The Heart of Philanthropy: Collectivism and Multi-Racial Democracy From Within with Carmen Rojas

The R.A.C.E. Podcast

Welcome to Episode 5 of Season 3 of The R.A.C.E. Podcast. Today I am honored to be in conversation with Carmen Rojas, President and CEO of Marguerite Casey Foundation. Our intimate and rich conversations shine a light on the humanity and community aspect of the work we do and the importance of keeping the community connection and the people at the center. I am truly humbled through our conversation and want to extend a special thank you to Carmen for her journey, her spirit, and her life’s work.

Meet Carmen Rojas:

Dr. Carmen Rojas is the president and CEO of Marguerite Casey Foundation. Under her leadership, the foundation launched the prestigious Freedom Scholar award, committed to ensuring that a majority of MCF’s endowment is overseen by diverse managers, and since starting in 2020 granted more than $130M in funding to dozens of organizations doing the hard work of shifting power to those people who have long been excluded from having it.

Prior to MCF, Dr. Rojas was the co-founder and CEO of The Workers Lab, an innovation lab that partners with workers to develop new ideas that help them succeed and flourish.

For more than 20 years, she has worked with foundations, financial institutions, and nonprofits to improve the lives of working people across the country.

Dr. Rojas sits on the boards of Nonprofit Quarterly, Blue Ridge Labs, and San Francisco Federal Reserve's Community Advisory Council as well as the Confluence Racial Equity Initiative Advisory Committee. She was also recently named one of the “50 Most Powerful Women in U.S. Philanthropy,” by Inside Philanthropy.

She holds a PhD in city and regional planning from UC Berkeley and was a Fulbright Scholar in 2007.

Listen in as Carmen shares:

• Her core identities and how they inform how she leads in the world
• What Racial Justice means and how it is often misinterpreted
• What self care looks like for her in the context of collective well-being
• What she is most excited about in terms of the results of her work
• What advice she would have for her younger self
• And more

Connect with Carmen Rojas:

• Website: Marguerite Casey Foundation
• LinkedIn: Carmen Rojas

Hi listener! Please take our short Listener Survey HERE to give The R.A.C.E. Podcast team feedback on the show. We will use the feedback to inform how we approach conversations in the future. Upon completion, you will be entered in our quarterly drawing for a $100 Visa gift card! Your email address will only be used for this purpose. Thanks in advance - we appreciate your feedback.
Connect with Keecha Harris and Associates:

• Website: https://khandassociates.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/keecha-harris-and-associates/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/khandassociates
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCukpgXjuOW-ok-pHtVkSajg/featured

Connect with Keecha:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keechaharris/