From Forbes” “Dr. Carmen Rojas, President and CEO of Marguerite Casey Foundation, is the youngest Latina to run a nationally endowed philanthropic foundation. Her colleague, Jonathan Jayes-Green, Vice President of Programs at the same foundation, is the first and only undocumented leader to serve in an executive role in a national private foundation in the U.S.. For the two, not only are they breaking the pale, stale and male stereotype of philanthropy, they are also challenging how philanthropy is being done.”
“Both the backgrounds of Dr. Rojas and Jayes-Green in advocating for racial justice have prepared them for strengthening the foundation’s focus in this area. ‘75% of the foundation’s funds went to organizations led by Black, Indigenous People of Color,’ says Dr. Rojas – in 2019, Marguerite Casey Foundation distributed $34 million in grants. ‘The foundation has always been a racial justice organization, pro-Black, pro-Native, pro-queer, instead of talking about justice more broadly. For us, justice can only be achieved if people of color are represented and control the power and resources to make their own decisions, and set the rules of the game.'”
“At a time in American history where future visions are being debated, the voices of funders and more importantly, social change leaders, should be heard alongside politicians. As Dr. Carmen Rojas reflected: ‘We are afforded a lot of authority as funders, but we need to make room for other people to show their full extent of brilliance. Funders should be the nurturing soil for social change efforts to take roots.'”