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Welcome!

My name is Taylor Coats, and I am a graduate student in the Master of Nonprofit Leadership Program at Seattle University. This spring, I am doing a research project entitled Black Power Along the Margins: An Addition to Nonprofit Foundational Histories. My passion for this project stems from my determination to see more BIPOC voices and stories reflected in the histories of the voluntary sector. Though we are often written out of the field's foundations, our influences and contributions are evident in so many aspects of its past and present realties. I hope to explore and acknowledge these contributions in an effort to both honor the leadership of my community's ancestors, and to continue conceptualizing how our sectors past can progress its future.

What is the purpose of the study?

The purpose of this study is to examine the contributions of the Black Panther Party and their impact on service provision in the Oakland community and the sector at large. For the purpose of this study, I will be studying the services rendered through their Free People's Clinics and its lasting impacts on public health. Although the Party operated outside of the 501(c)3 status (intentionally), I am seeking to understand the depths of their influence on many of the services provided by nonprofits today.

As we proceed to engage with this idea of racial equity in the field and how we can put it in practice, research such like this becomes that much more crucial. I am a Black scholar in the field of nonprofit studies, it is crucial that I and my peers see ourselves in the literature. It is affirming to see the contributions made by your people included in foundational literature. It also helps with illustrating a more wholistic truth, offering us the opportunity to learn from the successes and stories of people not allowed to participate in academia until recently.

I am interested in learning more about your experiences in engaging with excluded histories, sharing them, and managing push back. I'd also love to engage with the rich research you contributed in pursuit of expanding popular historical narratives.

Who are you interviewing?

For this study, I am interested in interviewing scholars with expertise in Nonprofit studies, Public Policy, African American Studies, Political Science or a related field. I'd love to talk with folks who have experiences researching and documenting little known histories in their respective fields.

What is the format of the interviews?

I am inviting you to participate in a 45-minute interview. 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.

During our conversation, we will be asking you:

Your research and its relationship to the nonprofit sector
How have you seen Black peoples and culture in your field's historical literature?
What is your understanding of the relationship between Black peoples and service provision?
What has been your experience (as a scholar) with engaging with telling stories that are often excluded from popular histories/narratives?
How do you engage with or push back on popular historical narratives?

There are no right or wrong answers to these questions, or desirable or undesirable answers. I 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/tcoats-1

I look forward to our conversation.

How will you ensure privacy during the study?

Although I will ask that folks provide direct identifiers (names. academic areas of interest, position) no sensitive information will be requested. No identifiers will be used that are not currently widely available to the public. Information provided will be used to further highlight their validity and understanding of the subject matter.

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.

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. It is my belief (and hope) that this research will provide greater insight into the unique practices and ideologies help by the Black Panther Party, how these principles informed their service, and what we (as scholars and practitioners in this sector) can learn and emulate. In doing this work, I hope to advance conversations around centering community voice and deconstructing harmful trends in philanthropy.

I look forward to sharing 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 tcoats@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 grateful for your willingness to share your experiences and insights with me.