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Nonprofit: Rhode Island Foundation
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BY HUGH MINOR | Contributing Writer
AT THE RHODE ISLAND FOUNDATION, addressing the underlying causes of inequity and working to eliminate disparities is a core organizational value, and has been an important part of its work for years.
The Providence-based nonprofit funder recently began investing approximately $8.5 million over the next three years to dig deeper into issues around racial equity within the Ocean State, said Angela Bannerman Ankoma, foundation vice president of equity leadership. With equity as the primary lens, the foundation decided to allocate resources to support the needs of people of color looking to advance in their careers and expand their roles as community leaders. That is how the organization came to develop the Equity Leadership Initiative.
“We took an inventory of our community, meeting with a wide range of people, to identify what are the barriers of support for neighborhoods of color,” Ankoma said.
The initiative was formed in 2020 to cultivate, mentor and seek access for individuals who identify as Black, Hispanic or Latino, Indigenous, Asian and multiracial from across sectors to build a pipeline of leaders of color in positions of influence in Rhode Island.
“Our approach to leadership is focused more on the person, with an emphasis on personal and professional growth,” Ankoma said.
Having already graduated its inaugural class, the initiative is currently engaged with its second cohort. There is also a steering committee of community leaders helping to guide and support the foundation’s program.
Participants come from across sectors: public, private and nonprofit. But the participants all must demonstrate to the foundation a commitment to racial equity and social justice.
“There are leaders in all spaces and at all levels and they are welcome here and needed because everyone brings something different to the table,” said program participant and steering committee member Silvermoon Mars LaRose.
As assistant director of the Exeter-based Tomaquag Indian Memorial Museum, LaRose enrolled in the program because she wanted to learn to use her voice to advocate for Indigenous representation.
“If I am to be of service to others, I need to learn how to use my voice with authority and a vision towards unity,” LaRose said. “I look forward to working with other like-minded individuals as we strive to be a support to our communities.”
“It goes beyond what it means to be a professional. It’s personal development at its core,” said program participant Wole Akinbi, who is the youth development coordinator for Providence-based team-building organization Half Full LLC. “What that’s supposed to look like and what it’s supposed to feel like. I’m looking forward to engaging in conversations on how to move our state into the future with new and creative ideas on how to solve old challenges.”
Each participant in the foundation’s pro-
RHODE ISLAND FOUNDATION
HEAD OF THE CLASS: The Rhode Island Foundation recently launched a college loan repayment program to help the Providence Public School District recruit and retain teachers of color. One participant is Maria Taveras, pictured, who is working on a math lesson with her second grade class at Fortes Lima Elementary School.
COURTESY RHODE ISLAND FOUNDATION
gram develops their own personal strategic plan, which serves as a guide to achieve their long-term goals. The plan serves as a personal brand that builds confidence and a determination to succeed.
In addition, each person is paired with an executive who serves as a coach and mentor during, and often after, the program. The participants are invested in the program themselves, Ankoma said, and want to give back. At their retreat, the first cohort discussed what’s next for the initiative and engaged the foundation in a discussion about continuing to move forward with equity-focused efforts.
“The current participants are determining what it looks like for the next group,” Ankoma said. “They want to ensure that we continue to nurture relationships with each other, with the foundation and with future cohorts. They’ve created a really incredible space.”
Also, the foundation is partnering with the Providence Public School District by offering a loan forgiveness incentive of up to $25,000 for educators of color that will continue for the 2022-23 academic year. The incentive allows eligible individuals to have up to $6,000 of college loan debt paid after completing one year of teaching, up to an additional $8,500 after completing year two and an additional $10,500 after completing year three. n
