Chanda Smith Baker: I am super excited to have this conversation, with some amazing leaders to talk about the Open Road Fund and amazing, work that they are doing in communities across the state and the region. So as we, jump in, I would like to invite our guests, to just, provide introduction.
Danielle, could you just say who you are and the role that you have?
Danielle Mkali: Sure. My name is Danielle Mkali. I work at Nexus Community Partners, and I am the Vice President of Programs and Strategies there. Awesome. Danielle, is that a new role? It is a new role. Um, well, congratulations. Thank you. Thank you. Very excited to be in the role.
Chanda Smith Baker: Awesome. Lavasha.
Lavasha Smith: Um, hi. I am Lha Smith. I'm the program director for the Open Road Fund. I've been with Nexus as a staff for about four years now, so 2021. Um, happy to be here today.
Chanda Smith Baker: And then Tari, who I've known since I've been little.
Tari Sudduth: Well, I'm Tari Sudduth. Um, I was a 2023 award recipient of the Open Road Fund Award. And, and I'm happy to be here.
Chanda Smith Baker: Awesome. Well, I'm glad that you were able to receive it.
I know that there have been, uh, many questions about that, so we'll get into that later. Um, but Danielle, I'm gonna go back to you to just maybe provide a little bit, bit of context on, um, Nexus and what is it, what do you all do, what can you say about, about that organization?
Danielle Mkali: Yeah. Uh, Nexus Community Partners, is just celebrating its 20th year.
Wow. Um, we're a nonprofit organization that, started in the Twin Cities, um, 20 years ago. We're often referred to as a community building intermediary, and that just means that, we have often worked in between, grassroots leaders and organizations and small nonprofits and, government institutions and philanthropy.
Um, throughout our history, we've always, uh, led some re-granting work. In its inception, nexus was one of, the organizations that was re-granting dollars into culturally specific community development corporations. So many of the Latino Economic Development Center, uh, African Development Services.
The African Development Center, the Asian Economic Development Association, NDC, the Native Development Corporation, we were often walking alongside them being first funders to support those culturally specific and sometimes racially specific, corporation development corporations. And since that time we've evolved, community was saying, it's great to have money to support, community development corporations, but we also need to invest in our communities to do engagement better.
So we've done a lot of work with community engagement. We have a, another initiative called the Boards and Commissions Leadership Institute, and that works with Black Brown, indigenous LGBTQ, working class white folks, all kinds of people that have been kept out of decision making tables at the city, county, state, national, even international level.
And it's a cohort program. That has been going on for over 10 years now. And, we also have the cooperative work, the community wealth building work, and we have a shared ownership center at Nexus, and that works to support emerging worker owned cooperatives, so people that are looking to start a new worker owned co-op.
It also works with people that have a small business that want to sell that business to their workers, so we work with them and walk alongside them to make that conversion from a single proprietary business to a worker owned co-op. We also have the North Star Black Cooperative Fellowship. That works with people that are either a part of a black-led co-op or looking to start a black-led co-op, cooperative business of any kind.
And we provide technical assistance to them and funding when we have it to be available, to invest in those cooperatives. And we also reclaim the really powerful history of black economics, black cooperative economics. Since 2021, when we were chosen to be, the stewards of the Open Road Fund, we've been working on that too.
Chanda Smith Baker: Well, let's talk about that. So it was not called the Open Road Fund when you became the recipients. Can you just give us the, the backstory, whoever wants to jump in on, on the backstory?
Danielle Mkali: I'll leave that to you, Lavasha.
Lavasha Smith: Okay. So the Open Road Fund was not the Open Road Fund to begin with. When we were given the money to steward the money, it was the Black Community trust fund is what we were calling it.
We didn't have a name or design for it yet, but we knew that community was a big part of the work. We wanted them to be a part of the work, in naming that. And so what we did was community surveys to say, with our advisory council, about like our black wealth definition as well as the name.
We did a survey to get some feedback and we kind of came to a collective decision as black staff, as the advisory council for the Open Road Fund, on the name itself.
Chanda Smith Baker: I think that, we in the social sector field talk a lot about how we bring in community voice and I have certainly been at.
More tables than I could count. Um, and there are tables that, sort of set out a big question and then engage around a big question and, and then the design becomes informed. There's other ways in which the design is already formed and then people want people to weigh in to provide tweaks.
Lavasha Smith: Mm-hmm.
Chanda Smith Baker: And so what I hear here is really, you just came in with a very open-ended question and had an engagement, um, strategy that allowed for the design that is today to emerge.
Is that an accurate sort of approach that you all have had?
