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SVP Dallas Responds – Digital Gathering Series

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SVP Dallas Responds – Digital Gathering Series

Join us for an ongoing digital gathering series that was launched to discuss the impact of COVID-19 and continues to focus on social justice issues that affect our society today.

How Did Philanthropy Respond? – June 7, 2021, 9:30am – 10:30am CDT

In March 2020, within two weeks of the Covid-19 shutdown, SVP Dallas kicked off its Responds series by inviting the CEO’s from four of the largest foundations in Texas to share how the philanthropic community was planning to respond to the impact of the pandemic. It was a period of intense uncertainty as most businesses and non-profits felt they had been pushed to the precipice of an unmitigated disaster, many not knowing if they would survive the economic disruption.

On June 7, 2021, at 9:30am, the same CEO’s will re-group in-person to discuss the reality of the last fifteen months; how the pandemic affected grantmaking and fund deployment for the short and long-term; and what the non-profit community needs to know about new initiatives that have been established for the future.

Speakers:

  • Roslyn Dawson Thompson, President & CEO, Texas Women’s Foundation – Click Here for Bio
  • Matthew Randazzo, President & CEO, The Dallas Foundation – Click Here for Bio
  • Jennifer Sampson, McDermott-Templeton President & CEO, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas – Click Here for Bio
  • David Scullin, President & CEO, Communities Foundation of Texas – Click Here for Bio

Moderated by:

  • Tony Fleo, CEO, Social Venture Partners Dallas

In gratitude to our sponsors, Something Good Consulting Group and Wright Connatser PLLC.

Descendants Respond – Actions Speak Louder! – May 25, 2021, 10am – 11am CDT

May 25th marks one year since the death of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man murdered by a white Minneapolis Police Officer. Mr. Floyd’s death was both the start of a movement and the continuation of a hundreds-of-years-old legacy of racism in the United States.

Against this long legacy of systemic racism, progress will require that we continue to acknowledge the truth of our history, take marked action toward justice, and evaluate our work toward tangible change that is experienced at both a personal and communal level.

On May 25, 2021, join Social Venture Partners Dallas and The Descendants Truth & Reconciliation Foundation for a gathering that will seek an honest confrontation with reality, both past and current, and explore a community model for transformation and racial healing. The event will shine light on areas of accountability and explore the lessons of a community pursuing reconciliation.

Speakers:

  • Joseph Stewart, Acting President, Descendants Truth & Reconciliation Foundation; Co-Chair, GU272 Foundation Leadership Committee – Click Here for Bio
  • Father Timothy P. Kesicki, President, Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States – Click Here for Bio

Moderated by:

  • Tony Fleo, CEO, Social Venture Partners Dallas

In gratitude to our sponsors, Something Good Consulting Group and Wright Connatser PLLC.

Healthcare Responds – February 16, 2021, 10am – 11am CST

One year ago, in the confusion of an unimaginable public health crisis, we turned to our global and local leaders to provide clarity and a plan. While we begin to see more tangible results from their efforts, questions mount regarding how this crisis has been handled, what we have learned, and what remains unaddressed.

Join our region’s health experts and public officials on February 16th to survey how the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic are being addressed and where we go from here.

From hospitals to housing to prisons, every aspect of our region has been touched by this crisis. Its lessons and what it reveals about how our systems serve or overlook us might energize change in as many areas, if we are willing to grapple with its truths.

Speakers:

  • Eric G. Bing, MD, PhD, MBA, Professor of Global Health, Southern Methodist University – Click Here for Bio
  • Marian Brown, Sheriff, Dallas County – Click Here for Bio
  • Fred Cerise, MD, MPH, President and Chief Executive Officer, Parkland Health & Hospital System – Click Here for Bio

Moderated by:

  • Tony Fleo, CEO, Social Venture Partners Dallas

In gratitude to our sponsors, Something Good Consulting Group and Wright Connatser PLLC.

The Dallas Morning News Responds – January 12, 2021, 10am – 11am CST

2020 Year in Review – As we ushered in a new decade, 2020 began with the NHL Winter Classic, a soaring stock market, a new Dallas Cowboys head coach and record-low unemployment figures, all within an election year. Then, the entire world shifted in a matter of weeks. Hear highlights from the Publisher of The Dallas Morning News of where our region got it right.. and where we have room for improvement.

Presenter:

Responder:

  • Sarah Jackson, Vice President, Strategy & Public Affairs, Dallas Citizens Council – Click Here for Bio

Moderated by:

  • Tony Fleo, CEO, Social Venture Partners Dallas

In gratitude to our sponsors, Something Good Consulting Group and Wright Connatser PLLC.

