Diana Aviv
Diana Aviv, president and CEO of Independent Sector, in the US, talks about her South African roots, working with the government, and tackling domestic violence.
What attracted you to the voluntary sector?
When I was ten, I was part of a youth group that took a field trip into Soweto, a large black township outside Johannesburg, which you could not normally enter without special permission. The conditions were appalling, so much so that when I told my parents what I had seen, they did not believe me. How could they have? The newspapers were censored, so they had no idea. I got really angry and resolved to spend the rest of my life working in social justice issues. Back then, if you got involved in political activities, you’d end up in prison. So I decided to go into social work because then I would be able to work with black communities.
Author: Diana Aviv
Diana Aviv is president and CEO of Independent Sector, the national leadership forum for America’s nonprofits, foundations, and corporate giving programs. She has previously held senior roles at the United Jewish Communities, the Jewish Council of Public Affairs, and the National Council of Jewish Women. Diana had a private psychotherapy practice in New York and New Jersey and has served as an expert witness in capital cases in New Jersey. Diana graduated from the University of Witwatersrand in Jo-hannesburg and received a master’s degree in social work at Columbia University.
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