Rise Together, a group of 17 Leaders of Color and a team from Community Foundation Santa Cruz County, gathered July 23 to push their vision and action needed to build a more just and equitable county into the community.
Rise Together launch attracts a crowd. • Photo Credit: Jondi Gumz
Upwards of 400 people attended the event outside the foundation office in Aptos, celebrating Esperanza Del Valle, started by teachers 40 years ago, Estrellas de Esperanza, a dance group created by Ruby Vasquez in 2007, Senderos, founded in 2001 by Oaxacan sisters Fe Silva-Robles and Dr. Nereida Robles, and Tannery World Dance & Cultural Center, founded by Cat Willis 10 years ago, enjoying Venezuelan and Mexican food from Areperia831 and Taqueria Agave, and looking forward to the work ahead.
The group was convened in June of 2020 by the Community Foundation amidst national uprisings after the death of George Floyd and as COVID-19 reaffirmed stark health, economic, and social inequities for communities of color.
The purpose of Rise Together “is to build awareness, trust, and investment in the work led by, for, and in support of People of Color in Santa Cruz County. Through our individual and collective stories and efforts, we give voice to our experiences and propel actions and funding that will change existing systems of inequity and build a county where everyone can thrive.”
Consuelo Alba, co-founder, Watsonville Film Festival • Photo Credit: Jondi Gumz
The Rise Together coalition developed its purpose and goals collaboratively and determined a grant-making process, then granted $423,000 for efforts working to:
- Increase upward economic mobility
- Celebrate and preserve People of Color’s stories and culture
- Increase equity and anti-racist policy
- Deliver essential services and improve well-being for People of Color to prosper
- Continuously give and grow sustained funding for communities of color.
Consuelo Alba, Watsonville Film Festival co-founder and Rise Together member, was proud to receive a grant. This year, because of the pandemic, the 9th annual film festival — always limited by venue capacity — moved online, reaching people countywide, getting 9,279 views.
Vrinda Quintero of Areperia831 cooks Venezuelan food at the event. • Photo Credit: Jondi Gumz
“Voices of communities and leaders of color have traditionally been invisible in the structure of philanthropy and jurisdictional funding,” said Maria Elena de la Garza, executive director of Community Action Board and a Rise Together member. “The Community Foundation helped us create a safe and brave space to talk about how racism — visible and invisible — has impacted us personally, in our communities, and in our work.”
Community Foundation CEO Susan True said, “I knew we needed to do more. We can’t accelerate solutions if the people most harmed by our county’s most pressing problems are not trusted and welcomed to create the answers. The people most affected by injustice need to be the ones driving the solutions that will work best for them.”
Jacob Martinez, founder/CEO of Digital NEST, said, “The heart of this work is led by People of Color that have the expertise to move this work forward. That has not been done, locally, ever.”
Willis, executive director of the Tannery World Dance and Cultural Center and Rise Together member, told Aptos Times, “The investing model is the most important thing… It’s about the longevity of our community.”
Watsonville Campesino Caravan thanks essential workers. • Photo Credit: Jondi Gumz
Rise Together members include: Ashlyn N. Adams; Brenda Griffin; Carmin Powell, M.D.; Cat Willis; Consuelo Alba; DeAndre’ James; Erica Padilla-Chavez; Fe Silva-Robles; Gina Castañeda; Helen Aldana; Jacob Martinez; Jenny Kurzweil; Jorge Savala; Justin Cummings, PhD; Keisha Browder; Kevin Heuer; MariaElena De La Garza; Dr. Nereida Robles Vasquez; Ruby Vasquez; Stacey Marie Garcia; and Susan True.
The 23 founding organizations are: Azteca Youth Soccer Academy, Black Health Matters, Community Foundation Santa Cruz County, Community Health Trust of Pajaro Valley, Communities Organized for Relational Power in Action, Diversity Center Santa Cruz County, California Film and Cultural Center, Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County, DigitalNEST. Esperanza del Valle, Estrellas de Esperanza, NAACP Santa Cruz, Pajaro Valley School District, Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance, Tannery World Dance and Cultural Center, Santa Cruz City Schools, Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History, Senderos, United Way of Santa Cruz County, Watsonville Campesino Appreciation Caravan, Watsonville Film Fest, Westside Video, and UC Santa Cruz CITRIS Initiative for Drone Education.
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Learn more at: www.risetogetherscc.org & follow on social media using the hashtag #RiseTogetherSCC.
Portraits Credit: Devi Pride Photography