The Right Cause, the Right Time,
the Right Leaders
Guest Progress by Hate Is A Virus co-founders Tammy Cho and Michelle K. Hanabusa, with an introduction by James Higa, Executive Director of PVF
Momentous times make great leaders. And immediate response matters. This is why PVF focuses on finding great people and acting quickly.

Tammy Cho and Michelle K. Hanabusa came to us in April 2020 because they were seeing a rise in hate crimes against Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) due to the pandemic. They wanted to do something about it.

We knew Tammy from working together with our ‘nonprofit as a service’ model for her BetterBrave program in the #MeToo movement. We already knew the quality of her leadership so when they approached us with the idea for Hate is a Virus to raise $1M for the Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) community organizations across the nation, it may have seemed unattainable and impractical to most people, but we backed them immediately.

PVF’s partnership allowed Hate is a Virus to be up and going and fundraising in under a week. As the awareness of hate crimes against AAPI came to the cultural forefront, Hate is a Virus crafted a compelling campaign across all the social media platforms. They marshaled artists, musicians, and creators into the cause. We joined them in activism on the audio social network app Clubhouse. They are well on their way to reaching their $1M goal and have been a prime mover in this movement.
 
PVF is a philanthropic first responder by being there for others first. As with Hate is a Virus, PVF’s approach is: The right cause. The right time. The right leaders. - James Higa
To our Hate Is A Virus community,

As we collectively heal from recent tragic events, the Hate Is A Virus team would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude for your support. We appreciate your generosity and the financial impact you’ve made towards creating positive change. We’ve seen artists, creatives, small businesses, students and more rise up to stand with us.

Through your support and PVF's partnership in housing our fund, we have been able to provide grants directly to local and national organizations providing essential resources and services to our AAPI community, including support to families affected in Atlanta, AAPI legal advocacy efforts, initiatives to build power among AAPI women and girls, programs to equip and protect elderly, and strengthening the South Asian community.  

This is just the beginning. We are still actively fundraising towards our $1Million goal for the commUNITY Action Fund which is our effort to come together and raise funds for boots-on-the-ground community organizations that have already been combating racism and serving the needs of our community, including mental health services, improving safety and care for our elderly, and building solidarity among BIPOC communities.

We couldn’t have done this without all of you and want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Thank you again for your support and for being part of the movement against racial injustice and combatting race-based violence. With your help, we’re making a real impact together. 

With love and sincere gratitude, 

Michelle and Tammy
About the Editors
James Higa
James Higa, Executive Director, brings 28 years of executive experience from Silicon Valley, working with Steve Jobs to change the face of technology. He was at the birth of the personal computer revolution as a member of the original Macintosh team and was deeply involved in the creation of many products and services at Apple over 3 decades. He has a long history of public service as a board member of Stanford's Haas Center and in grassroots relief efforts.
Bill Somerville, Founder, has been in non-profit and philanthropic work for over 50 years. He was the director of a community foundation for 17 years, and in 1991, he founded Philanthropic Ventures Foundation. Bill has consulted at over 400 community foundations, on creative grantmaking and foundation operations. Bill is the author of Grassroots Philanthropy: Field Notes of a Maverick Grantmaker. 
About PVF
PVF is a demonstration foundation practicing unique forms of grantmaking
and innovative philanthropy. Our primary interest is in the creative
and significant use of the philanthropic dollar.
Philanthropic Ventures Foundation | 1222 Preservation Park Way, Oakland, CA 94612 info@venturesfoundation.org | (510) 645-1890