Episodes

On the eve of his last day with the Hewlett Foundation, Marcus McGrew shows you how to stop running yourself into the ground in philanthropy. Through his story, you learn to spot burnout, interrupt perfectionism, and rebuild healthier habits. This episode helps you claim work-life balance, protect your well‑being, and choose sustainability over self‑sacrifice. More resources at blackphilanthropypodcast.com. Follow @blackphilanthropyourstories & @michelle.renee.jackson (host)

Dr. Kimberlin Butler, Founder & Chief Possibility Catalyst of The L.E.A.D Agency, certified impact philanthropy advisor, and creator of Youth Possible Philanthropy™ shares why young people are essential partners in systems change, philanthropic leadership, and community investment, and how intentional listening strengthens equitable grantmaking. Butler challenges the youth as tokens model prevalent in many philanthropic spaces arguing that partnering with young people is obligatory if philanthro...

In this episode, host Michelle Renee Jackson, MDiv speaks with Karen Isble, Vice President for College Advancement at Kalamazoo College about her work with the Collaborative for Respectful Workplaces in Higher Education Advancement. Karen shares her journey from opera singer and prospect researcher to frontline fundraising executive, offering insight into the often‑unspoken challenges frontline staffers in philanthropy face when their physical and emotional safety is compromised, and bad donor b...

In this episode with host, Michelle Renee Jackson, MDiv, Jessyca Dudley, CEO of Bold Ventures, shares why understanding reparative philanthropy's role in our increasingly disconnected and inequitable world is no longer optional. This is obligatory work. We gain an understanding of how we can shift toward repair‑centered practices in philanthropy that address historic and ongoing harms impacting countless communities across the US and globally. We learn why extraction‑based wealth creation, pay i...

When foundation and nonprofit board members stay an average of 3 to 5+ years longer than paid staff, their influence becomes decisive, undeniable, and lasting. They are the structural pillars on which nonprofits and foundations depend. In this episode of Black Philanthropy: Our Stories, host Michelle Renee Jackson, MDiv sits down with foundation and nonprofit board leader, Morris Price, for a masterclass on foundation and nonprofit board governance, executive director leadership, and the power d...

In this solo episode, Michelle Renee Jackson, MDiv host of Black Philanthropy: Our Stories reflects on the last 7 months since BPOS premiered on Father's Day 2025. In order to guide the direction of BPOS moving forward, Michelle examines the wins, challenges, and hard lessons learned in the last 7 months. As a podcast in conversation with black leaders leading in a more than half‑trillion‑dollar philanthropy industry, this episode considers how the sector can become a more effective catalyst for...

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...

How does one help to embed equity into the DNA of a major philanthropic institution like the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation? In this episode of Black Philanthropy: Our Stories, host Michelle Renee Jackson, MDiv, speaks with Maisha Simmons, Associate Vice President of Equity and Culture at RWJF. Together, they discuss how Maisha leads efforts to operationalize equity, diversity, and inclusion across RWJF's programs and policies. Maisha reflects on her journey from grassroots community development...

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...

How can small nonprofits build sustainable revenue, access philanthropic data, and stay rooted in community? In this episode of Black Philanthropy: Our Stories, host Michelle Renee Jackson, MDiv, sits down with Francesca Axam Frederick, a fundraiser, strategist, and tech entrepreneur whose journey from dance to data is reshaping how grassroots organizations engage with philanthropy. Francesca shares how her early experiences in the arts led her to fundraising, why she transitioned into human ser...

What can philanthropy learn from military leadership, ancestral resilience, and faith-driven service? In this episode of Black Philanthropy: Our Stories, host Michelle Renee Jackson, MDiv, sits down with Darrin Goss Sr., President & CEO of Coastal Community Foundation, to explore his journey from Army officer and minister to foundation president. Darrin shares how his Charleston roots, military training, and ministerial calling shaped his approach to leadership in philanthropy. With over 30 yea...

