On this episode of “Gathering Ground,” Mary was thrilled to talk to Rahnee Patrick, Director of the Division of Rehabilitation Services for the Illinois Department of Human Services, and artist Sandie Yi. They discussed Rahnee’s experience at Access Living and the Department of Human Services and Sandie’s experience as an artist and disability culture worker.

In response to the Supreme Court's 5-4 decision to strike down Roe v. Wade, limiting access to safe and legal abortion across the country, Mary sits down with three women who continue to advocate for the individuals most impacted: Marie Khan, Director of Programs at Midwest Access Coalition; Natalie Moore, WBEZ journalist and playwright of The Billboard: A Play About Abortion, and activist and co-founder of SisterSong Loretta Ross.

Mary was thrilled to be joined once again by Tracie Hall and Angelique Power for another fireside chat — this time recorded on location in Detroit at the beautiful Motown Motivated Studios! Since missing last year's conversation, both of these powerhouses have continued to thrive in their work — Tracie as Executive Director of the American Library Association and Angelique as President and CEO of Skillman Foundation in Detroit. If you missed part one of this episode, you can find it at...

Mary was thrilled to be joined once again by Tracie Hall and Angelique Power for another fireside chat — this time recorded on location in Detroit at the beautiful Motown Motivated Studios! Since missing last year's conversation, both of these powerhouses have continued to thrive in their work — Tracie as Executive Director of the American Library Association, and Angelique as President and CEO of Skillman Foundation in Detroit. As is often the case with Angelique and Tracie, our time...

This time on “Gathering Ground,” Mary meets with Dr. Diana N. Derige, Vice President of Health Equity Strategy & Development at the American Medical Association’s Center for Health Equity, to discuss her role and the health disparities that are impacting Latinx and intersecting identities. Recently, alongside two of her colleagues, Diana edited and contributed to April's volume of the AMA Journal of Ethics titled Health Equity in US Latinx Communities. This issue of the Journal includes...

It’s no secret that the last couple of years threw workplaces across industries into an unexpected spin as we began to find ways to take care of their teams amid social reckonings and a global pandemic. Despite these efforts, many employers have started seeing the effects of what many refer to as The Great Resignation. If you’ve ever partnered with us, you know that Morten Group does all of our work through an asset-based equity lens, so we encourage our client partners to flip the script...

On this episode of “Gathering Ground,” Mary welcomes co-leaders from three different organizations to the podcast. They discuss the successes and pitfalls of co-leadership models, how their organizations took steps to break free from the single-leader hierarchy, and what they’ve learned from each other during their time as partners in their leadership.

This time on “Gathering Ground,” Mary welcomes activist, advocate, internationally recognized academic, and dear friend Dr. Cathy J. Cohen. Mary and Cathy discuss Cathy’s Black Youth Project, how it informed Mary’s 2011 documentary Woke Up Black, and GenForward and More Than Diversity, two of Cathy’s most recent initiatives. Later, they share experiences of the pandemic’s forced shelter-in-place providing unexpected family bonding; Cathy’s recent Freedom Scholar award; and her extensive work...

This time on “Gathering Ground,” we were pleased to welcome Pop Culture Collaborative CEO Bridgit Antoinette Evans onto the podcast to discuss her work within and outside of the Collaborative. Mary and Bridgit talk about everything from the intersection of philanthropy and pop culture, Bridgit’s experience in Issa Rae’s writing room for “Insecure,” and Bridgit tells a fantastic story that exemplifies the importance of being able to tell your own story in the way that feels the most true to...

As much as we wish things were different, young people engaged in organizing and advocacy work often need the support of accomplices to make sure they make it past the gatekeepers to the “adult” world — which is where this time’s “Gathering Ground” guests come in. Tony Alvarado-Rivera and Keisha Farmer-Smith work with Chicago Freedom School, a Chicago institution that creates new generations of critical thinkers who use their unique experiences and power to create a just world. The work of...

Earlier this year, Morten Group had the honor of working with Illinois Governor JB Pritzker’s office on a comprehensive racial equity training program that included collaborating with 40 state agencies on developing diversity, equity, and inclusion action plans. Through this process, we were able to take a deep dive into the inner workings of our state’s government and bring an equity lens to the very top — including having the pleasure of welcoming Governor Pritzker as he participated in one...

This time on “Gathering Ground,” we’ve brought back Building Movement Project Co-director Sean Thomas-Breitfeld to discuss the organization’s 2020 report, Race to Lead Revisited: Obstacles and Opportunities in Addressing the Nonprofit Racial Leadership Gap. Mary and Sean discuss the experiences of people of color in nonprofit leadership, what the pandemic and reopening have been like, and what’s coming next from Race to Lead.

ake a look back at this special live episode from early April 2020, where we spoke to arts leaders from across the city to hear about what they anticipated for the arts during the pandemic. Guests included: Jessica Kadish-Hernandez, Morten Group consultant and co-founder of Chicago Artist Relief Fund; Michelle Boone, former Chief Program and Civic Engagement Officer at Navy Pier; Claire Rice, Executive Director of Arts Alliance Illinois; and Amy Eshleman, Chicago’s First Lady.

