2025 in Review: Seven Questions for Non-Profit Executive Kaci Patterson

December 4, 2025

Kaci Patterson, founder of the Black Equity Collective (BEC), leads a network supporting Black-led organizations in Southern California through funding and capacity building. Despite challenging conditions including funding pullbacks and natural disasters in 2025, BEC onboarded twenty new member organizations, hosted its largest symposium, and published research demonstrating that Black-led nonprofits generate significant economic impact through job creation and tax revenue. Patterson expressed frustration with funders abandoning equity commitments due to political pressure, while finding inspiration in nature's resilience.

Who is affected

Black-led organizations (BLOs) in Southern California and California broadly
Over 40 Black-led organizations that have received BEC regrants since 2021
20 new organizations joining BEC membership in 2025
Thousands of Black Californians employed by Black-led nonprofits (over 4,000 jobs created)
Black creatives and thought leaders
Black Californians facing "erasure"
Organizations focused on immigrant justice
Wildfire-affected communities

What action is being taken

BEC is regranting funds to Black-led organizations ($1.7 million regranted in 2024, over $7 million total since 2021)
BEC is hosting annual symposiums and community listening sessions
BEC is supporting wildfire recovery efforts
BEC is making solidarity grants to organizations focused on immigrant justice
BEC is establishing new collaborative efforts with ecosystem partners
BEC is conducting fundraising activities
Patterson is advocating for Black creatives and thought leaders through Social Good Solutions

Why it matters

This work matters because Black-led organizations provide both community impact and economic vitality to California, creating over 4,000 jobs, paying $335 million in salaries, and contributing over $22 million in payroll taxes. The significance is heightened during a period when public and philanthropic funding is pulling back from equity-centered work, and Black Californians face erasure. BEC's research provides a new narrative framework connecting investment in Black-led organizations to broader economic benefits for the state, offering what one foundation officer called "a roadmap for investment" during a challenging fundraising climate.

What's next

Patterson's primary goal for 2026 is helping Black-led organizations survive the current challenging environment so they can continue their work long-term and collectively create "Black Permanency" in California. She plans to apply lessons from ancestral wisdom, specifically considering when to use strategic silence (like Harriet Tubman) versus visible direct action (like Dr. King), to determine the most effective strategies for the current political moment.

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint