Photo (from left): Elizabeth Power, Selby Foundation Grants Manager; Kiarra Womack, Selby Foundation Senior Scholarship Manager; Rich Harwood; Susie Bowie, Selby Foundation President/CEO
In the last couple of years, DeSoto County has garnered increased attention from foundations seeking to help individuals and families who at once feel pride for their community and recognize its pressing needs. What would the residents themselves highlight as we get to know their aspirations and challenges?
We honor the legacy of Bill and Marie Selby through investments in young leaders and nonprofit organizations in DeSoto County as part of our service region. The Selby Foundation team appreciates the opportunity to hear local voices reflected in the Harwood Institute’s work that was shared during the recent Funder Roundtable convened by The Patterson Foundation. We are using the discussion and supporting report as guides to help us invest through the lanes in which we work. A few findings that were particularly eye-opening for us:
- Youth.
The roundtable and report discussed the past availability of more places for youth to gather and the sense among young people that there is nothing for them in DeSoto County. This accentuates the importance of continuing to invest in existing youth-serving organizations. It affirmed that our own goals to increase the number of DeSoto County-based Selby Scholars and awareness about educational supports for students pursuing college is an important part of our work. - Diverse Experiences and Views.
The finding that networks of diverse people operate separately from one another may be common in many places. We also learned that many of the same leaders remain in few available positions for years, with little opportunity for others to share in or influence these roles. These perceptions emphasize our responsibility to actively seek different voices if we wish to properly invest in student success and in nonprofits that help underrepresented people make gains. - Gathering Spaces.
Conversation participants indicated a lack of gathering spaces that attract people who tend to be marginalized, including those who speak various languages, who belong to different communities within the county, or who represent the resident voice. As we invest in DeSoto County nonprofits through building, technology, or equipment, we will want to learn more about the organizations’ interests in and efforts to use their assets in multiple ways—ideally, with community at the center. Multi-purpose spaces that feel safe and are trusted can have an outsized impact.
Read the full report by Richard C. Harwood, John P. Conroy, Michael Prihoda and Oluwagbemiga Dasylva, DeSoto County Coming Together: Unleashing the Community’s Potential (2024).