Lavasha Smith: Yeah, I would say that's accurate. And not even the name did the community help us with. But again, the black wealth definition, our advisory council, which is about 14 people now, are of the community and in the community as well. And so even them doing the work, to help us make sure that the fund is running correctly, reviewing applications and things like that, like every piece of the fund is pulled from community in some way.
As well as our evaluation work that we do. We always go back to community to get evaluation about how can we make this change? How can we make this better? What does the growth look like? So every part of our program is always rooted in community and anytime we're like stuck with the decision, we always think back to like, how can we go back to the community to help them solve it?
'cause they know what they need best.
Chanda Smith Baker: Mm-hmm. I know that we all have context, but for those that are listening, where did the money come from? How much money is it and why Nexus?
Lavasha Smith: I think that's you, Danielle.
Danielle Mkali: Okay. So, the backstory probably even goes back further than the announcement that happened in 2021.
In 2021, the Bush Foundation announced that they were going to, release $100 million to be established in two different community trust funds. One dedicated to black folks in, and one dedicated to indigenous people, both for $50 million each. And they were meant to, go to people in the region in which they do most of their philanthropic work, which is in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota.
And they were making this announcement to say that we have, we want to invest in wealth in these individuals. We want to acknowledge the historic harm that has been done against these people historically and to present day that have kept, them from being able , to build generational wealth, to attain wealth, period.
To acknowledge the violence that has been used, the policies that have been implemented against our communities and that these funds were unique in that they wanted community to hold the trust, so they were looking for a community partner. An organization that they would actually transfer the $50 million trust fund to, and that they would design along with community, an effort to, move money directly into people's hands.
So a lot of times funders will, look to address problems by investing in nonprofit organizations. Typically, they're not saying that they want money to go directly into people's hands, but because of the impact that they hope that these funds would have, they were really clear that they needed the dollars to be able to go directly into people's hands. Um, so Nexus put in a letter stating that we wanted to be considered to be stewards of that fund, based upon our history with re-granting work based upon our history, of doing actually some, grant making to individuals. And because of the way in which we always center community and we've developed some strong practices with community engagement, we really felt that we were well situated to become the stewards for that fund.
The process was that Bush staff reviewed those letters. They brought in different community organizations that applied, and they also had a community panel that interviewed us and we were then chosen, by the community panel and by staff at Bush and also for the indigenous fund.
Um, they, the group that was chosen is the NDN Collective, which is based in Rapid City, South Dakota. And they do, organizing work and grant making work across the United States and with indigenous communities around the world. And, uh, we've been happy to be selective with them and be on this journey with the NDN Collective too.
It's a big, it's a very huge initiative. It's really, really exciting. And there's been so many challenges and learning that we've done along the way. And I think walking alongside with them and sharing learnings has been, one of the unexpected, one of the more powerful pieces of this journey for us.
Chanda Smith Baker: That sounds great. Tari, you, received, uh, a grant in the first round.
Tari Sudduth: Yes.
Chanda Smith Baker: How did you learn about it? What did you think about it and, how has your relationship around it? How did you enter into it and then sort of how did it, move to where it is today?
Tari Sudduth: Well, first of all, well when I, you know, I'd seen the advertisement, I think on the Insider on tv and then, um, didn't think much about it.
And actually my cousin, uh, is online in, um, California. Stacy, she happened to see it under, a spokesman, newsletter or online spokesman. And so she sent it to, to family members and she sent it to me. And I, you know, I looked at it, I'm like, oh, you know, I don't know. So it was just like one of those things then I decided, well, you know, I'm gonna go for this and.
The rest is history, really. Um, like I said, I just been going forward from there and just trying to, do some things I want to do, in the community. Do something with the artwork we've collected.
It is been really amazing for me. Mm-hmm.
Chanda Smith Baker: So in a sense, um, the fund for you allowed you to perhaps dream a little bigger or make investments in things that you thought would, um, sort of move you forward, you and your family forward.
Tari Sudduth: Yes, exactly. I've had this artwork for years. It was like practically in mothballs. And over the years we always say, you know, oh, we're gonna do this. We're going to, you know, sell it individually, do little like, um, juneteenth things. But it's like, I, I wanted something bigger.
I want something more. And as I started really researching and really pulling things out, I just know it can, you know, it's like, gosh, I didn't even realize the extent or the diversity or just the, you know, wide range of things. Just, just to share. 'cause it's been like in our family individual houses, my aunt had a lot, my mom had a lot.
We were always talking about doing something with it and it was like, this is a perfect opportunity but it is coming along really well as far as the research and just trying to move it forward.
Chanda Smith Baker: Mm-hmm. I'm so stuck on Stacy. I, like, I get in these conversations and I never know how like it's gonna unfold. And soon as you said Stacy, I'm like, oh, Stacy, I,
Tari Sudduth: She's in California now.
