Lauren Efird, The Carr Center, Cary, NC

The Carr Center is a mixed-use development on church-owned land with the purpose of addressing multiple community issues, including affordable housing and child care. Spearheaded by Rev. Lauren Efird, the Carr Center will provide 51 units of affordable housing to lower income households as well as 11 units of program housing for working families experiencing homelessness. Non-profit offices, YMCA programming and early childhood education will also be on site. 

Carl Johnson, Storehouse Grocers, East St. Paul, MN

Carl Johnson opened Storehouse Grocers in 2019 in the Dayton’s Bluff neighborhood of Saint Paul to provide 300 basic need grocery items to one of Minnesota’s most impoverished neighborhoods. The micro-grocery store and café is a worker owned cooperative that pays a living wage and funds a hot meals delivery program for the neighborhood.  An on-site training program for young adults teaches food industry skills and offers job connections with local restaurants and partners.

Brad Onishi, Axis Mundi Media, San Francisco, CA

Through creative storytelling, in-depth research, and interviews, Axis Mundi Media creates and distributes media resources that educate clergy, journalists, elected officials, professors, teachers, and the lay public about the ways religious nationalism, authoritarian movements, and extremist communities threaten democracy. Created by Dr. Bradley Onishi, co-host of the Straight White American Jesus podcast, Axis Mundi is designed to offer an alternative to right wing media education outlets which spread misinformation and inaccurate, biased history.

Harvey Chun, Aloha Community Shed, Honolulu, Hawai’i

The mission of the Aloha Community Shed is to encourage healthy physical, social and mental opportunities for senior men and women to share friendships, experiences and projects with pride, dignity and Aloha in a welcoming environment for the benefit of members and community. The Aloha Community Shed builds projects for the local community, such as raised garden planters and benches, and also sells artisan items in pop-ups and craft fairs. Harvey Chun is a Director of the Aloha Community Shed and has been a member for 4 years.

Erica Williams Simon, Mamas in Waiting, Cary NC

Mamas In Waiting exists to meet the needs of women of color who have experienced infertility, pregnancy loss and other challenges on their path to motherhood, no matter where they may be on their journey. Founded by narrative strategist, author, and podcast host Erica Williams Simon, Mamas in Waiting offers retreats, virtual workshops, community, and resources ranging from emergency support grants to direct access to trusted mental health professionals. 

The Garden, Ferguson, MIssouri

A closed coffee shop that had been a central gathering place for the Ferguson community is preparing to re-open in March as The Garden, a space for connection and conversation. In 2019, Civil Righteousness, a non-profit founded by Jonathan Thomas, purchased the building. Today, they have renovated the coffee shop and cafe, added an art gallery designed for contemplation, as well as a commercial commissary kitchen which will offer affordable space to local food entrepreneurs. A mentorship program for local entrepreneurs will help revitalize the Ferguson community through economic growth.

ForOurLastNames, Tulsa Oklahoma

The vision of ForOurLastNames is to empower individuals to build wealth for their colliective last names - to build generational wealth. During the pandemic, Ray’Chel Wilson moved to Tulsa, OK to teach biology as part of Teach for America and found herself teaching the descendants of families who had thrived during the days of Black Wall Street. Struck by the current economic disparity, Ray’Chel designed her original curriculum to provide basic financial literacy for graduating high school students. This curriculum, informed by Ray'Chel's goal-based investing methods to pay off her student loans, was a hit and students showed a particular interest in learning how to invest. Ray’Chel created her first company, Raise the Bar Investments, as a resource for holistic financial literacy and as a step toward closing the racial and gender wealth gaps.  ForOurLastNames is an app that will support first-generation investors in building education & wealth.

North Texas TRANSportation Network , Fort Worth, Texas

The North Texas TRANSportation Network (NTTN) provides travel and relocation grants to North Texas families seeking out-of-state health care for trans and gender-diverse minors or seeking to relocate because of issues such as lack of access to health care or bullying. Led by Cynthia Daniels, the vision is to ensure that every transgender and gender-diverse minor in North Texas has access to the healthcare they need, regardless of geographical barriers. Families are supported through $1000 travel grants and recently added $3000 moving grants, which alleviate some of the financial burdens that often accompany seeking healthcare beyond state lines.

Gracefull Grind Strategies, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Ebony Smith is the CEO and Founder of Gracefull Grind Strategies, a digital marketing agency transforming how organizations engage with and mobilize their communities online. She combines data-focused strategic marketing with visual storytelling to help nonprofits and community organizations expand their reach and impact. Through her work with changemakers in education, community public safety, public health, and family social service, she amplifies voices that need to be heard and activates people ready to create change. Her approach supports organizations in historically underserved areas that desire to positively shift narratives in their neighborhoods. 

Andrée Collective, Philadelphia, PA

Andrée Collective serves female survivors of complex trauma who have fled situations of intimate partner violence, sexual assault and human trafficking in a two fold manner: employment and therapy. Founded by Samantha Mathews. Andrée Collective offers professional job training in various aspects of the wedding industry while also providing group and individual evidence-based trauma therapy with licensed mental health professionals.

Survivors partner with and learn from event professionals in various aspects of the wedding industry, while completing professional training and goal-focused career coaching. In addition to employment, survivors engage in regular group and individual evidence-based trauma therapy with licensed mental health professionals. Combining therapy with employment allows for a unique trauma-informed environment where survivors work and heal in a  compassionate, empowering setting.