About The Collective
VISION
A community foundation that creates the conditions for a thriving ecosystem of Black-led change. Together, we can realize a Minnesota where Black people are holistically well, living in dignity and prosperity.
MISSION
Build Black philanthropic power to strengthen the ecosystem of Black-led social, political, and economic change in Minnesota and beyond.
Repa Mekha, Chanda Smith Baker, and Lulete Mola along with many members of our community past and present co-founded the Black Collective Foundation MN to build a home for the genius of Black-led change. The spirit of the Foundation and its commitment to Black-led change builds on a legacy of Black people resourcing and working to better our communities, not only within philanthropic institutions, but in our communities, every single day. This organization is the realization of the legacy of vision, philanthropy, and generosity in Black communities, bringing it from the shadows into the light.
The Black Collective Foundation MN was formed against the backdrop of the 2020 uprising for racial justice, The Co-Founders, rooted in community with influence in the sector of philanthropy, were called to harness the struggles and possibilities of the historical moment to move the sector beyond momentary sympathy and into accountability, solidarity, and transformation.
As the first Black community foundation in Minnesota, we are building Black philanthropic power and inspiring a new philanthropy for everyone. With this collective, we ask, ‘How much greater can philanthropy be?’ We are activating a shared vision that realizes the promise of racial justice and builds on the lives, dreams, and brilliance of Black people to create a world where each of us are holistically well, living in dignity and prosperity.
LEADErSHIP
Lulete Mola
President & Co-Founder
Lulete Mola is the Co-Founder and first President of the Black Collective Foundation MN. Previously, Lulete was the Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at the Women's Foundation of Minnesota where she led community investments, field-building programming, strategic communications, and bold fundraising that enabled large-scale systems change. In this role, Lulete also led the Young Women’s Initiative of Minnesota, a $10M public-private partnership to achieve equity in opportunities and improve the lives of Black, Indigenous, and young women of color. Lulete is devoted to engaging in and supporting community organizing, movement building, and work to advance women's political leadership. She is on the Minnesota Council of Foundations Board of Directors and VoteRunLead National Advisory Board. Lulete is the recipient of the 2020 SOAR fellowship with the Aspen Institute Forum on Women and Girls. In 2022, Lulete received The Facing Race Award for her work in challenging absent and harmful narratives on race, building solutions, and pushing for justice and equity. Lulete graduated summa cum laude from the University of Minnesota where she recently received the College of Liberal Arts (CLA) Emerging Alumni Award.
Chanda Smith Baker
Co-Founder
Chanda Smith Baker has more than 20 years of experience working in, for, and with underestimated communities. In 2017, Chanda joined the Minneapolis Foundation where she serves as the Chief Impact Officer and Senior Vice President overseeing the foundation’s grantmaking programs, providing strategic direction to community initiatives and partnerships, and is the host of the award winning podcast, Conversations with Chanda.
Previously, Chanda spent 17 years at Pillsbury United Communities, culminating her career there as president and CEO. In addition to leading Pillsbury in pursuing bold strategies to address systemic inequities, Chanda has served and leads on numerous nonprofit and philanthropic boards throughout her career, including as trustee at the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota and a board member for CommonBond Communities. Her civic leadership has been recognized with monumental awards and commendations.
Repa Mekha
Co-Founder
Repa has 30+ years of experience in community-based leadership, community capacity building, asset and wealth building strategies, organizational leadership and development, and systems change work. He is recognized locally and nationally as an innovative and visionary leader and heads up Nexus’ work with national partners.
Repa sits on a number of boards including the Center for Economic Inclusion; The Minnesota Council of Foundations; and Shared Capital Cooperatives. He is also co-founder of the Twin Cities African American Leadership Forum and serves as a member of the Nonprofit Quarterly Economic Justice Advisory Committee.
He holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government with a focus on community development and; a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and Urban Studies from the University of Wisconsin. He is a 2005 Bush Leadership Fellow and a 2004 James P. Shannon Leadership Institute Alumni.
Our tEAM & Collaborators
We’re proud to work in partnership with our ever growing village.
Cornel Beard
Design & Branding
DR. CHERA REID
Center for Evaluation and Innovation
ALEX WEST STEINMAN
Communications Consulting
Stacy Papier-Meister
Director of Operations & Administrative Lead
Jhaelynn Elam
Director of Impact