Keynote | Michael McAfee and Amanda Navarro: Building Trust with Communities

Being a trustworthy partner is the first step in building strong relationships with grantees. Yet, in the current system, the rules of the game are often rigged against some communities and leaders, particularly those who face the burdens of structural racism. How can we be trusted partners when we know the rules are unfair, yet continue to enforce them or fail to use our own agency or power to change them? In this keynote, PolicyLink president and CEO Michael McAfee and PolicyLink chief impact officer Amanda Navarro offered their perspectives on philanthropy’s responsibility to turn its eye to systems change work and community-led movements for policy change as a way to grow power from within communities and amplify community voices.

Speakers