A Letter of Accountability from 826 MSP

Add a heading (1).png

Dear 826 MSP community,

We usually write to you to uplift the words of our students, the youth leaders within our organization. This month, I’m instead writing to amplify the words of one of our board members⁠—educator, artist, and activist Qorsho Hassan. After the murder of George Floyd, Qorsho wrote this letter to our organization, to the 826 National network, and to the wider nonprofit community. 

Here are a few of her poignant words, and you can read the letter in its entirety on our blog: 

In the past month, the state of Minnesota has witnessed protests, riots, looting, and grief. Minneapolis became the epicenter of protests heard all around the world. This revolution has incited many to question their own relationship with race and racism. It has demanded injustices to be accounted for, systems to be questioned and changed, and antiracism to be an action rather than an afterthought. As a board member and educator, I’ve been thinking hard about how the spaces I occupy serve BIPOC students but are led primarily by white stakeholders. I’ve been reflecting on the role of philanthropy and specifically how the board I am a part of contributes to racism willfully. 

That last line may be painful to read, but it is true. As an organization, we have not been centering anti-racism in our work, and thus we have been willfully engaging in racism. As an organization, we serve a multicultural group of BIPOC students, but we have relied upon organizational governance structures that are not reflective of the students we serve. As an organization, we have fundraised to diminish the educational opportunity gap, but we have not called out the white supremacy that creates that gap. 

At 826 MSP, we believe in the power of words to lead us to action. We are now owning our past narrative, flaws and all, so that we can write a new chapter for our organization. To us, this starts with the following actions:

  • Our staff and board will engage in anti-racist affinity-group learning over the summer. 

  • Our budget for the next year will reflect anti-racist commitments regarding staff development and compensation, stipends for student participation in leadership programs, and continuing collaboration with anti-racist and BIPOC teaching artists. 

  • Our approach to fundraising will change. We are moving from a donor-centric to community-centric model of fundraising, starting with a donor education event in late summer. Email Ashley@826msp.org if you're interested in attending.

  • Our free online summer camp, Outdoors Outspoken, for youth ages 7-13, will focus on racial and environmental justice. 

Our young authors are always writing a future for our world that is more just than the one we currently inhabit (which you can learn more about by purchasing our newest chapbook), and we are committed to making our organization a part of their vision. We will listen to their leadership, amplify and protect their voices, and make the changes we have the institutional responsibility to make. As members of our community we invite you to hold us accountable and to change and transform with us.

Join us. 

Sincerely,

Samantha Signature.png

Samantha Sencer-Mura 

826 MSP Executive Director

826 MSP