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This summer, Program Officer Jessica Jones-Lewis interviewed two recipients of the Logan Scholarship, a Kelly High School program led by Brighton Park Neighborhood Council (BPNC) and funded by the Reva and David Logan Foundation. 

Background

In 2015, Kartemquin Films produced a film about the Kelly College Prep Girls Soccer Team, partially funded by the Foundation. The film followed three young women from Brighton Park as they went through high school and participated in soccer. It examined their struggles with poverty, family, immigration, and the perils of trying to accomplish something more. During the filming of the documentary, several of the teens were actively organizing with BPNC to improve the Brighton Park neighborhood and support the multi-year campaign to renovate Kelly Park directly across the street from Kelly High School, which had been unusable for soccer. With little to no funding to pay for buses to take the girls to practice or take the girls to soccer games, Kelly’s soccer team and its partnership with BPNC was a unique opportunity to impact Brighton Park. 

When Kartemquin released the film, BPNC went on a couple junkets with the young women, the Kelly principal, and other leaders to talk about the community and its needs. Richard Logan, President of the Reva and David Logan Foundation, discovered them at one of these junkets and approached BPNC to see how the Foundation could support young women at Kelly High School. Through a variety of conversations and strategy sessions, they designed the Logan Scholarship. 

The original scholarship helped cover costs of tuition for undergraduate and master’s degrees for 3 young women, but then shifted to focus on supporting 5-6 women at Kelly with their undergraduate degrees. The $20,000 award helps to close the financial gap that remains after all their financial aid and scholarships are applied, a deficit that otherwise prevents many young people from graduating. In addition to tuition costs, the scholarship has evolved to include support services and an emergency fund for all the unexpected costs associated with attending college. It’s been an enormous success. 

Our first interviewee is Diana, who majored in English and Creative Writing and graduated May 2025. She is currently pursuing her Master’s in Hispanic Literature.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Jessica: Diana, why was college an important step for you right out of high school?

Diana: I immigrated here 9 years ago. The way I explain it to people is: there are 10 doors, and 9 out of 10 are open for people who were born and raised here. 8 out of 10 are going to be closed for me, just because I didn’t have some knowledge or privileges that other people have here. I need a key for those doors, and anything I can get—either college, internships, university—it’s pretty important to me. I knew that I wanted to pursue higher education, and since I got here, my family, my classmates, my teachers would tell me, “All you can do is high school.” But different doors kept opening. 

The Alternative Application [for Illinois Financial Aid] became a thing when I was still in high school; when I was a freshman that was not a thing, so that’s when people were telling me I was not going to be able to pursue higher education. I like proving everyone wrong, even myself. Back then I didn’t think I would be able to pursue a Master’s, and now I’m doing it. I wanted to do it as fast as I can just because I have the time and I still get support from my parents. I need time to get all those keys, as many as I can. 

Jessica: How else did high school prepare you for the next step? And in what ways did it not prepare you?

Diana: I had really good teachers at Kelly that prepared me for the workload, like the pressure of certain assignments, meeting certain requirements. I had a teacher who wanted my class to get Honors credit but we couldn’t because we were part of the bilingual program, and for some reason we couldn’t get both. So she said, “Even if you don’t get the credit, you will get the knowledge.” It was a tough class, but I got the experience, the hard work it takes to be in an Honors class. 

It had a lot to do with those teachers. They gave me a lot of warnings like, “College is not going to be as easy, you’re not going to have this close of a relationship with your professor in college.” I didn’t really listen to them at the time because I was like, “Nah, they’re overreacting,” but they weren’t. I’m pretty grateful for those teachers. 

And the ways I felt unprepared—it was a little bit hard for me to adjust to college because I thought it was going to be the same dynamic and it wasn’t. Even though they told me that structure-wise it was going to be more independent, the assignments and responsibilities were going to be on me and no one was going to be there to push me or expect something from me as a teacher in high school would, I didn’t get to experience that before college. And they told me that was going to happen, but I guess it was my own ignorance that made me unprepared. I should listen more. 

Jessica: It’s always hard to believe other people until you experience it. I hear that. Can you paint a picture of what your first year of college was like?

Diana: My first year, I didn’t expect to be fully on my own. I remember one time I had a doctor’s appointment and I was like, “Oh my god, I have to tell my professor.” And I went to him and I told him, “Tomorrow I might need to leave a bit earlier because I have a doctor’s appointment.” And he told me, “It’s your time. We don’t care if you’re here. We don’t care if you leave early.” It was more like a joke, but he straight up told me, “We don’t care if you’re here or not.” If it had been in high school, some of my teachers would have been like, “Are you okay? What is going on?” It would have been different.

It was pretty hard. My grades, I’ve never been a C student, and I got C’s and B’s for my first semester, and it was really hard on me because I take a lot of pride in my grades and that’s my motivation. So when I saw that I was like, “This cannot be happening.” My second semester, that first year, I had to lock in. It took a little while. I was trying to understand the whole dynamic of college and I had to take fewer classes than I took my first semester, but I think that helped me start getting used to the structure and responsibility. 

