Black Philanthropy: Our Stories

Dr. Elizabeth Alexander discusses inclusive philanthropy, artist support, ancestral legacy, and leadership as president of the Mellon Foundation, offering insight into how arts funding, creativity, and institutional funding shape culture and public memory.

How do leaders in philanthropy navigate challenges to their mission, purpose, and legacy in a time of political uncertainty and social change? In this episode of Black Philanthropy: Our Stories, a Simuel + Murray podcast, host Michelle Renee Jackson, MDiv, sits down with Rey Ramsey, President and CEO of the Nathan Cummings Foundation, to explore his journey from fundraiser to funder, and the strategy he uses to lead the Foundation through challenging times. Rey shares how his upbringing in Phila

Think your messy past disqualifies you from a career in philanthropy? Think again. Your past isn't a liability. It's an asset. Brianna Rogers, at the San Francisco Foundation, once in foster care and formerly incarcerated, demonstrates how you can (and must) turn your lived experience into leadership currency in the industry of philanthropy to transform the communities you love. More resources at blackphilanthropypodcast.com. Follow @blackphilanthropyourstories & @michelle.renee.jackson (host)

Philanthropy and black culture are inextricable. Always. Every time. Everywhere. My father, Solomon Neal Jackson III, is an example of what it is for us to love through our giving. The industry of philanthropy often ignores philanthropists like him. Not us. This show is dedicated to our dad, Solomon, a man known for how big he loved. He is black philanthropy. More resources at blackphilanthropypodcast.com. Follow @blackphilanthropyourstories & @michelle.renee.jackson (host)

Art Taylor, leads an organization of 25,000+ fundraising professionals globally as the CEO of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). He joins host, Michelle Renee Jackson, MDiv to discuss Black fundraising leadership, diversity in philanthropy, and equity in donor engagement. He reflects on being one of the few Black men in the nonprofit fundraising sector, the isolation many fundraisers of color face, and why institutions often overlook Black donors despite long histories of Black

How do we build a vital and inclusive democracy in a time of polarization, uncertainty, and systemic inequities? In this episode of Black Philanthropy: Our Stories, host Michelle Renee Jackson, MDiv, sits down with Keesha Gaskins-Nathan, Director of the Democratic Practice Program for the United States at the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, to explore her journey from law school and community organizing to leading philanthropic strategies that strengthen democratic systems and culture. Keesha shares

What does it take to transform a life from selling drugs to raising millions for nonprofits? In this episode of Black Philanthropy: Our Stories, host Michelle Renee Jackson, MDiv, sits down with Ken Miller, CFRE, a nationally recognized fundraising strategist, mentor, and advocate for Black men in development. Ken's story is one of resilience, faith, and purpose—a testament to the power of second chances and the calling to serve. Ken opens up about his early life in foster care, his struggles w