Texas Legislature Responds – December 10, 2020, 10am – 11am CST

The 87th Texas Legislative Session will soon begin in January of 2021. As of December of 2020, 450 bills have already been filed and thousands more are expected to be filed throughout the session. The results of those filings will affect every Texan, beneficially or detrimentally.

In the quest for systemic change, one quickly realizes that simply giving grants can be ineffectual. In the pursuit of long term change, it is on the state level where ideas are put into law, money is allocated, and control of budgets is determined for years to come. The independent sector and non-profit organizations can affect local and ground-level problem solving and organizing, but must specifically ensure that energy, time, and resources are spent moving issues from local arenas to the State Legislature for broader action. Citizens interested in positive systemic change must pay attention to and participate in the legislative session if they want important societal considerations to be taken into account and advanced.

Join us for this important conversation and learn how you, too, can be a voice for change at a higher, more impactful level.

Featured Speakers:

Moderated by:

  • Tony Fleo, CEO, Social Venture Partners Dallas

In gratitude to our sponsors, Something Good Consulting Group, Wright Connatser PLLC, and FWD>DFW together with The Dallas Morning News.

Legacy Responds – November 10, 2020, 10am – 11am CST

As we enter what is traditionally a season of gratitude, we reflect on how the legacy of others is woven into a fabric that not only holds our community together but lifts it up. In this season we are invited to recall what seeds were sown by those who came before, what foundations were constructed for us, and to remember that some obligations are not a burden, but a joy.

Without closing our eyes to the realities of today and within one of the most difficult years, this may still be a season of expanding our focus to a long view and re-centering ourselves on our values. By remembering the legacies of others, we can better direct our own toward achieving justice now, so that it may flourish tomorrow.

Legacy Responds will center on the decisions of a few in our community who have taken up the mantle of those who came before and adapted to the responsibilities of the present. With personal perspective and the wisdom of lived experience, we will explore how the life, love, struggle, and service of a leader might serve a community for generations.

Featured Speakers:

Moderated by:

  • Tony Fleo, CEO, Social Venture Partners Dallas

In gratitude to our presenting sponsor Morgan Stanley and sponsors, Something Good Consulting Group, Wright Connatser PLLC, and FWD>DFW together with The Dallas Morning News.

The People Respond – October 13, 2020, 10am – 11am CST

Within the United States, equity and justice are inherently political.

The Statue of Freedom sits atop the U.S. Capitol Building. “Equal Justice Under Law” is inscribed above the entrance to the U.S. Supreme Court Building. Underneath these reminders of liberty, justice, equality, and our highest ideals, our elected leaders and appointed officials shape laws with personal consequences to each of us.

Through their legislation and interpretation, these bodies might effect a greater justice, or injustice, in a day than millions of individuals and thousands of organizations might effect over years. But they are not outside our collective power; they are bound and driven by the power of the people.

Together, our voices and actions will steer the course of our communities. We will maneuver either toward greater equity or greater injustice for ourselves and our neighbors. Regardless of viewpoint or aisle-side, there are issues before the people with high potential to shift our national direction in the near future, for example: voter rights, redistricting, and voter suppression; judge and other official appointments; and differences in voter turnout among specific communities.

In The People Respond, we will explore some of the political issues most pressing for our communities, understand their histories and potential, and outline how people and organizations might powerfully collaborate to shape them.

Featured Speakers:

Panel Response by:

Moderated by:

  • Tony Fleo, CEO, Social Venture Partners Dallas

In gratitude to our sponsors, Something Good Consulting Group, Wright Connatser PLLC, and FWD>DFW together with The Dallas Morning News.

Texas Responds – September 15, 2020, 10am – 11am CST

In many cities, particularly those with a weak Mayor system like Austin, Dallas & San Antonio, the role of City Manager is the most powerful position most residents pay least attention to.

When there is a pandemic, an economic collapse, and civil rights activists take to the streets, we look to the Mayor for comment. But what does this actually mean for the person who has to ensure operations continue to run on the ground?

Continuing the successful SVP Dallas Responds series, bigBANG! and the Texas Tribune present Texas Responds, sponsored by Bank of America. In this panel, we will gather together the Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio City Managers to hear how they have responded to a year of turmoil and unrest, what challenges have caused them to pivot and how they must lead to achieve equity for every resident.