My second semester got pretty lonely because it’s not like high school, everyone is in their own world and has their own struggles. They go to class and they don’t talk to anybody, and then they leave class. So that was a little bit challenging too. There would be days that I wouldn’t talk at all. My first words of the day would be after getting home and seeing my family and being like, “Oh, hi, I’m here.” And I would realize this was the first time I’d talked the whole day. So that was also a little bit hard.

I had some high school friends at the time that were going to UIC as well, so that helped me. But there were some ups and downs for that first year. 

Jessica: So you were a commuter student to campus. Do you think that some of the structural aspects would have been different if you had stayed on campus?

Diana: Yeah, definitely. Later on, I joined clubs when I was old enough to stay late, because they’re meant to be for people in the dorms. Most of them are 7pm, 8pm, and if I stayed, I would be getting home at 8, 9, that would have been too late for me. It would have been totally different for me if I had been at the dorms or closer to campus. 

Jessica: How did you find out about opportunities for meeting new people?

Diana: We have the involvement fairs where we learn a lot about clubs. I would go because you get freebies, so it would be fun to go and get information. I never really thought about joining or trying to get more involved until my second year. I did have some friends from high school, but we had different schedules so we wouldn’t really see each other, and I started to get pretty lonely. I struggled with depression and anxiety for my second year, and I had the privilege to have therapy outside of school. Through that I was able to get the courage to go to events. I started going to events by myself which was pretty scary, but I knew if I were to go with a friend I would spend the whole event with them and I wouldn’t make an effort to meet other people. It did help me in the long run. 

Jessica: Can you share the support that you received from the Logan Scholarship program before you started college, while you were in school, and then as you’ve graduated? 

Diana: Before starting college, I remember they immediately sent me a list of materials for school that I could ask for. [My student support coordinator] was like, “Even if you don’t think you need it right now, ask for it, because you might need it later on.” I remember I was really hesitant. There was an iPad option, and I was like, “I don’t know if I’m gonna need that,” and she was like, “Trust me, you’re gonna need it later on.” And then I did. Most of my books are now on that iPad. It was a good choice. I guess for me, I struggled a lot throughout the whole experience with asking for stuff. It felt too exploitative. So having people like Maria and Esmeralda tell me, “No, you can ask, you can ask,” that was really nice. 

For my financial aid, I got a little bit of an issue with it in my third year. [The financial aid department] took it all away. The scholarship helped me a lot with that, which I was really grateful for. But it was beyond the money or the tuition. I remember for the Alternative Application, not a lot of people know how to fill that one out. Every time I had to fill that out, I texted or emailed Maria asking, “Can you please help me?” And she was pretty familiar with the process. I don’t know anything about taxes, so I was really confused and scared of filling something out wrong and then getting in some kind of trouble. Even after she left the scholarship, she helped me again. She told me to come to Kelly. She said, “It’s my lunch time but I can help you really fast.” It was those kinds of details that helped me. The money is really helpful, but it’s not the only thing that’s gonna make you succeed. 

I’m a first-generation student. For undergrad, I did have friends from high school who were going to college too so I could ask them questions, but now none of my friends are going for their Master’s. My family supports me to an extent, but there’s some things they don’t know or understand. So just having someone to talk about it, a community to ask questions about it. Sometimes I will say to Esmeralda, “I don’t know what’s going on,” and she will say, “Maybe you can ask this person, maybe you can communicate to this department.” Things that may be common sense, but sometimes I get really overwhelmed, so I do need someone to tell me, “This could be an option, you can do this.” That’s been pretty helpful, even after the scholarship. 

Jessica: How do you feel that the Logan Scholars program was different than the opportunities the university provided you as a student? 

Diana: It goes back to how involved the scholarship is with the students and how personal it can get. For the check ins, we would talk about school but also about personal situations. I was offered multiple times, “If you need support we can contact a therapist, we can help you with that.” UIC does offer some counseling sessions that you can go to, but just having someone that knows you, and is getting updates on your life and is interested in that, it’s pretty different from other institutions or scholarships. 

Also, there’s a kind of commitment from both parties. I know you and you are helping me, and I have a face to the person who is helping me, so I have a commitment to do the best I can with what you are giving me, and you have a commitment to help me. I think it’s a really nice cycle. The scholarship really wants you to succeed not just academically but in other areas of your life. If you succeed in those areas, it’s going to be easier for you to succeed in college. 

I remember when my last story got published, I think Esmeralda, after my parents, was the first person to tell me “I’m so proud of you,” and that felt so nice. I was really scared about the story because it was about the refugee situation and it was in favor of the refugees. It was one of my first stories, so I thought, “If people don’t like it, it’s gonna be my first ‘cancel’ situation, people are gonna hate me.” And having Esmeralda saying, “I’m proud of you,” and, “I’d like to share it with other people,” it’s pretty different from any other scholarship or institution that I’ve had contact with. That really motivates you to keep going and prove to them that what they’re doing is worth something.

Jessica: Can you share what your family’s experience has been like during your college years? 

Diana: Well, they experienced my stress. For my second year, I was struggling a lot with anxiety, because for high school I wouldn’t have to speak English at all, and then for college it was the complete opposite. If I wanted my voice to be heard, my participation to matter, my opinion to matter I would have to speak up in English, I would have to present in English. So I had a period of time when I was struggling with anxiety attacks, and my family, especially my mom, was there to support me a lot during that time. 