Chanda Smith Baker: I know, I know. I see her every now and then on social. How did the name, what does the name Open Road Fund mean? Like, what is, what is the symbolism behind that?
Lavasha Smith: Yeah. So the Open Road Fund, is like, we really wanted to make sure it reflected, something very cultural, very sacred.
It's ancestral. And so we wanted to make sure we kept those ancestral roots, within the, the fund. And so the Open Road is the concept that, the ancestors go before us to open the road and clear the paths, so that we have opportunities for freedom, we have opportunities for prosperity, and that we can dream, similar to what Tari was saying, we can have space for those dreams and that our ancestors come and, and clear the road for us.
Chanda Smith Baker: Who is eligible? Like you touched on the eligibility. I know that, some people have defined it as, uh, a reparation fund, it is not a reparation fund. No. But I have heard it described that way. I've had it described, as a grant it's, it's more than that. So who, who was eligible?
That is the first thing. And then I know there was descendants of slaves and there's all kinds of narrative and, and definition around eligibility that I would love to just walk through and, and have people understand the intentionality around who was eligible and why. And maybe provide some additional context on the, the definitions or, or the expanded definition of who is eligible.
Lavasha Smith: Danielle, you wanna take that one?
Danielle Mkali: Sure. You need to be a resident of Minnesota, South Dakota, or North Dakota. You need to identify as black and be a descendant of an enslaved African person. We did, include, descendants of enslaved African people that may have been enslaved in, um, the Caribbean, or Brazil.
So basically a part of the transatlantic, uh, slave trade. And we've had lots of discussions. Some people feel very strongly that, we shouldn't include folks that were enslaved, that their ancestors were enslaved outside of the United States. And in terms of our program, we were intentional about, including those folks because of the nature of what blackness and black identity actually is in the United States.
And, that's why you'll see on our application that we ask the question around, to the best of your ability, you believe that you are a descendant of an enslaved African person, from the transatlantic slave trade because part of the, transatlantic slave trade meant that, um, they disrupted our family, lineage.
And so for a lot of us, we can't trace back further than maybe a grandparent, great grandparent. We don't require people to, be able to have genealogical proof that they are a descendant of an enslaved African person, because that's impossible for many of our black community members.
And we know that, how the slave trade worked was that many times people may have been enslaved originally in one place and moved to another place. So, although many of us may have known that or felt that we were very clear that, my enslaved ancestors came from, at least through Tennessee, like that's where kind of I can trace mine through, right?
But perhaps there were people that had also been enslaved in the Caribbean as well. And so we wanted to really acknowledge that and also know that, many generations back, many of our most incredible ancestors that were African American and part of the, the transatlantic slave trade also had Caribbean roots.
So we all claim Shirley Chisholm all day, all night from the Caribbean. Stokely Carmichael people claim him, Harry Belafonte. We, you can kind of go on and on to all these people that have, trailblazed and fought for, our economic justice and repair, throughout the United States and have identified as African Americans, all along and share that identity.
So you have to be ages 14 and up Also we have, the wealth building categories within the Open Road Fund, come as, financial wellbeing, health and wellness, which includes our cultural wellbeing, education, housing stability, and economic ownership and power.
And so you have to indicate in the beginning that you would want to be able to use this, uh, $50,000 gift towards any one of those categories.
Chanda Smith Baker: So if you fit that description, and you meet the criteria, you are eligible to get up to $50,000. It was put in the paper, Tari, that's how you founded a family member in California is like, Hey, there's this opportunity over here.
Um, we've been talking about this and I think we should go for it. I can imagine that you got more applications than the amount of resources you were allocating. Absolutely. How did you address that?
Lavasha Smith: Yeah, so we have a random selection process and we did that for multiple reasons. Um, and one was to really eliminate bias. We really didn't wanna choose between, um, one plan is better than the next, right? We didn't want that competitiveness in our community.
Like we've seen that before. It doesn't work. So we really wanted to make sure that we had a, a fair enough system, um, equitable enough system to be able to select applicants. And so once someone applies for the Open Road Fund, we use a random selection tool, uh, to pull a hundred names, per year.
And then we do gift them $50,000, for their gift to go towards their wealth building journey. Um, and I think another thing that Danielle had began to say is one of the things that we also did was really wanted to be clear about like. This is our money, it's owed to us, right? It's not reparations, but it's still owed to us.
We wanted folks to be able to define what they thought wealth was on their own terms and how they would, how they would use the money. Um, of course we offer resources and guidance to help them kind of hone in on what that is. But we wanted to be clear that wealth is not just home ownership.
