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Black Collective Foundation MN

@mnblackcf

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A philanthropic movement to advance the genius of Black-led change.

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Meet Dr. Stephen Thompson, one of our 2026 Community Builders!

Dr. Stephen Thompson (@drgreydoc) is an integrative clinician, educator, author, speaker, and systems builder whose work centers Black health, dignity, agency, and community restoration. He is a Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, Doctor of Chiropractic, Board Certified Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork provider, and a Fellow of the Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine. Dr. Thompson is the co-founder of Stockheart Whole Health and GreyDoc Consulting, where he helps individuals, organizations, and communities understand how stress, trauma, lifestyle, and social conditions shape health and human potential.

Dr. Thompson is one of 14 leaders selected for our 2026 Community Builders cohort. Each of these leaders guide how Black Collective Foundation MN invests in and shows up for communities. Since 2022, Community Builders have played a central role in directing the majority of The Collective's more than $4.1 million in community-centered investments.

With every Community Builders cohort, we build more philanthropic power within Black communities statewide, backing the organizations, social enterprises, and changemakers shaping our shared future.

Join us in welcoming Dr. Thompson as a 2026 Community Builder! Follow our page to meet more Community Builders in the coming weeks. by @mnblackcf

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3 days ago

Meet Sharon Sund, one of our 2026 Community Builders!

Sharon Sund (@sharonsundmn) is the founder and executive director of We Go High, a Minnesota-based nonprofit leadership and power-building movement that equips Black women to lead systemic and structural change across civic life, education, and public policy. Through We Go High, Sharon is building a statewide network of Black women who organize locally, shape public policy, strengthen their communities, and advance educational accountability—including excellent education and strong STEM pathways for Black children and youth.

Sharon is one of 14 leaders selected for our 2026 Community Builders cohort. Each of these leaders guide how Black Collective Foundation MN invests in and shows up for communities. Since 2022, Community Builders have played a central role in directing the majority of The Collective's more than $4.1 million in community-centered investments.

With every Community Builders cohort, we build more philanthropic power within Black communities statewide, backing the organizations, social enterprises, and changemakers shaping our shared future.

Join us in welcoming Sharon as a 2026 Community Builder! Follow our page to meet more Community Builders in the coming weeks. by @mnblackcf

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4 days ago

We look forward to welcoming Nana Gyamfi next week to Threading Stories of Black Migration, an experience by Black Collective Foundation MN.

Nana Gyamfi will join us as a panelist for an essential conversation on race, migration and democracy.

She is the Executive Director of Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI), the largest Black-led social justice organization representing nearly 10 million Black immigrants, refugees, and families living in the U.S. She previously served as BAJI’s Board Vice-Chair and Managing Director.

A movement attorney for the past 25 years, Nana is co-founder of Justice Warriors 4 Black Lives and Human Rights Advocacy, both dedicated to fighting for human rights and Black liberation. She has served as the Executive Director of Black Women’s Forum, an organization co-founded by Congresswoman Maxine Waters, who serves as its President.

Nana is also a former professor in the Pan African Studies Department at California State University Los Angeles. She has repeat appearances in documentaries and other media, including Tales of the Grim Sleeper and Democracy Now with Amy Goodman, and she hosts her own weekly radio show Conversations On the Way: The Asafo Edition.

📌 Event details
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
12:00 - Doors Open, Registration, and Refreshments
1 - 2:30 PM Program
The Cedar Cultural Center, 416 Cedar Ave, Minneapolis, 55454

This event is free to attend, but registration is required and limited. Reserve your spot at mnblackcf.org/events by @mnblackcf

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4 days ago

Meet Mariam Mohamed, one of our 2026 Community Builders!

Mariam Mohamed (@hoyosambusa) holds two master's degrees and brings more than 30 years of broad professional experience working with nonprofits, foundations, and public- and private-sector organizations. In addition to her consulting and board leadership, Mariam is the Co-Founder of Hoyo Sambusa, a Minnesota-based food company founded by Somali mothers to preserve cultural traditions while creating meaningful employment opportunities for refugees and immigrants. Under her leadership, Hoyo has grown into an award-winning social enterprise that brings authentic Somali cuisine to grocery stores, schools, and communities throughout Minnesota.

Mariam is one of 14 leaders selected for our 2026 Community Builders cohort. Each of these leaders guide how Black Collective Foundation MN invests in and shows up for communities. Since 2022, Community Builders have played a central role in directing the majority of The Collective's more than $4.1 million in community-centered investments.

With every Community Builders cohort, we build more philanthropic power within Black communities statewide, backing the organizations, social enterprises, and changemakers shaping our shared future.

