Connection, focus, and solidarity are essential for the Black community’s resilience and future. LaDawn Sullivan of BRIC Fund shares a vision for sustainable, Black-led philanthropy rooted in ancestral wisdom, collective power, and lasting change.

As we celebrate Black Philanthropy Month 2025, The Acumen’s final issue features a powerful conversation with LaDawn Sullivan, Executive Director of the Black Resilience in Colorado (BRIC) Fund. With over 30 years of experience in philanthropy and community leadership, Sullivan shares her journey, the founding of the BRIC Fund, and her bold vision for equitable giving and transformative Black leadership.

This Black Philanthropy Month, discover how small acts of giving—just $5—can create lasting change. LaDawn Sullivan shares the story behind the BRIC Fund and how community-rooted generosity builds Black resilience in Colorado and beyond.

At BRIC, we center Black joy as essential. Not a luxury. Not an afterthought. But a necessary ingredient in building strong, liberated communities.

This year’s Black Philanthropy Month theme, Sankofa Now! Remember. Reclaim. Rise, is more than a reflection; it is a rallying call. At a time when DEI initiatives are under attack and Black-led movements are being sidelined, we must remember our philanthropic roots built on collective care and community-driven investment.

In honor of Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, the Black Resilience in Colorado Fund focuses on the importance of self-care and supporting mental health and wellness to fuel our collective ability to thrive together. This week, EDCI Alum and Full Circle Restorative Justice Executive Director Eric Lee shares a message for BIPOC nonprofit leaders—and for all of us—on reclaiming the energy and joy that sustain our purpose and power.

Every year, as fireworks light up the sky and the nation celebrates its independence, I find myself reflecting on the words of Frederick Douglass, spoken on July 5, 1852: “What, to the American slave, is your Fourth of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim.”

June is Soul Food Awareness Month—a time to honor the cuisine born from struggle yet seasoned with resilience, love, and legacy. In The Legacy of Soul Food and Black Resilience: A Recipe for Unity and Hope blog, LaDawn Sullivan reflects on how the meals that once sustained our ancestors now nourish generations with culture, connection, and power.

From the depths of my heart to the soul of our people-this is a love letter. Not just of admiration, but of reverence. Not just of thanks, but of promise. This is a tribute to you, the heartbeat of the Black Resilience in Colorado (BRIC) Fund, and the very foundation of the movement we are building

Five years ago—on Juneteenth 2020—the Black Resilience in Colorado (BRIC) Fund was born out of heartbreak and hope. We rose from the ashes of George Floyd’s murder and centuries of injustice with a singular purpose: to fuel Black-led change by resourcing the brilliance, leadership, and resilience that already existed in our communities.

The countdown to Juneteeth is on, and Denver7 is highlighting one Colorado nonprofit focused on supporting and making sure the Black community has what it needs to thrive in the nonprofit space.

Five Points, a historic neighborhood in Denver with a rich history, is also going through some major transformation.

Five years ago, on May 25, 2020, the world watched George Floyd die beneath the knee of a Minneapolis police officer.

The BRIC Fund honors the legacy of Civil Rights leaders by empowering Black-led organizations in Colorado, championing leadership, equity, and liberation.

Meet the 2025-26 Executive Directors of Color Institute cohort—42 visionary nonprofit leaders of color shaping Colorado’s future. Rooted in legacy and powered by community, these leaders are building justice, healing, and change. Join us in investing in their brilliance and fueling movements for equity and liberation.

Throughou history, Black women have broken barriers across all sectors, continuously shaping a future brimming with possibilities.

As we recognize the 60th anniversary of Malcolm X’s assassination during Black History Month, we affirm an undeniable truth— Black labor...

Black resilience fuels progress. Through unity, leadership, and investment, we build a future rooted in strength, history, and action.

Growing up, I learned how much discipline, strategy, and hard work go into not just winning games but protecting what matters most.

Celebrating 5 years of BRIC Fund: $5M invested in Black-led nonprofits. Join us in empowering communities & building a resilient Colorado!