Today, the Trust is working to address root causes of problems in North Carolina and build community power for change. They’re working for equitable health systems, medicaid expansion, an inclusive economy, improved maternal child health, employment for local youth, and advancing Universal Pre-K. Pyramid is honored to be their communication partner.
Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust: Reckoning with slavery and tobacco
Supporting a Southern foundation’s work for racial equity and systems change
Throughout their 75 year history, The Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust has been dedicated to improving the health and quality of life for residents in North Carolina. Today, working in partnership with community, the Trust centers racial equity in everything they do to drive systems change.
Pyramid has been an anchor communications partner to the Trust for the past eight years.
Transforming from being part of a racist system to challenging the system
The Trust used their 75th anniversary to reckon with their history with slavery and tobacco.
They told the story of the Trust’s roots in racism and turned truth-telling into action for racial equity and systems change. In events across North Carolina, Trust president Dr. Laura Gerald acknowledged the role of slavery and tobacco in generating the Trust’s wealth. She told the story of the founder’s apparent comfort with racist, inequitable systems that harmed the very people she sought to help.
To repair this history and fulfill the founders’ commitment on today’s terms, Dr. Gerald announced the Trust (working with its sole trustee/financial partner Wells Fargo) has divested from tobacco and committed to a socially responsible investment strategy.