Empower! Fund - Grantmaking Webinar

Supporting Black financial literacy, life, arts & culture

In this webinar, members of the Empower! Black Futures Community Fund advisory committee reflect on the fund’s open grant opportunity, the importance of resourcing Black-led work, and ways to strengthen Black life, arts, culture, and financial literacy across New Mexico. The Empower! Black Futures Community Fund is accepting applications as part of the Foundation’s 2026 spring grant cycle, open February 9–March 15.

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About the speakers

Shani Mikaela is a fellow human, author, musician, systems navigator and creative economic development strategist. In all endeavors she is passionately committed to building people-centered systems that support creativity, equity, and long-term community wealth. www.shanimikaela.com

Hakim Bellamy is a nationally recognized poet, musician, educator, and cultural organizer whose creative lense uplifts Black voices and advances creative and civic engagement across the state. He has had the opportunity to serve as the Inaugural Poet Laureate for the City of Albuquerque (2012-2014), and former Deputy Director for the Department of Arts & Culture at the City of Albuquerque from 2018 - 2022. Bellamy has served as a Fellow for numerous programs throughout his career and holds both an M.A. in Communications, and a J.D. from the University of New Mexico. A National Poetry Slam Champion, Bellamy has performed his work in at least seven countries and continues to leverage his art to transform his communities. www.hakimbellamy.com

Raashan Ahmad is also a fellow human, father, emcee, b-boy, DJ, seeker of all things and curious thinker. A respected community leader, and advocate whose work centers Black life, cultural expression, and community-driven change throughout New Mexico. He runs the organization Vital Spaces in Santa Fe that creates access for resources and opportunities for artists. www.vitalspaces.org

About the Empower! Fund

Founded in 2023, the Empower! Black Futures Community Fund is a groundbreaking initiative dedicated to supporting Black life, arts, and culture in New Mexico — and the Santa Fe Community Foundation’s newest identity-based giving circle. Guided by an advisory committee of Black leaders throughout the state, the Empower! Fund takes a community-based approach to philanthropy for a brighter and more equitable future for all.