Wealth is not just education. Those can be tools and avenues, but there's so much more to wealth. And we learned that by doing some of those community surveys, doing some of those focus groups with people and getting that feedback to help us elaborate what is really wealth to black folks. And so I think that's part of the, the, the reason why we came up with those five different, um, ways that you're able to use the money.
Chanda Smith Baker: So it's sort of a randomized selection to be the most equitable in terms of the, um, decision process.
Lavasha Smith: Mm-hmm.
Chanda Smith Baker: Once they are selected through that pool or that random process, is there some additional conversations that happen before they get it or do they get it then? Like what, what happens after their name gets pulled?
Lavasha Smith: Yeah, so there is a part two to the application, but we also go through and review again to make sure that folks are really eligible that they meet that criteria.
And then they do part two of the application, which is called like the wealth building tool, where they tell us a little bit more about their plan into detail. They do a budget and then we also provide support as well. And then they go through like orientation. We provide resources, financial resources, and then we start to disperse the money after that.
Danielle Mkali: We continue to learn a lot. As we go through this process. And so in the first year, we had a financial coach requirement for all of the, recipients that were between the ages of 14 and 19 before we would disperse the funds. We expanded halfway through that year to include that we would make one-on-one financial coaching available for all of the recipients.
This last year, formally from the beginning announced there's a financial coach available. We still had that requirement for young people, and this year, in 2025 we're requiring that financial one-to-one, session with a financial coach prior to disbursement of the gift for all of the recipients.
And that came outta learning through our evaluation where, recipients, responded to our evaluation survey and said, you gotta take advantage of the financial coach, or I wish I would've sat with the financial coach sooner, or please use all the resources that they're offering up.
And so we just decided to go ahead and make that, a requirement. We have designed the fund in a way that we wanna really uplift the trust that we have in our community. And so it's been kind of a fine line figuring out what should be required and what should, should not be, because there's many people in our community that have tons of experience and have already done met with a financial coach before.
Um, but we just decided we wanna make it a part of our process just so that they know that they have our support and we also want them to know that we don't expect them to be perfect in a flawed economic system too.
Chanda Smith Baker: Yeah, I, I do like that. I have been in philanthropy. I certainly have been part of things where money is involved and, it creates a very interesting tension, especially when there are people that have applied that have not gotten selected.
I think you're, are you in the third round?
Lavasha Smith: Yep. Right.
Chanda Smith Baker: So they've applied every round. They haven't gotten it, but they also don't hear about who else gets it. So why don't you publish the names? The people wanna know? Why don't you publish the names?
Lavasha Smith: They do wanna know, they wanna know who the people are. Um, so we, for several reasons, again, one is like safety, right?
We have to make sure that folks are safe. There's many situations that people are coming from that can be fleeing from something. And so we wanna make sure that they're safe. We also leave it up to the recipients, um, to be able to share that so the recipients are able to share if they like. Again, I think one of the things that came from my our evaluation was like some, some tensions and some things that may have happened between family members when they did tell, um, that they received the money, like relationships changed and, and they weren't aware of that, you know, so some of those things we just really wanted to make sure that they were telling their own stories and that they could publicize it themselves.
We wanna make sure that we keep the name safe, just mostly outta like safety reasons.
Danielle Mkali: I think. Lifting up this whole piece around how philanthropy has worked in the past and you know, for those of us that are, familiar with like the Bush leadership fellowship, you know, they're like, well, they announced those folks. Why don't you announce the Open Road Fund people?
And, I think there's really important differences between something like the Bush Leadership Fellowship or the McKnight Artist Fellowship where you are being invested in and uplifted as a leader or as an artist. And it only benefits you to have that recognition come from an institution, to help other people wanna invest in your leadership or for you to be able to move your project forward.
And for some people receiving the Open Road Fund gift, that's also true. They might wanna say, I got this $50,000 gift and I'm investing it in my business. Look what I've done come and, you know, celebrate with me in my business. But for other folks, like Lavasha said, it's, it's not the case. And they deserve to have an investment in, in themselves, have this wealth investment in themselves and be able to, do it with peace of mind and not feel pressured to be able to, to have to share that.
And that's just an unfortunate part of the economic environment that we're a part of, and that's part of the reason why we've been careful not to just call this reparation straight up because, we shouldn't have to be picking only a hundred black folks a year from three states to make this investment.
There needs to be a much more deep and significant investment so that every black person knows that they can just get a wealth investment and get, and have the harm acknowledged. And so that's part of the reason why we've been careful to say that the Open Road Fund definitely lives in the spirit of reparations, but it is not reparations because we shouldn't have to have folks be, only 800 folks by the end of this so far is what we have, planned for.
