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Wealth Organizers Network

Introducing the Wealth Organizers Network: Advisors of Color Unlocking Resources for Racial, Gender, and Economic Equity

Today, we are proud to unveil the Wealth Organizers Network, a first-of-its-kind community created by and for advisors of color in the philanthropic and financial sectors. This groundbreaking initiative will serve as a strategic and political home for advisors of color committed to furthering social and economic justice, offering them the opportunity to convene, collaborate, and build power in an industry that has historically de-prioritized their leadership.

The Wealth Organizers Network aims to address the systemic barriers faced by advisors of color and provide them with the tools and support necessary to create lasting systems change. As part of this initiative, twenty philanthropic and financial advisors of color will be invited to join the inaugural cohort at Amalgamated Foundation and participate in a twelve-week virtual program. Upon completion, participants will gain a deeper understanding of how to align money with movements to advance racial and gender justice, while joining a community of like-minded BIPOC advisors who share philanthropic values.

"The creation of the Wealth Organizers Network is a statement of our strong belief that empowering advisors of color will lead to transformative change," said Priscilla Sims Brown, CEO of Amalgamated Bank. "By equipping these advisors with the relationships and resources they need to champion racial, gender, and economic equity, we can reshape the landscape of wealth in this country and drive meaningful progress."

The Wealth Organizers Network was founded based on the recognition of the unique role that advisors of color play, being proximate to both wealth and power while also being intimately connected to the communities most impacted by racial, socioeconomic, and gender inequity. The program was co-designed in partnership with Tynesha McHarris of Black Harvest, a Black feminist consulting practice that shares Amalgamated's vision of shifting power and moving resources to historically and systemically marginalized communities. Tynesha is also a member of the Shake The Table collective, a global community of organizers in the wealth industry, bridging this effort to a global community organizing advisors. The initiative was also shaped by a design council consisting of highly respected leaders and visionaries from the philanthropy and impact-driven wealth management communities. The design council includes Will Cordery, Farhad Ebrahimi, Ian Fuller, Kaci Patterson, Nitika Raj, and Etoy Ridgnal.

"Advisors of color have an invaluable vantage point that allows them to bridge the gap between wealth and power on one hand, and the communities most affected by systemic inequities on the other,” said McHarris. “By creating this network for advisors of color, we are harnessing this proximity to build bridges, challenge existing structures, and drive change."

The Wealth Organizers Network curriculum is rooted in the principles of community-building, reparative resource allocation, ending racial capitalism, shifting power dynamics, and redirecting wealth to communities that have long been harmed. By providing space for advisors to strategize, strengthen their political analysis, and create systems of accountability to BIPOC movements, the network aims to catalyze long-term and substantial financial impact on historically and systemically marginalized communities.

The Wealth Organizers Network seeks applications from philanthropic and financial advisors who:

  • Are committed to centering racial and gender justice as a key principle of organizing wealth
  • Are based in the United States
  • Have a minimum of five years of experience working directly with high-net-worth individuals in areas such as family office advising, family fund or foundation advising, or financial wealth management
  • Identify as Black, Indigenous, or a People of Color (BIPOC)

Applications are Closed. Please use the link below to stay connected to the Wealth Organizers Network.

Learn More

Inaugural Cohort

Ayushi-Vig

Ayushi Vig | Independent Consultant

The work of imagining and building just transitions and regenerative economies has been one of the biggest honors and joys of my life so far. Simultaneously, I have found repeatedly that my individual imagination and conditioning limit my conception of my own capacity to influence and mobilize large-scale resources, and especially often doubt that I "belong" in economic and world-building work. Community and collaboration with values-aligned peers and mentors has been critical to sustaining me in this work so far--and ever increasingly, I do wish to endure. I am seeking a community to journey with, a community that invites each of us into the next levels of our personal and collective power, and that reminds us of our responsibilities to the whole. I am excited to break down the traditional silos of philanthropy, investing, and wealth management and come together as a community of wealth organizers dreaming, mobilizing, and building together.

Cynthia Reddrick

Cynthia Reddrick | FRUITION Consulting for Nonprofits

I see increasing resources for racial, gender and economic justice as firmly aligned with my passion and purpose. Therefore, it is my intention to be more fully immersed and engaged as a philanthropic advisor over the next three years. In service of that goal, I want to continue to build my personal and professional community of colleagues and comrades across all segments of the Wealth Industry. Being a part of the Wealth Organizers Network feels serendipitous to this endeavor. And, because I have been dedicated to doing my part in an effort to increase the resources for individual missions focused on racial, gender and economic justice as a nonprofit consultant and collaborative fund giver, I know from experience that we are better together. I welcome an opportunity to help nurture a collective of like-minded others.

