Black Legacy Fund: New Name, Same Legacy

Next Article

Seeds of Promise: Supporting Resident-led Community Change

We are living out what our ancestors wanted us to do, and now we are creating legacy for other people.

Keyuana Rosemond, chair of Black Legacy Fund Advisory Committee

Over the last few years, the African American Heritage Fund Advisory Committee members have been exploring their fund’s strengths, values and guideposts. Through working with a consultant and deep conversations among committee members, we are proud to announce the African American Heritage Fund is transitioning its name to Black Legacy Fund.

This intentional renaming is meant to honor the heritage of ancestors, invite a more inclusive understanding of Black communities in Kent County and create a legacy for future generations. The committee members chose this name to honor the many ways that Black communities contribute to society, both historically and into the future. “Legacy is something that we are part of,” says Black Legacy Fund Advisory Committee member Zahna Woodson. “This is something that we are adding to.”

For committee member Aleka Thrash, the new name embodies the ideas of collective memory and effort. She says, “Legacy is something we are all striving for.” For more than 15 years, donor partners supported this fund to fuel grant partnerships with organizations that combat summer learning loss. Today, the Black Legacy Fund Advisory Committee wants to build on that legacy and broaden the scope of the fund’s impact.

More than just renaming the fund, the committee is preparing to do listening sessions with communities to help inform what this broadening scope will look like. “We’re having conversations about how we take care of our communities, how we take care of the planet and what legacy we want to leave for future generations,” says Keyuana Rosemond, the newly appointed committee chair.