News

In Conversation: Multicultural Fellows Reflect on the Power of the Fellowships

June 2010

As Arts and Culture Fellow Vanessa Camarena-Arredondo and Social Justice Fellow Navin Moul conclude their fellowships, we asked them to look back on the past two years of hands-on leadership experience. Watch the brief video below to hear them discuss the power of Fellowships in building their own success and strengthening their communities.

Multicultural Fellowships: A Model to Strengthen and Support Emerging Leaders of Color

There is growing recognition that leadership within the fields of philanthropy and the nonprofit sector are not reflective of the racial/ethnic diversity of the nation as a whole. The 2009 cohort of The San Francisco Foundation Multicultural Fellows drafted a paper, entitled "Multicultural Fellowships: A Model to Strengthen and Support Emerging Leaders of Color," detailing how the Fellowship can be used as a program model to encourage the development of leaders of color in nonprofit, governmental, and philanthropic sectors. The San Francisco Foundation’s commitment to supporting emerging leaders of color, as well as the longevity and success of the Fellowship Program, puts the fellows in a unique position to share our experience and offer recommendations on how similar fellowship programs could be developed in other sectors and foundations. The paper includes reflections from former and current fellows and is specifically focused upon the impact that the Fellowship Program has had on our careers and capacity as leaders. Click here to download a PDF of this paper.

Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors' Report on Diversity in Action

In July 2009, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors released its report entitled "Diversity in Action: Strategies with Impact." This report highlights ideas, approaches, and programs from CEOs and trustees of foundations who have implemented solutions to ensure greater reach into diverse communities, including The San Francisco Foundation's Multicultural Fellowship Program. With an aim to promote best practices, leaders share perspectives on both the rationale and the methods of their diversity strategies. Click here to download a PDF (1.7 MB) of this report.