Danielle-Lovell-Jones

Danielle Lovell Jones | Lovell Strategies

I am deeply committed to reshaping power dynamics, fostering equitable resource distribution and guiding leaders in honest, profound conversations to cultivate meaningful connections for impactful results. Joining the inaugural cohort of the Wealth Organizers Network aligns perfectly with my work that centers marginalized communities in philanthropic strategy design. This program offers a unique space to strengthen the nuanced understanding of the philanthropic and wealth landscapes. By engaging with a cohort dedicated to racial, gender, and economic justice, I aim to deepen my impact by collaborating with like-minded advisors, learning from diverse perspectives, and collectively catalyzing substantial financial change for more equitable practices and outcomes for all people - especially those historically marginalized. 

I also recognize the power we hold as wealth organizers, understanding the necessity of having people of color invested in social justice positioned as decision-makers and advisors for the wealth movement. My professional and personal experience as an advisor and champion for people trying to make the world more equitable positions me well to contribute to the mission of the Wealth Organizers Network. This program represents an unparalleled opportunity to synergize my expertise, amplify my impact, and further advance the crucial cause of social justice.

Eileen-Egan

Eileen Egan | Melvin Consulting PLLC

I applied to the Wealth Organizer Network because of my commitment to shifting philanthropic resources to Native communities. My immersion into Native asset control began when I worked as a fundraiser at the American Indian College Fund, which supports 35 tribal colleges and universities.  What is so powerful about the tribal college movement is that instead of trying to change a mainstream higher education system that has failed Native people, the founders built a new system from scratch grounded in Native cultures and values, designed to support place-based education as defined by Native communities. These institutions, created by and for Native people, are an empowering model and addresses root causes of inequities in higher education. From there I had the opportunity to partner with many other Native-led nonprofits and  launched a firm grounded in asset building models.  This informs my approach to philanthropic advising and has led me to my work today. Right now only about 4/10ths of one-percent (0.004) of private foundation funding is directed to Native nonprofits and tribal government programs, and about half of that goes to non-Native controlled institutions - that must change. The Wealth Organizers Network is a continuation of my journey and growth, which is to direct more resources to the abundance of talented Native leaders and their remarkable initiatives that are underway in Native communities.

Hayley-Roberts

Hayley Roberts | JMC Philanthropic Advisors 

I would love to learn from other peers working in what can feel at times like a very niche industry. It would be so helpful to compare experience with others, troubleshoot common issues, and develop a network of professionals with different viewpoints and skill sets. Since the pandemic, it has been more difficult to meet and connect with others in an intentional way. I hope that building relationships with my colleagues will help me to grow and build ways to effectively serve my community through my work.

Jessyca-Dudley

Jessyca Dudley | Bold Ventures 

When I share with people that I lead a strategic advisory firm dedicated to supporting donors committed to eliminating racial disparities through their philanthropic efforts, it often elicits a range of reactions, from confusion and surprise to disbelief. It's been my experience that there are very few spaces where advisors, investors, financial activists, and wealth holders engage in meaningful dialogue about the immense influence we possess in directing substantial capital towards organizations, causes, and movements through our work. 

Collectively, in our diverse roles, we wield the power to shape outcomes for individuals and communities by influencing the choices we and others make regarding our giving strategies, practices, and outcomes. However, the absence of spaces where we convene to discuss this power, the values that underpin our work, and the potential collective impact we can have in aligning our values with our actions is conspicuous. 

 Personally and professionally, it would be significant to join in a space that fosters these vital conversations and facilitates the development of relationships and practices aimed at constructing a more just and equitable world.

