Chung-Wha Hong

Co-Executive Director | Grassroots International

Pronouns: she/her

Chung-Wha Hong (she/her) is Co-Executive Director of Grassroots International. Grassroots International supports Global South social movements through mobilizing resources through donor organizing, taking social action and grantmaking. Since coming to Grassroots in 2014, Chung-Wha has worked with the phenomenal staff and board to expand long-term partnerships with more social movements and to grow donor organizing projects to support movement building for food sovereignty, grassroots feminisms, human rights, climate justice, and healing. For over 30 years, Chung-Wha has worked to advance immigrant rights, health care, labor, anti-militarism and human rights at various organizations including the NY Immigration Coalition.

Presentations from Facing Race 2024

Lessons Learned from Philanthropy's Response to Genocide in Palestine

Since October 7, 2023, philanthropy has responded to the genocide in Palestine in shameful ways—continuing to raise money for illegal settlements, cutting funding for Palestinian-related activism, surveilling activists, weaponizing anti-Semitism to shut down criticism of Israel, and more.

There has also been unprecedented donor organizing, to support Palestinian movements in Palestine and in the US, while building with funders internationally. Grassroots International, Solidaire Network, and Women Donors Network have been on the forefront of organizing on this issue, and invite participants to strategize with us on how to disrupt entrenched philanthropic behavior in an interactive workshop to identify solutions together.

We will explore:
-What are the lessons we learned as a public foundation and donor networks as we raised funds and organized donors?
-How can funders and activists work more closely to address the harm caused by philanthropy, and accompany movements for Palestinian liberation?
-How do we integrate solidarity with Palestine into our work on racial justice and democracy?
-Can we nurture and grow internationalism in U.S. philanthropy through work on Palestine?
-What would you like to see in future strategies for mobilizing funding, donor organizing, working with frontline organizations, and integrating Palestine work into various sectors in philanthropy and activism?

Speakers: Chung-Wha Hong, Kathryn Snyder, Jas Wade, Vivette Jeffries-Logan