I remember one time there was a mix-up with an exam I had to take online and I couldn’t do it when I opened it, and then I closed the computer and went to do my stuff, and when I came back the timer had run out and I had an F. I think it was a midterm exam, and I got so anxious I had an attack, and my mom held me and said, “It’s ok, it’s ok.” She’s pretty logical so she was like, “You can text the teacher, you can talk to somebody, it’s ok, it’s just a grade.” They helped me to the best of their abilities, mostly emotionally. 

When they took my financial aid, I cried a lot that day too, and they were like “It’s ok, they helped you already so it’s time for us to help you.” I never really wanted to take their money because I know that they have personal goals and dreams they want to achieve, so me taking their money was like me getting in the way of those goals and dreams. I feel like it should be the opposite. I should be helping them with their goals and dreams instead of taking away from them. So when that happened, they were like, “We’re gonna give you the money, whatever you need we’re gonna help you with it.” But I didn’t do it. I got a job. I asked the scholarship program, “Whatever help you can give, I would really appreciate it.” 

My dad, he didn’t really want me to go for English. He would always be like, “Why not a doctor? Why not a lawyer?” And I would be like, “No, dad, the humanities are dying, I really need to do something about it.” Even now they’re like, “Oh, you’re getting your Master’s, for what?” And it’s like, “Hispanic literature,” and they’re like, “Oh…” So even though they don’t really understand it or they would like me to pursue something else, they’re really supportive and mostly understanding, as much as they can be.

Maybe they don’t love the humanities, but they’re really supportive of whatever I write. For the refugee story, my dad was pretty opposed to it. He had a very strong stance of, “I don’t want them here, they’re taking opportunities from us.” So I was really anxious about him reading the story. That story was actually from a class I took, and a professor at UIC helped me get that published. My dad read it without me when my brother was there, and I asked my brother, “Did he get mad? What did he say?” And he told me, “He just said, ‘Oh wow.’ And he closed it.” And I was like, “In a disappointing way?” And he said, “No, he was just surprised. I think he was proud.” As soon as we got physical copies of the magazine, he said, “I want one, I want a magazine with your story in it.” 

Throughout college, as I accomplished certain stuff and they were able to see the accomplishments, they’ve been able to understand it more, to change certain perspectives. I feel like education is really important to keep yourself educated, especially nowadays with the whole situation. There’s a quote that says, “I study not to be smarter, but to be less ignorant.” So that’s the way I see it, and I feel like my family is getting some of that, even if they’re not themselves going to college. The way they see me acting or fighting or advocating for certain stuff in my writing, when they read it, they get some of that education.

Jessica: What are your long-term goals and aspirations?

Diana: For now, I want to get the Master’s. I would like to get an MFA in Creative Writing. So now with the Bachelor’s in English and a Master’s in Hispanic Literature, with an MFA I would be able to teach Creative Writing, which is what I would like to do. I had a teacher once that made me realize this is my passion, and that I really liked creative and professional writing, and what I could do and communicate through that. So I would really love to be that person for a different student. I would love to be a writer, but writing doesn’t give you that much money. So you need a day job for your night job. I would love to keep advocating for people and making space for people like me in my writing. That’s something I’ve experienced through other writers as well. I want to create that space physically and metaphorically. 

Jessica: Are there other things that you want to share about your experience?

Diana: Maybe just the gratitude of it all. Especially with the situation right now, with what I’m seeing, I was pretty privileged to have this support. I really think it was a luck thing. Somehow life gave me that privilege, and without it, I wouldn’t have been able to get as far as I did. I really want that to be a thing for more people, especially when it comes to majors like mine. Language and writing and communications are important to advocate for yourself and for your community. I remember thinking I’m gonna go for it because, thanks to this scholarship, I don’t have to worry about the money. I don’t have to make profit immediately to pay thousands in loans, so I can go for my passion. I feel like a lot of people drop out of college because they do it for the money and not for the passion, and they cannot handle everything. I didn’t have to stress about money, I didn’t have to be in a major I hated. That really helped me succeed. And I do give all the credit to the scholarship and I would love for other people to have that and to help in any way I can to make that happen. 

Jessica: Make sure you give yourself credit. The scholarship side is the easy part. You’re the one putting in the hours and the work to make that success. 

Read Diana’s story ‘La Bestia’ here.

It is easy to get lost in the excitement of having a brand new baby. For a new parent, there is nothing like the feeling of holding their newborn baby to their chest, and being surrounded by their loved ones. Unfortunately, the reality of taking care of a new baby even a week later can be less joy-filled.

When the visitors leave, and friends and family resume their daily lives, the physical, mental, and emotional demands of new parenthood are often unimaginably hard and unspoken. Not only do birthing parents have to navigate potentially challenging deliveries—with Black birthers being six times more likely to die from pregnancy related causes—they also have to heal from the physical demands of childbirth. The Mayo Clinic lists myriad physical symptoms with a recommended rest time of at least 6 weeks after delivery before resuming typical schedules. With no universal paid parental leave in the United States, 6 weeks is not always an option for new moms despite the risk of additional harm and health complications arising from resuming work too early. Birthing parents must also contend with sleep deprivation and the isolation of caring for a newborn, with as many as 1 in 7 mothers experiencing postpartum depression up to 6 months after childbirth.