And we hope that everyone in the state can get that, but we're only scratching a, a fraction of the black people so,
Chanda Smith Baker: yeah, I mean, I think it's an amazing fund, and I'm just gonna perhaps close the, the point which I think you touched on, uh, Danielle with, the announcement.
You know, philanthropy or community trust, is not always there. And one of the ways that, uh, I think philanthropy has worked in the past is publishing, right? To show where those investments are as a form of transparency. That does not always honor, perhaps the wishes of whoever the recipient is, allowing them to share their own story or their own whatever.
And so there is something that's quite empowering about that. But I do understand where maybe some of that, cynicism comes from it. It certainly has a longer history than the Open Road Fund.
Tari, thank you for being here, I imagine that you have other success stories that you might be able to share, perhaps without sharing a name.
or Lavasha do you have one that maybe comes to mind?
Lavasha Smith: Yeah, I think something that I've been leaning in more to this year and have been actually witnessing, um, is at these Juneteenth events, having like awardees to walk up to me and just like, oh my gosh, I was an awardee from year one.
This is my plan. This is, I, I wanna buy land, or I want to, um, take this heritage trip with my children so we can learn about our roots and our ancestry. Like, those are the stories that we also love to hear. And that's heartwarming, um, because it can get a little bit daunting in the work, um, just dealing with all of the backlash.
But at the same time, it gives us purpose and it gives us a reminder of like, why we are doing the work. Why are we making the decisions that we made, to not publicize the names. And so those are like some high level examples. But Tari is, is the proof. And so I wanna give her a chance to speak to, to that.
Chanda Smith Baker: Tari, you are voicing it out loud. Obviously that was a choice. What made you, decide to sort of be public about being a recipient?
Tari Sudduth: I think it was, 'cause I just wanted to share with as many people as I could.
I thought it was worth a chance.
When I got it, I was like, wow, so this is possible. You always don't think something's for you, but it's for us, you know?
Chanda Smith Baker: I love that.
We have said Juneteenth. Um, we're in the week of Juneteenth. You all have mentioned it. What is the connection to Juneteenth and the Open Road Fund? Is there a connection?
Danielle Mkali: Yeah. We've opened the application for the Open Road Fund every year on Juneteenth. And we, so far plan to continue to do that.
Juneteenth, commemorates, when some people in Texas learned that, they were no longer enslaved even though, the Emancipation Proclamation, had been enacted, what, six months before. Um, and so it's good news. So a lot of times with Juneteenth, they talk about, it's a celebration of the news arriving.
It's good news, it's a black holiday, it's our holiday. That's why we chose to have it open on Juneteenth. One of the things that we've been hearing in community is that people now, think about what, as Juneteenth comes in our region, they'll start talking about what do you wanna do with that wealth?
Are you gonna apply with the Open Road Fund? Juneteenth is coming back around, so apply for the Open Road Fund. And so I love that that association, is coming with that too. And, to what Ms. Tari was talking about. Also, I just wanna say that one of our favorite days on the team is when we do, the first round selection when we do the orientation, because it is not just people in community that, are questioning whether this is real or not.
Even those folks that are selected that we've spoken to on the phone and say, you need to show up to this first meeting. Once they get to that first meeting, they're still kind of like, is this gonna actually happen? And then they're in that meeting and they see everyone and they know that they're on the path.
And it's just the most incredible moment. And as much as we wish that we had enough resources for everyone, it is very powerful to be able to say yes to, 100 more folks each year.
Chanda Smith Baker: Yeah, I think that, it seems like an amazing ability to sort of shift a mindset and also the recognition of either what you thought you were, able to have access to.
I mean, Tari, you sort of touched on it, like I couldn't, I, like, I wouldn't, I wouldn't have thought it like sort of moving into this belief, uh, system that someone's willing to invest in your family, in your dreams, in, in that way. I imagine that this mindset of, I don't know, scarcity versus abundance is sort of a thread, which I imagine is why the financial advisor is there because we have an interesting history, African American folks with wealth, wealth extraction, access to opportunity.
That I imagine that getting the money is one thing, but having a mindset about how to really leverage that is a different behavior set that often we haven't had the privilege of really acting into or thinking about because we've been in survival or we have been excluded. How does that show up and how has that showed up in the team?
Lavasha. What supports are in place for those that are awarded and do you have supports also for those that have not? What does that look like?
Lavasha Smith: We have some financial support. We also have some support with staff if they need additional resources, but we also have something called the community care calls.
And the first two calls really talk about the question about ancestry. 'cause we know that that can be for some, um, a painful topic to have to revisit some of those things to not know where you came from. And so we have mental health therapists that come in and talk through some of those questions and talk about our roots and our histories with us, um, so that we can have dialogue in that way.
