Celebrating Black Leadership & Anti-Racist Action: A Black History Month Message

As I have settled into my role as CEO for United Way Bay Area over the past few months, I have been particularly reflecting on the legacy of Black leaders who’ve shaped the Bay Area’s movement for social justice over decades. Our region’s history of advancing equity runs deep. This Black History Month, I’m reflecting on how that legacy lives on in the growing number of Black leaders transforming Bay Area philanthropy and nonprofit work – and the urgent work still ahead of us.

At United Way Bay Area, we are reaffirming our values and commitments, celebrating Black leaders across our communities, and wishing you all a Black History Month full of pride, celebration, and action.

As we celebrate, we must also recommit ourselves to anti-racist work, because the numbers tell a stark story about racial inequality in our region—not just historically, but persistently. In our community, some people thrive, while many struggle to get by. The gap in median household income between the top 10% and bottom 10% of wage earners is much more pronounced in the Bay Area than across California and the rest of the country. That gap is even more stark for Black and Latinx families. Latinx Bay Area residents experience poverty (12% living below the poverty line) at double the rate of White residents (6%), and Black residents experience poverty at triple the rate (18%), according to data from the Bay Area Council Economic Institute.

The housing affordability crisis is the number one issue that puts and keeps Bay Area families in poverty. The lack of affordable housing is directly connected to and sustained by structural racism. Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color have been systematically denied access to housing opportunities for far too long. Exclusionary housing policies have led to a nearly 30-point gap between White and Black homeownership rates, a major contributor to the racial wealth gap.

These aren’t just statistics – they represent generations of systemic barriers, discriminatory policies, and denied opportunities. That’s why efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI initiatives) are so critical; not just because they prioritize resources to otherwise excluded communities – but because they encourage equitable access to opportunities.

As we come together, UNITED across the Bay Area, I’m humbled to serve alongside other remarkable Black leaders in the region who are reimagining how we build community power and create lasting change. We’re showing what it looks like when institutions actually reflect the communities they serve. As the first Black CEO of United Way Bay Area in our 100+ years of history, I’m bringing lived experience and deep community connections to tackle the Bay Area’s most pressing challenges. The fact that major philanthropic institutions across our region are now led by Black executives signals an overdue shift in who gets to make decisions about community investment – though we still have far to go.

I often think about my grandmother, who taught me that leadership isn’t just about holding a position – it’s about clearing the path for others to rise. It’s a lesson that resonated deeply when I joined Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, following in the footsteps of women like former Vice President Kamala Harris and countless other Black leaders who’ve dedicated themselves to service and sisterhood. Today, as I see more Black women stepping into philanthropy and nonprofit leadership, I’m hopeful. But I also know how much work remains to build truly equitable institutions and communities.

Representation at the top, while crucial, is just the beginning. True equity demands we transform the systems that perpetuate racial disparities in housing, education, and economic opportunity.

At United Way Bay Area, our commitment to anti-racism isn’t just a statement – it’s woven into everything we do. From our SparkPoint financial coaching centers, our guaranteed basic income pilot happening now in Alameda County, our 211 resource network, and our Emergency Food and Shelter programs, we’re delivering resources into the communities where they’re needed the most. Our giving disparities report ensures that data is driving our allocation of resources – and it’s a stark reminder that some zip codes have been systematically underserved.

This Black History Month, I invite you to join us in this critical work. Support Black-led organizations in your community. Examine how your own institution can better advance racial equity. And connect with UWBA to explore how we can partner to build a Bay Area where everyone has the opportunities and resources to thrive – not despite their race, but with their full identity recognized, respected, and celebrated.

Because when we say “United is the Way,” we mean for everyone. And that’s not just a tagline – it’s our promise to this community. You can count on us to work toward delivering on that promise – not just during Black History Month, but every month and every day, for as long as it takes to dismantle the root causes of poverty and build equitable pathways to prosperity for all.

Keisha Browder
CEO, United Way Bay Area