Kayla Bacote, Program Officer at Cypress Fund – “a social justice intermediary focused on strategically investing funding and people power to strengthen and fortify the movement ecosystem in North and South Carolina to redistribute and democratize wealth, land, and power.”
This year, Cypress Fund turns five years old.
Our early years were during unprecedented challenges in our world —growing through the pandemic, navigating nationally televised injustices that laid bare the violence of systemic racism, and now moving through the complexities of the 2024 election cycle. In the face of so much uncertainty, we’ve remained rooted in our values as movement accomplices, prioritizing participation.
In the midst of an ever-shifting and rapidly changing national landscape, we’ve been able to advance our mission—to resource the Carolinas in a way that honors the legacy of movement building and the promise of continued progress led by those most impacted. At Cypress, we believe this kind of work must be guided by those who know firsthand what it means to be systemically neglected, and who also carry the vision and power to chart a path forward.
I joined the team as a Program Officer three years ago, but my relationship with this work began earlier—as a volunteer member of The Grove’s Movement Committee, our C4 arm. That early introduction with Cypress, as well as participating in the organization’s first ever giving circle, helped shaped the way I understand both my role as a program officer and our responsibility as funders.
At Cypress, we are always learning. And to be honest, it’s not always neat or easy. But being in community with folks who prioritize and uplift Black and Brown experiences—who hold space for truth-telling and transformation—has offered the safest and most productive place to express vulnerability, humility, and care. In those relationships, we are reminded that mistakes aren’t the end of the story. With trusted voices guiding us, we get to make changes, do better, and keep creating offerings worthy of the Carolinas.
I reflected on our offerings while I attended the North Carolina Environmental Justice Network’s Summit last summer. I was there to support a session connecting grassroots organizers to funders, but what I experienced was much deeper than a matchmaking moment—it was a model of what community can look like when relationships are built on trust, history, and purpose.
In speaking with Dr. Valerie Ann Johnson (Dr. VJ) and Dr. Chris Lamont Brown, I learned more about the Network’s 25-year history and their unwavering commitment to environmental justice. NCEJN doesn’t just respond to crises; they anticipate and prepare, and they do so in a way that honors the legacy of those who came before. In a year marked by post-hurricane recovery and political uncertainty, they still gathered their people. And the gathering mattered—it became a space for grounded collaboration and connection.
What stood out most to me at the Summit were three core practices that resonate deeply with the values we’re striving to uphold at Cypress:
- Honoring the Legacy While Planning Forward
Listening to longtime members share reflections on the Network’s early days was a powerful reminder that none of us are doing this work alone—or for the first time. Our movements have deep roots. And while we welcome innovation and expansion, we do well to remember and preserve the practices that have sustained our communities through generations.
- Uplifting Lived Experience and Community Expertise
At the Summit, space was intentionally created for those who aren’t usually invited into funder conversations. Rather than speak for impacted communities, NCEJN made room for people to speak from their own wisdom and experience. It reminded me of what it looks like to truly share space—to move at the speed of trust and relationship.
- Responding with Care, Not Reactivity
The times are wild—and they have been for a while. But our communities, especially Black and Brown ones, know how to navigate storms. The fact that NCEJN held their summit amid recovery efforts and electoral tension wasn’t just impressive—it was necessary. It created the kind of steady presence and container that allows for forward movement, even in chaos.
As we look toward Cypress Fund’s next chapter, I remain grateful for the steady guidance of movement partners like NCEJN. Their work reminds us that to build something that lasts, we must stay close to community, accountable to our values, and rooted in love. Their commitment is an offering to the Carolinas—and a reminder that ours can be, too.
Here’s to more years of listening, growing, and building something worthy, together.
