Liz Dozier

When people come together across systems, across states, and across lived experiences with a shared commitment to bettering communities, real transformation becomes possible.

Chicago Beyond’s National Justice Convening starts… NOW!

In just 7 days, Chicago Beyond will welcome leaders from across the country to our 2nd annual National Justice Convening.

I can’t wait to be in community with so many changemakers committed to advancing safety within America’s jails and prisons.

Honored to join the City Club of Chicago to discuss how we measure impact in the nonprofit sector. At Chicago Beyond, we’ve explored this topic deeply in our publication, “Why Am I Always Being Researched?”

Download here: chicagobeyond.org/insights/phi...

September was an absolute whirlwind for Chicago Beyond! Last week we attended Clinton Global Initiative 2025 and left inspired by the commitments shared, solutions exchanged, and the collective belief that change is possible.

More exciting news from Chicago Beyond! Meet our newest multi-year investment partners who will each receive $1 million to aid their efforts in transforming maternal healthcare:
- Hummingbird Indigenous Family Services
- Jamaa Birth Village
- Kindred Space LA

Last week I had the privilege of joining an important conversation on the state of maternal health alongside leaders who are committed to change.

Grateful to @govpritzker.illinois.gov, Lt. Governor Julianna Stratton, Mika Brzezinski, and Tatyana Ali for uplifting this urgent work.

The Black maternal health crisis took center stage at Chicago Beyond this week.

@mika-brzezinski.bsky.social, @govpritzker.illinois.gov, @ltgovstratton.illinois.gov , @lizdozier.bsky.social& Tatyana Ali joined forces to demand action and birth equity. on.msnbc.com/3W6u3Zh

Black women in America are 3x more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women.

TOMORROW on @morningjoe-msnbc.bsky.social, @lizdozier.bsky.social will discuss this week’s Chicago Beyond conversation on the Black maternal health crisis and the path toward birth equality. Tune in!

We do this by noticing differently and:
- Widening our perspective by deepening our understanding of social challenges, root causes, and sources of strength
- Prioritizing proximity when we choose who to invest in
- Elevating learning by increasing the value that we assign to being a forever student

Chicago Beyond is not just another philanthropic organization. It’s a place where voices, experiences, and expertise converge to build a future defined by equity and opportunity across the U.S.

Through unrestricted funding, Chicago Beyond’s Fellowship for Black Maternal Health supports leaders who are driving transformative change in maternal healthcare.

chicagobeyond.org/initiatives/...

When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.

We see what we expect to see. But when we shift our lens—when we change what we’re looking for—we open the door to transformation. That’s where the real work begins.

Chicago Beyond’s 2nd annual National Justice Convening happening this Oct 29-30 in Chicago! We’re gathering people committed to transforming safety in jails and prisons.

Want in? Head to: forms.office.com/pages/respon...

Change isn’t quick or easy, nor does it happen overnight.

When you’re working to change systems, you have to be in it for the long haul. It’s hard, messy, and it takes A LOT of time. BUT, if we want to see transformation, we have to stick with it.

Our National Justice Convening returns this October—rooted in our Holistic Safety Framework and the belief that safety in our correctional systems starts with wellness and humanity.

Interested in attending? Head to: forms.office.com/pages/respon...

At Chicago Beyond, we ask ourselves this question regularly. Our team designed the Mirror Tool to help funders reflect and ensure that unconscious bias doesn’t stand in the way of investing in the people and solutions closest to the work.

Tap here to download:
chicagobeyond.org/insights/phi...

A question for my fellow funders and leaders in philanthropy:
What’s one way your organization is challenging traditional power structures in funding?

4. Ideas, leaders, and organizations that may be undervalued.
5. Organizations with aspirations and plans to shift systemic conditions.

Learn more: chicagobeyond.org/investments/...

1. Organizations led by leaders with lived experiences that they apply to their work.
2. Organizations with both qualitative and quantitative impact that is rooted in the voices of community members.
3. Organizations who hold themselves accountable to the people they seek to support.

So, what does Chicago Beyond look for when selecting our multi-year investment partners? (a thread) 👇🏽

Our partnerships with correctional institutions help us facilitate tangible change.

Tap here to read about how our partner, Halawa Correctional Facility in Hawaii, held their first Easter Keiki Day and reunited incarcerated fathers with their families:
www.kitv.com/news/local/e...

It’s Father’s Day and I can’t help but think about how my dad has inspired Chicago Beyond’s justice work and initiatives like the Holistic Safety Framework.

His story is a daily reminder that regardless of our role in this world, we each hold the power to spark change.

Chicago Beyond’s Holistic Safety Framework is grounded in 5 key principles: Connectedness, Health, Personal Agency, Trust, and Value. This is how we help give people the tools they need to be well.

Download the full report:
chicagobeyond.org/insights/jus...

Last week we welcomed our Fellows for Black Maternal Health to Chicago for a few days of connecting, sharing, and laying the foundation for the next 3 years.

Tap here to learn more about the Fellowship for Black Maternal Health and meet our fellows: chicagobeyond.org/initiatives/...

Community leaders have always shown us the way forward.

Chicago Beyond’s Rapid Response Fund quickly delivers unrestricted grants to hyperlocal organizations and individuals with solutions for their own communities.

Learn more: chicagobeyond.org/investments/...

Chicago Beyond’s “Do I Have the Right To Feel Safe?” report outlines conditions for all community members (both inside and outside of correctional walls) to feel, and actually be, safe.

Download here: chicagobeyond.org/insights/jus...

Real philanthropy means shifting funds AND power. Chicago Beyond funds people closest to the issues and gives them the room and the resources they need to lead. That’s one way philanthropy can contribute to changing systems.

Learn more about our philanthropy work at chicagobeyond.org/investments/.

Maryland governor signs key criminal justice reform bills during Second Chance Month Maryland Gov. Wes Moore signs the Expungement Reform Act of 2025 and the Maryland Second Look Act, aiming to give people a second chance.

Shoutout to the Governor of Maryland and the recent passage of the Expungement Reform Act of 2025 and the Maryland Second Look Act. This marks a significant step toward a more equitable justice system.

🔗 afro.com/maryland-bil...

What if safety in our correctional system could mean more than just the absence of harm?

Tap here to learn more about Chicago Beyond’s Holistic Safety Framework and how it looks in action:
chicagobeyond.org/initiatives/...

9 years of showing up, investing in community leaders, and never letting up on our mission. I’m proud of everything we’ve built at Chicago Beyond and even more excited for all that lies ahead. 👏🏽