 14 fundraisers, workers and leaders endured self-denial, self-doubt and injustice while striving and eventually achieving in the nonprofit world—while Black. Some struggled to regain their identity that was lost in the aspirations to ‘fit-in’ to a war zone riddled with friendly fire.It reads like an expose about the evil tactics of enemies – the managers, leaders and co-workers many who were oblivious to their own privilege and a few who were deliberate and aware, and chose to purposely dull the shine of their Black colleagues, knowing that there would be no consequence. Despite the challenges chronicled in the pages of Collecting Courage, the authors are one triumphant success story after another. They share intimate details about their own struggles to become leaders in the sector—directors, professors, executive directors, CEOs, CFREs, PhDs, MBAs and fundraising executives who have raised millions of dollars for some of North America’s most prestigious schools and charitable organizations.” 

—Ginelle Skerritt, a leader and influencer in the non-profit sector, where she has worked for more than 30 years, and a member of the Review Panel for The Charity Report Literary Circle, from a review in Charity Village.

Reviews & In the News

Talking UP Podcast, December 8, 2021: Episode 17 - Getting personal with the authors of Collecting Courage.

Sharon’s Anti-Racism Newsletter, September 20, 2021: Anti-Racism Reading List - 20 September 2021.

VIDEO

Watch the video of the virtual launch of Collecting Courage in Canada in November 2020 and hear the editors and some of the authors talk about this important book:

MEET THE AUTHORS