This reality—plus a global pandemic—inspired Jamie Taratoot to pay it forward for new birthing people. In March 2020, Jamie connected with a new mom in an online parenting group who needed a car seat. Jamie was happy to deliver her own as she no longer needed it. After talking with the mom, one thing was clear to Jamie: new moms don’t know what they need until the baby arrives. This is especially true if they don’t have a strong support network or the means to procure these items.

With the support of other moms, Jamie provided the same new mom with a baby shower’s worth of newborn materials in addition to the car seat to help her more easily navigate the crucial first three months. This kind gesture evolved into EveryMom Chicago, a nonprofit organization that believes every mom, regardless of circumstance, deserves to feel prepared, supported, and celebrated.

In partnership with local hospitals, community health care centers, and nonprofits, EveryMom Chicago currently connects over 330 expectant birthing people in underserved communities with new baby kits for the early weeks of parenthood. These kits contain newborn, postpartum, and breastfeeding essentials for families. Each kit was developed in consultation with OB/GYNs, nurses, doulas, social workers, early childhood development specialists, and current parents. The kits contain both practical supplies and a local guide to help connect families with other free resources across Chicago.

On Friday, July 11th, Co-Executive Director Crystal Logan and Program Officer Jessica Jones-Lewis saw EveryMom Chicago’s work in action at its monthly Kit and Community Night. During these events, EveryMom invites volunteers, community members, and their families to meet and mingle with Jamie and the organization’s board members over food, drinks, music, and immaculate vibes. Food for this particular event was donated by Chef Art Smith.

Once everyone had some time to get to know each other, attendees participated in assembling kits for new parents. All the materials were lined up on banquet tables, ready to place inside baby bathtubs which doubled as kit baskets. The kits are equipped with everything from infant soap, baby washcloths, onesies, board books, NoseFridas and baby toothbrushes. At the end of the evening, 32 volunteers had assembled over 100 new baby kits.

One of EveryMom’s board members, a labor and delivery nurse, took some kits back to Roseland Hospital after the event and hand-delivered them to a new mom and her baby. “When I walked in with the newborn kit, post-partum kit, and breastfeeding bags, her mother started to cry,” she said, “which made me and the nurses on shift cry. The mom had the brightest smile and was extremely happy.”

EveryMom Chicago is making a huge impact on the people they serve annually, but there is a pressing need to increase support for new mothers across Chicago. To learn more about EveryMom and how to support their work, visit their website.

As federal funding cuts imposed by the current administration have trickled down into revoked grants for nonprofits, less contract opportunities from the city and state, and hesitation from private funders, many local nonprofits across Chicago have had to re-evaluate how they can generate and sustain funding with fewer reliable resources. On May 29th, the Leaders of Color Collective and AMPT Chicago came together in community for a panel discussion on diversifying funding and sustaining revenue during a deeply uncertain time.

Four nonprofit leaders, joined by co-moderators Jamyle Cannon and Ana Agarrat, shared their experiences on the panel: 

Shawn Sorsby, Executive Director of A Step Ahead Chess
Liz Jansen, Executive Director of Women Unite!
Carlos Robles-Shanahan, Founder and Director of Duo Development
Amanda Williams, Organizer at Chicago United Solidarity Project

Throughout the discussion, panelists coalesced around the central idea that nonprofit leaders should rethink their mindset toward money. As Robles-Shanahan shared, “Some of us don’t know to differentiate between capitalism and commerce, and the fact that not all commerce is capitalism. Not all commerce is exploitative…or meant to hold somebody else down.” 

Jansen, Sorsby, and Agarrat reinforced this sentiment by emphasizing their fee-for-service work. Whether fee-for-service was by design or necessity, each leader shared the need for organizations to recognize the value of their programming. By seeing the inherent value of their organizations’ work and the true cost to providing a quality product, organizations should stop settling for less and generate revenue that reflects thriving, full-fledged programming. 

“When people ask, ‘How much does it cost?’ we answer, ‘How little can we do it for?’” Cannon said. “Those are two different questions, and you shouldn’t answer one with the other.”

Amanda Williams, a community organizer with Chicago United Solidarity Project (CUSP), echoed the sentiment of knowing value and worth, but also shared the importance of leaning on their community. Williams shared that CUSP does “a lot for our community partners, and because of that, they do a lot for us. So, we borrow all we can, barter. I think a lot of it is just returning to the way that we have survived.” While funding is key to nonprofit work, communities and people of color who have not traditionally had access to wealth have often found ways to flourish and uplift each other beyond financial wealth. 

Williams introduced the idea of co-struggling  and asking ourselves “questions like, what are we good at? And be honest about what we’re good at, what we’re not good at, and pull in folks who fill in those gaps because I think it takes every part of a ship to have it steer and go.” 

