“Becoming a BCIF member was a ‘no brainer’ for me. Marcus Garvey said: ‘A race that is solely dependent upon another for its economic existence sooner or later dies … so we will in the future suffer if an effort is not made now to adjust our own affairs.’ We don’t think twice about giving our money to institutions that have no interest in our well-being. We must return to our rich tradition of supporting one another. I was eager to join a movement that is intentional about economic empowerment for the Black community.”

“Empowering the Black community through economic development is not a Black issue. This is a matter of justice. As a white philanthropist, I can’t imagine anything better than investing in justice through BCIF.”

“I became a BCIF member because I care about what’s going on with Black people as a whole in this country. I know as long as we lag behind others economically, our efforts for change are going to be longer, harder, and slower. I decided to put my money where my mouth is and become involved in an effort that will produce real change for people in communities I care about. It’s always time for those who are passionate about Black progress to do the same; put some ‘skin in the game’! It’s all about action and I choose to do that through the power of my dollar.”

“I believe recycling our dollar within our community is essential for economic, social, and political progress. When I say community, I am speaking of all people of African descent whether we live in the same neighborhood, city, or state. We are all intertwined because we not only share a common history, but a common destiny. It was an obvious decision to become a donor with BCIF given its focus on unifying and uplifting our community through economic empowerment.”