BLACKLED Change Cincinnati

12/19/18

To: Board Chair & Board Members of the United Way of Greater Cincinnati
c/o Ross Meyers, Interim President/CEO

Our group of concerned citizens, in solidarity with United Way staff want to follow up on our Novem-
ber 20, 2018 meeting – demands. We have a copy of the United Way's report on Black-Led Social Change
Cincinnati and we urge the United Way Board to adopt and implement the recommendations in the
Black-Led Social Change Report. We believe the United Way wanted to be intentional in requesting that
this report be undertaken, so we are being intentional as we move forward, and will identify ourselves as
BLACKLED Change Cincinnati. We commend the United Way on commissioning this report. We too,
believe the United Way needs to increase its investment in Black-Led, community-based ideas in 2019.

The report outlines ways the United Way can effectively support Black-Led social change and
strengthen solutions for black citizens affected by racial disparities.
The report has 5 top concepts:
1. Paving Paths
2. Growing Grassroots
3. Stepping Back to Move Forward
4. Champions of Change
5. Double the Impact Double the Funds
While these concepts are a starting point for United Way to increase its investment in Black-Led
change in the region, the report also outlines the need for significant internal shifts within United Way of
Greater Cincinnati. The United Way has to address its own disparities with tangible actions that bring
parity to racial pay and funding inequities.

BLACKLED Change Cincinnati includes many who have lived in Cincinnati our entire lives and more
recently neighbors who have chosen to make Cincinnati their home. We are committed to eradicating
systems that create poverty and to building black wealth and power. We believe the United Way of
Greater Cincinnati can and needs to play an important role in this effort.
Attached you will find our Position Statement and a restatement of our demands from our meeting
held on November 20th, 2018. We believe 2019 is going to be a year of substantial change in our nation
and our city. It is imperative that Black leaders and organizations lead the way to reducing disparities and
building prosperity for all in Cincinnati.

Once the board has read the report, the position statement and the list of demands, we are request-
ing a meeting with Executive Committee to discuss the next steps for the road ahead.

Looking Forward,

Joe Mallory & Iris Roley

BLACKLED Change Cincinnati

blackledchange@gmail.com
 BLACKLED Change Cincinnati

Attached: Position Paper, Demands, Black-Led Social Change Report

CC:
Michael Comer Candace S. McGraw
Marcia Voorhis Andrews Peter M. McLinden1
Kasey L Bond, Esq Jill Meyer
Alicia Bond-Lewis Carolyn Pione Micheli
Jay Brewer Mary a.Milller
William P. Butler Jeff O'Neil
Kim Chiodi Neville G. PintoDavid C. Phillips
Mark C. Clement Scott D.Phillips
Brain D. Coley Monica J. Posey
Garren Colvin R. Micheael Prescott
Alfonso Cornejo Rebecca L. Rahschulte
Brian Cox Brian J.Robinson
Timothy A. Elsbrock Sean L.Rugless
David L. Faulk Carl P.Satterwhite
Fernando Figueroa Jim Scott
Michael Filomena Charles L. Sessions Jr.
David J. Gooch Steven J. Shiftman
Tracey H. Grabowski Heidi Shore
Melvin Gravely Cary Sierz
Chalres "Trey" Grayson Gerald A. Sparkman
Kimberly Halbauer James W. Sowar
Adam P. Hall Paige J.Stephens
Deborah M. Hayes Kenneth W. Stecher
Kip Heekin Eddie Tyner
Gary L. Heiman Matthew D. Van Sant
Gary T. Huffman ThomasVaughan
Mark J. Jahnke
Renita Jones-Street
Eric H. Kearney
Tillie Hidalgo Lima
Roni J. Luckenbill
Anne M. Lynch
Inga McGlothin

blackledchange@gmail.com
 BLACKLED Change Cincinnati

1. Equity Audits

The purpose of equity audits is to uncover, recognize and change inequities internal to your organization.
Over the last several weeks the stories that have emerged point to a culture entirely corrupted by racism.
We can not get to solutions until the scope of the problem is identified. The equity audits should include
the following at minimum:

● Racial Equity Audit

The Racial Equity Audit will include, but not be limited to, an audit of programs, policies, structures
practices, and culture resulting in qualitative and quantitative data regarding the current work and
workplace of United Way as well as community perspectives and expectations for future organizational
culture change in relation to racial equity grantmaking, programming and practice.

● Pay Equity Audit

The Pay Equity Audit will include, but not be limited to, the following information:
● Pay broken down by race, gender, age, role
● If the pay equity audit reveals that any staff working for the United Way are not making a
living wage, United Way will take immediate steps to rectify this.

● Funding Equity Audit

The Funding Equity Audit will include, but not be limited to, the following information:

● What are your current practices around deciding who receives funding? Who makes up
these cabinets and what is the process for joining? (race, gender, occupation, age)
● List of all the organizations United Way funds with funding amounts (last two funding
cycles)
● List of black-led organizations who are currently funded and who have been funded in
the last two funding cycles by United Way (amounts) (Black led organizations are defined
as organizations who have a black President/CEO and/or whose mission is to support
black people)?
● Who manages UW's assets and how many money managers are African American?

For all of the Equity Audits we request a copy of the audit be shared and made publicly available. In
addition, a comprehensive plan that details the process, key themes, analysis of the gaps and
disconnects between current and future/desired state of the organization, and opportunities to build
upon. The plan should also include recommendations for embedding new inclusive policies and
practices into UW's culture and all aspects of the organization. This should also include short-term action
steps and sustainable, long-term goals.

blackledchange@gmail.com
 BLACKLED Change Cincinnati

2. United Way Board Diversification

● At least 40% of the board be made of Black People with more than half being Black Women and
representatives from diverse sectors.
● Increase in the number of board members who are “community volunteers”

3. United Way Senior Leadership and Staff Diversification

● Increase in the number of Black people in senior leadership positions

● Increase in the number of Black men working at United Way

4. Release the Black Led Social Change Report

This report on the United Way's relationship with Black-Led organizations in the city can provide
insightful information that may help rectify these problems, and therefore ought to be shared with the
Black community.

5. Restore the Funding to the Over the Rhine Senior Center

blackledchange@gmail.com