by Erinn Gardner
Saturday, June 28, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., the San Francisco Bay View Foundation held its third annual Nonprofit Boot Camp in the Ruth Williams Opera House. With the theme, “Black and Proud in the Face of Opposition,” such an event put Black operated nonprofits in the spotlight and allowed them a platform to share their vision for equity in the Bay Area.
The program commenced with the insightful Executive Editor of the San Francisco Bay View newspaper Kevin Epps. The award-winning filmmaker enlightened the audience by emphasizing the importance of building spaces for nonprofit leaders on the front lines of advocacy.
Morning session highlights
Entrepreneur, artist and activist Trevor Parham was memorable, as the visionary discussed the journey of his company, OakStop. Not only does Parham provide a co-working space for the community through his enterprise, but he also serves as the co-founder of the Oakland Black Business Fund, playing an integral role in growing Black businesses in Oakland.
Parham’s story was an immediate standout. Though he has humble beginnings, he embraces every step of his journey. What once possessed limited funds is now a multi-million dollar company. His passion for the community, perseverance and resilience carried him through his journey.
Theo Ellington is the epitome of a change-maker. Not only does he serve as one of the Ruth Williams Opera House directors, but he is the founder of Black Citizen, an organization that aims to achieve equity for Black communities in the Bay Area. The mission of Black Citizen is to aid in sustaining social movements and provide advisory services to foundations and grantmakers.
Ellington’s authenticity and efforts show that he is willing to work behind the scenes in order to ensure that every voice is heard, resourced and sustained.
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Darian Heyman as he graced the stage. The nonprofit powerhouse serves as the mastermind behind the Bay Area Nonprofit Boot Camp through the Craig’s List Foundation. Furthermore, he is responsible for authoring best selling books, such as “Nonprofit Management 101” and “Fundraising 101,” indispensable tools for nonprofit leadership.
Heyman’s leadership stands as a reminder that strategy and structure are equally as vital as passion. I have realized that a majority of Black-led nonprofit organizations do not have this kind of long term blueprint to follow, making it difficult for them to thrive. Heyman does not just speak of change, but he lays the foundation to actually build it.
For the future
Though the speakers meticulously cultivated a space for the audience to learn, network and feel inspired, the boot camp could have better engaged a younger demographic.
While the knowledge was valuable, the event was lecture-heavy and could have incorporated interactive activities for the audience to apply what they learned. In the future, these workshops could include activities for participants to build, brainstorm and even create something tangible with the knowledge they acquired.
Additionally, the boot camp can benefit from stronger promotion on social media, where the younger generations are the most active. This could include Bay View newspaper staff conducting “tiny-mic” interviews with Black businesses and nonprofits giving background about the boot camp while expressing their enthusiasm for it. This promotion can also entail weekly posts several months in advance, advertising it as an event that the community cannot afford to miss.
With the proper outreach and programming, the San Francisco Bay View Foundation Nonprofit Boot Camp could grow into one that not only uplifts current leaders, but also empowers the next generation to step into these non-profit leadership roles with confidence and clarity.
Erinn Gardner is a junior English major from Atlanta, Georgia, attending Spelman College. Deeply passionate about amplifying underrepresented voices, she explains, “I strive to give a voice to the voiceless in order to inspire change.”
