Afford Anything

By Paula Pant

PSA Thursday – Actions Speak Louder Than Words

This has been an exceptionally painful week.

We have muted the podcast thusfar this week, in support of the #amplifymelanatedvoices movement, the #amplifyblackvoices movement, and in support of the #theshowmustbepaused movement.

We have assembled a list of resources that highlight a variety of books, websites, podcasts, nonprofit organizations and GoFundMe campaigns that I would like to direct your attention to in lieu of our normal programming. These resources can be found below.

This podcast, as I say in every episode introduction, is dedicated to two questions: first, what are your priorities? Second, how do you align your limited resources — including your time, money, energy and attention — to the things that matter most?

If dismantling systemic racism and social and economic injustice is a priority to you, as it is to me, then the challenge that we as a community face is answering that tough question. We’ve identified the priority. How do we align our money and time to support that priority?

I have intentionally designed Afford Anything to be a nonpartisan platform. All major party affiliations are welcome here. All religions are welcome here. All people who have love in their heart are welcome here.

Notice that I used the word nonpartisan. There is a difference between something being political, meaning it concerns policy change and it relates to the public affairs of a nation, and something being partisan, which in the U.S. means that the perspectives are split among party lines. A thing can be political without being partisan.

I do not think that being anti-murder, anti-brutality, anti-racism is a partisan stance. I don’t see this as a partisan issue; I see this as a moral issue, a spiritual issue, a basic human rights issue. When people are getting murdered because of the color of their skin — I don’t think it’s a stretch to be anti-murder. I don’t see that as partisan. Black Lives Matter, and that is not a partisan issue, or at least it shouldn’t be. You can align with any political party you want; you can have any opinion you want about the capital gains tax rate or the allocation of federal highway funding. I’m not going to take a stance on that.

But I am opposed to murder. I am opposed to brutality. I am opposed to systemic racism. And if that is a controversial issue, or if that is viewed as a partisan stance, then I don’t know what to tell you. Because I don’t see this as partisan. I see this as human. This is about treating our fellow human beings with basic human decency.

If you’re a longtime listener, you know that I’m a former newspaper reporter. As a podcaster, I’m a current member of the media, the digital podcast media. As a member of the media, I am disturbed by seeing how many journalists have been threatened and attacked just for doing their jobs, for reporting on the scene.

So I have selected three nonprofit organizations. And I am matching up to $3,000 in donations spread among these three nonprofit organizations.

The first nonprofit that I’ve chosen to support is the Committee to Protect Journalists, a 501c(3) nonprofit that right now is defending and protecting the journalists who are being targeted. ⁠

The next two nonprofits are both based in Atlanta. My family lives in Atlanta, I myself am a former resident of Atlanta, and I invest in rental properties in Atlanta. I feel a need to support the Atlanta community.

So the second nonprofit that I’ve decided to support is the Atlanta Community Food Bank, a nonprofit that serves 755,000 meals per year, holds a 4-star rating on Charity Navigator (the highest possible rating), and that has an independently-audited impact and cost-effectiveness assessment demonstrating that every $2 provides a meal to a person in need.⁠⠀

And because the effects of systemic and economic injustice start in early childhood, I’ve also decided to donate to Children’s Development Academy, based in the greater metropolitan Atlanta area. Technically it’s in Roswell, Georgia. They operate the CDA Children’s Center. This group prepares 240 economically-disadvantaged preschoolers for kindergarten; the families they serve have a median household income of $19,700 per year, which is 25% of the median income across metro Atlanta. They have a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and hold GuideStar’s Platinum Seal of Transparency.⁠⠀

I will match donations up to $3,000 spread among these three excellent nonprofits. If you are interested, send me DM on Instagram with a screenshot of your donation. ⁠My IG handle is @paulapant.

For some uplifting news — I announced this matching contribution two days ago, and a fellow personal finance blogger named Mike Piper said that he and his wife Kalinda would also match donations, up to $3000, for the Committee to Protect Journalists. So until we reach our match ceiling, if you’d like to make a contribution to the Committee to Protect Journalists, your donation will triple; it will be matched by both myself and also Mike and Kalinda Piper.

Thank you to Mike and Kalinda for their generosity. You can check out Mike’s blog at obliviousinvestor.com; Mike is an accountant with a gift for teaching, and he is excellent at writing about investing in a simple, straightforward and easy-to-understand manner.

Again, please message me on Instagram, and I’ll personally make sure that all screenshots related to the Committee to Protect Journalists are also sent to Mike.

That’s our PSA for today. Today’s PSA makes two statements: one, Black Lives Matter; two, take action. Donate. Volunteer. Align your limited resources — your money, time, energy and attention — with that which you prioritize.

Thank you.

Resources:

Books*:

*Please support local, independent bookstores, especially BIPOC-owned local bookstores.

Organizations:

Websites:

  • 8CantWait.org — find your city, call your mayor, and support 8 policies that can decrease police violence by 72 percent. Organized by Campaign Zero
  • BlackLivesMatter.com — the Black Lives Matter website with links to petitions and resources

Rebuild BIPOC-owned Small Businesses that Were Destroyed by Looting:

Black Voices in Personal Finance:

Please add more resources in the comments. Thank you!

#259: How to Lead with a Vision, with Michael Hyatt
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PSA Thursday - Your Guide to Giving: How to Donate, Volunteer and Practice Spontaneous Kindness
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Afford Anything