By Maggie Glasgow, Philanos Co-Chair

I recently had the distinct privilege of attending the Community Investment Network (CIN) Leadership Summit in New Orleans.  CIN’s Leadership Summit is an annual leadership development experience for community philanthropists that lead CIN-member giving circles.  The group that CIN assembled and hosted included BIPOC leaders from CIN, along with Latina and Latino circle leaders, the Asian Women Giving Circle, DMV Collective Giving Network, Philanos and Philanthropy Together. 

The weekend meeting included best practices workshops, leadership training, peer-to-peer networking and personal development exercises. There was also a session led by Tony Bowen, Executive Director, Fidelity Charitable Trustees Philanthropy Fund, on inspiring donors through investments by putting DAF holders more proximate to the nonprofits in their communities. This is an important piece of the collaborative grant recently made by Fidelity Charitable to Philanos and our Network Partners: CIN, Philanthropy Together and Grapevine. The main meeting was held in the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music in New Orleans’ historic 9th Ward–a beautiful venue inspired by the power of black philanthropy.  

For further inspiration, the Leadership Summit attendees were invited to the Soul of Philanthropy Gala hosted by the ACLU of Louisiana on Saturday evening at the Tate Etienne and Prevost Interpretive Center, also in the 9th Ward.  We were able to preview, in the gallery space, an brand new exhibit entitled “Parading Toward Freedom:  A Movement of Black Philanthropy” & “Giving Back: The Soul of Philanthropy Reframed and Exhibited.”  The evening dinner program celebrated civil rights leaders and black philanthropy in Louisiana, and wrapped with music and dancing, New Orleans style.