75th Anniversary Summit
Calling all doers, changemakers and vanguards
The Wean Foundation 75th Anniversary Summit is a day meant to spark ideas, build connections and jump-start solutions. Join fellow neighborhood, nonprofit, civic and government leaders to address an urgent community issue — the health of the nonprofit sector and the importance of equitable compensation — from multiple angles. Learn from content experts and one another. Share your experiences and take action to help create a more equitable Mahoning Valley.
Tuesday, September 10
9 AM to 3 PM with reception to follow
The Grand Resort
9519 E. Market Street, Warren
The event is at no charge to participants, but space is limited. Please register by August 23.
Registration Filled
If you have any questions, please contact Pam Fine via email or phone at (216) 991-6003.
About the Summit
As we reflect on 75 years of philanthropy, we acknowledge there is more work to do to achieve our vision of a healthy, vibrant, equitable and economically stable Mahoning Valley.
Within our focus areas of community revitalization, economic opportunity, educational opportunity and public and civic sector leadership, we work in partnership with empowered residents and nonprofits to provoke new thinking, build strong communities and disrupt the status quo. We are grateful to have so many partners who share our vision and who are working for a future where one’s race identity has no influence on how one fares in society.
Through our years supporting residents and nonprofits, we have come to the conclusion that a critical element of their success that is often missing is equitable compensation.
What to Expect
The Wean Foundation 75 Anniversary Summit is an opportunity to address an issue that affects everyone—from the frontline employee working to provide for their household to the executive trying to attract and retain committed, quality talent—across every sector, from education to health care to workforce development to the arts.
Amid the toll of the pandemic on workers across the country, we continue to see high levels of burnout and shifts in attitudes toward work in our community. We find that the leaders and employees of our local nonprofits are severely overworked, underpaid and many times forgotten. We also know the burden of low pay in the nonprofit sector falls disproportionately on women and minorities. As a community, how do we ensure the success and sustainability of the nonprofit sector?
Together, we’ll unpack the urgent issue of equitable compensation from a number of angles and consider our roles as individuals, organizations and as a broader community in advancing change.
Below are descriptions of three focus areas we will organize the day around. When you register, you will be asked to select a focus area in which to participate and contribute your good thinking. While there is likely to be some overlap between the discussions, the overarching theme will be driven by a content expert and facilitator who will help guide session participants toward actionable solutions and next steps. The strength of our community hinges on a strong nonprofit sector. Collectively, we have the power to do something about equitable compensation. To demand better.
Working Sessions
Community Education
This session is for those interested in:
- Understanding community wants and needs
- Reaching across sectors to build coalitions
- Facilitating resident engagement, education and awareness building
- Empowering Individuals
Advocacy
This session is for those interested in:
- Garnering public support for common issues
- Supporting active engagement in democratic processes
- Building grassroots advocacy power
- Communicating with policymakers directly
Policy
This session is for those interested in:
- Leveraging the state budget process for policy changes and other innovative policy solutions
- Identifying barriers or investments needed for policy change
- Promoting policies to promote talent resilience and sustainability
- Elevating the voice of staff in the workplace
Agenda
8:30 AM – Doors open, light breakfast available
9:00 AM – Welcome
9:30 AM – Keynote Address – Dr. Ruha Benjamin
10:30 AM – Break, transition to working sessions
11:00 AM – Working Sessions
12:15 AM – Lunch Provided, working sessions continue
1:45 PM – Break, transition to Ballroom
2:00 PM – Working Session Report-out and Community Discussion
2:50 PM – Call to Action and Special Announcement
3:00 PM – Reception
Keynote Speaker
Ruha Benjamin, PhD
We are pleased to welcome Dr. Ruha Benjamin as our keynote speaker. Bringing deep expertise in community building and racial equity work, Dr. Benjamin will help set the stage for the day.
Read Bio
Dr. Benjamin is the Alexander Stewart 1886 Professor of African American Studies at Princeton University, founding director of the Ida B. Wells Just Data Lab, and author of the award-winning book Race After Technology: Abolitionist Tools for the New Jim Code, among many other publications. Her work investigates the social dimensions of science, medicine and technology with a focus on the relationship between innovation and inequity, health and justice, knowledge and power. Dr. Benjamin is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the Marguerite Casey Foundation Freedom Scholar Award and the President’s Award for Distinguished Teaching at Princeton. Her most recent book, Viral Justice: How We Grow the World We Want, winner of the 2023 Stowe Prize, was born out of the twin plagues of COVID-19 and police violence and offers a practical and principled approach to transforming our communities and helping us build a more just and joyful world. Ruha recently released her fourth book, Imagination: A Manifesto.
Summit Resources
Ready! Set! Learn!
Equitable Compensation Quiz
This isn’t just any quiz. It’s an opportunity to delve into important concepts about fairness and equity in the workplace, challenge your knowledge, and spark meaningful conversations about how we can continue to build a more equitable environment.
Resource Guide
Below is a curated list of resources on equitable compensation that you can read, listen to, or watch. These resources were specifically recommended for each working session and organized by the corresponding initials; (CE) for Community Education, (P) for Policy, and (A) for Advocacy.
Read
Leading the Way: Greater Cleveland Foodbank Raises Wages (P)
Equitable Compensation for Community Engagement Guidebook (CE)
Advocacy Toolkit for Individuals and Organizations (A)
Listen
The Year Ahead 2024: Pay Equity
Watch
Ask the Experts: Developing an Equitable Compensation Approach