María Poblet

Executive Director | Causa Justa :: Just Cause

María Poblet is the executive director of Causa Justa :: Just Cause, a successful merger of three organizations which strategically aggregated the power of neighborhood-based Latino & African American organizing in the East Bay, creating a single, regional, multi-racial powerhouse for racial and economic justice. Under her leadership, CJJC’s work addressing racialized displacement has earned a number of Awards. Within and beyond her role at Causa Justa, María is active in social movements, in the leadership of the US Social Forum, the Grassroots Global Justice Alliance & other progressive formations.

Presentations from Facing Race 2016

Increased Activist Philanthropy: What’s Working for Racial Justice Movement Building and What’s Challenging

As increasing numbers of former organizers and activists enter the ranks of organized philanthropy and more donors become #woke, there have been some exciting shifts in some of the approaches of funders eager to advance work on racial justice and other areas of social justice. While this has been encouraged and welcomed by many in the movement, managing the power dynamics, accountability and clarifying roles can remain a challenge - and perhaps even an added layer when the funders are not just friends or former partners - but clearly see themselves as activists still. What do folks dependent on funding resources want to lift up as practices to keep growing and encouraging? What are some practices or blind spots that may need illumination? Join this discussion from whichever seat you're in and be prepared to engage in a highly interactive discussion of strategy, role and collaboration for greatest collective work. We will hear from organizers that have been part of exciting progressive partnerships with activist funders sharing what and why they have worked. But the session will also provide space for honest reflection about what might be challenging recognizing the power imbalance doesn't go away just because the funder is cool without a range of clear mechanisms in place.

Speakers: Lori Villarosa, María Poblet, Ingrid Benedic

Presentations from Facing Race 2012

Where is the Color in Occupy? Race, Class and Gender in the Occupy Movement

When a Canadian magazine, Adbusters, issued the call last summer to Occupy Wall Street, no one could predict the response that would follow. Many have pointed to the lack of race-explicit analysis by the Occupy movement and the domination of white middle class participation. Organizers of color involved with Occupy discuss how race is manifested in their city and how Occupy can lead with a race-explicit analysis.

Speakers: Kate Khatib, Christine Schweidler, María Poblet, Janée Woods Weber