Featured Speakers:

Moderated by:

  • Tony Fleo, CEO, Social Venture Partners Dallas

In gratitude to our presenting sponsor Bank of America and sponsors, Something Good Consulting Group, Wright Connatser PLLC, and FWD>DFW together with The Dallas Morning News.

Big D Responds – September 1, 2020, 10am – 11am CST

Imagine being new to a city, or returning to a city after a hiatus, to assume leadership positions in organizations that are all about Dallas’ culture, communications, and tourism at a time when all of those are threatened by the pandemic. All our panelists in this Responds session have done just that. Their vision of Dallas is through new eyes and fresh perspectives. Join us to discover their insights in promoting Dallas as the central hub of the North Texas region, what they believe is required from other city leaders to move beyond the crisis, and what it will take to keep Dallas in the national spotlight – in a positive way – for the new-normal future.

Featured Speakers:

Moderated by:

  • Tony Fleo, CEO, Social Venture Partners Dallas

In gratitude to Something Good Consulting Group, Wright Connatser PLLC, and FWD>DFW together with The Dallas Morning News.

Housing Responds – August 11, 2020, 10am – 11am CST

As the effects of COVID-19 drag into their sixth month, a potential housing crisis in North Texas looms.

Unemployment remains exceptionally high, assistance and protections are running out, and while some business activity has been able to return, the COVID-19-related losses for households have not been recovered. Low-, working-, and middle-income households have all suffered. With millions living paycheck to paycheck, income losses have already made it impossible for many to make their rent and mortgage payments.

While rent and mortgage assistance programs combined with eviction moratoriums have mitigated some of the immediate impacts, many in our community could soon be in desperate situations. From the Dallas Morning News, “tenant advocates warn that 28 million Americans could be at risk of eviction in the coming months.” Even more broadly, housing crises produce direct and knock-on effects across the economy, which means everyone will suffer the fallout if nothing further is done.

Our Housing Responds panelists represent experts and decision-makers in Dallas housing. Their discussion will shed light on what is to come for our communities and economy, spotlight successful interventions, and illuminate how we might avert a housing crisis in North Texas.

Featured Speakers:

  • Maryann D’Aniello, Attorney, Legal Aid of Northwest Texas (LANWT) – Click Here for Bio
  • Lucy Billingsley, Partner, Billingsley Company – Click Here for Bio
  • Ashley Brundage, Senior Vice President of Community Impact at United Way of Metropolitan Dallas – Click Here for Bio
  • Council Member Casey Thomas, II, Vice Chair, Housing and Homeless Solutions Committee – Click Here for Bio
  • Jennifer Owen, Owner & Attorney, Higier Allen & Lautin, P.C. – Click Here for Bio

Moderated by:

  • Tony Fleo, CEO, Social Venture Partners Dallas

In gratitude to Something Good Consulting Group, Wright Connatser PLLC, and FWD>DFW together with The Dallas Morning News.

Dreamers Respond – July 21, 2020, 10am – 11am CST

Our country has seen more than 45 policy changes affecting almost every facet of the immigration system since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of these changes have been temporary and necessary, while other policies are dramatic shifts.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought fear and uncertainty to the lives of many across every community in our nation. This uncertainty, however, is not unknown to the life of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) receipts or “Dreamers,” who have embodied this uncertainty as their constant reality, especially after the order to end the DACA program in 2017. Young undocumented immigrants —who often arrived at a young age in circumstances beyond their control—have feared deportation and a dramatic shift in their identities if removed.

On June 18th, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of DACA recipients taking into account their contributions and the legality of the order. Congress must urgently pass a legislative solution to codify them. Before the ruling, Luis Cortes Romero said in an interview, “…we’re in a moment where we’re shifting America to the promise that it’s supposed to be. And that we’re becoming more perfect and a better version of what we all know it is.”

On July 21st at 10:00 am, we will sit down with our panelists to understand how Dreamers are responding in the COVID-19 crisis and to learn more about how immigrants are part of the thread of our nation.

Featured Speakers:

  • Rafael Anchía, Texas State Representative, Texas House District 103 – Click Here for Bio
  • Laura Collins, Director, Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative George W. Bush Institute – Click Here for Bio
  • Luis Cortes Romero, Managing Partner at Immigrant Advocacy & Litigation Center, PLLC – Click Here for Bio

Moderated by:

  • Tony Fleo, CEO, Social Venture Partners Dallas

In gratitude to presenting sponsor Lynn Pinker Hurst & Schwegmann for making Dreamers Respond possible. With additional thanks to Something Good Consulting Group, Wright Connatser PLLC, and FWD>DFW together with The Dallas Morning News.

