The Center for Nonprofit Excellence on Tuesday will host its first ever virtual Philanthropy Day.
In normal years, the celebration involves a gathering of several hundred people, having a meal and listening to a keynote speaker.
“It’s about coming together where we get people to celebrate the community builder in all of us,” said Cristine Nardi, CNE’s executive director. “It’s about inspiring people to do work into the next year. Then, cue COVID.”
Instead of cancelling the event, Nardi and her colleagues at CNE decided to move it online. And, to make the gathering yet more compelling this year, instead of a keynote speaker, the group will be hosting a panel discussion of four Black women with the topic: What will it take to create a more just community?
“I am so excited to hand over Philanthropy Day to these women,” Nardi said.
The panelists include:
- Airbnb’s head of global diversity and belonging, Melissa Thomas-Hunt, who will act as moderator;
- Dr. Irène P. Mathieu, a general pediatrician at the University of Virginia who serves as director of the pediatric department’s Equity and Inclusion Committee;
- Juanika Howard, a local mental health professional; and
- Evette Roots, the social enterprise specialist for the Office of Community Wealth Building in Richmond.
Following the panel, the panelists will break out into individual (virtual) discussion rooms for further conversation and question-and-answer sessions with attendees.
Some 450 people have registered to attend the virtual event. Registration is still open here.
The event is scheduled to take place between 12 and 1:15 p.m.
