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Ciarra Adkins
PO BOX 9193, WYOMING
Hero Story
Ciarra C. Adkins, JD is a hero because in 2021, At only 31 years old, Ciarra C. Adkins, JD, founded the AQUME Foundation, which is the first ever Black-founded and led community foundation in Michigan, and only the 5th Black founded and led community foundation in the nation. These numbers are staggering when one considers that there are over 200 foundations in Michigan, and thousands across the nation.
Founded in 2021, AQUME Foundation is a Black-led foundation established as a systemic level response to the glaring national disparities in wealth and resources between white and BIPOC communities. As a result, AQUME focuses on economic justice by providing opportunities for the BIPOC community to learn about and establish intergenerational wealth through philanthropy, estate planning, workshops, and networking while integrating core values of equity, financial investment, accountability, and community transformation. Ciarra strives to live out the mission to center economic justice and racial equity in philanthropy.
Through her passion of equity and representation Ciarra is single-handedly changing the narrative of Black Philanthropy in the West Michigan community. Through her organization, she has given out over $45,000 in grants, sponsorships, and scholarships since 2021, created an annual award for Black Philanthropists in the community, and started a summer youth program to teach Black high school students about business development and philanthropic giving, and more. She works tirelessly for her community to understand the importance that Black philanthropy has on Black economic progress. Especially when Ciarra received feedback from a grantee who expressed that they had been a non-profit leaders for over 20 years and that filling out the AQUME Foundation OUR Justice Grant literally brought them to tears because they had NEVER been able to apply for funding from a funder that looked like them and the community that they served. This was powerful! This let us know that we need to do even more of this type of work!
Ciarra Adkins
PO BOX 9193, WYOMING
Hero Story
Ciarra C. Adkins, JD is a hero because in 2021, At only 31 years old, Ciarra C. Adkins, JD, founded the AQUME Foundation, which is the first ever Black-founded and led community foundation in Michigan, and only the 5th Black founded and led community foundation in the nation. These numbers are staggering when one considers that there are over 200 foundations in Michigan, and thousands across the nation.
Founded in 2021, AQUME Foundation is a Black-led foundation established as a systemic level response to the glaring national disparities in wealth and resources between white and BIPOC communities. As a result, AQUME focuses on economic justice by providing opportunities for the BIPOC community to learn about and establish intergenerational wealth through philanthropy, estate planning, workshops, and networking while integrating core values of equity, financial investment, accountability, and community transformation. Ciarra strives to live out the mission to center economic justice and racial equity in philanthropy.
Through her passion of equity and representation Ciarra is single-handedly changing the narrative of Black Philanthropy in the West Michigan community. Through her organization, she has given out over $45,000 in grants, sponsorships, and scholarships since 2021, created an annual award for Black Philanthropists in the community, and started a summer youth program to teach Black high school students about business development and philanthropic giving, and more. She works tirelessly for her community to understand the importance that Black philanthropy has on Black economic progress. Especially when Ciarra received feedback from a grantee who expressed that they had been a non-profit leaders for over 20 years and that filling out the AQUME Foundation OUR Justice Grant literally brought them to tears because they had NEVER been able to apply for funding from a funder that looked like them and the community that they served. This was powerful! This let us know that we need to do even more of this type of work!