Through the process of co-struggling, Williams and Jansen developed a Summer Series fundraiser that brings together several organizations each year to host community-based events that share proceeds evenly across organizations. Each partner-organization brings different strengths and capacity to the table in order to maximize the success of their fundraising.

All panelists emphasized the importance of relationship-building and market research, and maintaining these efforts regularly to be prepared for crises. Sorsby said, “If I was to go to the bank, and I was like, ‘Yo, I need a loan, I’m about to foreclose on my house, my wife left me, I have no money.’ They’re going to be like, ‘No, we’re not going to give you any money.’ … But if I already was in a good place and I’m building a relationship, they’re going to be offering money at a lower rate anyway. So, you want to build the relationships before you actually need them.”

As the panel concluded, participants walked away with new perspectives centered on knowing their value and being compensated accordingly, co-struggling, and thinking beyond traditional methods of fundraising. Nonprofits are a tax classification, not a business structure—leaders should think innovatively about attracting funding to support their work and long-term vision because it will give them the freedom to lead with intention.

Watch the full panel discussion here for in-depth discussion, practical tips for diversifying revenue, and messages of hope from one nonprofit leader of color to another.

If you would like to get involved with the Leaders of Color Collective and stay updated on future events, please email Jessica Jones-Lewis, jessica(at)loganfdn(dot)org. 

As a response to the pandemic, the Reva and David Logan Foundation launched what was supposed to be a short-term food distribution program, yet the need for high quality, nutritious fruits and vegetables has only grown. We continue to remain committed to providing these vital and healthy goods to our neighbors. Last year, our Fresh Produce Program supported 121 pop-up distributions throughout more than 17 Chicago south and west side neighborhoods and communities.

While most of our work in the program consists of working directly with farmers and organizations, a unique opportunity arose between two of our partners. The Bloc has provided a free food distribution to their local community twice a month for a couple of years, but they found that they no longer had capacity to prepare the goods for distribution. With the Foundation’s support, they teamed up with our partner Dion’s Chicago Dream (DCD), who now prepares the 400+ fresh produce boxes for The Bloc’s pop-ups.

Everyone’s collective efforts ensure the success of the partnership. Feedback is collected from clients to ensure the most culturally appropriate food is provided. Grapes, for example, were increased recently after youth enthusiastically expressed appreciation for having crisp, delicious grapes included as healthy treats in school lunches and snacks. We have also adjusted the start times of pop-ups to prevent long wait times and ensure the community feels safe when receiving their boxes.

“The impact on the community has been amazing,” said The Bloc’s Director of Operations, Carla Arias-Chavez. “Many people are excited to receive the boxes, as they truly rely on them as a consistent source of fresh produce. It is with pride that we distribute Dion’s boxes, knowing they make such a difference. On our end, handing off the production of these boxes to an organization that has the expertise in this very thing has been a great decision on our end. By saving significant time and resources, we’ve been able to reinvest in the community and expand our growing footprint.”

At the end of 2024, the Reva and David Logan Foundation, in partnership with the taz Panther Foundation, the Wau Holland Foundation and Whistleblower-Netzwerk, proudly announced the launch of the International Ellsberg Whistleblower Award, named after Daniel and Patricia Ellsberg.

Daniel Ellsberg was the most important whistleblower of his time. By disclosing the “Pentagon Papers,” he exposed the lies perpetuated by several US administrations, contributing to the ending of the Vietnam War. His disclosure also resulted in a significant Supreme Court decision for press freedom. The award was established to preserve the spirit of his legacy.

The prize will be presented to individuals and organizations worldwide whose efforts have helped disclose information that significantly enhances free public or scientific debate strengthening the public’s right to know. Their revelations will give the public the chance to participate in debates and decision-making processes on key issues that affect democracy and society as a whole.

The first to receive the award is Mr. Daniel Everette Hale, a former National Security Agency (NSA) intelligence analyst who spoke out about high civilian casualties and governmental misconduct regarding US drone warfare (2014). Concerning his motivation Hale explained: “No person should have to die for a crime that they did not commit. Just as no person should have to live with the burden of having taken a poor, defenseless, innocent life” (Daniel Hale, 2019). His whistleblowing raised critical awareness about the balance between national security, the public’s right to know, and ethics in modern warfare, as his lawyer Jesselyn Radack elaborated in her laudatory speech. For his courageous disclosures, Hale was indicted under the draconian 1917 US Espionage Act and sentenced to prison in 2021. In February 2024, Hale was released from prison after having served 33 months from which he is currently recovering.

It was Daniel Ellsberg’s personal wish that Daniel Hale received the inaugural Ellsberg Whistleblower Award.

The awardees will receive 10,000 euros. The founding members envision the award evolving into a global network of support and recognition for whistleblowers, especially in places where their contributions to democracy and the common good might otherwise be concealed or go unnoticed. Civil society organizations and concerned individuals will have the opportunity to become members of the jury and nominate deserving whistleblowers from their respective communities.

For further information about the award, nomination processes, and how to become a member, please visit https://ellsberg-award.org.

On January 16th, Searching for Justice premiered at Steppenwolf Theatre to a sold-out audience. 

