Dear John,

As we have shared with you previously, Gamaliel will launch the Race and Power Institute at our 4th Biennial Race and Power in America Summit in Baltimore, November 30 through December 3, and you have the opportunity to become a Founding Member of the RAP Institute. (See statements from Founders Club Members below)

The Gamaliel Race and Power Institute formalizes Gamaliel’s enduring place in the public arena as a leader in racial equity work, while fulfilling our commitment to live into our transformational narrative and our long-term agenda of being an anti-racist organization that fights for racial equity on every level and across every racial and ethnic identity.

The Institute’s mission is to create a bridge between race analysis and organizing work, providing ongoing professional development and resources for organizers and leaders—both within and outside the Gamaliel Network—at the intersection of policy, praxis, and philosophy. The Vision of the Institute is to create a future in which people of color are full participants in this nation, sitting at tables of power and actively engaged in democratic practice in order to direct and shape the decisions that impact their lives; enjoying the shared abundance of an economy that works for everyone; and experiencing the freedom, justice, and dignity of a truly inclusive community. (See downloadable description of the Institute included with this email.)

As a Founders’ Club Member, you will be investing in the long-term sustainability of Gamaliel’s racial equity work. Along with the gifts described for the various levels of membership, you will be the first to receive the annual reports on the Institute’s work, special invitations to Race and Power Institute events throughout the year, and an invitation to a Members-only gathering at the biennial Race and Power in America Summit.

To be considered a Founding Member, your investment in this work must be made no later than December 31, 2022. I urge you to act now and join me in becoming a Founding Member of the Race and Power Institute.

In solidarity,

Ana Garcia-Ashley, Executive Director

“The economy of this country was founded on the labor of slaves. Therefore, the freedom of this country must be waged in financing institutions that can change and alter that economy. I am a founding member of the Race and Power Institute because I believe Gamaliel has vision and mission to change the narrative of racial equality and the liberation of all people.” Rev. Dr. Marlon Tilghman, Secretary, Gamaliel Council of Presidents

“Racism is the plague that our nation has lived with for centuries and will continue to endure unless we earnestly work together to bring it to an end. I truly believe that the Race and Power Institute will be instrumental in showing us all the way to live into our potential as the ‘Beloved Community.’” Tamerin Hayward, Co-President, Racine Interfaith Coalition, Racine, Wisconsin

“I attended the Race and Power Summit in 2019 and found it to be a transformational experience in my understanding of racism, equity, power, and organizing. For me, being part of the Founders Club for the Race and Power Institute means investing in change, investing in the people and resources who are committed to working for a just community. I am grateful to be part of this work for racial equity and democracy by supporting the Founders Club.” Vicki Vicars, Lead Organizer, ACTION of Ohio

“Gamaliel’s Race and Power Institute has assembled a unique group of thought leaders and practitioners to address the dismantling of systemic racism, the dominant narrative of hierarchy, and the continued building of the beloved community. As a former affiliate co-president (BRIDGE Maryland, Inc.), activist minister, pastor, and doctoral student, this gathering is a God-sent apparatus at this urgent and pivotal moment in American democracy. I am honored to support Race and Power as both founder of the Institute and participant in the Summit. I pray many others will become Founders in order to keep faith leaders and activists equipped for the future. Organized people and organized money are the raw materials for power.” Rev. Brian Murray, Senior Pastor of New Covenant United Church of Christ, Baltimore, Maryland.

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