Julia Hartz

The Geography of Transformation: When Proximity Breaks Through Organizational Resistance Yesterday's article explored how living at San Francisco's 9th and Market—where three neighborhoods converge—created the proximity that finally broke through years of resistance to sustained service. Key insight for organizations: Sometimes we need strategic proximity to break through institutional comfort zones. The same psychological forces that keep individuals choosing safety over service affect organizational decision-making. The proximity principle in action: • Physical: Locating offices or meetings where need is visible • Relational: Direct connection between decision-makers and those served • Temporal: Regular, sustained contact rather than one-time charity events Organizational application: Companies and nonprofits that create genuine proximity between leadership and community need see transformation in both culture and effectiveness. This isn't about guilt—it's about the authentic relationships that form when comfort zones are strategically interrupted. The result: "I was cracked open and the years of fighting the call were over." Organizations experience similar breakthrough moments when proximity becomes policy. Question for leaders: How might your organization strategically increase proximity to the communities you serve? Read the full exploration: https://lnkd.in/gnsdS6Ag Watch the conversation: https://lnkd.in/gAGbFusy #OrganizationalTransformation #ProximityPrinciple #CommunityEngagement #LeadershipDevelopment #SocialImpact #CorporateSocialResponsibility #SystemicChange #TransformationalLeadership #EthicalLeadership #CivicEngagement #NonprofitLeadership #ChangeManagement #ValuesBasedLeadership #PurposeDriven #SpiritualLeadership

2

We also spent time with Keanu Lau Hee, Vice President of Community Resilience and Strategic Implementation at Hawaii Community Foundation and lead for the Maui Strong Fund. It is always critical for us to hear directly from the largest non-public philanthropic investor in Maui’s recovery. By mid-year three, heading toward year four, the questions are different. How are priorities evolving? What has shifted since year one? Where is investment moving now, and why? As of December 26, 2025, $212,423,720 has been donated to the Maui Strong Fund, including interest earned. There are approximately $70M in remaining funds and they are being deployed to support the current phase of recovery. The Maui Strong Fund provides financial resources to support both immediate and long-term recovery needs for the people and places affected by the devastating Maui wildfires. Hawaiʻi Community Foundation is working in close collaboration with state and county leaders, nonprofit organizations, and community members to understand evolving priorities and unmet needs. HCF is not collecting a fee for donations to the Maui Strong Fund and is reinvesting all investment earnings back into the fund to carry out its purpose. We want to be clear about something important. The Maui Strong Fund has been managed responsibly and with care. At the same time, administering a fund of more than $200 million requires staff, systems, compliance, due diligence, and long-term oversight. That work has real costs. While waiving administrative fees was meaningful in the immediate aftermath, it is not generally a sustainable model for disaster philanthropy at this scale. Fees do not need to be excessive, but they should realistically cover the cost of doing the work well. Mahalo to Hawaiʻi Community Foundation for raising separate funds to ensure the Maui Strong Fund is administered to the highest standards. Hearing directly from Keanu about how decisions are being made at this stage, what remains urgent, what requires sustained commitment, and how philanthropy aligns with government and community efforts is invaluable. Keanu has also traveled with us to Los Angeles, and we value her perspective deeply. Her prior experience in county leadership informs how she stewards one of the most significant recovery funds in the country. Mahalo to Keanu for hosting us, talking story, sharing food, and allowing us to listen and learn. Jennifer Gray Thompson, MPA Reva Feldman Valerie Brown Natalie Minuzzo Pulin Thakkar Justin Petrochko Brad Sawyer Morgan Loomis Mark Pestrella, P.E. Good360 United Airlines Marsh McLennan Agency

34

1 Comment

Nearly half of foster youth in the U.S. experience homelessness by the time they turn 18. It’s a sobering reminder of how underfunded and undersupported our foster care system is. At the same time, we’re living through a powerful moment of technological transformation—where AI and digital tools are reshaping education, opportunity, and access. But unless we’re intentional, innovation risks leaving behind the very communities who need it most. That’s why I’m proud to share our latest commitment: $2 million to Flourish Fund to support nonprofits equipping youth aging out of foster care with the tools and resources they need to succeed in the workforce. These investments are about more than technology. They’re about dignity and ensuring every community has a chance to flourish—whether you’re a student in a classroom or a young adult stepping out of foster care into independence. Because innovation only matters if it lifts everyone. Congrats, Dan Vogel and team! And special shout out to Justin Steele who helped us conceptualize this opportunity and bring it to life.

