Arcus Foundation
Encyclopedia
Arcus Foundation is a private foundation in the United States, that supports groups working globally to promote great ape conservation as well as supporting human social justice
causes, including sexual orientation
, gender
, racial equality
and rights
, and pluralism
, particularly through the awarding of grants.
The foundation's named is derived by its founder from "arc" or "arch", in order "to portray the bridging of a gap, the offer of shelter, and rainbows as a symbol of diversity".
, gender identity
and race, and to ensure conservation and respect of the great apes
.". Given this dedication to two hominid clades, the Foundation has refused to support AIDS research on behalf of human treatment when the research might involve chimpanzees.
in Chicago
, Illinois
.
In 2006, the foundation's donation of US $450,000 went to establishing the Jane Goodall Institute
's advocacy department. Primatologist Jane Goodall
noted that this development "has enabled me to get a higher profile in the [U.S.] Senate
and the House
".
In May, 2010, Urvashi Vaid
's departure as Executive Director of the foundation was announced, and Fred Davie, a former member of the Advisory Council of the White House
Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, and already involved with the foundation, became its Executive Director.
Through a biological survey supported by the Arcus Foundation, in 2010 the Myanmar Snub-nosed Monkey
was given the binomial
name Rhinopithecus strykeri, in honor of the foundation's president, Stryker, upon its discovery during an Arcus Foundation co-funded study of Hoolock Gibbon
s in Myanmar.
Social justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
causes, including sexual orientation
Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...
, gender
Gender
Gender is a range of characteristics used to distinguish between males and females, particularly in the cases of men and women and the masculine and feminine attributes assigned to them. Depending on the context, the discriminating characteristics vary from sex to social role to gender identity...
, racial equality
Racial equality
Racial equality means different things in different contexts. It mostly deals with an equal regard to all races.It can refer to a belief in biological equality of all human races....
and rights
Rights
Rights are legal, social, or ethical principles of freedom or entitlement; that is, rights are the fundamental normative rules about what is allowed of people or owed to people, according to some legal system, social convention, or ethical theory...
, and pluralism
Cultural pluralism
Cultural pluralism is a term used when smaller groups within a larger society maintain their unique cultural identities, and their values and practices are accepted by the wider culture. Cultural pluralism is often confused with Multiculturalism...
, particularly through the awarding of grants.
The foundation's named is derived by its founder from "arc" or "arch", in order "to portray the bridging of a gap, the offer of shelter, and rainbows as a symbol of diversity".
Mission
Arcus Foundation's mission is "to achieve social justice that is inclusive of sexual orientationSexual orientation
Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...
, gender identity
Gender identity
A gender identity is the way in which an individual self-identifies with a gender category, for example, as being either a man or a woman, or in some cases being neither, which can be distinct from biological sex. Basic gender identity is usually formed by age three and is extremely difficult to...
and race, and to ensure conservation and respect of the great apes
Great Apes
Great Apes may refer to*Great apes, species in the biological family Hominidae, including humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans*Great Apes , a 1997 novel by Will Self...
.". Given this dedication to two hominid clades, the Foundation has refused to support AIDS research on behalf of human treatment when the research might involve chimpanzees.
History
Arcus Foundation was founded by Jon Lloyd Stryker, a U.S. architect, philanthropist, social and species cause activist, billionaire stockholder, and heir to the Stryker Corporation medical supply company fortunes of grandfather Homer Hartmen Stryker, M.D. As a teenager, Stryker kept a monkey as a pet, until keeping it domestically seemed inhumane, at which point he donated the monkey to the Lincoln Park ZooLincoln Park Zoo
Lincoln Park Zoo is a free zoo located in Lincoln Park in Chicago, Illinois. The zoo was founded in 1868, making it one of the oldest zoos in the nation. The zoo is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums ....
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
.
In 2006, the foundation's donation of US $450,000 went to establishing the Jane Goodall Institute
Jane Goodall Institute
The Jane Goodall Institute is an international wildlife and environment conservation organization with branches in many countries. It was founded in 1977 by English primatologist Dr...
's advocacy department. Primatologist Jane Goodall
Jane Goodall
Dame Jane Morris Goodall, DBE , is a British primatologist, ethologist, anthropologist, and UN Messenger of Peace. Considered to be the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees, Goodall is best known for her 45-year study of social and family interactions of wild chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National...
noted that this development "has enabled me to get a higher profile in the [U.S.] Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
and the House
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
".
In May, 2010, Urvashi Vaid
Urvashi Vaid
Urvashi Vaid is an American activist who has worked for over 25 years promoting civil rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons.- Political activism :...
's departure as Executive Director of the foundation was announced, and Fred Davie, a former member of the Advisory Council of the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, and already involved with the foundation, became its Executive Director.
Through a biological survey supported by the Arcus Foundation, in 2010 the Myanmar Snub-nosed Monkey
Myanmar snub-nosed monkey
The Myanmar snub-nosed monkey or Burmese snub-nosed monkey is a highly threatened species of colobine monkey found in northern Burma . The species is known in local dialects as mey nwoah . Rain allegedly causes it to sneeze due to the short upturned nasal flesh around its nostrils...
was given the binomial
Binomial
In algebra, a binomial is a polynomial with two terms —the sum of two monomials—often bound by parenthesis or brackets when operated upon...
name Rhinopithecus strykeri, in honor of the foundation's president, Stryker, upon its discovery during an Arcus Foundation co-funded study of Hoolock Gibbon
Hoolock gibbon
The hoolock gibbons , also known as hoolocks, are two primate species from the family of the gibbons .Hoolocks are the second largest of the gibbons, after the Siamang. They reach a size of 60 to 90 cm and weigh 6 to 9 kg...
s in Myanmar.
External links
- Arcus Foundation website http://www.arcusfoundation.org