Peer Networks

Even the most well-resourced social movements will fail if they do not include strong relationships among participants.  These relationships are the key to transforming a collection of individual organizations, activists, funders and other supporters into a cohesive, powerful movement. That is why the Akonadi Foundation has an entire program dedicated to helping foster those relationships.

Our "Peer Networks" program works to develop strong networks based explicitly on the vision of a racially just society.  We do this at two levels: at the grassroots level, among organizations in the field; and at the philanthropic level, among our own peers.

Race and Communications

Akonadi helps organizations in the field connect with one another by documenting best practices, methods and ideas coming from organizations in the field and disseminating those among their peers.  As with our grantmaking, our focus is in our hometown of Oakland.  We will share the lessons coming out of the local racial justice movement both locally and nationally.

This work does more than help foster relationships among organizations here in the Bay Area and nationally.  It also shines a spotlight on the best racial justice organizing in Oakland.  This spotlight creates two important opportunities: the opportunity for that organizing to spark and inspire people in other parts of the country; and the opportunity to attract more support from donors and funders.

Racial Justice Philanthropy

Akonadi's resources alone cannot achieve the vision we seek.  We need more partners, more resources and more commitment to the effort of creating a racially just world.  Just as organizations in the field need to come together, so do those of us in philanthropy.  They are two layers of the same movement.

A strong philanthropic network will mean more resources for organizations in the field, more consistency from funders and donors, and better overall coordination for the movement.  We have already started laying the foundation for such a network with research and targeted outreach to some of our peers.

We are excited about working with them to build a racial justice movement not only at the grassroots level, but also within philanthropy.