What does it mean to center Black women's healing, challenge philanthropy's contradictions, and reclaim joy as a radical act? In this episode of Black Philanthropy: Our Stories, host Michelle Renee Jackson, MDiv, sits down with Dr. Yanique Redwood—author, strategist, and former foundation CEO—to explore the emotional, structural, and spiritual dimensions of Black women's experiences in philanthropy. Dr. Redwood shares the journey behind her powerful book White Women Cry and Call Me Angry, a mem...

What does it mean to lead with courage, stay mission-driven, and institutionalize love in philanthropy? In this episode of Black Philanthropy: Our Stories, host Michelle Renee Jackson, MDiv, sits down with Edward Jones, Vice President of Programs and Philanthropic Advising Services at ABFE – A Philanthropic Partnership for Black Communities. Edward shares his journey from a temporary role in philanthropy to becoming one of the sector's most respected voices. He opens up about surviving stage fo...

What does it mean to lead with faith, bridge divides, and build belonging in philanthropy? In this episode of Black Philanthropy: Our Stories, host Michelle Renee Jackson, MDiv, sits down with Jason Garrett, Senior Vice President of Faith, Bridging, and Belonging at the Freedom Together Foundation. Jason shares his journey from Wall Street to Harvard Divinity School, from community organizing to leading one of the most innovative philanthropic portfolios in the country. With deep insight and hu...

What does it mean to be called to philanthropy "for such a time as this"? In this episode of Black Philanthropy: Our Stories, host Michelle Renee Jackson, MDiv, sits down with Yvonne Moore—strategist, founder of Moore Philanthropy, and truth-teller in the sector—to explore the tension between comfort and courage in Black philanthropy. Yvonne opens up about the "golden handcuffs" that keep many professionals from taking bold action, the ancestral legacy that fuels her work, and why she believes ...

What does it mean to lead a foundation while honoring your calling, your family, your hair, and your roots? In this episode of "Black Philanthropy: Our Stories," host Michelle Renee Jackson, MDiv, sits down with Jason Terrell, President of the Dobbs Foundation, former educator, and co-founder of Profound Gentlemen. Jason shares his deeply personal journey from teaching middle school English to leading one of Georgia's most historic philanthropic institutions. Jason reflects on how his upbringing...

If you're tired of code switching to survive at work, especially when employer loyalty isn't guaranteed, Steve Vassor, of Fund II Foundation and DJ, helps you rethink risk: how to decide when a workplace has earned you, when it hasn't, and how showing up as your authentic self in philanthropy can be a smarter career move than playing safe. More resources at blackphilanthropypodcast.com. Follow @blackphilanthropyourstories & @michelle.renee.jackson (host)

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)

You're overwhelmed by lapsed donors, expired pledges, and impossible fundraising goals. Steven Wallace of Aspen Leadership Group shows you how he revitalized a dormant six‑figure pledge into a fully funded seven‑figure gift. He also helps you ditch a "victim" mindset and choose an employer that aligns with your values. More help at blackphilanthropypodcast.com. Follow @blackphilanthropyourstories & @michelle.renee.jackson (host)

You may feel shut out of philanthropy, told you need elite credentials, polished language, or "the right pedigree." C'Ardiss "CC" Gardner-Gleser, Founder of Black Ivy Collective, shows you how to break past gatekeeping, reject elitism, and use your lived experience as power. Learn how to step in boldly, disrupt harmful norms, and lead unapologetically. 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)

"Black Philanthropy: Our Stories" explores the untold stories of professionals and philanthropists dedicated to black philanthropy. Join our host and award-winning storyteller, Michelle Renee Jackson, MDiv, as she interviews black leaders in philanthropy across the U.S. Each episode, features an interview with a trailblazer, like the foundation leader who has allocated over $90 million in grants to nonprofits, or the entrepreneur who teaches middle-class, black families how to start their own ...