Jordan-Awoye

Jordan Awoye | Awoye Capital LLC

I believe my current personal mission of educating and empowering the next generation fits perfectly with the Wealth Organizer Network. From the work that we do with advising individuals, businesses, and nonprofit organizations to the financial literacy curriculum I’ve developed to teach the languages of money. I’ve seen firsthand how quickly a little bit of financial literacy, advice and planning can help a person achieve any goal! I think being a part of the inaugural cohort of the Wealth Organizers Network would help me grow in my personal mission of giving back and helping others become the best version of themselves (www.awoyecapital.com | www.thelanguagesofmoney.com)

Khayriyyah-Muhammad-Smith

Khayriyyah Muhammad Smith | Geneva Global

As a young Black woman in the philanthropic advising sector, this experience can be isolating. Being a part of the Wealth Organizers of Color Network would provide a space to learn and connect with other peers in the sector on how to navigate and use my lived experience and connections to other communities of color within my advising in an effective manner. My approach to this work is always informed by a racial and gender lens and the ultimate goal is to have donors incorporate that approach to their thinking as well. I would also love the opportunity to connect and learn alongside and from other BIPOC advisors in the sector as these spaces for us are not often available.

Maria-Kisumbi

Maria Kisumbi | Humanity United

Having been in philanthropy for five years, i was very frustrated with lack of resources going to communities that face threat or underserved like black communities or black immigrant communities. It is this frustration that has led me to keep organizing within philanthropic spaces. As a black immigrant, I was also propelled to do this organizing because our communities need us in these spaces to keep organizing and not antagonize:)This organizing has led to investment of resources within these communities. 

I want to be part of the inaugural cohort because I want to learn from my peers, organize with my peers in increasing resources for racial, gender and economic justice.

Mark-Greer

Mark Greer | Phīla Engaged Giving

I am excited about the opportunity to join the inaugural cohort of the Wealth Organizers Network. While I have been in the sector for nearly a decade, I am newer to formally being a philanthropic advisor. As I have explored the field, there are limited resources and networks for advisors who consider themselves donor/wealth organizers moving resources to racial, gender and economic justice. I would love to have a place to share knowledge, connections and strategize at scale. I believe there is a strong opportunity for advisors of color to intentionally coordinate how we move the field and encourage donors to align with the needs of the movement. I also believe that as the country diversifies, and the great wealth transfer occurs, there will be more calls for advisors that have the political analysis aligned with justice movements. I would love to coordinate on how to meet those emerging needs.

Marsha-Davis

Marsha Davis | Davis Squared Consulting

As I've engaged in donor advising through the lens of social justice and organizing, it's been hard to find a community of like-minded advisors working towards liberation. The Wealth Organizers Network feels like the perfect place to find camaraderie, community, and professional development opportunities that are aligned with the values of my firm.

Meenakshi-Menon

Meenakshi Menon | By Menon Consulting

Born in New York City to Malayali immigrants from India and Malaysia, I grew up in the South Asian diaspora, and was raised across Singapore, Malaysia, India, and the U.S. (Texas). I come from a line of people who aren't wealthy, and also believe deeply in building a better world. My family includes migrants, community builders, ayurvedic healers, and organizers active in the South Asian Independence Movement. From my elders, I inherited a deep allegiance to grassroots organizing, and global movements building collective power across borders to resist racialized capitalism, colonization, imperialism, military occupation, and apartheid.  

Over the course of the last 10+ years, my work has centered around mobilizing resources for U.S. and global social justice movements led by people of color and queer and trans folks. As rich as the work has been, at times, it has felt isolating. I’ve also often felt frustrated by the lack of alignment and coordination within the philanthropic ecosystem. Having the opportunity to learn and grow in the inaugural cohort of the Wealth Organizers Network is providing me much-needed community with values-aligned collaborators, as well as opportunities to deepen coordination and praxis.

Nadia-Gomes

Nadia Gomes | Philanthropic and Social Impact Strategist

Resources must first be shifted towards social justice in order for any philanthropic impact to truly be sustained – whether in education, healthcare, climate solutions, or any other field. Systemic change is contingent on lifting up marginalized groups and individuals to realize equitable access and participation;this can only happen when they are directly included in power, leadership, and decision-making. Funding towards racial, gender, and economic justice is therefore fundamental, and philanthropic consultants can play a catalytic role.  

I would be excited to be part of the inaugural cohort to learn practical strategies from peers in shifting funding and power. I would like to explore concrete ways to frame and illustrate the options and rationale for this work in a way that resonates with diverse perspectives to engage as many stakeholders as possible in furthering social and economic justice. I offer my own skills as a planning and learning consultant to the inaugural group by helping us reflect on and learn from our launch experience, and applying those insights to the future of the network and new cohorts.

Omar-Woodard

Omar Woodard | Woodard Impact

I am eager to hone my craft, build a peer network of similarly situated and like-minded advisors, and expand my horizons about what is possible. I also have a wide range of experiences and expertise to offer to the group.

