Charity Inc.: There is no place for hate in nonprofits

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Last month, the world was shocked by the terrorist attack on a mosque in New Zealand in which 50 people lost their lives. Last year, 11 people were killed in a synagogue in Pittsburgh. And in 2015, nine people died at the hands of a white supremacist at an African American church in Charleston, S.C.

All of these crimes happened in places of worship, and those targeted were Muslims, Jews and African Americans. These houses of worship are part of the fabric of our nonprofit sector. These houses of worship along with our nonprofits should be safe, open and affirming spaces, where people may gather without fear.

There is no place for hate in our nonprofit sector. Last week, someone spray-painted graffiti outside of the state’s Democratic offices in Oklahoma and at offices of the Chickasaw Nation. The racist, homophobic and anti-Semitic language along with swastikas and references to Nazis were disturbing. One of our nonprofit members also has an office in the building where the graffiti happened. One of my staff members reached out to them to check in because we know that this activity not only hurts, but also threatens.

Last fall, the Center for Nonprofits received a wonderful award from our Oklahoma Conference of Churches as a community partner. In my remarks, I mentioned that one of the tenets and values of the Center and our sector is to love our neighbors – and that means all of our neighbors. Our sector must value diversity and promote a number of virtues.

We need a lot more civility and fairness in society right now. And we especially need more compassion, that ever-so-important ability to have an emotional understanding of others’ loss, grief, excitement or anxiety. The nonprofit sector is designed to have a strong emotional awareness, and I hope that we continue to develop this to impart this awareness and these virtues onto others.

Out of tragedy comes hope. Nonprofits have come to the aid of those affected by these tragedies. Whether with emotional or resource support, nonprofits are there when we need them most. Even in times of the ugliest and most vile of hate, nonprofits show up and step up to help others. To borrow a quote from the Prayer of St. Francis, “where there is hatred, let us sow love.”

Marnie Taylor is president and CEO of the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits. She can be reached at 405-463-6886, ext. 201, or [email protected].