Join us in welcoming Mariam as a 2026 Community Builder! Follow our page to meet more Community Builders in the coming weeks. by @mnblackcf

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5 days ago

We look forward to welcoming Jeremiah E. Ellis next week to Threading Stories of Black Migration, an experience by Black Collective Foundation MN.

Jeremiah E. Ellis will join us as a panelist for an essential conversation on race, migration and democracy

He is an award-winning public history researcher and Ramsey County Historical Society board member dedicated to uncovering African American self-determination in the Upper Midwest.

Leveraging community journalism, oral histories, and meticulous genealogy, he combats systemic erasure to elevate underrepresented stories. Author of "The Merit of Service: James and Frances Hughes and the Architecture of Black Excellence in Minnesota," Jeremiah explores how mid-century suburban migration in Maplewood became a deliberate act of Black self-determination, community building, and municipal leadership.

A former Arthur C. McWatt Senior Fellow, he draws on public archives to connect historical narratives of Black migration directly to the ongoing work of civic governance and remaking democracy.

📌 Event details
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
12:00 - Doors Open, Registration, and Refreshments
1 - 2:30 PM Program
The Cedar Cultural Center, 416 Cedar Ave, Minneapolis, 55454

This event is free to attend, but registration is required and limited. Reserve your spot at mnblackcf.org/events by @mnblackcf

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5 days ago

We're honored to welcome Sahra Noor next week to Threading Stories of Black Migration.

Sahra will join us for an author talk and book signing featuring her debut memoir, Salt in the Snow. Copies of her book will be available for signing.

Sahra Noor is a Somali-American health systems leader and writer whose work explores belonging, migration, and the complicated work of building a life across cultures. Her work and thought leadership on culturally responsive care, community mental health, and inclusive health system design have been featured in academic journals and international conferences. She is also co-author of Reimagining Philanthropy in the Global South (Cambridge University Press, 2024).

Sahra is the former CEO of People’s Center Health Services and co-founder of Health Commons, with numerous honors recognizing her leadership and impact. Now based in Nairobi, Kenya, she works in global health, supporting efforts to strengthen health systems across Africa.

📌 Event Details
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
12:00 - Doors Open, Registration, and Refreshments
1 - 2:30 PM Program
The Cedar Cultural Center, 416 Cedar Ave, Minneapolis, 55454

This event is free to attend, but registration is required and limited. Reserve your spot mnblackcf.org/events by @mnblackcf

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6 days ago

Meet James Curry, one of our 2026 Community Builders!

Active in filmmaking for over 30 years, James Curry is an inter-disciplinary artist who grew up in Brooklyn Park, MN and studied at The American Film Institute. He went on to earn an MFA in Film from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. He has won numerous awards for his short film westbound and documentary, masterjam. He is chair of Building Remembrance for Reconciliation (BR4R.org) and has partnered with Dakota County Historical Society on the development of a Black Heritage Trail in Hastings set for completion in 2027.

James is one of 14 leaders selected for our 2026 Community Builders cohort. Each of these leaders guide how Black Collective Foundation MN invests in and shows up for communities. Since 2022, Community Builders have played a central role in directing the majority of The Collective's more than $4.1 million in community-centered investments.

With every Community Builders cohort, we build more philanthropic power within Black communities statewide, backing the organizations, social enterprises, and changemakers shaping our shared future.

Join us in welcoming James as a 2026 Community Builder! Follow our page to meet more Community Builders in the coming weeks.

@soulforcemn
@br4rmn
@mnkinara
@masterjamdoc
@editrite
@hatestings,
@westbound by @mnblackcf

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10 days ago

Register today✨ There are only two more weeks left until we gather together for Threading Stories of Black Migration.

The story of American democracy is inseparable from the story of Black migration, yet the experiences of Black immigrants are often overlooked. Threading Stories of Black Migration reclaims this narrative by gathering historians, organizers, and writers to explore what citizenship, belonging, and justice mean in a truly multiracial democracy.

We're bringing together historian Jeremiah E. Ellis and organizer Nana Gyamfi to examine these complexities with stories and solutions.

Author Sahra Noor joins us as a featured speaker for a conversation and book signing on her debut memoir, Salt In The Snow. Copies of the book will be available for sale and signing.

📌 Event details
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
12:00 - Doors Open, Registration, and Refreshments
1 - 2:30 PM Program
The Cedar Cultural Center, 416 Cedar Ave, Minneapolis, 55454

This event is free to attend, but registration is required and limited. Reserve your spot at the link in bio or mnblackcf.org/events by @mnblackcf

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11 days ago

Meet Jama Mohamed, one of our 2026 Community Builders!

