By Shelia Baynes, Guest Columnist

At a time when many Americans are thinking harder about racial issues and equity, members of the Marsala Giving Circle and othershave been commemoratingBlackPhilanthropy Month in August.

Historically, charity tends to be instilled in the African American experience. For us, philanthropy isnt a late-in-life revelation or practice, but rather an embedded value and way of being for many in our communities.

For generations we have given time, talent and treasure in order to strengthen our communities through helping friends, neighbors and family when theyre in need. Some of our earliest memories are those of passing around collection boxes down the church pew.

We established African American organizations and groups to uplift and support each other when it was difficult to receive help from other entities. There were no fancy words for it we simply called it giving back because thats exactly what it was.

When the Masala Giving Circle, made up of a local group of successful African American businesswomen, was founded through the Community Foundation of Sarasota County in 2013, it joined a growing group of black philanthropic organizations across the globe. We had one mission: Promote economic and personal empowerment through financial support for programs and initiatives that benefit African American communities in Sarasota and Manatee counties.

Our vision was to continue a legacy of giving back by establishing a more formal way for us, as African American women, to make a difference in our community and beyond.

Pooling our money together, were proud to have awarded since our founding more than $20,000 in grant money to nonprofits thathelp meetAfrican American needs in our community. More Too Life, Turning Points, the Newtown Farmers Market, Pearls of Excellence, and the Robert L. Taylor Community Complex are all organizations that have benefited directly from our philanthropy.

However, our support goes beyond a financial transaction. A key component to Masalas philosophy is sharing our long history of philanthropy and bringing awareness to, and creating conversation around, black philanthropic causes. So we proudly join the numerous African American Giving Circles across the United States that celebrate and give recognition to Black Philanthropy Month.

Started in 2011 by Dr. Jacqueline Copeland-Carson and the Pan-African Womens Philanthropy Network, the commemorative month affirms a commitment of all black philanthropic organizations to empower their communities and aims to strengthen social investments, volunteerism, activism and advocacy toward promoting the future of people and communities of African descent.

In past years, Black Philanthropy Month luncheon forums were hosted to celebrate and hear from local African American philanthropists in recognition of their lifelong commitment to making a difference.

Our region is rich with women who have been doing this work for many years and continue to do so. Audrey Coleman, Lois Watson and Sophia LaRusso are all local names who embody the spirit of giving back and have had a life-long commitment to philanthropy.

I thank these women, and all others, who leave an extraordinary legacy of giving and work to lift up important stories, spotlight good work, educate the generations, and inspire collective action to advance justice for all African American people.

Now and for years to come, I invite all people of African ancestry and allied friends of ours to continue to promote the power of giving to transform lives.

Shelia Baynes is the founder and president of the Masala Giving Circle. For more information about the Masala Giving Circle, visit http://www.MasalaGiving.com.

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Baynes: African Americans giving back - Sarasota Herald-Tribune