Shilpa-Andalkar

Shilpa Andalkar | Ensemble Capital Management

In 2022, I participated in a personal reflection group with about 16 South Asian femme identified individuals. The mutual sharing, learning, and open dialogue in this context allowed for safe discussion about challenging topics which led to awareness and growth and healing. I came away with a more integrated identity and we all shared the personal action steps around topics such as racism and healing intergenerational trauma. I'd like to become more conversant in the topics and tactics that can move the needle whether that's investing, philanthropy, policy, and more I'm sure I don't even know about. I know I won't have all the answers nor solutions but being with a group growing in the same direction gives us all the opportunity to take action and contribute to change in areas where a key factor is system reformation and reclamation of resources.

Vanessa-Rivera

Vanessa Rivera | Intentional Philanthropy

In my role, I see an overall desire for social justice and racial equity through philanthropy. As someone with a nonprofit background, I have had to tailor my language on social justice to better speak to an audience who may not share the same background as the communities we serve. I am usually in a position to "advocate" for these communities in the boardroom. In this cohort, I hope to connect with people who have shared lived experience as someone from the global majority (and historically marginalized in the US) advocating for similar causes to similar donors/boards. Through this cohort, we can share resources, best practices, and a psychologically safe space to create a supportive community and learn from each other.

Yvonne-Moore

Yvonne Moore  | Moore Philanthropy

The desire to be a part of the Wealth Organizers Network (WON) stems from a desire to dig deeper into potential ideas for how we insert both voice and influence into choice in the asset management space. We see the Network as bringing together like-minded allies, and similarly attuned professionals with the potential to advance the goal of increasing investments in historically and systemically marginalized communities. While I’ve focused our vision of the work on reversing the lack of investment in communities of color and creating generational wealth, there is more to do. Beyond this vision, we remain committed to figuring out how to alter structural systems that prevent us from investing our own financial assets in a way that seeks to further advance, and not undermine, our values, or compromise our goals.

Zakiya-Lord

Zakiya Lord  | Movement Voter Project

The opportunity to be in community with other advisors of color, is a welcomed one. There is a need to thread together the theory of donor advising, with valuable lived experiences and cultural awareness, particularly related to what it means to sit at the intersections of many of the issues that we are supporting/funding.  

I am also eager to be in a learning community that explicitly aims to have a racial justice analysis, and a focus on movements. I have been fortunate to have been welcomed into other spaces where growth has happened, but through this specific lens there is still ample opportunity.

 

 

Design Council

The Wealth Organizers Network Design Council includes:

Will Cordery
“There’s a recoiling of philanthropic support for addressing racial injustice following the bump in 2020. While these challenges are no longer the lead story line, they still very much persist and communities on the frontlines of change need to be resourced without hesitation. Wealth advisors play a vital role in unlocking new and untethered resources that can fuel these efforts."

Will Cordery

Founder and Principal, Freedom Futures | Trustee, Hill-Snowdon Foundation

Will Cordery (he/him) is the Founder + Principal at Freedom Futures – a philanthropic advisory firm moving money to the frontlines of social transformation for Black, Indigenous, and people of color communities. In partnership with Freedom Futures, Will is the Director of the Reparative Action Fund at Satterberg Foundation – a national fund committed to returning $50 million back to Black and Indigenous communities. Will is also a Senior Advisor with Liberated Capital—a Decolonizing Wealth Fund that aims to move untethered resources to Indigenous and Black led change through a model of reparations and healing. Will has nearly 20 years of leadership experience in institutional philanthropy, community advocacy and social movements for advancing racial justice, economic justice, LGBTQI liberation, and public policy. Will serves on the board of the Hill-Snowdon Foundation as one of its first non-family trustees; and is on the board of Tides Advocacy – a funding and technical assistance mechanism for social movement organizations. 

Will’s advocacy work includes working across the US South with various organizations, activating donors to support global human rights campaigns, and recently activating donors and institutions to resource the Movement for Black Lives. Will has worked to advance global human rights on staff at Amnesty International USA and as board leadership of the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice. Will’s institutional philanthropic grantmaking includes working Marguerite Casey Foundation, Surdna Foundation and Wellspring Philanthropic Fund – in all three roles Will developed grantmaking strategies focused on supporting equity for marginalized communities across the US. 