Jama Mohamed is a philanthropy leader with years of experience working alongside communities, supporting grassroots organizations, and advancing equitable opportunities for underserved communities. He serves as a Program Officer, helping nonprofits strengthen their impact. Jama values collaboration, innovation, and listening to the people closest to the challenges, because he believes the best solutions are built with communities, not just for them.

Jama is one of 14 leaders selected for our 2026 Community Builders cohort. Each of these leaders guide how Black Collective Foundation MN invests in and shows up for communities. Since 2022, Community Builders have played a central role in directing the majority of The Collective's more than $4.1 million in community-centered investments.

With every Community Builders cohort, we build more philanthropic power within Black communities statewide, backing the organizations, social enterprises, and changemakers shaping our shared future.

Join us in welcoming Jama as a 2026 Community Builder! Follow our page to meet more Community Builders in the coming weeks. by @mnblackcf

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11 days ago

🎉 CONGRATULATIONS! 🎉

They've given their time, their talent, and their resources toward a powerful vision: a Minnesota where women, girls, and gender-expansive people thrive. Their leadership was instrumental in the success of the Young Women's Initiative of Minnesota, a program celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.

Introducing the 2026 Mary Lee Dayton Catalyst for Change Award recipients: Julie Corty and Lulete Mola. Julie's more than 30 years of service, from the WFM board to her work creating the Madada Fund, shows what lasting commitment to a community looks like. Lulete's work as a community organizer since age 15, and as co-founder of the @mnblackcf, shows what's possible when communities lead the way.

Together, they've strengthened WFM's values, impact, and culture, and inspired so many others to give and lead. On October 8, we'll honor them in person at our Leadership Celebration, and celebrate 10 years of YWI together. What a gift. Learn more about them at https://bit.ly/wfmmld26?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=womensfndnmn

Thank you to @bestbuy for sponsoring this year's Leadership Celebration. by @mnblackcf

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Meet Ebyan Abdulle, one of our 2026 Community Builders!

Ebyan Abdulle (@ebyandaud) is an educator and strategic nonprofit and community engagement leader with more than 20 years of experience advancing equitable outcomes for immigrant and multilingual communities across Minnesota. She brings proven expertise in program leadership, cross-sector collaboration, grant management, and community-centered initiatives that strengthen partnerships among public systems, community organizations, and educational institutions. She is recognized for translating community priorities into sustainable programs, measurable outcomes, and policy-informed strategies. Education advocacy, as part of the broader movement toward educational equity, has been a consistent theme throughout Ebyan's professional life.

Ebyan is one of 14 leaders selected for our 2026 Community Builders cohort. Each of these leaders guide how Black Collective Foundation MN invests in and shows up for communities. Since 2022, Community Builders have played a central role in directing the majority of The Collective's more than $4.1 million in community-centered investments.

With every Community Builders cohort, we build more philanthropic power within Black communities statewide, backing the organizations, social enterprises, and changemakers shaping our shared future.

Join us in welcoming Ebyan as a 2026 Community Builder! Follow our page to meet more Community Builders in the coming weeks. by @mnblackcf

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12 days ago

Black people’s experiences of citizenship and belonging have continually tested the founding principles of this nation.

And yet, too often, conversations about race, migration, and democracy fail to connect these histories, leaving Black migrants both overlooked and targeted. This gap undermines our ability to reckon with who gets to be recognized as American, challenge harmful narratives, and build a truly multiracial democracy.

We’re delighted to invite you to Threading Stories of Black Migration, an experience by Black Collective Foundation MN. This year’s Threading experience brings together powerful voices examining the complexities of race, migration, and justice.

Featured speakers include Jeremiah E. Ellis, award-winning public history researcher, Nana Gyamfi, Executive Director of Black Alliance for Justice Immigration (BAJI), the nation’s largest Black-led social justice organization, and Sahra Noor, Somali-American author and health systems leader.

Join us at The Cedar Cultural Center (@thecedar) as we bring together stories too often held apart, connecting Black migration to the ongoing work of remaking our democracy and imagining what we are required to build next.

📌 Event details
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
12:00 - Doors Open, Registration, and Refreshments
1 - 2:30 PM Program
The Cedar Cultural Center, 416 Cedar Ave, Minneapolis, 55454

This event is free to attend, but registration is required and limited. Reserve your spot at the link in bio or mnblackcf.org/events taken in The Cedar Cultural Center by @mnblackcf

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17 days ago