An Interview with TSOP Michigan to Illuminate a Local Tale of Black Philanthropy
This summer a local group, TSOP Michigan, is bringing an interactive photo and storytelling exhibit plus an array of public programs to Detroit to celebrate The Soul of Philanthropy.
I sat down with TSOP Michigan co-chairs Collin Mays and Nikia Washington to learn more about what this work means to them.
Rachel: What does Black philanthropy mean to you?
Collin Mays: Black philanthropy is humanity. When most think of philanthropy, it is assumed philanthropists solely donate money. In the black community that is not always the case. We give through our time, talent, and treasures. Black philanthropy covers clergy, community, education, business, service organizations, you name it. African Americans have been the backbone of philanthropy for generations. A little known statistical fact: African Americans are the most philanthropic population in the country!
Nikia (Kia) Washington: Well, it’s really hard to put it in words. In graduate school, my independent study on Black philanthropy produced the following definition:
“The awareness and shared commitment to fulfill the desired outcomes of a philanthropic contribution (of time, talent or treasure) ‘voluntarily transferred’ from one entity to another with intent to positively impact and/or mobilize one or more Black lives.” (Washington, 2019)
However, it always feels incomplete and strange to define, because it’s really just a way of being. I learned about philanthropy and how to give back as a kid, witnessing it in my church and on my street, with my family and at school. My parents are big philanthropists; however, I did not always use that word to describe their generosity. In fact, my mom would always tell me that when I was down or didn’t know how to help myself, to go help someone else. My first “career experience” was leading what was then Ohio’s largest student run philanthropy organization, Dance Marathon – an organization that mobilized grassroots efforts to support Children’s Miracle Network. It was years later, and while working at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, that I connected the dots that what I had experienced growing up and in my community was also philanthropy.
Rachel: What does it mean to celebrate The Soul of Philanthropy in Detroit?
Kia Washington: Detroit has and maintains a long history of Black philanthropy - the voluntary transfer of tangible (i.e., dollars, materials, etc.) and intangible (time, expertise, etc.) resources given to positively impact one or more Black lives. These efforts take place across our faith communities, education systems, through for profit and nonprofit entities, and within communities. However, these celebrations of giving have been historically under-recognized and under-celebrated.
Collin: In a recent meeting facilitated by The Soul of Philanthropy curator and founder, Valaida Fullwood, she shared this quote from Maya Angelou: “If we change the way we think of charity, our personal lives will be richer and the larger world will be improved. When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.” This spirit is seen through and through in Detroit. We are a community that has uplifted ourselves and our neighbors when resources were limited. Furthermore, as many of Detroit’s residents have histories that are linked to the Great Migration, we have been making a way amongst and for ourselves for generations. As Kia said, this is seen in our churches, in our schools, how we support our families - it’s a natural way of being to us. We are philanthropists and it’s important that everyone knows it.
Rachel: What do you hope the Detroit and Michigan community learns from this exhibit?
Kia: One of our major goals is to join the effort to dispel myths about Black giving. According to a report by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Black households give 25% more of their income annually than white households, and nearly two-thirds of African-American households donate to organizations and causes, totaling $11 billion each year. And those are just the measures in dollars! When we start to look at the broader definition of giving, the giving in our community is truly transformational. Beyond that, it’s a life source.
Another major goal - and my personal favorite - is to engage as many youth as possible. The exhibit will take place in the summer and we want to get as many kids in the door as we can. My vision of success is a posse of Detroit kids that have an expanded understanding of their role in philanthropy. They aren’t just beneficiaries - they are benefactors and facilitators. It’s in their history and they can and will carry the torch. I’m so excited to see what the youth do with this information.
Collin: Additionally, we hope to add to the international discussion on diverse philanthropy. Conversations about the ways that philanthropy can be more equitable and just are happening around the world with foundations, corporations, and individuals. Scholars like Dr. Tryone McKinley Freeman and his illumination of Madam C.J. Walker’s philanthropy; Edgar Villanueva and the Decolonizing Wealth Project; and all the work happening at the Mays Institute of Diverse Family Philanthropy at the Lilly School at Indiana University - to name a few. We want to add Detroiters' voice to this global conversation.
I’m especially excited to share the stories of over 80 Detroit philanthropic figures past and present. Additionally, I’m hoping our 15 programs will be impactful and help build momentum for future conversations.
Rachel: Who is TSOP Michigan and the people that make up this group?
Collin: After attending a few opening receptions for The Soul of Philanthropy hosted by other cities, I knew we had to bring this to Detroit. I started working on this project before the pandemic, and in 2021 we finally began to build traction with an initial pop-up exhibit that started in Grand Rapids. This has been a four-year journey for me. It’ll mean a lot to help tell the broader story of black giving in Michigan. It quickly evolved to a more comprehensive movement that will now touch three Michigan cities: Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids and Detroit.
Current volunteers include a 13-person steering committee, four subcommittees with three to seven members each, and a host committee. Everyone that has said yes is passionately concerned with the centuries-long absence of Black narratives in philanthropy.
Kia: It’s been a long, but short road at the same time to get the group together. We started out as just two - me and Collin! Then we were connected with a group in Grand Rapids and the Johnson Center that helped to catapult the work in West Michigan. After that, the ball started to roll and we were connected with folks across the state that were eager to join the effort. An early gift and significant grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation really helped to catapult our work and stretch our imagination about what we could actually do.
Now, keep in mind, we are all volunteers. So the work is heavy. But as we’ve grown our community, we continue to find the right spaces for folks to plug in and practice philanthropy by sharing their time and talent. It’s really beautiful, because through bringing this work to celebrate Black philanthropy to Michigan, we are practicing a model of Black philanthropy in how we work and partner together.
We are thankful for our fiscal sponsor, the Black United Fund, who are critical to our existence and momentum.
ABOUT THE EXHIBIT AND TSOP MICHIGAN PROGRAMS
Giving Back: The Soul of Philanthropy Reframed & Exhibited
On June 2, Giving Back: The Soul of Philanthropy Reframed & Exhibited, will open at The Detroit Historical Museum. In an adjoining gallery, TSOP Michigan will celebrate dozens of local Black philanthropists across five focus areas: community advocates, education, businesses, community service organizations, and faith-based giving. The exhibit will run through August 27.
Given the intent to raise awareness of Black giving throughout Southeast Michigan and neighboring regions, 15 programs will take place before and during the length of the exhibit. Programs include pop-up exhibits, panel discussions, youth workshops, speaking events, and gala celebrations.
Ann Arbor Pop-Up Exhibit
TSOP Michigan will host their second pop-up exhibit at Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor, Michigan, March 10-27. An opening reception will be held on March 10 from 6 - 8 PM; RSVP will be available here beginning Feb 15.
Learn more and sign-up for updates at tsopmichigan.org.
About Rachel M. Decker
Having spent nearly 20 years in the nonprofit sector as an effective and strategic fundraising and foundation executive, Detroit Philanthropy Founder and President, Rachel Decker is passionate about helping others, making meaningful connections, solving problems and, most importantly, creating impact in our community. With the founding of Detroit Philanthropy, she turned that passion into a commitment to champion philanthropy throughout metro Detroit as a philanthropic advisor, fundraising consultant and speaker.