The Pohlad Family Foundation and Cultural Wellness Center Welcome Black Legacy Fellows
Started in 2022, the community-designed Black Legacy Fellowship invests in the well-being and renewal of Black activists and organizers committed to the sustainability of the Twin Cities racial justice movement. A partnership between the Cultural Wellness Center and the Pohlad Family Foundation, the Fellowship supports Black activists and organizers who are descendants of enslaved Africans and are dedicated to racial justice work in the Twin Cities.
“The enduring legacy of enslavement means that we need to continue to build our people up to be a source of strength for the Black community,” said Elder Atum Azzahir, the founder and executive director of the Cultural Wellness Center. “The seven fellows chosen for this year’s cohort represent resilience and commitment to community, and we welcome them to the fellowship.”
The fellows in the 2024-2025 cohort include:
- Sharon El-Amin is an entrepreneur who overcame personal challenges and is now the executive director of McKinley Community Outreach Center.
- Tish Jones is a poet, emcee, and Hip Hop Theater artist who founded TruArtSpeaks; she now serves as the executive director.
- Njia Lawrence-Porter is a seasoned educator, author, and college consultant who is an Academic Advisor at Normandale Community College.
- Carmen Lewis is a multi-talented advocate, healer, and dynamic public speaker who most recently served as the executive director of the Central Area Neighborhood Development Organization.
- Resmaa Menakem, PhD, MSW, LICSW, SEP is a healer, therapist, trainer, speaker, and author of the New York Times bestseller My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Healing Our Hearts and Bodies.
- Teto Wilson is the founder, owner, and barber at Wilson’s Image Barbers and Stylists who also leads Wilson’s Image College Scholarship.
- AsaleSol Young is a daring visionary and critical strategist, committed to addressing systemic gaps who serves as the executive director of Urban Homeworks.
“Through the fellowship, we want to recognize the dedication of people who have worked in the racial justice movement for a long time–and those who are the future of the movement,” said Susan Bass Roberts, president of the Pohlad Family Foundation. “We welcome them to a journey of well-being and renewal so they can continue to have a positive and sustainable impact on our community.”
Fellows receive financial support of $55,000 in unrestricted funds to support their well-being and renewal and $15,000 to designate to a nonprofit or community-based organization of their choosing that is working toward the longevity of the Twin Cities racial justice movement. Fellows participate in a cohort learning model about well-being and renewal including retreats and program activities to reinforce shared learning. Fellows have the option to work through a Cultural Self-Study curriculum delivered by the Cultural Wellness Center and connect to Black Elders, the community, and each other in their renewal and wellness practices.
