To Weather the Storm, We Must Support ‘Movements’ Over ‘Moments’

In the last few years, our country has experienced turbulent times that have left indelible marks on our collective psyche. We witnessed the COVID-19 pandemic, a crisis that gripped the world with uncertainty and fear. Shortly thereafter, the murder of George Floyd shocked the globe, laying bare the systemic injustices that have long plagued our society — especially here in the United States.

What these two tragedies had in common was their ability to magnify inequities that many had either ignored or been oblivious to. They also prompted an unprecedented outpouring of funding directed toward marginalized communities. Suddenly, after years of being told that there was no money to support underrepresented groups or small businesses, funding appeared.

Government programs, such as PPP loans, emerged, and philanthropists like MacKenzie Scott stepped up with significant, unrestricted donations to organizations led by people of color. Her generosity forever changed countless organizations, despite the criticism she faced for her actions. I am a living witness to the transformative impact of such giving.

Corporate America also appeared to wake up. For the first time, many white-led organizations funneled resources into communities of color and sought guidance on how to “do more.” Companies launched diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and Black professionals were elevated to leadership roles that had historically excluded them. In that moment, these efforts were celebrated as “the right thing to do.”

Five Years Later, Marginalized Communities Still Need Funding

Those who were once hired to spearhead DEI efforts are now being fired or reassigned. Financial support for organizations serving marginalized communities is drying up, with companies fearful of litigation. Black-led organizations are even being sued for focusing on their own communities, forcing them to consider altering their missions or shutting their doors.

Our country suffers from a chronic condition: a preference for “moments” over “movements.” Moments are fleeting; they are points in time that are quickly forgotten. Movements, on the other hand, are sustained efforts toward meaningful, lasting change. A moment is stagnant, but a movement propels us forward. The question is: who will ensure that this moment does not pass in vain?

Standing Firm in the Storm

What is giving me hope in recent news is the stance of the Public Welfare Foundation and actions taken by the Freedom Together Foundation and others, who are standing firm against the pressures to remove DEI efforts and, in the latter case, increasing payout rates to meet the need of the moment. We need more of this! Who will weather this storm? Who will remain steadfast in doing what is right, even as the tides of convenience and complacency threaten to drown progress? It will take courage to stand firm, ensuring that the justice-oriented efforts of 2020 evolve into a sustained movement.

In 2020, we had many so-called “allies” in this movement. But this is precisely why I refuse to use the term “ally” — it lacks substance. We do not need allies. We need “sacrificers”: Those who are willing to give up something for the greater good. We need those who, as Congressman John Lewis said, are willing to get into “good trouble.” We need those who know that “the time is right to do what is right” as Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stated.

This is a call to action for allies to become sacrificers: Step off the sidelines and into the fight for justice. Will you remain steadfast in the face of injustice? Will you refuse to be swayed by the distractions of this moment and instead commit to the movement for justice?

The truth is, there are more of us who believe in what was “right” in 2020 than we’re led to believe. We simply need to rise up, take our places, and recommit to the work. The question remains: what will YOU do?

Vanessa McDowell-Atlas is founder and CEO of VMA Transformational Leadership Coaching and a member of CEP’s advisory group for its three-year study on the impact of Scott’s giving.