Set in the office of a professor writing a paper on the school-to-prison pipeline, Searching for Justice tackles the question of what is justice. That question is asked again and again as a revolving door of visitors enter the office space: a burnt-out Illinois State Representative, an argumentative law professor who supports the status quo, a grieving janitor whose daughter was murdered, and a woman looking for support for her incarcerated brother. Poetry monologues full of emotion, depth, and rhythm are interspersed between nuanced conversations about the impacts of violence, the school-to-prison pipeline, and incarceration.

Through the interactions between characters, it is clear that no one receives true justice in our current system. Even when the perpetrator of violence is incarcerated, the victim’s family receives no resources or support for their insurmountable grief and loss. Incarcerated folks’ families end up “doing time” with them—they have to take second mortgages to pay legal fees, or drive five hours to the detention center to see their loved one just to turn back because of a lockdown. Incarcerated people are often released with severe trauma and little support for their re-entry into a radically different society. Billions are spent on the incarceration system instead of on consistently underinvested and over-policed communities whose children grow up with little hope of a better future.

The play received a standing ovation from the audience. The cast were overwhelmed with emotion seeing the full and ecstatic crowd. “Changing the narrative is how we’re going to change the law,” said Restore Justice staff after the performance.

The road to Steppenwolf was a unique journey that brought together Mud Theatre Project and Restore Justice Foundation. Mud Theatre Project was formed by artists in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Members of the team have become national award-winning playwrights and writers. Executive Director Brian Beals is currently an apprentice in Restore Justice’s Future Leaders Apprenticeship Program (FLAP), which receives funding from the Reva and David Logan Foundation. 

FLAP is a full-time comprehensive program that supports and cultivates the leadership and advocacy skills in those coming home after serving extreme sentences, many of whom received these sentences as teenagers. Through the program, they receive a combination of on-the-job experience and related coaching, as well as a full-time salary with benefits. In addition to learning how to navigate life after incarceration, FLAP participants learn to advocate for policies that support their families, communities, and individuals still serving extreme sentences.

Searching for Justice is Mud Theatre Project’s first performance outside of the correctional center. All cast members are either formerly or currently incarcerated, or impacted by incarceration of a family member.

Congratulations to Mud Theatre Project and Restore Justice on a well-researched, well-written play with amazing performances from the cast. We highly recommend checking out Restore Justice’s new project “More Than a Conviction: Stories of Children Sentenced to Life Without Parole,” which shares the insights and lived experiences of formerly and currently incarcerated people and their loved ones, as well as research on the impact of life without parole sentences imposed on juveniles.

On November 7^th, the Leaders of Color Collective partnered with AMPT: Advancing Nonprofits for LoCC in at AMPT, an event where nonprofit leaders of color came together for a panel discussion and community building. 

The panel consisted of five leaders from a diverse set of organizations: ángela munguía, Executive Director of AMPT; Jamyle Cannon, Executive Director of The Bloc; Christina Bourné, Director of Development at Forward Momentum Chicago; Sheerine Alemzadeh, Co-Director and Co-Founder of Healing to Action; and Edwin Martinez, Executive Director and Co-Founder at Centro Sanar.

At the forefront of the discussion was the effort of undoing “white bias”, which can pervade every aspect of an organization’s existence. For example, philanthropy often dictates to nonprofit organizations of color that they must have the right results before funders will provide resources, leading organizations to prioritize metrics over the process. This same malefaction can also cloud an organization’s culture. The status quo of top-down leadership and lack of attention to staff care lead to leadership feeling isolated and team members feeling devalued, ultimately crippling the work.

In discussion of how to untangle from these long established and unhelpful yardsticks, each panelist had unique perspectives to share based on their challenges and successes as nonprofit leaders. A common theme was humanization: seeing each other as people first, rather than a metric or goal; centering the people who do the work through collective decision-making; and challenging the “great man theory” through co-leadership models that allow leaders to be vulnerable and lean on each other for support. Watch their conversation in-depth here.

The leaders left energized to go back to their respective teams and talk about what they learned. Many shared that they felt a renewed gratitude for the power of community. “We need each other,” one attendee wrote post-event. 

Be on the lookout for the next event in 2025. There are several discussion topics in the works for following events: cultivating an engaged board, organizing community-led fundraising, and continuing to build collective power to make positive changes in the philanthropy sector. 

The Leaders of Color Collective is immensely grateful to the panelists who shared their insightful experiences, to AMPT for collaborating on the event, and to all of the attendees who contributed to the energy and vulnerability in the room. 

If you are a nonprofit leader of color and you would like to get involved with the Leaders of Color Collective, please reach out to Jessica Jones-Lewis at jessica(at)loganfdn(dot)org.

During a recent visit to Chicago, Rozina Breen, CEO and Editor-in-Chief of The Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ) in the UK, sat down with members of the RDLF team to talk about her experiences as a nonprofit leader of color. 

Rozina is an award-winning editor who joined TBIJ in 2022 from the BBC. Her vision is to diversify the organization’s storytelling, representation, and sources of revenue.

