BRIC, Juneteenth, and the Unshakable Will to Thrive

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.

We launched on a day etched in both joy and pain—Juneteenth, when enslaved Black people in Texas were finally informed of their freedom, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. That delay is a wound and a warning. But it is also a testament to the unwavering faith, endurance, and courage of our people. Juneteenth is not just a commemoration of freedom delayed—it is a celebration of freedom reclaimed. It is the sacred moment our ancestors dared to imagine a life of their own making: a chance to reunite with stolen loved ones, to choose their own futures, and to build something lasting, something liberating.

BRIC was created in that spirit.

We are the continuation of that will to survive—and to thrive. Since 2020, the BRIC Fund has invested over $5 million in grants, leadership development, and supportive resources to Black-led and serving nonprofits across Colorado. We’ve trained and championed over 300 nonprofit leaders of color through our Executive Directors of Color Institute. We’ve created loan opportunities and learning spaces, convened donors and changemakers, and held space for grief, joy, strategy, and vision.

Yet, here we are—five years later—still fighting the same systems in new disguises.

Across the country, we are witnessing the resurgence of Jim Crow-like policies: voting restrictions, attacks on public education, the rolling back of civil rights protections, and the vilification of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) work. These actions are more than political shifts; they are deliberate attempts to rob us of our voice, erase our history, and reassert control over Black bodies, minds, and futures. We cannot ignore the parallels to the oppression our ancestors faced. But just like them—we refuse to bow.

Our faith is not blind—it is radical. Our hope is not naïve—it is generational. Our perseverance is not passive—it is strategic. And our freedom is not simply an idea—it is our birthright, and we will continue to pursue it boldly and unapologetically.

The BRIC Fund exists because we believe in the power of Black-led solutions, the necessity of community-rooted leadership, and the right to define and fund our own futures. In a time when federal resources are shrinking, and support for racial justice is waning, we are choosing each other. We are doubling down on our mission to strengthen Black-led organizations, amplify Black voices, and secure lasting investment in the infrastructure of our communities. This is not charity. This is liberation work. We need you in it with us.

To our community: thank you for five years of trust, co-investment, and co-ownership of this vision. You’ve made the BRIC Fund a reality. You’ve helped us prove what’s possible when we bet on Black.

To our funders, allies, and partners: we need your continued support. Now is not the time to step back. Now is the time to recommit—to act with courage, consistency, and clarity. Invest in Black freedom not just in memory of Juneteenth, but in the practice of justice every day. We are still building. We are still rising. And we are still free. BRIC by BRIC.

Join us. Give. Share. Show up. Because liberation isn’t a moment—it’s a movement.