And then the third session is designed for those who may not have been chosen in that given year. Um, so they can talk through their thoughts and their feelings and their emotions about, um, whatever they're feeling. Um, and again, that's with the same mental health therapist. So they get some of that out and then they're able to meet other folks in the community, and hear their, their feedback as well.
And it's really been like, feel like a healing journey for some.
Chanda Smith Baker: Mm-hmm. And I imagine especially, i'm a new Bush fellow. I don't know what all of that is gonna mean, but what I do know is that, um, putting pen to paper and putting thought together that, that it allows you to be thinking differently and, and I think prepares you to access other resources even if it's not this.
Mm-hmm. So I do appreciate the thoughtfulness and the recognition that people look forward to things and if they don't get it, it's hard. And having a place to process and, and say that we don't just care about it. You, if you got it, we care about our community and we wanna make sure you're okay.
Lavasha Smith: One of the things that we were also intentional about when we were designing the fund was the wealth building tool, which continues to grow and evolve as well as we get evaluation from community. But the wealth building tool was made so that even if you didn't get the gift, you can still come away with a plan and you still were able to put words to things that you may have not thought about before, um, and that you could dream on paper.
So that way it can be a business plan. If you wanted to open a business, it could be, um. Sort of like a vision, right? A a a vision board type thing. But we really wanted to be intentional about like, even if you, you weren't awarded the gift this year, you still can see your dreams on paper. I remember meeting with the elder the first year of the fund.
We had lunch and we were just talking about it and she was like, you know, I didn't get it, but me and my, my siblings, um, we, my sisters, we meet the brothers they meet, and we really sat down and talked about like our identities, our, um, ancestry. Like what does that mean? We got to ask our mom questions we never asked before.
We got answered to some of those questions we never asked before. So like, there's, there's, there's more to it. And I think you said it earlier, it's more than just a gift. It's more than just a grant. Like these are conversations that may have never had before that people are actually having and they're thinking about and they're able to vision and dream.
And so I think that that's one of my favorite parts is like hearing some of those stories and being able to be a witness to some of that.
Chanda Smith Baker: Yeah, I can appreciate that. And, I've been in a season of, of family members transitioning and thinking a lot about it. And as I've listened to other people, they're like, oh my god, my grandma, I wish I would've asked.
I wish I don't, I don't know. And I think because the past has been painful, we often miss, um, asking the questions that allow us to sort of ground on our history and the leadership that has emerged in different ways throughout, um, generations, throughout our bloodlines. You all were having those, those conversations within your family and likely within many of the, the families of the recipients.
I also imagine within the institution of Nexus, which is only 20 years old, you know, my guy, Repa runs it right. African American, ran. Even with that, I imagine that there were still a lot of conversations around power sharing. Shifts that would be required even within that organization that was specifically designed to support folks in community, that have been left out.
What were like, what were some of the tension points, Danielle, like, tell me about where y'all could have went wrong. I wanna know
Danielle Mkali: where we could have gone wrong. I think probably a lot of different places. But like you said, nexus is African American, black led organization, but we are a multiracial organization.
And so when the opportunity first came up at Nexus, um, the opportunity, meaning the Bush announcement about the community trust fund, we were talking about it at all staff. And quickly after that, all staff, I said to Repa. These, these conversations need to be with the black folks. So we need to figure out, um, as a, as as a black team.
So we created, , the Black Staff Assembly and we organized, to specifically discuss whether or not this opportunity was even the right one for Nexus. And we as Black staff at Nexus decided that, of course we decided that we wanted to move forward with it, and then we continued to work on, um, the letters that went out, the process being a part of the process, and, um, saying how we wanted to, to use the fund and what our steps would be.
And so, and the Black Staff Assembly actually continues to, to organize, to meet, a few times a year. And, you know, we, support each other within the organization. We also are providing updates about Open Road Fund and making sure that all black staff have opportunities to, influence and impact, the fund, even if they're not specifically on the Open Road Fund team.
And of course, we can't apply for the fund, at the organization.
Chanda Smith Baker: I know that was a conversation.
Danielle Mkali: Yep.
Chanda Smith Baker: I already know. I mean this was, uh, it's groundbreaking in many respects from the Bush side to you all receiving it to the deliberate manner in which you launched it, to the feedback loops that you have embedded in it to allow for continuous learning and improvement.
Um, the recognition that, um, you know, a hundred, uh, awardees a year, I think, what is it, eight years?
Danielle Mkali: Eight years. We've awarded 200 so far. So $10 million has gone out the door so far.
Chanda Smith Baker: Awesome. And so, and, and there's just a lot of recognition in this, and I'm sure one of these, uh, work opportunities that you can't help but reflect, again, on your own history, your own possibility.
