2021 Meetings and Discussions
Please use this form to RSVP in advance of each meeting.
COFIE meetings are led by Dr. Dwinita Mosby Tyler, Chief Catalyst and Founder of The Equity Project, LLC – an organization designed to support organizations and communities in building diversity, equity and inclusion strategies. She is the former Senior Vice President and Chief Inclusion Officer for Children’s Hospital Colorado – the first African American woman to hold that position in the organization’s 100+ year history. She is also the former Executive Director of the Office of Human Resources for the City and County of Denver – the first African American woman to hold that position in the 63+ year history of the agency. Dr. Mosby Tyler, a consultant accredited by the Georgetown University National Center for Cultural Competence, is nationally recognized for her equity work with non-profit, community, government and for-profit organizations. She is the author of White People Really Like Salad and TEDx Speaker for What if White People Led the Charge to End Racism? And here are a few of her thoughts on chipping away at inequity.
All meetings will be virtual unless stated otherwise below.
All meetings will be virtual unless stated otherwise below.
- Wednesday, January 6 from 9am - 11am via Zoom
- POWER: What it is and how to use it to advance racial equity. Join COFIE members to examine the types of power our organizations hold, the power we each yield within our organizations, and how to use it to advance racial equity. We'll discuss learnings we are carrying from the racial unrest of 2020 to show up more authentically and with conviction in 2021, as well as come up with tangible ways to influence racial equity within our spheres of power. RSVP here!
- POWER: What it is and how to use it to advance racial equity. Join COFIE members to examine the types of power our organizations hold, the power we each yield within our organizations, and how to use it to advance racial equity. We'll discuss learnings we are carrying from the racial unrest of 2020 to show up more authentically and with conviction in 2021, as well as come up with tangible ways to influence racial equity within our spheres of power. RSVP here!
- Thursday, February 4 from 2pm - 4pm via Zoom
- The Toxic Workplace: What to do about it and when to walk away. In this session Dr. Nita will guide a discussion on how to identify and assess toxicity in your workplace. There are times in your philanthropic career when you may be faced with racism within your organization. Gain the tools to decide when to stay and help guide your organization towards true equity, and when to move to a more healthy environment for your own personal care. Dr. Nita will share her own experience in a toxic nonprofit environment and how and when she decided to walk away. RSVP here!
- The Toxic Workplace: What to do about it and when to walk away. In this session Dr. Nita will guide a discussion on how to identify and assess toxicity in your workplace. There are times in your philanthropic career when you may be faced with racism within your organization. Gain the tools to decide when to stay and help guide your organization towards true equity, and when to move to a more healthy environment for your own personal care. Dr. Nita will share her own experience in a toxic nonprofit environment and how and when she decided to walk away. RSVP here!
- March: Break, no meeting
- Thursday, April 1 from 9am - 11am
- Money as Medicine: How to use wealth for healing, reconciliation and wholeness. Join COFIE members to follow up on our previous book talk with Edgar Villanueva, author of Decolonizing Wealth, to explore how to use money as medicine for healing and wholeness. His recently-released journal provides us with the opportunity to reflect on our relationship to money, racial justice, and the history of colonization in the U.S. and its global implications, and to identify practical action steps towards reconciliation. Members will walk away with practical guidance to take action based on the central insights of Decolonizing Wealth, the Seven Steps Toward Healing, and ways to use your 'medicine' at home, work, and in your community. RSVP here!
- Money as Medicine: How to use wealth for healing, reconciliation and wholeness. Join COFIE members to follow up on our previous book talk with Edgar Villanueva, author of Decolonizing Wealth, to explore how to use money as medicine for healing and wholeness. His recently-released journal provides us with the opportunity to reflect on our relationship to money, racial justice, and the history of colonization in the U.S. and its global implications, and to identify practical action steps towards reconciliation. Members will walk away with practical guidance to take action based on the central insights of Decolonizing Wealth, the Seven Steps Toward Healing, and ways to use your 'medicine' at home, work, and in your community. RSVP here!
- Thursday, May 6 from 2pm - 4pm
- Arts engagement in the social justice movement. What if artists led the community response after an emergency? What if we integrated art of all forms into every space and place we occupy? How can philanthropy bring art to the forefront of equity work within our institutions and the sector? We’ll explore how art is not only a way to express oneself, but can offer a new way of healing and driving action for systemic change. RSVP here!
- Arts engagement in the social justice movement. What if artists led the community response after an emergency? What if we integrated art of all forms into every space and place we occupy? How can philanthropy bring art to the forefront of equity work within our institutions and the sector? We’ll explore how art is not only a way to express oneself, but can offer a new way of healing and driving action for systemic change. RSVP here!
- June: Break, no meeting
- Thursday, July 8 from 9am - 11am
- Racism and bias built into technology. Algorithms – machine decision-making – often dictate what information we access, but they also make political, economic, and social decisions, such as who receives parole, without us thinking much about these technology tools. We cannot assume these computer processes are neutral because they are created by humans with all their bias baggage. How can philanthropy support communities in disrupting how and when algorithmic tools are used to affect their livelihoods? RSVP here!
- Racism and bias built into technology. Algorithms – machine decision-making – often dictate what information we access, but they also make political, economic, and social decisions, such as who receives parole, without us thinking much about these technology tools. We cannot assume these computer processes are neutral because they are created by humans with all their bias baggage. How can philanthropy support communities in disrupting how and when algorithmic tools are used to affect their livelihoods? RSVP here!