113

12 Comments

In 2022, I interviewed almost 30 young Asian Americans about their lives. One quote has stuck with me: “I used to lobby in Sacramento with progressive groups in college. But now, I just need to save money to help my parents retire.” This was a late-20s East Asian American in Southern California with a good job. Like many I spoke with, they felt they were making money but not making it. This year at Asian American Futures, we asked: how do lived experiences, like economic anxiety, experiencing discrimination or being an immigrant, shape Asian Americans’ issue opinions? Our summer survey found something striking:  😟 The less worried someone is about retirement, the more likely they are to support Medicaid work requirements.  💰 Income and economic anxiety were not perfectly correlated. 🪜 Feeling secure made people more willing to pull up the ladder behind them. Lived experience matters when we think about issue opinions–sometimes more than demographics. If we don’t pay attention to these, we risk losing the very majority that supports racial justice. Read more + tell us your thoughts: https://lnkd.in/g-f7THy8

8

🎙️ When leadership reflects the community it serves, transformation happens at every level. In this clip, Greg Lewis, AVP of Operations of YMCA of Greater Seattle shares his unique perspective on building culturally responsive programs and inclusive leadership, giving you a taste of what's to come. Expect an insightful discussion on: 🏥 Creating health equity programs that adapt to cultural needs and remove healthcare barriers 🏊‍♂️ Addressing the drowning crisis through the "Safety Around Water" initiative—tackling racial disparities head-on 👥 Growing diverse leadership from 2 to 8 leaders of color across 13 branches to truly reflect the communities served ….and more! 🎧 Tune in on 8/12 at 9AM CST for the full episode! You won't want to miss it. #PodcastPreview #HartandHustle #ComingSoon

8

Recap of what I talked about at Common Purpose x American Express Foundation last week. Theme: Leading in Hard, Changing Times: Audience: 3 small groups of 12 global nonprofit leaders. Message: 1. Optimism: actively look for the good and expect good to happen in times of transition. My experience is if you look for the good it will reveal itself. 2. Use Technology: Technology is always advancing. In that, new opportunities derive. Applying new technology on old problems (that you know best) creates our next fruitful chapters. It's imperative that WE who have deep domain knowledge in some human problem shape the tools of tomorrow (read: AI) to bend those tools to make the maximum good impact on our worlds. 3. Stortyelling: A) The external story you tell. A mentor of mine (Mitch Kapor) would tell me to take a piece of paper and do an exercise. He would say --- if you were a king and could dictate exactly what would happen in this situation what would be the outcome? This forces you to listen to your gut (that has processed billions of data points; the original LLM) and chart the bold future that your unconcious mind and spirit already knows. Tell your story from this aspirational, unshrunken place. This is what will inspire you, others and be more truthful vs. building only from your current challenged circumstance. B) The story you tell yourself (internal). Tell yourself the optimistic story, that you will win, that the community you care about can win, if you work together toward a common goals in an organized way. Start every day focused on this (back to optimism). ***The picture is lonely but my table was poppin!!!!

23

7 Comments

🤔How should leaders show up when the political climate is this volatile? Leadership isn’t about reacting to every headline or pretending politics doesn’t affect our work. It’s about staying rooted in mission, values, and people. Check out this thoughtful article from our CEO Nisha Anand on how leaders can navigate moments like this. #Leadership #SocialImpact #MissionDriven

12