Hi all!

This past week, my main projects were prospective donor research and our summer impact report, which tells supporters what the organization has been up to this quarter.

Donor research is really fun because it forces me to get creative and ask myself: what kinds of businesses would support prison abolition? And how do we formulate asks to suit each of them? So far, our team is working on cultivating relationships with cannabis dispensaries, yoga studios, and bookstores who are interested in providing us monetary support. As I have done all of my political organizing in the campus sphere, it has been really interesting to see how campaign finances operate on a larger scale. One of my biggest takeaways has been that, unfortunately, much of the nonprofit world has been and continues to be corporatized. Though EBC has various mutual aid initiatives, the reality is that if you want to get work done, you need people. And if you want people, you need money. To get that money, we need to appeal to wealthy businesses and individuals in the area. This kind of work has always scared me quite a bit, so it's been great to face these fears head-on with the support of my great development team. And I've been pleasantly surprised to learn that all kinds of people support our cause! 

On Tuesday I had the pleasure of attending the launch of EBC's 'Civic Leaders Hub' program, which trains formerly incarcerated individuals in political organizing and leadership skills to mobilize their communities to vote in this coming election. This event was incredibly inspiring as I got to meet many amazing individuals, listen to their stories and learn from their visions of a more just Oakland. The conversation served as a necessary reminder of the importance of voting this year, despite how betrayed we may feel by our government. As systems-impacted individuals continue to be disenfranchised by the government, it is crucial as ever to use our vote/voice for those who can't. 

Overall, this week was great and I learned a lot. I absolutely love meeting people who are apart of the communities EBC serves; the sense of love and community is incredible. Feeling lucky to be apart of this organization.