- Thursday, July 22 from 4pm - 6pm
- EPIP CO + COFIE + CNA + Philanthropy CO: Party to Enhance Equity in Philanthropy (PEEP). EPIP Colorado, Colorado Funders for Inclusiveness and Equity, Colorado Nonprofit Association and Philanthropy Colorado are teaming up to host our own version of PEEP (Party to Enhance Equity in Philanthropy). As you may know, this originated with Nonprofit AF leader Vu Le and was formerly known as BEER (Beverage to Enhance Equity in Relationships). The event is meant to bring together nonprofit and philanthropic leaders to help break down the pervasive power dynamics in our work and as a small tool to help us see each other in our full humanity. This event typically takes place near the summer solstice but was on hold last year due to the pandemic. We are hosting in July (it will be virtual, per EPIP guidelines for events in 2021). So, grab yourselves some tasty snacks and your beverage of choice and join us for some fun and relationship building across our fields. Feel free to invite philanthropy and nonprofit friends within your network! Register here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the event.
- EPIP CO + COFIE + CNA + Philanthropy CO: Party to Enhance Equity in Philanthropy (PEEP). EPIP Colorado, Colorado Funders for Inclusiveness and Equity, Colorado Nonprofit Association and Philanthropy Colorado are teaming up to host our own version of PEEP (Party to Enhance Equity in Philanthropy). As you may know, this originated with Nonprofit AF leader Vu Le and was formerly known as BEER (Beverage to Enhance Equity in Relationships). The event is meant to bring together nonprofit and philanthropic leaders to help break down the pervasive power dynamics in our work and as a small tool to help us see each other in our full humanity. This event typically takes place near the summer solstice but was on hold last year due to the pandemic. We are hosting in July (it will be virtual, per EPIP guidelines for events in 2021). So, grab yourselves some tasty snacks and your beverage of choice and join us for some fun and relationship building across our fields. Feel free to invite philanthropy and nonprofit friends within your network! Register here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the event.
- Thursday, August 5 from 2pm - 4pm
- Oppressive Data: How philanthropy's data indicators contribute to systemic oppression. Foundations want to ensure that the funds they are entrusted with have a maximum impact on the community. But what data do we collect directly or through our grantees to track progress that exacerbates racial inequities? This session will help you review your own foundation's indicators and consider which to bring to your team for reconsideration. RSVP here!
- Oppressive Data: How philanthropy's data indicators contribute to systemic oppression. Foundations want to ensure that the funds they are entrusted with have a maximum impact on the community. But what data do we collect directly or through our grantees to track progress that exacerbates racial inequities? This session will help you review your own foundation's indicators and consider which to bring to your team for reconsideration. RSVP here!
- Friday, September 10 from 3pm - 5pm
- Gathering for BIPOC members of COFIE. As part of COFIE work to promote equity in the philanthropic sector, we want to make space specifically for our BIPOC members to have room to discuss the issues that most impact them. Dr. Dwinita will facilitate this discussion on healing, safety and the continued inequities faced by BIPOC members. RSVP here!
"Valuing and protecting spaces for people of color (PoC) is not just a kind thing that white people can do to help us feel better; supporting these spaces is crucial to the resistance of oppression. When people of color are together, there can be healing. We can reclaim parts of ourselves that have been repressed. We can redefine ourselves and support one another in embracing who we are." - The Arrow
- Gathering for BIPOC members of COFIE. As part of COFIE work to promote equity in the philanthropic sector, we want to make space specifically for our BIPOC members to have room to discuss the issues that most impact them. Dr. Dwinita will facilitate this discussion on healing, safety and the continued inequities faced by BIPOC members. RSVP here!
- Thursday, October 7 from 9am - 11am
- Implementing Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Practices. This session will give you the opportunity to learn both from Dr. Dwinita and your fellow foundation COFIE members on some work being done in your own backyard. This is the chance to take what you've learned from previous sessions this year and build a plan to suggest real EDI changes to your leadership and colleagues. Determine based on your foundation's size, capacity, and EDI journey which processes to start first and who you need to involve. RSVP here!
- Implementing Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Practices. This session will give you the opportunity to learn both from Dr. Dwinita and your fellow foundation COFIE members on some work being done in your own backyard. This is the chance to take what you've learned from previous sessions this year and build a plan to suggest real EDI changes to your leadership and colleagues. Determine based on your foundation's size, capacity, and EDI journey which processes to start first and who you need to involve. RSVP here!
- Thursday, November 4 from 2pm - 4pm
- Healing justice and restorative practices. We do hard work that requires fortitude and spirit. These internal resources can be easily depleted unless we prioritize self-care and joy. Healing justice integrates meditation, dance, and other restorative practices into social justice work so we not only take care of the community but ourselves. How can we bring these practices into our daily lives? Are there lessons to apply to how philanthropy shows up for its communities? RSVP here!
- Healing justice and restorative practices. We do hard work that requires fortitude and spirit. These internal resources can be easily depleted unless we prioritize self-care and joy. Healing justice integrates meditation, dance, and other restorative practices into social justice work so we not only take care of the community but ourselves. How can we bring these practices into our daily lives? Are there lessons to apply to how philanthropy shows up for its communities? RSVP here!
- Thursday, December 2 from 9am - 1am: Holiday Session/Book Club
- Topic TBD
Updated 6.25.2021