This time, Angelique Power (President, The Field Foundation of Illinois) and Tracie Hall (Executive Director, American Library Association) return to “Gathering Ground” to talk about their takeaways from the last year, how the world is different and the same, and how we encourage ourselves to keep moving forward. (Here is the link to the Crain’s article referenced in the conversation.)

This time on “Gathering Ground,” Mary sits down with some of Morten Group’s past and current client partners – Marie Kurose, CEO of Workforce Development of Seattle-King County; Ruth McFarlane, Vice President of Advancement at Ms. Foundation; and John Peller, President/CEO of AIDS Foundation Chicago.  A year into the pandemic, the four begin their conversation with how COVID-19 has impacted their organizations and talking about their wins and challenges from the last year. They discuss how...

This episode of "Gathering Ground" is all about Morten Group and the Forging Innovation in Racial Equity (FIRE) Grant! We were thrilled to be joined by the staff of Morten Group client partner Erie Family Health Centers, as well as two members of our own team, to take a closer look at Morten Group's racial equity, access, diversity, and inclusion (READI) work and our exciting new FIRE Grant.

This week, you'll have the chance to listen in to December 1's live recording with READI session facilitators Lisa Gilmore, Jessica Kadish-Hernández, Anedra Kerr, Amanda Paul, and Geneva Porter. Mary and our experts spent some time responding to the questions we didn't get to answer during the Symposium (including a couple from our live audience).

This week on “Gathering Ground,” Mary is offering listeners an inside look into Morten Group, LLC's READI Symposium — that's racial equity, access, diversity, and inclusion — which was held virtually on November 10. Following morning sessions on READI action planning, Mary welcomed a cross-sector slate of panelists to discuss the importance of READI efforts at participants' organizations, foundations, and companies. Hear from past “Gathering Ground” guests Sean Thomas-Breitfeld and Pamela...

Thirty-five years ago, organizations that were geared toward women and girls were only receiving 3 percent of all philanthropic dollars — which meant that programs addressing domestic violence, reproductive health, economic equality, and other issues critical to the well-being of women and girls were often underfunded. Four women in 1984 set out to change that when they founded Chicago Foundation for Women (CFW). Mary was thrilled to help celebrate an organization that she has supported for...

This time on “Gathering Ground,” Mary sits down with career coaches Amina Dickerson (Dickerson Global Advisors) and Janine Hill (SOAR Strategies). During this powerful and informative conversation, the three discuss their philosophies and strategies around coaching, offer advice on choosing a mentor that is a good fit, and the importance of self-care as a regular practice. This episode’s listener letters include an alum in an all-white committee to discuss Black students’ needs and a young...

This time on “Gathering Ground” Mary sits down with a pair of nonprofit powerhouses: CEOs Dorri McWhorter (YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago) and Mark Ishaug (Thresholds). The three discuss what inspired Dorri and Mark into their missions of service and how COVID-19 has affected their organizations, before delving into their leadership styles and what they wish they'd known when they were starting out. They also spend some time discussing the importance of emotional intelligence in the workplace,...

Katie shares her background as a Midwesterner before her decision to take a leap of faith and resettle across the country in the Pacific Northwest, where her journey led her to the Pride Foundation. We also learn a little more about Katie's path from volunteer to CEO of Pride, a Seattle-based foundation that fuels transformational movements to advance equity and justice for LGBTQ+ people in all communities across the Northwest. Katie also shares a little about Pride Foundation, the support...

From rapid response funds to resource reallocation to specialized webinars, leaders and boards across the philanthropic community are doing what they can to adapt to the needs of grantees and their constituents as they navigate the current state of the world. By lifting up the examples of two foundations' efforts to be more adaptive in real time, Mary and this fantastic panel discuss how public and private philanthropy is responding to the COVID-19 crisis. They also explore what nonprofits...

Eric Ward's robust career has taken him from organizer to funder, and back to the communities he so valiantly stands up with. Listen to "Gathering Ground"'s latest episode to hear about Eric's work in the Pacific Northwest with Northwest Coalition Against Malicious Harassment, where he worked with leaders across sectors to progress human rights and anti-violence work. Eric also discusses his past work as National Field Director at Center for New Community and work there in immigrant advocacy...

On this very special live episode of “Gathering Ground,” we welcomed a panel of individuals whose contributions and leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic are helping ensure support for artists across Chicago and Illinois communities.  As we all know, this historic time has affected all of us, regardless of what our work is and how we carry it out. While many of us turn to work from home, individuals in the arts communities don’t have that luxury and have had arts, restaurant, and retail...