Stephanie Velasco
Welcome
My name is Stephanie Velasco (she/her). I am a graduate student in the Master of Nonprofit Leadership Program at Seattle University. This spring, I am doing a research project titled Anti-Racist Practices in Nonprofit Branding. I chose this topic because I have been working as a marketing/communications professional for the past four years and am interested to understand how nonprofit organizations are engaging in anti-racist practices in their branding efforts.
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Resource Bank:
- Communicating for Racial Justice, Racial Equity Tools: https://www.racialequitytools.org/resources/act/communicating/communicating-for-racial-justice Links to an external site.
- The Communications Network Membership: https://www.comnetwork.org/join-the-network/
Links to an external site.
- RACE AND RACISM: Doing Good Better Report, The Communications Network: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5d84128b2e0bd06d542fe4c4/t/5fd7fef4e0c784483dd550f4/1607991033364/Race_and_Racism_Updated12.14.pdf
Links to an external site.
- Tools to Practice Racial Equity in Communications Work: https://comnetworkdei.org/
Links to an external site.
- Heteropatriarchy and the Three Pillars of White Supremacy: https://icadvinc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/heteropatriarchy-and-the-three-pillars-of-white-supremacy.pdf
Links to an external site.
- The Coalition of Anti-Racist Whites: https://www.instagram.com/carwseattle/ Links to an external site.
- Continuum on Becoming an Anti-Racist Multicultural Organization: https://philanos.org/resources/Documents/Conference%202020/Pre-Read%20PDFs/Continuum_AntiRacist.pdf
Links to an external site.
- How racism and white supremacy fueled a Black-Asian divide in America, Vox: https://www.vox.com/22321234/black-asian-american-tensions-solidarity-history
Links to an external site.
- The ‘Black-Asian Conflict’ Is a Problematic Trope — and It’s Time to End It, Medium: https://stopasianhate.medium.com/the-black-asian-conflict-is-a-problematic-trope-and-it-s-time-to-end-it-cef2d4176099
Links to an external site.
- 20 subtle ways white supremacy manifests in nonprofit and philanthropy, Nonprofit AF: https://nonprofitaf.com/2021/06/20-subtle-ways-white-supremacy-manifests-in-nonprofit-and-philanthropy/
Links to an external site.
- White-focused philanthropy is on the way out. A philanthropy that unites us is taking over, Community-Centric Fundraising: https://communitycentricfundraising.org/2021/05/18/white-focused-philanthropy-is-on-the-way-out-a-philanthropy-that-unites-us-is-taking-over/
Links to an external site.
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What is the purpose of the study?
I launched this study to get a better understanding of what marketing/communications professionals are doing today to incorporate anti-racist practices when it comes to their organization's messaging and visual communications.
We know that telling the stories of our clients, our staff and volunteers, and our organizations is essential to connecting with those who need our services and those who can provide funds to continue those services. However, have we stepped back, reflected and reexamined how we tell those stories could potentially harm the communities we aim to serve as well as our fellow colleagues we are serving with?
I am interested in learning more about your experiences with practicing anti-racism in your organization.
Who are the subjects of the study?
For this study, I am interviewing and collecting survey responses from marketing/communications professionals working for nonprofit organizations based in Seattle, WA.
What is the format of the interviews and surveys?
I am inviting you to participate in a 45-minute interview and/or a survey.
Interviews: All interviews will take place remotely via Zoom. You will have the choice to participate in a video call, or to call in by phone.
Surveys: The survey will take about 5-7 minutes and can be completed via computer or mobile device.
In both interviews and surveys, questions will touch on topics regarding your background, storytelling, the communities you serve, race and racism, and anti-racism practices.
There are no right or wrong answers to these questions, or desirable or undesirable answers. We would like you to feel comfortable telling us what you really think.
How do I sign up?
You can sign up for an interview using this link: https://calendly.com/svelasco910/interview2021 Links to an external site.
You can start taking the survey by clicking this link: https://seattleux.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0jRA7M1bnJenSGW Links to an external site.
If you are choosing to participate in an interview, I am looking forward to our conversation!
How will you ensure privacy during the study?
All of the information you provide will be kept confidential and your name will not be used in any public dissemination of the data I collect.
This study has been approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at Seattle University, and is guided by the principles outlined by the IRB for the protection of human subjects.
You can read more information and access the informed consent form here Download here.
What will you do with the information you gather?
I will be writing up the results of the study and presenting the results at the MNPL Capstone Festival on Saturday, June 5. I believe that this research will provide greater understanding of the urgency for us, as a sector, to hold ourselves accountable for the words, images and communication strategies we use to describe the work we do, tell the stories of the clients we serve, and how we interact and develop relationships with our donors.
I will also share the results of our research with you and the other participants. My hope is that the results are useful to you as you plan your future work.
For more information:
I can be reached by email at svelasco@seattleu.edu. If you would like more information about the MNPL capstone projects, you can also contact Professor Feit at feitm@seattleu.edu.
Thank you
I know that your time is valuable and I am deeply grateful for your willingness to share your experiences and insights with me!