The Wind at People's Back

Bev Buhr's and Carin Bringelson's Commitment to Social Equity

Carin Bringelson and Bev Buhr sitting together with a bouquet of flowers

Bev Buhr’s and Carin Bringelson’s journey into philanthropy is deeply rooted in their personal experiences and their commitment to social equity. The couple met at a racial justice workshop at their Unitarian Universalist church more than 25 years ago.

The connection between their passion for racial justice and their lived experience as women in a same-sex relationship came into sharper focus in 2015, when M Adams, then the co-executive director of Freedom, Inc., published “How Police Killing Unarmed Black People is a Queer Issue.”

“It really spoke to me,” Bev explained. “We were very grateful to be able to live comfortably in Madison as white queer people. But we realized that not all queer people had that same experience.”

Inspired, they began looking at ways they could support the work being done at Freedom, Inc.

Becoming Philanthropists

Around the same time, they received a copy of “Middle Class Philanthropist: How anyone can leave a legacy,” written by local estate planning attorney Melinda Gustafson Gervasi. It opened their eyes to the possibility of what they could accomplish through a donor advised fund.

A search for local providers led them to MCF, where they established the QuARE (Queer and Racial Equity) Fund to support grassroots organizations championing both racial and queer justice.

“Creating the fund as a donor advised fund gives us the flexibility to support organizations that may not exist yet, but that will form and provide support for their communities,” Bev said.

Viewing Money Communally

Today Bev and Carin live in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, but they still consider Madison their hometown, and a community they want to continue supporting.

“We have met people through our connection with Freedom Inc. whose relationship with money and with generosity is different; who see their money as the community’s money. And we have embraced that,” Bev said. “We’ve lived, loved and created a family in Madison, and we want to give back so that others can share that same experience.”

“For us, love, equity and generosity are centered in our faith,” Carin explained. “We know not everyone has the privileges we’ve had and not everyone feels they can give. But you can’t take it with you. I feel we’re supposed to pass our money on.”

“Giving has been so good for us — it feels good to give,” Bev shared. “As I get older, I really like the idea of leaving a legacy that reflects my values. With the QuARE Fund, I have that. But even more so, through our giving we’ve been invited into community and developed relationships that have enriched our lives.”

“You know how it feels when you’re biking with the wind at your back? You feel strong and powerful and biking seems easy. Then you turn around and it’s so much harder to get anywhere,” Carin explained. “I think privilege is like that. With our giving, we hope to be the wind at people’s backs.”

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