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BREAKIN' IT DOWN TO HOST PLENARY SESSION ON TRANSFORMATIONAL ADVOCACY
Breakin’ It Down is proud to announce a powerful plenary session featuring leading philanthropic and nonprofit leaders who will discuss strategies for strengthening civic engagement and transformational advocacy. The session is a key part of the upcoming landmark 2025 Breakin’ It Down Conference, taking place on Friday, October 24, 2025, at Malcolm X College in Chicago.

The plenary brings together visionary philanthropic and nonprofit leaders to share insights on philanthropy and nonprofits' shared commitment to fostering collaborative advocacy and civic engagement to drive equity and organizational mission.

For Breakin’ It Down’s Planning Committee, “Choosing Courage" is not simply a theme but a mandate for our time.  The plenary focuses on the critical importance of cross-sector collaboration between philanthropy, nonprofit, advocacy, and civic engagement  beyond the traditional boundaries in an era of unprecedented social challenges, to create a more integrated and powerful approach to leverage diverse strengths and amplify collective impact.  The Committee’s hope is that the conference will ignite human potential and galvanize philanthropic, non-profit, and community leaders; educators; policymakers; and nonprofit professionals to keep taking the steps to advance racial equity in the field.

The plenary session will feature a distinguished panel, including:

Sharon Bush, President of the Grand Victoria Foundation
David Shapiro, Executive Director of the MacArthur Justice Center
Unmi Song, President of the Lloyd A. Fry Foundation

The discussion, moderated by Adela Carlin, Senior Director of Training and Community Partnerships at the Illinois Partners for Human Service, will address challenges, find opportunities, and promote agility and transformative systemic change.

Breakin’ It Down will host a high-profile plenary discussion titled “Navigating the Grant Funding Landscape and Cross-Sector Collaboration,” which will take place at the upcoming 2025 Breakin’ It Down Conference on Friday, October 24 at Malcolm X College  in Chicago, Illinois.

Guiding this plenary will be the esteemed trailblazer Mary Smith, whose distinguished career spanning law, philanthropy, and nonprofit and corporate leadership will ensure a unique, focused, and valuable discussion.  Smith is President of the Caroline and Ora Smith Foundation, named after her mother and grandmother, to train Native American girls in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).  She is also President of the Task Force for American Democracy that is dedicated to mobilizing the Nation’s 1.3 million lawyers and the public to uphold the rule of law, champion democracy, and advocate for free speech.  Smith served as President of the American Bar Association (ABA) from 2023-2024 and was the first Native American woman in this role.  Smith's participation underscores the importance of Indigenous leadership and perspective in shaping the future of the philanthropic and nonprofit sector.

Smith joins a dynamic panel of experts, including Norman Clark, Executive Director of Chicago African Americans in Philanthropy and Founder of 3EEEs Consulting Strategies; Yusef Garcia, Founder and Principal of Monarq Advisors and Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of the AIDS Foundation Chicago; Alberto Morales, Program Manager of Chicago Latines in Philanthropy and Founder of Morales Consulting; and Rupal Soni, Lead Consultant for Philanthropy for Asian American Action Chicago and Asian Americans Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy- Chicago; Board of Directors of Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy.

Together, they move beyond surface level discussion for a rare, honest look at the grant-making process from all angles and a more direct, purposeful exchange of ideas.  They will explore the expectations, frustrations, and strategic considerations that often remain unsaid.  Their diverse voices will maximize the plenary’s impact and challenge conference participants to think differently about grant funding and how to strategically collaborate to solve complex societal problems.  

“We need honest spaces like this more than ever,” said Soni. 

“Collaboration is at the core of how CAAIP operates,” said Clark.  “Bridging the gap between philanthropy and community is our skeleton key to success, and this panel exemplifies that vision  and passion for our communities.”

Participants will gain actionable strategies on leveraging grant funding and building successful partnerships.  The session is a key highlight of the Breakin’ It Down Conference and is a must-attend for stakeholders invested in the future of impact and mission-driven work.

“Many nonprofits see themselves first as mission-driven organizations, yet they are also inherently businesses,”  said Yusef Garcia. He added, “Cross-sector collaboration, long leveraged by the private sector to scale and win, can be just as transformative when nonprofits bring the same rigor, intention, and urgency, ultimately increasing revenue potential, reach, and impact.”

For more information about our expert panelists and to register for the 2025 Breakin’ It Down Conference, visit: www.breakinitdownchicago.org