Farhad Ebrahimi
“I'm excited to support the Wealth Organizers Network because I believe in organizing as a fundamental practice for facilitating social change. If we wish to transform the philanthropic sector, then we must do more than to simply fundraise. And we must do more than to simply support donors and institutional funders to become better grant makers. At the end of the day, the most impactful thing that we can do is to support those in and adjacent to philanthropy to become better transformative organizers – and I believe that advisors of color have a critical role to play in these efforts.”

Farhad Ebrahimi

Founder and President, Chorus Foundation

Farhad Ebrahimi (he/him) is an organizer, trainer, and story-based strategist active primarily in the philanthropic sector. For the past 17 years, his principal role has been as the Founder and President of the Chorus Foundation, which works for a just transition to a regenerative economy in the United States. In addition to his work at Chorus, Farhad is a member of the Center for Story-based Strategy’s trainer network; a Co-founder and current board member of Solidaire; and also sits on the boards of the Center for Economic Democracy, the National Committee For Responsive Philanthropy, and The Forge.

Farhad identifies first and foremost as an abolitionist with respect to the concept of private philanthropy. As such, he's most interested in the question of how extracted and consolidated wealth can be redistributed in ways that directly support a Just Transition to a world in which such wealth is no longer extracted and consolidated in the first place. It's in this context that the Chorus Foundation itself has been structured as a transitional form, and will have spent down its entire endowment by the end of 2023. 

Farhad’s family history has been defined by multiple cultures, nationalities, political revolutions, and refugee origin stories. To say that his parents talked politics when he was growing up would be an understatement, and his experience as a first-generation Iranian American has had a profound impact on him in ways that he’s still unpacking. This history – combined with a lifelong love of punk and subversive art in general – has seeded a political trajectory that’s informed both his personal and professional outlook ever since.

Farhad is also a musician, a lover of film and literature, and an occasional bicycle snob. He graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2002 with a bachelor's degree in Mathematics with Computer Science, and he lives in an intentional community with thirteen adults and five children on Tongva land in Los Angeles.

Ian Fuller
"I've seen firsthand the ways in which advisors of color can organize wealth to do good work in and for our communities. But to bring that power to scale, we need those advisors connected, equipped, and empowered to make change. The Wealth Organizers Network will tap into this well of immense potential by bringing advisors of color together and offering them tools they can use to drive change."

Ian Fuller

Co-Founder and CEO, Westfuller | Board Member, Amalgamated Foundation

Ian is the co-founder and CEO of Westfuller, an impact-driven investment advisory and wealth management firm that provides advice, strategy, and investment management for mission-aligned global individuals, families, non-profits and foundations. Westfuller is a Certified B-Corporation with a commitment to use business as a force for good.

A specialist in evidence-driven, global wealth advisory and planning, strategic investment management, and philanthropic giving; he works closely with people and institutions to empower wealth with purpose. Ian is a believer in the promise of money and financial systems to drive a flourishing democracy and economy. He co-leads the firm’s commitment to support efforts building a just and equitable society, public purpose finance for All, and community infrastructure and assets. As an activist and adviser; he is the Board Chair of the Marguerite Casey Foundation with a nearly billion dollar endowment fully committed to mission-aligned investing, board chair of Common Justice, and serves as the treasurer/finance chair for many social justice organizations, including Color of Change, The Workers Lab, Proteus Action League, and the Amalgamated Bank Charitable Foundation. Ian is also an active angel investor in high-growth, BIPOC-led businesses.

Ian received both a B.S. in Economics and an M.S. in International Affairs/Global Finance from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology/New York University; holds a Chartered Financial Consultant designation; and the Series 66 investment advisory license (7 and 24 licenses inactive). He lives on the Lower East Side of New York City with his family where he can often be found perfecting ristretto pulls, reading a good book or training for the next adventure race.

Kaci
“I was thrilled to join the design council because I've witnessed the power convening leaders around a shared purpose can alchemize when their experiences become the central organizing tool. Many wealth advisors of color want to move resources to movements led by, for and with people of color but find themselves isolated from like-minded and values-aligned peers. The Wealth Organizers Network will help these advisors to be seen, supported and empowered with the tools to drive much-needed change in the financial and philanthropic sectors.”

