Thanks to Natalie Walrond for this thoughtful and well-constructed article and to Stanford Social Innovation Review for publishing.
I’ll admit to first being skeptical about the applicability of the terms colonization & decolonization in the context of nonprofit board culture, simply because, serving on numerous boards, there are many power dynamics and hierarchies on boards that don’t stem from a colonization or decolonization construct. Hats off to Edgar Villanueva and his excellent book, "Decolonizing Wealth", as it thrust this phrase into the philanthropic lexicon, and it has been a dominant and reoccurring theme in philanthropic discussions—for good reason.
After a few read-throughs, I’ll concur that looking at board culture through the lens of colonization is a useful frame that could increase effectiveness and create the space for intentional conversations about board culture—where it is currently and how it should evolve as the organization evolves. Thinking about how culture permeates all interactions, both internal and externally, how board decisions and decision making is perceived by others can facilitate more intentional, responsive, and open interactions among the board and stakeholders.
COMMENTS
BY SETH SCHALET
ON May 28, 2021 12:43 PM
Thanks to Natalie Walrond for this thoughtful and well-constructed article and to Stanford Social Innovation Review for publishing.
I’ll admit to first being skeptical about the applicability of the terms colonization & decolonization in the context of nonprofit board culture, simply because, serving on numerous boards, there are many power dynamics and hierarchies on boards that don’t stem from a colonization or decolonization construct. Hats off to Edgar Villanueva and his excellent book, "Decolonizing Wealth", as it thrust this phrase into the philanthropic lexicon, and it has been a dominant and reoccurring theme in philanthropic discussions—for good reason.
After a few read-throughs, I’ll concur that looking at board culture through the lens of colonization is a useful frame that could increase effectiveness and create the space for intentional conversations about board culture—where it is currently and how it should evolve as the organization evolves. Thinking about how culture permeates all interactions, both internal and externally, how board decisions and decision making is perceived by others can facilitate more intentional, responsive, and open interactions among the board and stakeholders.