The events of the past week in our country are profoundly troubling and should concern us all, regardless of political ideology.
Charitable organizations are being targeted for exercising their freedom to support our immigrant communities. In our own backyard here in Massachusetts, as in many other places across the country, people have been detained in ICE raids that have left children and families fearful to leave their homes, whether to attend school, to seek medical attention, or to join religious services.
In California last week, against the wishes of local officials, the military was deployed—stoking fear and repressing freedom of assembly. And this past weekend, we learned of the tragic, horrific acts of political violence against elected officials and their spouses in Minnesota.
These moments compel us to stand in our values, to demonstrate courage, to speak out, and to boldly continue our work alongside our grantees.
For us at the Barr Foundation, our charitable mission is to invest in the potential of people and our communities. Wherever we work, this mission and our core values drive us. We fund organizations that make lives better, expand opportunities, and support people to achieve their full potential.
“These moments compel us to stand in our values, to demonstrate courage, to speak out, and to boldly continue our work alongside our grantees.”
Exercising our freedom to give
We are grateful to do this philanthropic work in the context of an American democracy that allows us the freedom to give, that enshrines in its Constitution the freedom of speech and our rights to due process, and that respects the rule of law. What we see in our country today is an affront to these fundamental rights and freedoms.
We stand with our peers in the funder community who are driven by a shared belief in the freedom to give. This key principle is outlined in this joint statement signed by Barr and nearly 700 funders to date. This excerpt merits mention:
We don’t all share the same beliefs or priorities. Neither do our donors or the communities we serve. But as charitable giving institutions, we are united behind our First Amendment right to give as an expression of our own distinct values. Especially in this time of great need, we must have the freedom to direct our resources to a wide variety of important services, issues, and places, to improve lives today and build a stronger future for our country.
The work of charitable foundations and nonprofits is more vital and needed than ever. Together with many others, we at Barr stand firm in this moment, rooted in our values, committed to our mission of service, and grounded in the rights afforded to us by our democracy. Undeterred, we forge ahead.