Through our work with the Leaders of Color Collective (LOCC), we have seen that many nonprofit leaders, especially those of color, face unique hardships caused by a lack of trust and a withholding of resources due to ill-founded discrimination by many traditional philanthropic organizations and government agencies. However, we’ve learned that by being in community with their peers and having frank conversations about shared obstacles, nonprofit leaders of color can build toward collective action and power. We were very curious to hear how Rozina’s experience compared to our Chicago-based grantees and the LOCC initiative.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity. 

What are some unique challenges you experience as a leader of color in London?

Rozina: I think the challenges are multifold, and they’re well-documented and researched. If you’re older, female or non-binary, and of color then you have a disadvantage in many ways. There is an internal pressure that you are allowed to make fewer mistakes and you have to prove yourself more. Some might be overachieving in order to feel like they’re doing a good job. Perception is quite a big thing in our world, so how I articulate and present as a leader certainly feels different than a white male colleague in the same space. 

Also, I’m older now, so I feel quite strongly that I’m going to lead in a way that I feel is really important, and that may not be traditional. For example, my style tends to be more collegiate, discursive, collaborative. I’m a good decision maker but I won’t always exhibit that like a traditional alpha male might. I think I’ve gotten more comfortable in my skin based on age and I feel more at ease with that. I’m also not scared to talk about things that matter around DEI in the newsroom because it comes from a personal perspective. 

Another challenge is you don’t see many people like yourself in the space. Interestingly, if I’m in a forum with some of my colleagues who are white males, those will be the people that other people gravitate to or talk to. And then they might be surprised that actually I’m the CEO. Not that I’m hierarchical, I ironically don’t like hierarchy, but it’s interesting who picks up the conversations with who, especially in more affluent spaces. It’s back to the networks, and there are always networks. So, we learn to walk around the barriers, as we do in life. 

Do you experience any lack of trust with your board or current funders? Is it hard to get your foot in the door with new funders?

Rozina: My board is really supportive. They hired me into the role. I remember Elaine Potter, our co-founder, asked me about my life on the first panel interview. She essentially deep-dived into my background, because my parents separated when I was young and we ran away from my grandparents’ home to live with my mom. She was really curious about that, and it opened the door for self-expression—to be able to feel that your history is part of your story, and your adversities and challenges as well. And so, they had really backed my ideas. I wanted to diversify our storytelling, to democratize the space of investigative journalism. I thought that was a really important thing to do, and they recruited me on that basis. I don’t feel I have to get around other barriers such as trust or presentation or communication. Interestingly, one person on our board would say I need to be more direct sometimes, and I think that goes back to style. 

As for current funders, I really enjoy the relationship and the conversations with them. Logan [RDLF] is a very special foundation because it’s a place that inspires, celebrates, and requires difference, and I feel I can be my authentic self in that sort of space. With other new funders, it really depends. Some funders are really interested in our story and the work that we’re trying to do, which is around social good. You lean toward those organizations who have a similar remit or lens. Others are slightly more arms-length and conservative, and that’s fine, but you have to present in a different way. You work to the audience, really. And back to your first question, what are the barriers—sometimes I feel that maybe they would be having a different conversation if I wasn’t female, brown, or working class. But you have to learn to adapt in order to keep the organization going. And everybody in a leadership position has to adapt to meet their audience’s needs, so that is sort of a shared challenge.

It can be lonely at the top—do you have a network you’re able to lean on?

Rozina: It’s definitely lonely, and there are a lot of pressures in any leadership role. It’s easy to feel like the load is really heavy because you care for the people and you care for the output. You’re there as a collective. Newsrooms are human places and we all feel things. So, there is quite a heavy weight on our shoulders, and networks are really important. 

I’ve learned to build a group of people, both professional and in my personal life, who are my go-to’s. Some of those are leaders in journalism that I go to for advice on issues or challenges, to understand how they did something or to have a trusted conversation. There are a few board members as well, and we have an advisory group that has capabilities we don’t have in the organization. Having people who have excelled in their field from whichever discipline are really good go-to people. 

In my personal life, having a network of people who really know me is also really important. My husband is one of those. He’s a scientist by discipline and he knows me really well. He may not always say what I want him to say, but he’ll have a very rational, pragmatic approach. And then I have three children in their twenties. They are a really good litmus test for me, especially with the next generation. Sometimes I’ll say, I have this dilemma that I’m wrestling with, and they will tell me what my instinct is telling me in a way that a professional in the field might not. Our newsroom is quite young and we need to build trust with younger people. Public institutions, including some media organizations and newsrooms, are really losing the public trust. So, I’m not saying I’ll go to my kids and say what should I do, but they are really thoughtful young adults who are all taking different pathways in life. They present me with a different perspective on some of those challenges, and in the mix, that is a really valuable thing. 

What sort of resources would have been helpful for you when you first started out as a leader of color, or would be helpful for you now?

Rozina: When I started out as a leader of color, I was really lucky. Katie Lloyd launched a program for women in leadership at BBC News. It was transformational. She would get really eminent speakers to have round tables where we learned about profile building, networking. I remember one of the speakers we had was Heather Rabbatts, who was the first woman and person of color on the Board of the Football Association. Her advice was to jump off the cliff; i.e. don’t just tread water in your careers, go where you thrive. It was a collection of these golden nuggets of advice that really spoke to you. I think that was really transformational in terms of the building blocks for resilience, networks, having your gang, looking for help out there. 