Justice Responds, Part II – June 30, 2020, 10am – 11am CST

On June 16th, as a part of the SVP Dallas Responds series, we held our first discussion on the criminal justice system in the United States and how it might be reformed into an equitable and just system. On June 30th, we hold Part II of that discussion.

“Mass incarceration is the result of small, distinct steps, each of whose significance becomes more apparent over time, and only when considered in light of later events.” 1

2.7% of the entire adult population in the United States is currently under some form of correctional supervision. Though African Americans and Hispanics make up approximately 32% of the U.S. population, they comprised 56% of all incarcerated people in 2015. Across the criminal justice system, African Americans are incarcerated at more than 5 times the rate of whites. Spending on prisons and jails has increased at triple the rate of spending on PreK-12 public education in the last thirty years. 2

The significance of small, distinct steps taken over many years across our criminal justice system has become apparent. The U.S. has the highest incarceration rate in the world and has bent its justice system into an oppressive structure that targets communities of color.

At this powerful moment in our history, as we seek to dismantle systemic racism across our institutions, we must look hard at one of the most effectual tools of oppression in our nation: mass incarceration. Equity in our communities and a free United States cannot co-exist with a justice system that weights its scales based on race. On June 30th at 10am CT, our esteemed panel will discuss the current state of incarceration in the United States with a focus on the power of public defenders in the fight for legal equality and necessary reforms to the system.

Featured Speakers:

  • James Forman Jr., Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author of Locking Up Our Own
  • Lynn Richardson, Chief Public Defender, Dallas County Public Defender’s Office
  • Jonathan Rapping, Founder & President, Gideon’s Promise

1Locking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America by James Forman, Jr.
2NAACP Criminal Justice Fact Sheet

With additional thanks to Something Good Consulting Group, Wright Connatser PLLC, and FWD>DFW together with The Dallas Morning News.

Justice Responds – June 16, 2020

In the wake of George Floyd’s murder at the hands of police officers who had sworn to protect and serve him, “to protect with courage, to serve with compassion,” our communities are rising to action for more equitable systems and against racism. The systems of oppression we are up against are entrenched, long-standing, and very much alive. It is of the utmost importance that we hold the systems of justice accountable to equitable practices in the execution of their duties. Those in these positions include law enforcement, courts, prisons, and lawmakers who will need to meet the urgent cries of a society demanding practices of restorative justice.

Understanding the positions of our local leaders, what reforms they might have already been enacting, and how they are responding to these fresh calls for transformation will be essential to our reformation of the criminal justice system.

On June 16th at 10:30am, we will sit down with our panelists to understand how the local facets of our criminal justice system are reacting and what we can expect from them.

Featured Speakers:

In gratitude to presenting sponsor EY for making Justice Responds possible. With additional thanks to Something Good Consulting Group, Wright Connatser PLLC, and FWD>DFW together with The Dallas Morning News.

Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot has shared a presentation with information referenced during the session, which can be found here.

How Can Solidarity Respond? – June 9, 2020

It is right to call Racism a crisis. It is right to call the COVID-19 pandemic a health and economic crisis. The word originally referred to “a turning point”, the time from which a situation either improves or dissolves catastrophically. We have seen how devastating the effects of racism are. It remains to be seen how devastating COVID-19 will ultimately be. But its effects already bear the shape of a far deeper, more long-standing, more far-reaching crisis that has ravaged our communities for centuries:

Racism and inequity in the United States of America.

The recent deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery mark a turning point for a nation struggling with racial, social, and economic inequity. While we grapple with the legacy and injustice of police brutality against black people, COVID-19 is causing turmoil in communities of color as well… Outcome statistics from the virus make it blatant that resources are distributed along racial lines in our country. National statistics for the last 50 years have shown that opportunity, aid, punishment, and influence are all metered by the fairness of one’s skin.

As the protests and the COVID-19 pandemic lay bare the disparities that exist in our community, the question at our turning point remains. Will we respond to the history of racism in America in a way that fosters equity, or will we perpetuate the harm of that legacy on future generations?

On June 9th, our panel discusses how the effects of COVID-19 are being shaped by our national, racial preferences, how those preferences are woven into our daily lives, and how reforming the systems that exist in our communities might take us closer to being a nation with liberty and justice for all.

