Company has also made $24 Million Investment in 2023 Neighborhood
BuildersĀ® and Neighborhood Champions to Support Local
Organizations
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 16,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Bank of America today announced
the latest honorees of its Neighborhood Builders Social Equality
Award (NBSE), which recognizes individual leaders from across the
country who serve as catalysts in advancing social equality and
economic opportunity. The six individuals were selected for their
extraordinary contributions to breaking barriers and creating
opportunities.
Each awardee has the opportunity to direct a $200,000 grant to a nonprofit of their choice,
and the selected organizations can participate in the company's
year-long Neighborhood Builders Leadership Program, which provides
strategic growth and development training to set long-term
success.
NBSE is an extension of Bank of America's signature
philanthropic program, Neighborhood BuildersĀ®, one of the
largest and longest-standing philanthropic investments into
nonprofit leadership development in the nation. This year, the bank
also made a $24 million investment in
support of nonprofit leadership and sustainability through
Neighborhood Builders and Neighborhood Champions. Since 2004, Bank
of America has invested more than $300
million in nearly 100 communities across the U.S., partnered
with more than 1,600 nonprofits, and helped more than 3,000
nonprofit leaders strengthen their leadership skills through the
Neighborhood Builders and Champions program.
"We want to recognize, celebrate and empower the leaders and
nonprofits driving progress for the diverse communities where we
all live and serve," said Ebony Thomas, president, Bank of
America Charitable Foundation. "We are inspired by the work
these individuals and organizations do to break barriers and create
opportunities on behalf of others in sustainable and innovative
ways."
Last year, the bank provided nearly $360
million in philanthropic investments to help drive economic
mobility in the communities we serve, including nearly $100 million in support of workforce development
and jobs, $80 million for community
development and affordable housing, and more than $90 million for basic needs, including nearly
$4 million for natural disaster and
humanitarian needs.
The awardees for the Neighborhood Builders Social Equality Award
include:
Frank Chi: Filmmaker
(New York City, NY and
Los Angeles,
CA)
Storyteller and Activist
Selected
Organization: The Center for Asian American Media
Frank Chi is a filmmaker, artist
and storyteller at the intersection of art, culture and politics.
His work helps lead narratives around justice and inclusion in
American life, including producing RBG about Ruth Bader Ginsburg and most recently 38 at
the Garden about Jeremy Lin.
Aligning with his work on projects that amplify leaders who have
defied the odds and stereotypes to break barriers, Chi has directed
NBSE funding to The Center for Asian American Media, a nonprofit
organization dedicated to presenting stories that convey the
richness and diversity of Asian American experiences to the
broadest audience possible.
Rudolf "Rudy" Gonzales
(Denver, CO)
President
and CEO of Servicios de La
Raza
Selected Organization: Servicios de La Raza
With over thirty years of executive health and social services
leadership experience, Rudolf "Rudy" Gonzales is the President
and CEO of Servicios de La Raza,
Colorado's largest provider of
health and human services to the Latino community in Colorado. Concluding its 50th anniversary
celebration this year, more than 75,000 low-income Latinos and
other community members are served each year by Servicios de La Raza. Gonzales is also an active advocate, leading
the charge to create STAR, a program that reduced the
criminalization of low-income community members by providing social
and mental health workers to respond to their needs.
Opal Lee (Ft. Worth, TX)
Retired educator,
social activist, and founder of Unity Unlimited
Selected
Organization: National Juneteenth Museum
Known as the "grandmother of Juneteenth," Opal Lee is a life-long racial justice advocate
and educator. Upon successfully securing Juneteenth as a federal
holiday, Lee is now spearheading the National Juneteenth Museum
project. In addition to Lee directing NBSE award funding to the
museum, Bank of America recently awarded a $1M grant to help bring the museum to life. The
first-of-its-kind museum will educate visitors on the past, create
growth in the present and inspire future generations. Lee has been
a lifelong advocate for racial equality, helping start
organizations like the Tarrant County Black Historical and
Genealogical Society, Unity Unlimited and Transform 1012 N. Main
Street.
Brandon "Stix" Salaam-Bailey (Los
Angeles, CA)
American rapper, entrepreneur, &
founder of the Thinkwatts Foundation
Selected
Organization: Thinkwatts Foundation
Brandon "Stix" Salaam-Bailey is an American rapper, record
producer and the founder of the Thinkwatts Foundation. Thinkwatts
seeks to bridge the gap for underserved youth and empower them to
bring their unique offerings to the real world. Thinkwatts is
responsible for a wide array of programming such as free financial
literacy courses, a Weekly Meal program that feeds hundreds of
Watts residents, and entrepreneurship training. The foundation is
also expanding, developing a hub where residents can receive access
to resources and tools such financial literacy, entrepreneurship
assistance, sewing and printing machines to manufacture clothing, a
music studio, office space and desks, a coding classroom and an
outdoor sport court.
Luz Urrutia (Silicon Valley,
CA)
CEO of Accion Opportunity Fund
Selected
Organization: Latin American Association
Luz Urrutia is CEO of Accion
Opportunity Fund (AOF), the nation's leading nonprofit providing
small businesses with access to capital, networks, and
coaching. Luz has increased AOF focus on racial equality, such
that in 2022 95% of their loans went to people of color, low
income, or female entrepreneurs. AOF has been a long-time partner
of the Bank, and one of the first organizations to work with the
local small business bankers on referrals to CDFIs. By directing
NBSE funding to the Latin American Association, Lux helping Latinos
adapt, integrate and thrive through civic engagement and advocacy,
economic empowerment, youth services, family stabilization and
immigration services.
Cheryl Crazy Bull Wacinyanpi Win (Denver, CO)
President and CEO of
American Indian College
Fund
Selected Organization: American Indian College Fund
Cheryl Crazy Bull Wacinyanpi Win is the President and CEO of the
American Indian College Fund, the
nation's largest charity supporting Native student access to higher
education. Crazy Bull is an expert in education, dedicating her
life-long career to expanding Indigenous higher education equity
and place-based education. Cheryl is also a member of nonprofit
organization boards, including IllumiNative, an organization whose
mission is creating an accurate narrative about Indigenous people;
the Native Ways Federation, a national association of Native
non-profits; the State Higher Education Executive Officers
Organization (SHEEO) Equity Advisory Committee; and the Brookings
Institution.
Bank of America
Bank of America is one of the world's
leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small
and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full
range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial
and risk management products and services. The company provides
unmatched convenience in the United
States, serving approximately 68 million consumer and small
business clients with approximately 3,900 retail financial centers,
approximately 15,000 ATMs (automated teller machines) and
award-winning digital banking with approximately 57 million
verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in
wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading
across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations,
governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of
America offers industry-leading support to approximately 4 million
small business households through a suite of innovative,
easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves
clients through operations across the
United States, its territories and more than 35 countries.
Bank of America Corporation stock is listed on the New York Stock
Exchange (NYSE: BAC).
Reporters may contact:
Eliza
Murphy, Bank of America
Phone: 1.646.855.0683
eliza.murphy@bofa.com
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SOURCE Bank of America Corporation