The rest was more around curiosity. So, speaking to people whose value and judgement really resonated. Back again to your first question—if you feel different, you work harder in order to convince people that you can do it. So, the support network is much more around knowing what makes you good, as well as critical feedback. I remember reading somewhere that, if you ask trusted people in your network three words to describe you, you start to build a portfolio. This is who I am, what I’m about, how I’m perceived. Having building blocks of what it means personally to be a leader, how you really want to lead, how you want people to feel under your leadership—those are the things that I wish I had known way back. 

Also, I always feel like I’m catching up with my career.  I’m in my 50’s now, but I feel that there is so much more to do. I wish that maybe twenty years ago I’d had the confidence to go for things rather than waiting for the tap on the shoulder (which were, again, really instrumental moments in my career). So, I think my advice for the next generation is, don’t feel that you’ve reached the limit in whatever role you’re in. I wouldn’t say I would have made different choices, but I would have shot for the moon. And now I suppose maybe I’m going for some stars before I retire when I’m 80. 

What do you think needs to change in the nonprofit journalism sphere?

Rozina: Firstly, all newsrooms need to be really inclusive. Representation matters at all levels of an organization. Where the decision making happens is really crucial, and giving power to people at every level is also really important. 

Also, I suppose what I find uncomfortable in the nonprofit world is having to ask people for money. I come from a single parent immigrant household where my mom had three jobs so we could have piano lessons and go on school trips. And so, what I really find uncomfortable is being in a world where I have to… I mean, beg is quite a strong word, but ultimately, it’s going to people with money to survive. Some people would say philanthropy isn’t a business model, but it is a model. We are hugely grateful for all our philanthropists and people who support our world, and when you have a trusted relationship like with the Logan Foundation it feels really equitable and conversational and meaningful. With other organizations it feels a bit like going back to default and being that person in need again. That doesn’t feel particularly healthy. It brings me back to feeling like I don’t have power. And it’s not about single power, it’s about my collective power with my team. We don’t have power and yet we’ve got so much to achieve. With nonprofits, I can’t see how that will ever change. 

Also, I think there needs to be an understanding at the political level and high decision-making level that independent nonprofit newsrooms are a valuable asset in the ecology of truth and trust and fighting for transparency. We say that journalism is a bedrock of a functioning democracy. Independent newsrooms absolutely play their place. In terms of the industry, we need a more level playing field with legacy newsrooms. 

Thank you so much, I think that was very valuable.

Rozina: It felt like therapy, honestly, to even have the space for those conversations. Because you don’t ordinarily. I’ve had a couple of conversations with peers in the industry. Being able to say, oh wow, you also experience this, or it’s not just me—sharing experiences and having people give you tools to navigate that is really important.

On September 7th, The Reva and David Logan Foundation (RDLF) hosted an Open House and Community Day at Movement on Montrose. It was an opportunity to get to know people and businesses in the neighborhood.

The RDLF provided free food from our Rescue & Redistribution program and Cradles to Crayons provided free backpacks and diapers. Visitors helped themselves to as much as they needed.

DJ Matt kept the car park grooving all day. Inside, free dance classes were offered – from ballet to waacking – by Dance Avondale; plus, yoga from Laura Johnston and aerial silk demonstrations by Julie Matolo and Michelle Reid.

Pak Suan, a farmer from Global Garden Refugee Training Farm, brought fresh produce and free snacks of fried opo squash and marigolds both grown at the farm.

Project Onward’s opened an exhibition that remains on view through October. To celebrate, artists Ruby Bradford and Stephon Doby offered $10 portraits for visitors.

Sixteen vendors had tables in the event space, including Alderwoman Rossana Rodriguez’ office, which handed out free naloxone with instructions on when and how to use it. The Art of Wellness offered visitors a chance to sit down and relax through art making.

Movement on Montrose has several upcoming public events including Fempreneur Poder Hub‘s “Mi Barrio es Tu Barrio” and the Latine Poetry Festival. Stay in the know by subscribing to the mailing list and public events calendar.

On August 14th, staff from The Reva and David Logan Foundation (RDLF) and children from Common Pantry’s “Common Kids” program volunteered at the second week of the pantry’s school supply distributions. 

Common Pantry had supplies pre-assembled and ready to hand out to the families in line. Each child received a backpack and a school supply kit tailored to their grade level; for example, students in grades 4-6 received pencils, colored pencils, crayons, markers, glue sticks, scissors, a ruler, notebooks, and folders. Each child also received a book donated by the Lakeview YMCA and some candy to take home.

The RDLF has donated the majority of the school supplies used in Common Pantry’s distributions since 2020. Our donations increased from last year, but the need has increased even more so. Less than halfway through their second distribution, almost all of the school supplies we provided were gone. 

Common Pantry was able to serve 390 children through this year’s school supply distributions, which ran concurrently with their weekly full client choice grocery distribution that any person within Cook County can visit once a month. In the winter, RDLF also provides donations for their winter gear distributions through our Winter Wear program. 

Read more about volunteering with Common Pantry here.