The recent global awakening to racial injustice within the United States may represent an unprecedented opportunity for transformative social change—especially for Black communities, who have languished under persistent forces of exclusion, marginalization, and physical threat of violence.

Yet, despite many characterizations of this moment as a historic opportunity for real lasting change, I find myself skeptical—if not quietly offended—by widescale claims of realizing the pervasiveness of racial injustice after so many examples of racial atrocity proved insufficient to generate similar outcries over the past few years. Indeed, inequity is not a new phenomenon. After 20 years of nationwide organizing to build power within struggling communities, I continue to find myself underwhelmed, perhaps distrustful of the false certainty or righteous collective outrage that dominates contemporary political discourse. Despite this, somehow, I avoid paralyzing cynicism and remain curious about the state of the nation.

Specifically, as a husband and father, I wonder how others are thinking about shaping civil society. How are we imagining communities of choice, or “thriving,” for example? As a Black man, I wonder to what extent I can expect meaningful social change to occur in ways that respond to the myriad forms of generational disenfranchisement imposed on my ancestors for centuries. For example, how high can I set expectations for change without simultaneously exposing myself to near-certain pain and frustration or making myself susceptible to extreme disappointment? As a leader of a national philanthropy-serving organization and a peer to several networks of caring individuals committed to changing the world, I wonder what is possible through our cooperative planning and strategic coordination. For example, what would be possible if we committed to cultivating and leveraging our collective genius?

Read the full article about being a Black nonprofit leader by Marcus Walton at Nonprofit Quarterly.