Despite DEI backlash, Long Island Unitarian Universalist Fund supports local progressive causes

The Long Island Unitarian Universalist Fund altogether awarded 15 nonprofits $378,000 last year to empower historically marginalized groups amid a growing backlash to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

The field-of-interest fund, which is more than 30 years old and located within The New York Community Trust, said in a statement Tuesday that the grants seek to support “efforts to advance progressive social change." The grants cover a large scope, ranging from helping immigrants to reducing recidivism.

The fund is guided by Unitarian Universalist core values, which include “inherent worthiness and dignity of people” and justice.

“We are trying to make, you know, living here on Long Island more equitable, beneficial and more satisfying for the most amount of people,” said David Holstein, a member of the fund’s advisory committee.

With its grant, the LGBT Network has received $25,000 from the fund to expand the number of people from the LGBT community on local boards and increase LGBT advocacy in those meetings, the fund said. Meanwhile, Tu Prensa Local received $30,000 from the fund to help Latinos on the East End get better access to local news.

These grants, which aim to propel progressive change, were awarded at a time when issues related to diversity, equity and inclusion are being slashed and attacked by some conservatives.

On Monday, President Donald Trump approved an executive order that ends federal government programs on diversity, equity and inclusion, called DEI. He has ordered federal government employees whose job descriptions involve DEI to be put on administrative leave and ultimately laid off.

Recently, large companies such as McDonald’s, Lowe’s and Walmart said they would reduce or eliminate their DEI initiatives, the AP said.

Holding firm to core values

Despite the shifting landscape, The New York Community Trust — a community foundation — and the Long Island Unitarian Universalist Fund remain unfettered in their vision. 

“Regardless of the administration in power, out at the federal, state or local level, the trust and the Unitarian Universalist funds have a long history of supporting efforts that support human and civil rights, promote social, economic and environmental justice and improve quality of life of all folks,” said Sol Marie Alfonso-Jones, a senior program director at The New York Community Trust.

She added: “These efforts that we support are led by people most affected by injustice and inequity, and that work will continue again. There are always challenges to that ideal.”

One of the organizations that will benefit from the grant is New Hour For Women and Children, which will receive $20,000. The Brentwood-based nonprofit helps support women who have been incarcerated through its 12-week leadership program that can help lower recidivism.

“Our programs really do support the person, and really especially support women who are … very often, the primary caretakers for their children and their mothers,” said Serena Martin-Liguori, the organization’s executive director.

Holstein, the member of the advisory committee member fund, which includes several Unitarian Universalist congregations on Long Island, said their giving is tied to their religious belief system that values basic human dignity and doesn’t fluctuate from administration to administration.

And if anything, Holstein said, the fund's goals are more critical now that some DEI efforts are being reconsidered. Holstein added that although their giving is often viewed as progressive, he hopes that it doesn’t alienate people.

“It's trying to cure some of the evils that we see,” he said. “And, yes, perhaps it's a progressive way of trying to cure that, but it's something that we can all get behind if it works.”

He added: “If it leads to less crime in the streets, if it leads to better lives for women incarcerated, if it leads to better lives for kids getting educated of how to advocate and how to kind of ask for their civil rights, isn't that good for everybody, right?”

By Tiffany Cusaac-Smith

tiffany.cusaac-smith@newsday.com@T_Cusaac

Tiffany Cusaac-Smith is a general assignment reporter for Newsday. She previously worked at USA TODAY and is an alum of Howard University.