Latest news with #socialchange
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Ford Foundation's outgoing president joins the board of Obama Foundation
Darren Walker's post-Ford Foundation future is starting to take shape, as the outgoing president is now set to join The Obama Foundation's board of directors. The Obama Foundation, the Chicago-based nonprofit of former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama focused on encouraging active involvement in democracy through initiatives like the My Brother's Keeper Alliance and the Obama Youth Jobs Corps, announced Monday that Walker would join the board on Nov. 1. 'Darren Walker is an outstanding example of what it means to lead with purpose in philanthropy,' President Obama said in a statement. 'Darren's work to challenge long-held assumptions, stand up to injustice, and build unlikely partnerships aligns perfectly with the mission of the Obama Foundation. His experience and insight will sharpen our thinking and deepen our impact as we help the next generation of leaders change their world for the better.' Walker, 65, who has led the Ford Foundation since 2013 and oversaw major investments in gender equity and disability rights, is one of philanthropy's best-known leaders. He has been one of Rolling Stone's '25 People Shaping the Future' and Time's '100 Most Influential People.' 'Joining The Obama Foundation Board feels like coming home to everything I believe about leadership and change,' Walker said in a statement. 'I believe deeply in the power of individuals to change the world, and I'm honored to work with President and Mrs. Obama to help empower and support the next generation of changemakers.' In addition to his new role at the Obama Foundation, Walker has already been named president of the National Gallery of Art. In September, 'The Idea of America: Reflections on Inequality, Democracy, and the Values We Share,' a collection of his essays, will be published. The Ford Foundation has selected Yale Law School Dean Heather Gerken, a leading expert on constitutional law and democracy, to succeed Darren Walker as its president. Marty Nesbitt, chairman of the Obama Foundation's board of directors, said Walker will help the nonprofit stick to its mission. 'Darren brings a rare combination of visionary thinking and practical know-how that will strengthen our governance and sharpen our impact,' he said. 'His deep experience leading through complexity and bringing diverse voices to the table will be an invaluable asset as we guide the foundation into its next chapter and open the Obama Presidential Center next year.' _____ Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP's philanthropy coverage, visit Glenn Gamboa, The Associated Press
ABC News
3 days ago
- General
- ABC News
Queer communities in outback WA 'ready for change' with historic roadshow
When Jesse Cussen arrived in the remote West Australian town of Halls Creek more than a decade ago, they remember having to conceal parts of their identity. "I was 20 years old and I very much felt like I had to hide parts of myself and not experience my queerness," they said. This year Jesse, who is now based in Broome, returned to the town as part of the first Kimberley SBLGBTIQA+ Roadshow they co-facilitated with their colleague, Halina Kolatowicz, after they were approached by the state government. The term SBLGBTIQA+ encompasses "brother boys" and "sister girls", which are terms used within some Indigenous communities to describe transgender and gender-diverse people. "To go back there and find such an amazing group of passionate, open people who were really keen to start something special and create social change — I burst into tears," Jesse said. Halina recalled feeling isolated when she first arrived in Broome more than a decade ago. "[I was at] the developmental stages of even finding out my sexuality and my identity as a queer black woman," she said. As part of the roadshow, which was supported by Kimberley Blak Pride and Rainbow Futures WA, the pair travelled throughout the region consulting with more than 100 people, documenting the lived realities and aspirations of queer people across the Kimberley for the first time. "There was lots of isolation. People were [craving] connection," Halina said. "People would face homophobia and violence in rural towns. But there's also been a lot of celebration." With the Kimberley region being approximately twice the size of Victoria, they found every community was unique in its experiences and challenges. Sign up for ABCQueer's monthly newsletter, delivering the ABC's best stories and content for LGBTQIA+ folks and their allies. In some towns the pair heard stories of people being asked to remove pride flags from their workplaces. "Places like Broome and Kununurra have established pride festivals and communities have really been able to flourish and connect," Jesse said. "Other towns like Wyndham, Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek particularly, there was really a profound silence when it came to queer issues and identities." The roadshow identified significant gaps in access and safety for queer people navigating the health and education sectors. "There's no support for teachers or practitioners, so that needs to change. We need training and development in policies and queer cultural awareness," Halina said. "One of the recommendations from the report is more support to develop whole-school approaches and provide cultural training for teachers and staff." The roadshow identified ongoing barriers for people accessing culturally safe and inclusive health care, especially for trans and gender-diverse people, with some doctors being uncomfortable prescribing hormone therapy. "We don't have people with expertise in queer health, that is a huge barrier," Halina said. A report will now be presented to the state government as part of the first LGBTIQA+ Inclusion Strategy that was announced last year. While the roadshow highlighted ongoing challenges, the pair found communities were ready for change. "There's still so much violence, homophobia, discrimination and fear — really it stems down to a lot of fear of the unknown," Halina said. Jesse said the Kimberley needed its own "bespoke approach". "One of the things we noticed was the queer community groups that are really eager to collaborate, to work with others and create change together," they said. "We have people who are already working with the rodeos and footy clubs in the East Kimberley and we'd love to do that in the West Kimberley." For Jesse, transitioning in Australia's far north-west has "not been straightforward". "I'm steadily trying to build more space where I can live my truth," Jesse said. "The roadshow was a really important part of that for me."
Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Times
‘Young staff have the ability to lead — let them prove themselves'
Kate Robertson is the co-founder and chief executive of One Young World, a global forum connecting and supporting young leaders. A former global president of Havas, an advertising group, she's passionate about the power of youth to drive change. Here is her advice: 1. Dream big, start practical. Don't listen to people who tell you to scale down ideas. Ambitious energy is contagious on a team if it's accompanied by a roadmap and plan. 2. Create teams of equals. No one is too senior to get their hands dirty or too junior to come up with a game-changing idea. Young staff have the ability to lead — let them prove themselves and help them learn from mistakes. 3. Honesty is the only policy and simplicity the best rule. Clear, frank, simple communication ensures everyone knows where they stand. Admit when you're in the wrong and give a heartfelt apology. I am often wrong and have to accept very young people correcting me — but it's worth it even if sometimes hard! 4. Avoid preaching to the choir. Allies can come from unlikely places: particularly when it comes to social change and international co-operation. Seek out people and organisations who have a different perspective. 5. Focus on what's real. Impact must be measurable and provable. It's easy to spend energy on the people who are shouting the loudest instead of the people doing the work that really matters. 6. Stay true to your vision. In a volatile world, do not get thrown off course. Keeping teams inspired with your mission is the best way to foster resilience and camaraderie.
CNA
13-07-2025
- General
- CNA
We must do better': ItsRainingRaincoats founder on 10 years of helping Singapore's migrant workers
No matter where you are in Singapore, or what time it is, you'd have to purposely shut your eyes and cover your ears not to notice migrant workers about. They build our homes, paint our buildings, construct our roads, clean our streets and clear our trash, repair ships, and hold many other jobs. How Singaporeans viewed migrant workers a decade ago was a far cry from today. Then, it was a sentiment laced with indifference, sometimes animosity, suspicion, and even disdain. That negative perception towards migrant workers was one of the reasons Dipa Swaminathan founded ItsRainingRaincoats. 'They build our homes, our roads, our MRT stations – yet for a long time, they were seen but not truly acknowledged,' the 53-year-old Singaporean said. The story has been told many times, but still bears repeating: Over 10 years ago, Dipa was driving home in a thunderstorm when she spotted two workers trying to shield themselves from the rain with nothing but a piece of cardboard. She offered them a lift and gave them her phone number. One of them, Murugan, later called her. He told her that he had been charged with attempted suicide – he had been mistreated by his employers, had fallen into debt, and felt there was no way out. After Dipa, who is a lawyer, helped Murugan get his charges dropped and loans cleared, she felt compelled to continue looking out for migrant workers. She began doing so in her personal capacity but quickly realised she needed a team, and formed ItsRainingRaincoats. Back then, its purpose was simple: Have Singaporeans share what they had with them. A few friends joined her by pooling their items and money to support a few workers. The word about what they were doing to support this marginalised group in Singapore quickly spread and ItsRainingRaincoats slowly grew into a full-fledged movement. THE SHIFT TOWARDS CARING FOR MIGRANT WORKERS 'When we first started ItsRainingRaincoats, the perception of migrant workers was very poor,' Dipa, who works full-time as a legal risk manager, told CNA Women. Most migrant workers in Singapore are employed in physically demanding sectors like construction, shipyards and process industries. These are jobs with long hours and low pay – work that few locals are willing to take on. They usually come from countries such as India, Bangladesh, China and Myanmar. 'It's even in the language,' Dipa added. 'We call them migrant workers, while people who also moved from Bangladesh or other parts of Asia for work, but in white-collar roles, are called expatriates. 'But in reality, they're all here, far from home, working to improve their and their families' lives.' Back in the early 2010s, conversations about migrant workers were almost taboo. 'People barely even acknowledged their existence,' she said. 'And those who did, often chose not to look too closely, despite the fact that Singapore has literally been built on their backs.' I'm reminded of a moment in 2015, when I was in junior college. A friend said she didn't like going to Little India because there were 'too many workers' there, and she didn't feel comfortable. It wasn't just racism, which was bad enough – it was a reflection of a broader perception that migrant workers were out of place, even in the spaces they had helped to build. Worse, I didn't speak up at the time. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ItsRainingRaincoats (@itsrainingraincoats) When I told Dipa this story, she nodded. 'That was the general sentiment back then – and not just among adults. Teenagers, children – many of them had grown up seeing workers as people to ignore, people who are 'meant to work for us'. They weren't seen as equals, let alone as people who deserved dignity, fair wages or inclusion.' To address this, ItsRainingRaincoats has organised countless programmes. They've hosted gatherings for iftar, the fast-breaking evening meal during the fasting month of Ramadan. The team of mostly volunteers has also worked with mosques, temples and churches to provide daily meals for workers and distribute cash donations. Dipa said that all proceeds from their fundraising work go to the workers as extra allowance for their needs, such as getting to the airport from their dormitories, or when they need to see the doctor. The charity has facilitated the gifting of pre-loved items – from fridges to washing machines, bicycles to portable air-conditioners – essentials to most Singaporeans, but often luxuries for workers living on tight budgets. However, while it was heartening to see Singaporeans come together to help migrant workers, Dipa knew that real change doesn't come from organising donation drives. It comes from changing mindsets to include these workers as part of Singapore – a much more arduous task. So ItsRainingRaincoats organised community events where Singapore families could interact directly with workers – family days, shared meals, festive celebrations. For every event, there was a mix of locals and migrant workers to allow genuine connections to form. Many local and international companies also collaborate with ItsRainingRaincoats on corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ItsRainingRaincoats (@itsrainingraincoats) These include Manager for a Day, where employees help sort and manage the donations ItsRainingRaincoats receives; Makan with Migrant Brothers, where they share a meal and meaningful conversation with migrant workers; and Weekend Outings, where employees accompany workers on recreational trips to places like the zoo, Gardens by the Bay and Universal Studios Singapore. ItsRainingRaincoats also began featuring stories from workers in their own voices and languages. The organisation shared these on social media, in addition to articles and photos. It gave workers the opportunity to speak for themselves, rather than be spoken about. 'We've come a very, very long way,' Dipa said. 'And I'm certain that students in junior college today – even if not all – would think differently [about migrant workers].' MORE SUSTAINABLE SUPPORT FOR MIGRANT WORKERS While ItsRainingRaincoats and other organisations have made a difference in improving how migrant workers are perceived in Singapore, Dipa is clear-eyed about the road ahead. As with any social justice cause, she said, 'there's always room for improvement'. 'When the pandemic happened, so much attention was finally given to the workers because of the horrible conditions they were subjected to in the dormitories,' she said. ItsRainingRaincoats saw an unprecedented surge in public support. Donations poured in – clothes, food, money – and the calls for stronger protection grew louder. Migrant workers became a national topic. Their well-being was discussed in parliament, and people were even discussing their right to be part of the National Day celebrations. 'It was a heartening moment,' Dipa said. 'It showed us that Singaporeans and people living here do care. It made us believe ItsRainingRaincoats could grow even more – the support was real.' Five years after the pandemic, Dipa stresses the importance of sustaining that support. She points to ongoing issues that migrant workers continue to face, starting with one that's been raised again and again: Unsafe transportation. 'Lorries,' she said. ' Unsafe transportation is such a frustrating topic for so many members of the public. This has been going on for so long, and yet, in the last 10 years, so many deaths have still happened this way. 'We sit in the comfort of our cars and we feel a collective shame and guilt every time something happens, but the system still hasn't changed.' Then, there's the matter of wages. She shared that from her ongoing conversations with workers, some still earn as little as S$18 a day. That's for a full day's worth of intense, physically demanding labour under the brutal sun. And even then, she said: 'Many don't get paid on time.' She gives an example of a painter she knows – someone who works on towering buildings, 30 floors up. 'These men haul their own 60- to 70-kilogram bodies, along with more weight of gear. Everything depends on the strength of a single rope. 'It's not a thrill-seeking bungee jump – it's their job. They do it every single day, hanging outside buildings to paint our homes, our malls, our offices. 'And yet, who's checking the safety of that rope? Who's ensuring they don't die while painting the places we live in? 'Earning S$18 a day for that kind of risk doesn't just make it hard to save, it makes basic survival a challenge,' she said. 