POV: Looking Where We Haven’t Looked

Finding solutions to the most daunting problems facing humanity is a hard job. Yet, if you’re receiving this newsletter, chances are it’s exactly the challenge you take on in your work every day.

At Southern California Grantmakers’ Annual Conference last month, we heard a story from Bryonn Bain of UCLA about legendary musician and activist Harry Belafonte. When he would misplace things as a child, Mr. Belafonte’s mother would ask him, “Harry, you’ve looked everywhere, but have you looked where you haven’t looked?” It’s a deceptively simple reminder that, when looking for answers, sometimes we should be looking exactly where we don’t think we need to. When it comes to solving big, pressing problems, this just might mean looking to the people, the places, the communities where we haven’t looked.