Anand Giridharadas
Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World
Alfred A. Knopf, 2018
304 pages
Emerita Board member Elizabeth Bausch explains that Winners Take All “really influenced how I think about philanthropy and the systemic issues that keep us trapped in a culture of inequality.” According to Elizabeth, the book is an incisive critique of how corporate and private philanthropy have been used to burnish the image of companies and individuals who actively work against the systemic change that is so desperately needed to achieve a more equitable society. Giridharadas argues that the “winners” have benefited from a dramatically weakened public sector, one that does not challenge their market dominance or corporate tax evasion and instead promotes private solutions to public problems. The practice eliminates public debate, takes away our sense of collective action, and serves to further degrade the public sector and any solutions it offers. Published three years ago, Winners Take All foreshadowed the current governance crisis and provides one explanation for how a global pandemic disproportionately decimated those at the margins of society and exacerbated the concentration of wealth at the top.”
Since joining Many Hands in 2014, Elizabeth Bausch has served on and chaired numerous Focus Area Committees, as well as serving on the Board. We asked Elizabeth to tell us more about herself and her history with Many Hands.
Why did you join Many Hands? After spending many years focused on my family and (then) young children, I wanted to broaden my perspective, learn more about what was happening in my community, and get to know the nonprofits working to address the complex challenges in our area. Mission accomplished!
What focus area attracts you most? They’re like my children–I love them equally. However, I have a particular fondness for Housing since I believe a safe, healthy, and affordable home is the foundation for building a stable life.
How do you stay inspired? I am inspired by the many very talented leaders I have met through Many Hands who dedicate their lives to the betterment of our community. Their creativity, energy, and passion are inspiring and make me want to do all that I can to support their work.
