Readings (November 16, 2010)

Here are a few items that got our attention today:

• Marian Wright Edelman: The Threat of Persistent Poverty (Change.org) -- the Great Recession has thrown millions of children into poverty and is putting many more at risk, says the president of the Children's Defense Fund
• Bob Herbert: This Raging Fire (New York Times) -- Times columnist Herbert weighs in on the cycle of dysfunction that has plunged young black males into crisis
• Philip Henderson: Focus on Equity (Surdna Foundation) -- the president of the New York City-based Surdna Foundation explains how a simple change -- putting equity first -- has reshaped the kinds of strategic discussions the foundation has with its grantees and partners
• Todd Cohen: Unsung Nonprofits Are the Big Story (Inside Philanthropy) -- Cohen, a longtime observer of the sector, says forget about the "giving pledge"; the real heroes of philanthropy are nonprofits that deliver every day "in the face of an economic crisis that has escalated demand for services and pushed many nonprofits to the brink of extinction"
• Lisa Katayama: How the Omidyar Network Pumps Up Nonprofits (Fast Company)
• [Video] Small Charities Could Get Big Lift From New Social Network (Chronicle of Philanthropy) -- the Chronicle's Raymund Flandez talks to Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes about Jumo, a new social-media platform for the nonprofit world

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