The Asian Law Caucus, a nonprofit in the Bay Area, was already on high alert due to the increase in acts of bigotry targeting Asian Americans during the Pandemic.
Then March 16, 2021 happened. The Atlanta spa shootings sparked outrage and fear.
But, the nonprofit leaders had prepared for a crisis like this one.
Although everyone hoped to never have to use it, they had an infrastructure already in place to handle the response and support for a crisis. The preparation allowed Atlanta-based leaders to share needs, narratives, and action plans with other Asian American leaders across the country quickly.
It allowed for immediate support through local organizations that addressed the urgent needs of the families, such as funeral arrangements, financial resources, and mental health support. It included storytellers who helped amplify messaging to national and international audiences.
The Atlanta response highlights the true impact of collaboration, advance preparation, and solidarity within ecosystems to execute a rapid, cohesive response.
My guest, Deepa Iyer, was at the center of the Atlanta response. She is the Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Building Movement Project.
Deepa joins me to discuss actionable advice for nonprofit leaders on building resilience, fostering collaboration, and creating the infrastructure needed to respond effectively in a crisis.
From mass shootings to climate disasters, every nonprofit organization needs a strong crisis management strategy. Learn how to prepare your organization to respond thoughtfully and powerfully when a crisis arrives.
TUNE IN TO LEARN:
WHAT IS A RAPID RESPONSE INFRASTRUCTURE:
“Hoping a crisis of this nature will not impact you is pure folly. And most nonprofits do not have the infrastructure or a process in place to contend with them.”
WHAT IS THE SOCIAL CHANGE ECOSYSTEM (AND HOW TO CREATE ONE): We discuss four key aspects of this tool that are designed to help individuals, organizations, and movements understand and align their roles within a broader ecosystem for collective action. the framework.
WHAT TO CONSIDER IN BUILDING A RAPID RESPONSE INFRASTRUCTURE: How can an organization have a communications infrastructure that enables it to synthesize information and then provide it to its community members so that they understand what’s going on?
WHY COLLABORATION AND SOLIDARITY ARE CRUCIAL: Crises often overlap and affect multiple communities simultaneously. Addressing them requires a united, ecosystem-wide approach rather than isolated efforts.
KEY QUOTES:
- “[Recognize] that different communities will have different needs in a crisis.” (Deepa Iyer)
- “Hoping a crisis of this nature will not impact you is pure folly. And most nonprofits do not have the infrastructure or a process in place to contend with them.” (Deepa Iyer)
- “Start by asking what issues do we believe we should be in rapid response mode for? Because we can’t do all of them.” (Deepa Iyer)
- “We need to invest in infrastructure, which, by the way, is not a four-letter word.” (Joan Garry)
ABOUT GUEST:
Deepa Iyer is a South Asian American writer, strategist, and lawyer. Her work is rooted in Asian American, South Asian, Muslim, and Arab communities where she spent fifteen years in policy advocacy and coalition building in the wake of the September 11th attacks and ensuing backlash. Currently, Deepa leads projects on solidarity and social movements at the Building Movement Project, a national nonprofit organization that catalyzes social change through research, strategic partnerships, and resources for movements and nonprofits. She conducts workshops and trainings, uplifts narratives through the Solidarity Is This podcast, and facilitates solidarity strategy for cohorts and networks. Previously, she has held positions at Race Forward, South Asian Americans Leading Together, the US Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, the Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center, and the Asian American Justice Center.
Deepa’s first book, We Too Sing America: South Asian, Arab, Muslim, and Sikh Immigrants Shape Our Multiracial Future (The New Press, 2015), chronicles community-based histories in the wake of 9/11 and received a 2016 American Book Award. Deepa’s most recent book (2022), a guide based on the social change ecosystem map that she created, is called Social Change Now: A Guide for Reflection and Connection. Her debut children’s picture book, We Are The Builders!, was released in the fall of 2024.
Deepa serves on the advisory council of the Emergent Fund and the Festival Center. She teaches classes on Asian American Studies, social movements, and public policy at the university level. Deepa moved to Kentucky from Kerala (India) when she was twelve years old. She graduated from the University of Notre Dame Law School and Vanderbilt University.
RESOURCES:
- Deepa Iyer LinkedIn
- Deepa Iyer Twitter
- Deepa Iyer Instagram
- The Solidarity Is This Podcast
- We Too Sing America: South Asian, Arab, Muslim, and Sikh Immigrants Shape Our Multiracial Future
- Social Change Now: A Guide for Reflection and Connection
- We Are the Builders!
- The Social Change Ecosystem Framework: A Conversation with Deepa Iyer
- Deepa Iyer Sustain Dane Summit Keynote Address
- Made to Stick by Chip Heath & Dan Heath
- Nonprofit Leadership Lab
- Joan Garry’s Guide to Nonprofit Leadership – 2nd Edition by Joan Garry
- FREE WORKSHOP: Let’s Build the Nonprofit Board of Your Dreams!
- FREE WORKSHOP: The 5 Practices of Outstanding Nonprofit Leaders
- Music by Jukebox the Ghost
- Voiceover Work by Cindy Cap Solutions
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