What does it mean for you as a team to think about wealth generation probably differently than all of the other programs that you offered? I'm gonna start with you, Lavasha. I'm gonna go to you, Danielle, and then go to you Tari, on how has being involved with this changed you as, as a leader?
Lavasha Smith: How has it changed me as a leader? Allowing me to really sit back and trust the process. Um, a lot of people ask me like, you know, similar question of like, why are you doing this work? Or how did you get into this work? Those type questions. And I always say like, of all the jobs that I've done before this, I chose those jobs, but for this role I felt like I was called to it.
And I say that in a way because I continue to grow. I continue to learn. I continue to not know what I'm doing, but trust the process and trust the ancestors. And so for me has really been changed me in a way to where I'm really listening and not just with my ears, but with my heart. Um, listening to the team, listening to the community and those around me to really trust the process of like, what's gonna happen next and know that this is work that's meant to be here.
Danielle Mkali: I think it's changed me in that, it's certainly deepened my, understanding of what our ancestors set out for us before. I know that this didn't just happen in 2021. You know, this had been dreamt about and set out for us, and fought really hard for, by people that I've never known. And so I feel more humble than I ever have been to be in service in this way.
I think it's changed me in that, really kind of thinking about we, we really wanted, this work to be an invitation to black people, to think about what we will do with abundance when it shows up, and to be a student of this process. And, to hopefully invite more abundance for our communities and more, of this question of how will we deal with this abundance?
How will we govern when we have all that we deserve and more? And let's prepare for that and let's figure that out. And, certainly when we make missteps as an organization or as a leader myself, working, trying to work through those and make corrections as I go, I feel a ton of gratitude to have been involved in this project.
It's been so challenging and, it's been also really wonderful to work with this team, um, and to, to have such trust in a team that does this work so well.
Chanda Smith Baker: I wasn't gonna ask this, but I'm gonna, I think I'm gonna ask it. And specifically this is for you Danielle, which is, I have been part of things where I am working my hardest to benefit community, and then criticism comes from the same community that you're trying to impact.
It is an emotional dilemma. It is something to navigate. Even if you understand where that is coming from. How has that impacted you?
Danielle Mkali: I have felt, so sad to hurt people or to like let people down or that people have felt, disappointed in the work or just the criticism, has definitely made me sad. Made everyone else on our team sad. We have really smart, loving people on the team that, um, can constantly reframe where that criticism is coming.
Even when it's just kind of like belligerent and super unkind. We understand that we have been put into, a position in which our people feel like they can show up that way with us because we are here, because we are doing what we're supposed to be doing because they trust us to continue to show up, even if it is with anger, or with unkindness that, it's because we are here with them.
And that's really important and, really significant. I think what, I think having the opportunity to have those reframes is really, really important. We understand that, the reason why we are targeted is because there's not a lot of funds like ours, and that we do deserve so many more resources.
I think we knew from the very, very beginning that there would be as many ideas about how this fund should be designed as there are black people across these three states. Mm-hmm. And so, um, just trying to really show up with community, with a listening mind and heart, like Lavasha said, and with like, I guess what I would call like disciplined grace and kindness as we, take in these complaints and criticisms and talk with people and, also make sure that we continue to be as transparent as possible and do the work as we said, we're gonna do it.
Chanda Smith Baker: Tari, has your involvement changed how you see yourself as as a leader? I.
Tari Sudduth: It really has. Um, I, I just feel really empowered. Um, and even just, uh, looking at the history and even researching the pieces, it's just brings it back to the here and now. Belief in myself. I've grown so much within the last year, just being able to, you know, step out of my comfort zone. You know, used to, you know, working every day and doing your thing, but there's more to life and there's, you know, the more to me, you know, and just discovering that has been really beautiful for me.
Chanda Smith Baker: Mm-hmm.
I appreciate that. I have one more question, which I'm going to probably frame with my own opinion ahead of it. So we'll see how I, how I finesse this and then I'll just open it up to see if there's any other, um, thing that you would like a community to know. So my question here is that I've been, again, at a lot of tables and I've been at tables, that if you get two people that complain on Facebook, you are in an emergency meeting and you know, I am usually the one that says, we have to understand that, that sometimes how it is, we have to figure out how we can listen.
Like we need to understand it. And so I know that there are organizations that if they had sort of gotten sort of the, the criticism, they may have second thought whether or not they should even do it at all. I've seen people back outta some really good things because of that. So I guess what my question is, is if you had advice for people that are sort of navigating new, bold ideas or something that comes up, not just around the criticism, um, 'cause to me that is, is a form of necessary feedback, but what advice do you have either about listening, staying the course, like, you know, for philanthropy or other people that are thinking through efforts in, in a deeper relationship with community?
