Honoring Our Past; Powering A Movement: New York
The sun has begun setting for the Hazen Foundation. As our light dims, we are honored to see the spark grow within our grantees, peers, and partners. We pass on the torch, knowing our future is bright in their hands.
In January, we gathered in New York City, a culminating celebration following our first gathering in Los Angeles last year. “Honoring our Past; Powering a Movement” recognized the bonds Hazen built over our nearly 100-year history. It also served as a testament to the resolve we share as organizers, funders, allies, and supporters fighting for a just world. Together, we power a movement!
The night began with mingling, embracing familiar faces and greeting new ones under the beautiful backdrop of the Prince George Ballroom.
Cathy Dang and Roksana Mun, national co-directors of Grassroots Asians Rising, brought moving energy as our co-emcees. Cathy detailed the impact of Hazen’s partnership which helped to more than triple the organization’s revenue. “We no longer exist just for moments of crises; we are building an ecosystem of organizations and a groundswell of working-class pan-Asian communities to connect moments of crises towards a long-term strategy,” shared Cathy.
Together we watched a video showcasing the reflections of many of our grantees on their own success and their partnership with Hazen. Their stories captivated us, setting the stage for a night full of inspiring moments.
Cristina Jiménez, Hazen’s vice chair, enlivened the crowd the moment she took the stage. “When I say ‘power’, you say ‘to the people’!” Three times we called out, “To the people!” That was the mindset Hazen’s board had when it made the decision to spend down all its assets in 2019. “The Hazen Foundation truly believed in the power of young people of color and their parents — the board could not think of a better way to serve young movement leaders than to go all in for them.”
Reunited to celebrate the Foundation’s monumental investment in youth organizing and the grantees who continue to spearhead the movement for racial justice, Hazen board and staff, both past and present, erupted in joy. The room filled with applause and cheer as they stood before us.
Systems of oppression took centuries to build, sustain and reinforce — dismantling them will take more than a theory of change and one-year funding cycles. James Lopez, executive director of Power U Center for Social Change reminded us that grassroots organizers need the space and partnership from funders to imagine the possibilities. “We need partners who value what we believe in. Give us the space and peace to think about what is possible — then we can make it happen.”
The Resistance Revival Chorus transformed the empowering energy in the room into song. The Chorus is a collective of more than 70 women and non-binary singers who use music as a path for exploring activism.
Alberto Retana, Hazen’s Board chair, reminded us, in the words of the late civil rights activist, Bayard Rustin, “Every community needs a group of angelic troublemakers.” That is who we leave all our assets and hope to: our grantees. The angelic troublemakers who will lead us to a more just world through their integrity, collective strength, and unwavering persistence. They are our legacy.
After a short break from singing with the Resistance Revival Chorus, Zakiyah Shaakir-Ansari, interim co-executive director of the New York State Alliance for Quality Education captivated us by sharing the driving force behind her dedication to parent-led organizing. As a mother of eight children and grandparent of four, Zakiyah is filled with a great love in her spirit, and it is love that has fueled her for over 20 years of fighting for educational justice and ending the oppression of Black and brown people. “Hazen’s partnership and commitment over the years has also been an act of love,” she shared.
The words of Hazen President, Lori Bezahler, ended the night. The Foundation has prioritized the education, development, and leadership of young people — “those who in the natural course of events will be the leaders of tomorrow,” as declared in the Foundation’s founding documents. “I believe our work to move systems and structures of oppression — patriarchy, capitalism, racism and more — has also enabled a natural course of events,” Lori noted. It is because of young people that the Hazen Foundation was founded, and it is because of them that the Foundation has completed its work in the natural course of events.
The Hazen Foundation is indebted to its grantees, Board and staff, peers and partners who have contributed to the success and impact of the Foundation. We thank you for honoring our past with us — we leave you with our hope and example to continue powering this movement.
