"Minnesota actually needs a foundation dedicated to what we're calling the genius of Black-led change-a foundation that can outlast the moment of the uprising, a foundation that can be rooted in our culture and our vision for ourselves and our families."
So says Lulete Mola, president of the Black Collective Foundation, Minnesota's first black-led community foundation.
The St. Paul-based foundation is distributing its inaugural grants, giving more than $1 million to 15 nonprofits and for-profit companies, the Star Tribune reports.
The Black Collective Foundation, started by Black philanthropic leaders in 2020 after the murder of George Floyd, is giving a total of more than $1 million to 15 nonprofits and for-profit companies.
Since its creation, the group has raised nearly $5 million, conducted research, and offered training on racial justice philanthropy.
Mola says the foundation doesn't have to look like "the historical model of the wealthy giving to the poor."
"We, as a diverse community, we can actually create a foundation with our vision," she says. "We are also reclaiming the narrative of who we are."
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