Kaci Patterson

Founder and Chief Architect, Social Good Solutions

Kaci Patterson is the Founder and Chief Architect of Social Good Solutions (SGS), a Black-woman-owned and operated boutique consulting firm working at the intersections of philanthropy, racial justice and community. Kaci brings over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors and is widely recognized for her expertise in equity-centered grantmaking and community-driven design. Always with an eye toward human and community development, SGS works with philanthropic institutions, nonprofit organizations, and public entities to design, operationalize and manage strategic racial justice initiatives from concept to implementation.

Prior to consulting, Kaci held entry-to-executive-level roles within the nonprofit sector, leading capacity building, education advocacy and social justice initiatives where she facilitated networks of organizations and served over 1,000 civil society leaders and public officials worldwide. In addition to managing multi-million-dollar grant-making portfolios in the United States and abroad, Kaci has created programs recognized as breakthrough contributions in her field: the School Boards and Community Engagement Initiative (2011), B.L.A.C.C. (Building Leaders and Cultivating Change), a grassroots social activism fund (2014), and the Black Equity Initiative/Black Equity Collective (2017/2021). Kaci also was selected into the 2019 inaugural class of The Aspen Institute Civil Society Fellowship.

She served as the Chief Strategist of the Black Equity Initiative since its inception in 2017, a racial justice philanthropic initiative she designed, and now serves as the Founder and Chief Architect of the Black Equity Collective, which launched in 2021 under her leadership. Kaci also leads the philanthropic engagement efforts of the AAIMM Prevention Initiative in her role as Senior Director for the LA Partnership for Early Childhood Investment. Since 2014, SGS has marshaled over $30M to Black-led organizations across California. Kaci sits on the board of Social Justice Partners—Los Angeles, Tides Advocacy, and was a state commissioner in the Department of Consumer Affairs from 2014–2022. She is a certified mediator, a graduate of Pepperdine University and holds an MBA in Organizational Management & Leadership from the University of LaVerne.

Nitika Raj
"I'm honored to be part of this inaugural design council in shaping a vision for the wealth industry to be in service of social movements. I have learned a lot from these brilliant folks with diverse experiences, and am grateful to have contributed from my experiences with donor organizing. This innovative program promises to be as effective as it is exciting."

Nitika Raj

Founder and Principal, Moksh Consulting

Nitika Raj (she/they) is a queer South Asian immigrant, spiritual seeker, and lifelong learner. She founded Moksh Consulting in 2016 to shift collective consciousness towards greater peace, connection, equity and joy.

Her past work experiences include  Resource Generation (as Racial Justice Director and National Organizer of young people of color with wealth),  ChangeLab (a grassroots political lab focusing on U.S. racial justice politics and the role of Asian Americans), API Chaya (a pan Asian organization addressing domestic violence in Washington state), Kirkland Police Department Family Violence Unit, and the VOICE anti-violence project at Georgia Tech. Nitika is a former board member of the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice (a global LGBTQ human rights foundation), and former board chair of Trikone Northwest (South Asian LGBTQ organization in Seattle). She was a co-founding member of the Queer and Trans People of Color Yoga Collective in Seattle. Nitika serves on the Nominations Network of the Emergent Fund since 2016 and has served on 21/64’s inaugural Advisory Committee for building skills and space for advisors of color in the philanthropic space.  

Nitika's writings have been published in Tikkun Magazine (2013), Criptiques: an anthology of writing on disability (2014), Anti-Oppressive Social Work Practice (2014), Queering Sexual Violence (2016), When Language Runs Dry (2020) and the WMN Zine: Issue #3 (2021). Nitika has edited and produced two zines for social justice organizations – 33 Cups of Chai (for Chaya in 2010), and To the Left and Write (for Western States Center in 2010). She has shared her poetry and creative nonfiction on several stages in Seattle and New York. In 2015 Nitika co-founded the performance project and Collective formerly known as Yoni ki Raat, now YKR, a theater production to raise awareness about issues of gender, sexuality, and violence in the South Asian community.

Nitika has a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and a Minor in Sociology from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and a Master of Social Work from the University of Washington. Born in India and raised in Kuwait, she now lives on Lenape lands in Brooklyn, New York. In her free time Nitika loves to read science fiction & fantasy, enjoy music and dancing, and immerse in divinity and beloved community.

Etoy
“I joined the Design Council because I believe that the work of closing the racial wealth gap starts with providing support for those who do the work to manage capital investments as well as philanthropic donations. Given the long history of Amalgamated Bank and Amalgamated Foundation’s commitment to social Justice organizations, they are the perfect partner to ensure that investments and donations flow to those founders and organizations that need it most.”