Opening Remarks:

  • Colin Allred, U.S Congressman (TX-32)

Featured Speakers:

  • Colin Allred, U.S Congressman (TX-32)
  • Kimberly O’Neil, CEO, Giving Blueprint, and SVP Dallas Board Member – Click Here for Bio
  • Dr. Michael Sorrell, President, Paul Quinn College – Click Here for Bio
  • Dr. Heather Hackman, Founder, Hackman Consulting Group – Click Here for Bio
  • Tony Fleo, CEO, SVP Dallas (Moderator)

Thinking Globally, Acting Locally, The Future Responds – May 19, 2020

What does our future look like on the heels of a once-in-a-century crisis? COVID-19 has already dramatically shifted the way each of us responds to our every day. There is an expectation that it will change the world permanently, but what does this long-term impact really mean? How must our institutions adapt and how might we work for the best possible future now?

In the previous digital gatherings, the SVP Dallas Responds series has looked at the immediate present in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. During The Future Responds, we will be joined by Matrice Ellis-Kirk, Managing Director of RSR Partners, Tony Fleo, CEO of SVP Dallas, Robert Steven Kaplan, President & CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Tom Luce, founder of Texas 2036–who will help us recast our visions of the future and begin to grapple with the long-term effects of the current season.

What might a vision of a new future look in light of the effects of COVID-19?

We will discuss this, and more, with our esteemed panelists, all of whom have played significant roles on the public stage leading major institutions through challenging times.

Featured Speakers:

Moderated by: Tony Fleo, CEO, Social Venture Partners Dallas – Click Here for Bio

Thinking Globally, Acting Locally, Leaders Respond – April 30, 2020

On April 30th, SVP Dallas invites you to join our next digital gathering, LEADERS RESPOND, with presenting sponsor Bank of America. This session will delve into what it takes to lead in a transformational way when record-level disruption is in full effect, the playbook of what is “normal” no longer applies, and most people are only focused on the transactional need to keep things afloat. How do leaders help their employees and their stakeholders see how their work connects to a greater purpose for their organization while building trust, communicating compassion, emphasizing stability, and radiating hope?

We will discuss this, and more, with our esteemed panelists, all of whom have played a major role in guiding our city and citizens through the daily uncertainty of COVID-19.

Introduction and welcome by Jennifer Chandler, Bank of America Dallas Market President.

Digital Gathering Panelists:

  • Cynt Marshall, Chief Executive Officer, Dallas Mavericks
  • Clay Jenkins – Dallas County Judge
  • Dr. Michael Hinojosa, Superintendent, Dallas Independent School District

With thanks to:

Presenting sponsor Bank of America, whose support of this conversation speaks to their belief in bringing together collective networks and expertise to achieve greater impact.  

Sponsor Restoration Specialists for the decontamination work they have been doing to combat Covid-19 for public and commercial building owners by providing prevention steps as well as disinfecting confirmed cases. Please click here for more information or call 214-551-3620.

Partner FWD>DFW representing cause marketing for The Dallas Morning News.

Thinking Globally, Acting Locally, Mental Health Responds – April 14, 2020

Digital Gathering Panelists:

  • Dr. Harville Hendrix & Dr. Helen LaKelly Hunt, Founders of Imago Relationship Therapy and RelationshipsFirst
  • Michelle Kinder, LPC – Author, Speaker, and Former Executive Director at Momentous Institute
  • Marcellina Melvin MA, LPC – Director of Program Implementation for Child and Family Policy, Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute
  • Dr. Amanpreet Randazzo, LCP – President of AR Psychological Services
  • Dr. Brad Schwall – President & CEO, The Center for Integrative Counseling and Psychology

Thinking Globally, Acting Locally, Dallas Responds – April 2, 2020

Digital Gathering Panelists:

  • Froswa’ Booker-Drew, VP of Community Affairs and Strategic Alliances, State Fair of Texas
  • Hon. Adam McGough, Deputy Mayor Pro Tem, City of Dallas
  • Hon. Jennifer Staubach Gates, City Council Member, City of Dallas
  • Liz Cedillo-Pereira, Chief of Equity and Inclusion, City of Dallas
  • Tony Fleo, CEO, Social Venture Partners Dallas (Moderator)

Thinking Globally, Acting Locally, Philanthropy Responds – March 26, 2020

Digital Gathering Panelists:

  • Roslyn Dawson Thompson, President & CEO, Texas Women’s Foundation
  • Matthew Randazzo, President & CEO, The Dallas Foundation
  • Jennifer Sampson, McDermott-Templeton President & CEO, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas
  • David Scullin, President & CEO, Communities Foundation of Texas
  • Tony Fleo, CEO, Social Venture Partners Dallas (Moderator)