Can we talk about...? A podcast on leading for racial equity in philanthropy · Philanthropy Northwest

Katie Hong and Abby Sarmac on their 'why' for engaging in racial equity work and themes from season 2

August 1, 2025·44 min·1 clip

The episode opens with a line about equity as recognizing our humanness. It frames the work as being instead of doing. Can We Talk About? is a project from the Giving Practice at Philanthropy Northwest. The show says it is trying to normalize the messiness of leading for racial equity in philanthropy and reflect on what it takes to create lasting transformation. In season two, the hosts explore what it looks like for philanthropy to advance racial equity on the ground, where the work can look quite different depending on the context, whether it's place, issue area, or community served, and in a world where our contexts are constantly shifting. Guests are asked to practice vulnerability, explore sticky topics, and look for learning. The listener is asked to do the same. Nancy notes that there were technical issues and the audio quality is lower than normal. She apologizes for that before the conversation begins. Katie Hong and Abby Sarmack mark the end of the season together. They react to how fast the season went by. They also talk about how much the world has changed. The conversation turns to why so much philanthropy work gets tangled up in theory of change and the search for the right answer. Abby says that some of the people doing this work over the season made the point that it is pretty simple. She adds that the harder part is the question of power and control. She also names outcomes, accountability, and who organizations are accountable to. From there, the episode settles on familiar practices like recognizing, listening, and building trust. It also points to collaboration across foundations, including the Hewlett Foundation and the Rakes Foundation, and to intergenerational work, where current efforts are shaped by what has happened in the past. The episode also draws on a conversation at Seeding Justice about intergenerational effort.

As heard by us

A season-closing conversation where trust, power, and intergenerational work stay stubbornly concrete.

Katie Hong and Abby Sarmack close season 2 with a conversation that keeps racial equity grounded in practice. It returns often to what happens when theory meets power, accountability, and the speed of trust, and it is at its best when the focus narrows to the habits that matter…

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Why you'd press play

If you want equity talk that stays practical, this one keeps its shoes on.

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