On August 2, PEAK Grantmaking in collaboration with Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy (EPIP) hosted the first of a three-part learning and professional development series that explores career pathways in philanthropy, equity as an essential competency for emerging leaders, and tools for effective self-advocacy. The first session, A Leader Salon on Career Journeys in Philanthropy, featured TeQuion Brookins, director of operations at the McGregor Fund, and Lourdes Inga, executive director at International Funders for Indigenous Peoples, both of whom served as the guest editors for the 19th edition of PEAK’s Journal, Career Journeys in Philanthropy. Joining them was Eusebio Diaz, chief of staff at the Episcopal Health Foundation, who contributed an essay on how he forged his own career in the philanthropic sector. PEAK President and CEO Satonya Fair moderated the conversation, and at one point posed a trenchant question: What barriers do you see as you also try to show up as an advocate for equity?

Here are highlights from what they each had to say.

Lourdes: Indigenous peoples represent 6.2 percent of the global population, but between 2011 and 2015, only 1.2 percent of all global giving by U.S. foundations was identified as benefitting Indigenous Peoples worldwide. There is a lack of data that focuses on Indigenous people in philanthropy. Thus, it’s important that the voice of the Indigenous professionals is included.

Read the full article about philanthropy careers by Jesse Rhodes at PEAK Grantmaking.