Welcome to Dreaming in Color, a show hosted by Darren Isom, a partner with The Bridgespan Group, that provides a space for social change leaders of color to reflect on how their life experiences, personal and professional, have prepared them to lead and drive the impact we all seek.

In this episode, our guest host, Jasmine Reliford, a Manager at Bridgespan, welcomes Rukaiyah Adams, a distinguished financier from Portland and CEO of 1803 Fund.

Listen as Rukaiyah talks about navigating her career and the challenges of investing in community wealth. Rukaiyah shares her reflections on the unique history of Portland's Albina neighborhood, the effects of systemic racism, and the importance of building a beloved community. Emphasizing the contributions and resilience of Black women, the conversation explores the creation of the 1803 Fund, a venture designed to empower Black Portlanders through strategic investment, advocacy, and inclusive planning. They also discuss the personal sacrifices and triumphs involved in leading such an initiative, underscoring the significance of collective achievement over individual success.

This is Dreaming In Color.

Jump Straight To:

(01:05.2) Introduction of Rukaiyah Adams, CEO of 1803 Fund.

(03:18.6)) Water In Motion: Rukaiyah discusses her love for Portland and how her family came to set roots in the city that, like water in motion, is always in motion.

(09:16.5) Rukaiyah discusses being an example of policy outcome and the excellent education she experience attending school in Portland’s Albina neighborhood.

(14:00.6) Money as a measure of energy: Rukaiyah explains the different forms of capital and how she strives to be the capitalist that teaches the next generations to convert creative or socia captial into financial capital for collective benefit.

(19:00.9) “Woe is me” vs. “whoa, it’s me.” Rukaiyah embraces her struggle and reflects on the heroism of Black women in the industry and the sacrifices they endure to reach career and life milestones.

(22:09.9) Rukaiyah explores the difference between working for freedom vs. working for liberation.

(37:09:9) We learn the origin story behind 1803 Fund.

Episode Resources:

• Connect with Rukaiyah on LinkedIn
• Learn more about 1803 Fund through their website
• Learn about the history of Portland’s Albina neighborhood here.
• Learn more about Albina Vision Trust through their website.
• Watch Rukaiyah’s TEDx Talk “A Love Letter to Portland.”
• Watch Rukaiyah’s TEDx Talk “Homegirls’ Guide to Being Powerful”
• Explore the Alvin Ailey Dance theatre Rukaiyah references here.

Listen to the Dreaming In Color Spotify Playlist here.

Welcome to Dreaming in Color, a show hosted by Darren Isom, a partner with The Bridgespan Group, that provides a space for social change leaders of color to reflect on how their life experiences, personal and professional, have prepared them to lead and drive the impact we all seek.

In this episode, we welcome Frankie Miranda, the first openly gay President and CEO of the Hispanic Federation. During Frankie’s tenure at the Hispanic Federation, he has expanded operations to several states and Puerto Rico, launched disaster relief projects after Hurricanes Maria and Irma, and established the ACT Initiative to support Latinx LGBTQ+ communities. He also oversees their annual gala, raising over $3 million each year. Previously, he held senior roles at New York Univision TV stations and worked on several political campaigns. Frankie serves on the New York State MTA Board, Comcast's Corporate DEI Advisory Council, and is a trustee of Fundación Banco Popular.

Join us for an engaging conversation with Frankie Miranda as he shares his personal and professional journey. Raised in a small town in Puerto Rico and educated at NYU, Frankie reflects on his upbringing, his family's sacrifices, and his experiences with his queer identity, and how these have shaped his work at the Hispanic Federation.

Tune in to hear about the importance of culturally competent voter outreach and the vital role of grassroots organizations in supporting Latinx communities. Frankie's story of perseverance, human rights advocacy, and his vision for an inclusive America underscore this insightful discussion.

This is Dreaming In Color.

Jump straight into:

(00:22.1) Introduction of Frankie Miranda, President and CEO of Hispanic Federation.

(01:54.2) Frankie starts the conversation with an invocation in Spanish and English.

(04:03.0) Frankie takes us back to his humble beginnings in a small mountain town in Puerto Rico.

(10:21.8) From Puerto Rico to New York: how Frankie’s background in theatre led him to one of the best theatre programs in the nation, NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.

(15:50.7) Post-grad life: the year is 1998 and Frankie lands a position as Production Coordinator for the Hispanic Federation where his queer identity is embraced and utilized to support their AIDS prevention and education program.

(17:13.2) Frankie delves into the deportation of his life partner and how the Hispanic Federation encouraged him to fight back, leading him to the Supreme Court.

(21:35.9) Frankie and Darren discuss the importance of mentorship in bringing about impactful change for generations to come

(26:32.3) Frankie discusses beauty in the complexity of Hispanic cultures and identities and how embracing those differences helps the organization promote civic engagement within the Latinx community.

Episode Resources:

• Connect with Frankie on LinkedIn.
• Learn more about Hispanic Federation at their website.
• Learn more about United States vs. Windsor here.

Listen to the Dreaming In Color Spotify Playlist here.

Welcome to Dreaming in Color, a show hosted by Darren Isom, a partner with The Bridgespan Group, that provides a space for social change leaders of color to reflect on how their life experiences, personal and professional, have prepared them to lead and drive the impact we all seek.

In this episode, Nithin Iyengar, Partner at Bridgespan and head of the San Francisco office, sits down with longtime friend, Liz Thompson, the President, Co-founder, and CEO of The Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education Group (The CAFE Group), which supports leaders of color through financial and programmatic aid. The CAFE Group aims to create a pathway from college intern to established leader, leveraging community genius to drive systemic change.

Liz's nonprofit career began in 1993 as the founding Executive Director of City Year Chicago, influencing the AmeriCorps Program's development. She later expanded the Early Head Start program at Family Star Montessori School in Denver as its Executive Director. Before her nonprofit work, Liz had a successful decade-long career with Ameritech Corporation.

In this intimate conversation, Liz Thompson discusses her journey from growing up in Cabrini Green to becoming a transformative figure in philanthropy. Liz and Nithin explore themes of radical love, leadership, and service. Liz shares her experiences with challenging philanthropic relationships, her dedication to supporting Black educational visionaries who she likes to call Luminaries, and the founding of the CAFE Group. She guides us through the significance of authentic relationships, collective action, and the joy of giving. Liz reflects on her mentors, the future of education, and the emotional weight of her work before giving insights on self-care, the essence of freedom, and the power of love in her life and work.

This is Dreaming In Color.

Jump Straight Into:

(1:14:3) Introduction of Liz Thompson, CEO of CAFE Group

(4:52:2) Liz reflects on growing up in her beloved Cabrini Green community in Chicago.

(11:28:9) Liz shares the origin story of how she Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education with her husband.

(12:58:7) We explore the inspiration behind the origins of the 1954 Project.

(16:59:5) Liz and Nithin discuss creating strategy that changes the philanthropic landscape.

(27:30:6) Liz paints a picture of how she imagines the future of education.

Episode Resources

• Connect with Liz on LinkedIn here
• Learn more about CAFE Group here.
• Learn more about the 1954 Project here and read Bridgespan’s case study about it here.

Listen to the Dreaming In Color Spotify Playlist here.