Philanthropic Responsibility in the Wake of the Killing of Jordan Neely
Philanthropy New York joins our community in the collective heartbreak, disgust, and anger following the vigilante murder of Jordan Neely. Jordan Neely was a Black man who was a talented performer, family member, and friend and deserved so much more from all of us. Instead, he was unhoused, struggled with mental health, and dehumanized in the moments he cried for help.
We urge the philanthropic sector to recognize the root causes of his murder: racism and a fractured social safety net. Our sector is responsible for leveraging its institutional power to advocate for and distribute resources to ensure the social safety net that includes government, non-profits, and social services works to address these rips in the social fabric. Philanthropy New York urges the sector to go about this work with humility and in allyship with non-profit partners while following the lead of proximate leaders. We must be reflexive in recognizing that the racialized wealth accumulation that provided the foundation for this sector has, for generations, worked to create inequities that have caused housing insecurity, gaps in mental health care, and a social divide that dehumanizes the most marginalized.
We also know that the existing barriers between public policy and community necessitate philanthropy dedicating its full energy, time, and resources to build power with persistently underrepresented communities. Below is a compilation of resources from various funders and non-profit partners designed to catalyze our member community to address these issues, particularly in our region.
Resources:
• The Murder of Jordan Neely and the Criminalization of Solidarity (Anti-Racism Daily)
• How To Support Your Unhoused Neighbors (The Good Trade)
• One Man Killed Jordan Neely—but We All Failed Him (The Nation)
• One Law Won’t Erase the Brutal History of Lynchings (Anti-Racism Daily)
• NYPD Arrests Protesters, Photojournalist at Jordan Neely Vigil (Intelligencer)
Local Resources:
• BronxWorks - Empowers Bronx residents by providing them with the services they need to uplift their lives and communities.
• Care for the Homeless - Care For the Homeless serves the medical, mental, and behavioral health care needs of people experiencing homelessness in 26 locations throughout the five boroughs.
• The Bridge - Offers a comprehensive range of evidence-based rehabilitative services, including mental health and substance abuse treatment, housing, vocational training and job placement, healthcare, education and creative arts programming.