East Wake Times

Three Wake County nonprofits were among the 40 that executives at Duke Energy said on Nov. 10 will receive a portion of $1 million in grants for their work toward racial equity and justice in North Carolina.

“We all have a role and responsibility in advancing justice and equity,” Stephen De May, Duke Energy’s North Carolina president, said in a November release about the initiative. “Duke Energy is committed to creating equal opportunities for the communities we serve, and we’re proud to support organizations already leading this critical work across North Carolina.”

Company officers committed to a three-year cycle of providing grant funding for organizations promoting social justice in addition to the $1 million the company already allocated last August, the release said.

“We are truly grateful for the generous support of the Duke Energy Foundation,” Kia Baker, executive director of Southeast Raleigh Promise, said in the release. The nonprofit will receive $25,000 for its efforts. “Investing in race equity training is critical as we examine the roots of disparities that affect community wellness.”

Along with Southeast Raleigh Promise, the Justice Love Foundation and Shaw University received $25,000 from the Duke Energy Foundation.

“It is great to see that Duke Energy Foundation is centering our organization and others who are fighting for the quality of life for those who are impacted by racial and economic injustices,” Justice Love Foundation Executive Director Terrance Ruth said in the release.

Shaw University co-director at the Center for Racial and Social Justice and dean of the School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities Valerie Johnson said the college appreciated the financial support for its efforts.

“Investments from community partners like Duke Energy Foundation allow us to continue our commitment to critical scholarship, dialogue, advocacy and practices that advance racial and social justice, with broader implications for human rights in North Carolina and beyond,” Johnson said.