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Bank of America has announced the second group of honorees for its Neighborhood Builders: Racial Equality Award, which "recognizes the impactful work of leaders who strive to advance racial equality and economic opportunity in Black, Hispanic-Latino, Asian American, and Native American communities."
In a press release, shared on Tuesday (October 18), the five individuals, who were "selected for their extraordinary contributions to breaking racial barriers and creating opportunities for people of color across the country," were announced.
The awardees for the Neighborhood Builders: Racial Equality Award include:
- Calvin L. Holmes, who has served as the President of Chicago Community Loan Fund (CCLF) since 1998.
- Vida Chan Lin, who has worked closely with the Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community for the past 28 years, and is the Founder and President of the Asian Community Development Council (ACDC), the first non-profit community development corporation in Nevada established to educate, connect and empower the fastest-growing demographic in the United States.
- Arcenio López, who is a Ñuu Savi leader from Oaxaca, México, dedicated to elevating the voices of Hispanic-Latino indigenous people across California, and is the first indigenous Executive Director of the Mixteco/Indigena Community Organizing Project (MICOP).
- David Robinson, who is a former NBA center for the San Antonio Spurs and Co-Founder of Admiral Capital Group, where he has focused on private equity and real estate programs and projects that create a positive social impact.
- Mary Kim Titla, who is the Executive Director of United National Indian Tribal Youth, Inc. (UNITY), a high-impact Native youth development nonprofit. Born on the San Carlos Apache Reservation.
The inaugural class of National Builders: Racial Equality Award honorees was announced earlier this year. Since 2004, through its Neighborhood Builders® and Neighborhood Champions programs, "Bank of America has invested more than $300 million in 92 communities across the nation, partnered with more than 1,500 nonprofits, and helped more than 3,000 nonprofit leaders strengthen their leadership skills. Nearly 18 years after its launch, Neighborhood Builders is one of the nation’s largest philanthropic investments in nonprofit leadership development."
On Tuesday, Bank of America also announced a $24 million investment in support of nonprofit leadership and sustainability through Neighborhood Builders® and Neighborhood Champions. "The Racial Equality Award – established in March of this year – is an extension of Bank of America’s signature philanthropic program, Neighborhood Builders®. Awardees have 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 establish organizations for long-term success," the press release explained.
“At Bank of America, supporting nonprofits and their leaders has been core to our commitment to advancing racial equality and economic opportunity,” Ebony Thomas, President of the Bank of America Charitable Foundation, shared. “Through this award, Bank of America is recognizing a diverse slate of inspiring leaders who are investing in their communities – including Black, Hispanic-Latino, Asian American and Native American -- and addressing the specific issues impacting them. We are proud to honor their dedication and work supporting communities of color.”
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