Etoy Ridgnal

President, Community Advocacy Partners LLC

Etoy Ridgnal (Founder/President) is a respected Social Impact Strategist, Advisor, and Investor with a 30-year history of developing, advising on, and leading large-scale social impact initiatives for some of the nation’s largest companies, organizations, influencers, and leaders.

Through her social impact firm, Community Advocacy Partners (CAP), she has developed and led social impact marketing campaigns and events for mission-driven film/tv projects like “CONCUSSION” starring Will Smith (Sony Pictures), Oprah Winfrey’s “BELIEF” Series (OWN), Ava DuVernay’s “SELMA” (Paramount) and “Half the Picture” featuring Ava DuVernay. As well as advising on social impact initiatives such as Bloomberg Philanthropies: Beyond Petrochemicals Campaign.

Throughout the course of her 30-year career, she has also led civic engagement and advocacy campaigns for a diverse range of both national organizations.She has also advised and led social impact initiatives for key public figures such as Will Smith, Oprah Winfrey, Mike Bloomberg and John Legend and for the Obama White House.

She currently serves as an Advisory Board Member for JUST Capital. She has received numerous awards and has been recognized as one of the Top 100 African-American Leaders in our country. She has secured press coverage for clients across the globe in outlets such as The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, The Guardian, The Los Angeles Times, The Chicago Tribune, Hypebeast, Business Insider, the Young Turks Podcast to name a few.

A graduate of Scripps College of the Claremont Colleges with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and African-American Studies. Etoy is a student of life and an avid believer in the power of the collective to create the world we want to live in. She divides her time between Laguna Beach and London.

TYNESHA MCHARRIS
"Advisors of color have an invaluable vantage point that allows them to bridge the gap between wealth and power on one hand, and the communities most affected by systemic inequities on the other,” said McHarris. “By creating this network for advisors of color, we are harnessing this proximity to build bridges, challenge existing structures, and drive change."
Co-Lead Partner

Tynesha McHarris

Founder, Black Harvest | Co-Founder, Black Feminist Fund

Tynesha is a Black Feminist that engages her work fueled by the desire to see the ideals of truth and justice actualized in the lives and conditions of every person that she encounters. She brings over twenty years of experience advocating for racial and gender justice in movements and organizations. Tynesha is the founder and principal of Black Harvest LLC, a consulting firm that provides philanthropic strategy and consulting services. She is the co-founder of the Black Feminist Fund, the first global vehicle singularly focused on resourcing Black Feminist movements in Africa, the Americas and Europe. Tynesha is also a Founding Partner of Shake the Table, a global collective working to significantly increase resources to movements leading racial, gender, and economic justice. She most recently designed NoVo Foundation’s portfolio for girls of color in the United States, a 90 million dollar investment, and the first of its kind in the sector. Before joining NoVo, Tynesha served as Director of Programs at the Brooklyn Community Foundation, where she led community engagement efforts and helped the foundation design and implement its new core program strategy. She also served as Director of Programs at the Newark Trust for Education, a pooled fund focused on education justice and school innovation. As a practitioner, she has expertise with young people who’ve experienced juvenile and adult incarceration and has also led work for survivors of gender based violence.

Soma Sharan
"The Amalgamated Foundation is thrilled to be the home for this first-of-its-kind initiative. Working hand-in-hand with a visionary leader like Tynesha and with the expert advice of our design council, we've built a unique model that we believe can truly transform the way advisors of color are positioned to drive change in their industry and across philanthropy."
Co-Lead Partner

Soma Sharan

Director of Donor Engagement, Amalgamated Foundation

Soma Sharan is the Director of Donor Engagement at Amalgamated Foundation. She leads the Foundation’s Donor Advised Fund program, which facilitates hundreds of millions in grantmaking annually from individuals, family foundations, and corporations to frontline social change organizations. Soma brings expertise and experience in utilizing DAFs as a powerful tool for philanthropic impact and seeks to act as a catalyst for donors to participate in more thoughtful, active, engaged giving. She is passionate about facilitating intergenerational conversations in philanthropy.

Soma is the recipient of the prestigious Gates Millennium Scholarship and was part of the inaugural APIA Social Innovation Fellowship cohort. She serves on the board of Sri Rama Foundation, supporting an orphanage in rural North India. She also founded Her Future Fund, a giving circle providing educational scholarships to girls in rural India.