'Soap, toiletries, clothes, medicine, even Wi-Fi to call home – all of it has to come out of that.' Still, Dipa remains committed. As most of these are policy-related issues, ItsRainingRaincoats, along with other migrant workers' rights and support organisations like Transient Workers Count Too and Migrant Workers' Centre, attend sessions with Members of Parliament and other key decision-makers to address these concerns. 'Some of these issues seem bleak, and I have more questions than answers these days. But the key is to keep going. We have to keep going. We must do better as a society.' PASSING THE MANTLE TO THE NEXT TEAM Dipa started ItsRainingRaincoats with just a few trusted friends. Today, it has two full-time staff and is supported by hundreds of regular volunteers and thousands of ad-hoc ones, many of whom are willing to dip into their own pockets to buy items or offer help whenever a worker is in need. 'So much time has passed since then. I'm 10 years older, my boys are all grown up, and my mum is now 91,' she said. 'It's incredibly heartwarming to see so many people come together for this often overlooked corner of our community.' Dipa's sons are 20 and 17 years old. 'There's no 'out of office' for ItsRainingRaincoats,' she said, half laughing. 'As a lawyer, I can switch off. But for this, I'm always reachable. It's been hard and relentless some days, juggling caregiving, raising my sons and managing my day job, but I feel a debt to the workers, so I've never turned my back on them. 'We've created a kind of social net, and if we stop doing what we do, that net disappears.' Despite the challenges, she chooses to focus on ItsRainingRaincoats' bright spots and impact, and the passion of the young. 'There's a natural empathy in young people,' she said. 'They see something unfair, and they instinctively want to do something about it.' The challenge, she said, is keeping that interest alive. 'Sometimes it's easy to want to give up and feel as though nothing's really changed,' she said. 'But looking back at these 10 years, I realised that so much has changed. Now, many people in Singapore show up for the people who built – and continue to build – our country. 'Seeing them, I'm filled with hope. And that's what keeps me going forward.'
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jaylen Brown: 'I disagree' with how Celtics have used me
2024 Boston Celtics Finals MVP Jaylen Brown got surprisingly candid about his nine-year tenure with the franchise during an expansive new summer interview with Noa Dalzell of SB Nation. 'It's been a long journey here in Boston,' Brown said. 'I've had to deal with a lot. I feel like I haven't been able to be myself in certain capacities — because of the politics, and because maybe people feel uncomfortable with who I am.' Advertisement Brown has been an oftentimes outspoken advocate for social change. An MIT Media Lab fellow in 2019, Brown created the Bridge Program — a mentorship program for Boston-area students of color looking explore STEM program careers. He has strived to use his platform to deal with income inequality and education disparities. On the court, too, Brown explains that he's been frustrated with some of the ways the Celtics have used him. 'I disagree with a lot of things,' Brown said. 'I've had to change roles, styles. I've had to do things that other players of my talent just haven't had to do, and I've been okay with them, because I've always been a team guy. I feel like sometimes that gets taken for granted.' During his first few seasons in the league, Brown was coached by now-general manager Brad Stevens, and saw his role fluctuate as he adjusted to more established All-Stars like Isaiah Thomas, Kyrie Irving and Al Horford. Advertisement Now, the Celtics belong to Brown and six-time All-Star Jayson Tatum. Last year with the Celtics, the 6-foot-6 University of California at Berkeley product averaged 22.2 points on .463/.324/.764 shooting splits, 5.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists, while making his fourth All-Star team. The 28-year-old likely would have been a prime contender to notch his second All-NBA honor, but missed out by only playing in 63 contests due to injuries. Players need to be available for 65 or more games to be named to an All-NBA team. Boston has appeared in two NBA Finals in the last four seasons, winning in 2024. 'I'm extremely grateful that we won a championship,' Brown said. 'I'm extremely grateful that we've been able to have success, and that's what it's about. It's not all about you, it's not all about me, you know what I mean? I want the next generation to know that as well — it's okay to play your role on the team. It's okay to do whatever, but don't let that define you.' Advertisement At 28, he has absolutely come into his own. Next season, he has an opportunity to shine brighter than ever, as Tatum will miss most — if not all — of 2025-26 while he recuperates from an Achilles tendon tear suffered during Boston's eventual second round playoff series loss to the New York Knicks. MORE NEWS:Celtics could be considering multiple drastic trades for one key reason
