ABFE News and Updates, September 2010 – Special Issue.

ABFE's Black Men and Boys Initiative: An update on what philanthropy is doing to improve life outcomes for Black men and boys.  Read the interview with Shawn Dove and contributions from Tina Gridiron Smith, George Garrow and Carmen A. Anderson for insight and perspective on the movement in philanthropy. 

SAAB is cited in an interview done with Tina Gridiron Smith for a Special Issue of ABFE's Black Men and Boys Initiative, September 2010. Ms. Gridiron Smith  was asked for her insight and perspective on the movement in philanthropy and asked “What are the strategies that are working in your work around Black men and boys?; What are the successes and challenges?; and How can philanthropy be more effective in improving life outcomes for Black men and boys?”

What are the strategies that are working in your work around Black men and boys? What are the successes and challenges?   How can philanthropy be more effective in improving life outcomes for Black men and boys?

Tina Gridiron Smith

Senior Program Officer

Lumina Foundation for Education

Indianapolis, IN

Lumina Foundation has invested in several education projects that are promising models of what is working in the field to increase the higher education success of Black males. The models are mainly programmatic interventions that provide comprehensive support services for students and set high expectations for African American students’ achievement. The Students of African American Brotherhood, led by Dr. Tyrone Bledsoe and a research project at the University of Pennsylvania led by Dr. Shaun Harper are two noteworthy models. Even with growing data on the effectiveness of these types of programs, there are still challenges with making the case to focus exclusively on the unique and acute circumstances facing Black males in education. The data and evidence is clear that Black males face extraordinary challenges in education, employment and health, and yet too often the tendency in philanthropy is to group the needs of African-American males with those of other low-income boys and ethnicities. The resolution should not be an “either/or” but a “both/and” approach that recognizes and addresses the unique experiences of each group. It is important to engage in targeted-philanthropy to increase the educational success of Black males because, to date, a more general approach focusing on all low-income students or all ethnic populations has not produced a proportional growth in the success of Black males. Equally as important, a focus on African-American males is important for improving the strength of our democracy, economy, civic participation and community engagement. Our national success depends on our ability to increase the number of individuals with a high quality credential or degree.  We need an educated public, not just for some, but for all. No member of our greater population is expendable as we strive to remain an active global partner in the years to come. Given current trends, we cannot accept the increasing mass incarceration of African-American males. Something must be done to increase the educational success of Black boys. Failure to act is unacceptable. 

It has been exciting to be a part of Lumina's continued support for African American males. However, with the realities of limited resources and multiple Foundation projects, it has been essential that I diligently seek opportunities to highlight the needs and challenges facing Black Males within our planning conversations. I manage the internal challenges at our foundation by keeping up with the ever-changing interests within the foundation, and by serving as an advocate for the acute needs of Black males. The challenge of limited resources is one we manage every day. When there are so many educational challenges facing so many different populations, how can we allocate the resources needed to make a difference in the lives of African-American males, while still providing support to other interests? Learning to effectively address all issues given our limited resources is a daunting and on-going challenge.

Philanthropy can’t bury its head in the sand when it comes to funding exclusively work around Black males.  There is a sense of urgency. When you see the number of men who are incarcerated as opposed to the low numbers of African males enrolling in college and even the lower numbers of Black males that ultimately graduate that portends poorly for our communities and our democracy. The road to economic success and global participation requires a rich educated community that must include Black males.

Tina Gridiron Smith serves as a Senior Program Officer for Lumina Foundation for Education in Indianapolis, IN. In this position she actively seeks to remove the postsecondary access and success barriers facing students of color, low-income students, and other underserved student populations. Her current grant portfolio includes over 50 projects designed to improve the postsecondary preparation, access and attainment of all students, with a specific emphasis on highlighting the models of success at minority-serving institutions, improving the policy and practice of developmental education and increasing the postsecondary success of Latino students, African American males and other underserved populations. As a California native, Tina’s career has included positions at the University of California, Berkeley; California State University, Chico; California State University, San Luis Obispo; and Stanford University. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley and two master’s degrees from Stanford University.

ABFE News and Updates is a quarterly publication that reaches our membership of grantmakers in philanthropy as well as practitioners in the field who are working to improve socio-economic conditions in Black communities. For questions or comments please contact Sharon Toomer at stoomer@abfe.org or 646.230.0307. Article taken from the ABFE Website at: http://www.abfe.org/abfe1.asp?pageURL=50&NOticia=3#N3