So, any advice, um, anyone can jump in on that one. Go ahead, Danielle.
Danielle Mkali: I'll, I'll say, and then Lavasha will, can add, and share her thoughts. I think for us, we knew we wanted an advisory council, from the very beginning. That was not a requirement of the Bush Foundation.
It was just part of our community engagement design. We were also super intentional about, reaching out across the regions and having an application for our advisory committee, we wanted to reach people that maybe had not been a part of an advisory committee before. We wanted people that really wanted to receive a wealth building gift to be a part of it.
Um. So we allowed, we allow our advisory committee members to apply for the Open Road Fund, um, gift. And that's intentional because if we hadn't said that if you wanna be on our advisory committee, you are not eligible for the wealth, this wealth building gift, that would mean that we would only get a certain type of person, and that might be people that don't need $50,000.
And we wanted people that wanted and needed $50,000 to help us design this in the best way for our community. And so I think, um, this is one thing I'll just say is that, um, having a counsel around you that you trust that has, um. You know, maybe difference of di differences of opinions or is connected to different communities than you ever have been, is something that is really important for creating the smartest process.
And it's really important for being able to say in community, we have a very diverse black advisory council that we think really represents us in the most way, that, in the best way, in the most impactful way. And so I think having them and really them feeling like, they can share their opinions, they can disagree safely in there, we have processes for moving through those things, has been really integral to, to the work.
Chanda Smith Baker: I think that disagreements at at tables are also very important. Lavasha anything you wanna add to advising, others and, and philanthropy?
Lavasha Smith: Yeah, I'll, I think it's all about awareness as well.
Like we knew that we would get some backlash. We didn't know where it would come from or how, but we were able to prepare ourselves, because we knew we were learning and this was a brand new thing. Uh, so we knew that I. You know, we might get something. And then I would also say just it's really important to keep yourself grounded.
Grounded in yourselves, and grounded in a purpose. Like always coming back and reminding yourself what is the purpose of the work that we're doing? And stay, intact with that as well as the support that Danielle talks about in the council. Um, just remembering like, we're doing this for a purpose and what that purpose is, even when you can't see what's coming up next.
And so just keeping yourself grounded in that.
Chanda Smith Baker: And the, the critique and the backlash relative to the people that have been excited, and congratulatory it. It's not like a 50 50 split, right? Like, I mean, I don't wanna have people thinking that there's been more backlash than, sort of acceptance of it.
So largely people have been very excited about the work that you're doing. Is that, would that, would you say that.
Lavasha Smith: Absolutely, there's been a large amount of support, love people that are being consistent and trying each year. And so all of that comes with it and it's been a, a very much, joyful journey to hear and, and to get to witness some of that, as well.
Chanda Smith Baker: Awesome. So this round of the Open Road Fund opens on Juneteenth, and, how long is that application process open for listeners that wanna learn more because they either wanna do, similar work, in their state or their market, or for those that are in, in the eligibility areas, how would they find out more?
So when does that application close and where can they learn more?
Lavasha Smith: Yep. Application opens Juneteenth, it closes about four and a half weeks. And then they can find it at www.nexuscp.org.
I would just say, prepare, get your paperwork together, get your ideas together, talk to people, come together, talk about your ideas so that when you come and you're ready to apply, you kind of have a general idea of what you wanna do, as well as your documents, like your ID and those type of requirements.
So just go do your own research for yourself and just come prepared.
Chanda Smith Baker: And so they would be able to find the question. So get to the application early, spend time on the question, like, you know, really just spend time on it because there's a benefit to the application, even if you're not selected and you can reapply if, if you're not selected.
That's correct. Right?
Lavasha Smith: Correct. Correct. There's no benefit in getting it done early, but to be able to sit with those questions, to walk yourself through it, that there is a benefit in that.
Chanda Smith Baker: Perfect.
Danielle Mkali: Ms. Tari, when should we, uh, look forward to visiting your, uh, gallery in the north side?
Tari Sudduth: You know, I'm really, um, working on that. I do have, um, something coming up in September where I'm gonna do like a presentation a t the Capri. I'm still working on getting it together and the advertising.
Um, but, I'm hoping to get, get it started pretty soon. I haven't found a location yet, but I'm looking at different things. I had to explore different ideas, trying to figure out where exactly I can fit in with this.
But I will be sure to, uh, send invitations out. But as I'm planning on the September, like kind of, not really a grand opening, but like a presentation and do like a little silent auction, a little, you know, feel good session to get people going.
I, I wanna be on the north side, but it seems like it's not always, uh, I gotta see where I fit in, you know. I think this is my year though, so this is grand opening in September. And, um. And I am ready for it. Like I said, the research is amazing. It's amazing.