The Nissan Foundation was created in 1992 as a way for Nissan to give back to the communities it operates in. It focuses on providing funding for programs and organizations that promote and value cultural diversity. Its foundation year is significant, as it was the same year as the Rodney King riots in Southern California, where Nissan’s North American operations were headquartered at the time. Today the organization announced the 27 organizations that will be sharing $700,000 in awards to continue their work.
The programs and organizations represent a wide range of activities, from cultural events to promote the art of minority groups, to social activism initiatives, to educational resources. Texas, Tennessee, New York, Mississippi, Michigan, Georgia, and California were all represented on the list, with Nashville Public Television receiving the largest grant of $70,000 for its Next Door Neighbors 2016-2017 project. The documentary series examines the different cultures that come together in Nashville to make it a vibrant place to live. Nissan’s North American headquarters is near the metropolis, making the size of its award very appropriate.
Other projects receiving grants include Jackson 2000’s project in Mississippi to open a community dialogue on race, the Detroit field office of the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants’ Neighbor-to-Neighbor project, and the National Multicultural Western Heritage Museum of Texas’ Cultural Heritage Youth Workshops.
“The organizations and projects selected for 2016 represent those who provide culturally diverse and relevant programs in communities where Nissan operates,” said Scott Becker, president of the Nissan Foundation. “The Nissan Foundation is proud to support their missions to enrich people’s lives and open doors to new ways of understanding our neighbors and the world we live in.”
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