The Share Fund

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The Share Fund was established in 2021 by Seattle couple Bill and Holly Marklyn as part of their commitment to redistributing their wealth back into society in a socially just manner. 

In order to step out of traditional power structures of donor control, the Marklyns have chosen to cede all grantmaking decisions to a Funding Committee composed of BIPOC community members with expertise in racial and gender justice. The Fund’s grants are awarded in the fall of each year. Share Fund grants may be made to 501c3 and 501c4 nonprofits, political candidates, community groups and individuals, as determined by the Funding Committee.

Members of the Funding Committee are chosen for their experience working for racial and gender justice, their commitment to teamwork, and their willingness to learn and grow on this journey of reimagining philanthropy.

The Marklyns' Story

The Marklyns' initial values for The Share Fund coalesced around racial and gender equity. The Marklyns’ giving is informed by “trying to think about sharing power and lifting up communities of color and racial and gender equity.” From the outset, the Marklyns entrusted The Share Fund committee members to design and implement an equity-driven process, giving them complete power from the beginning. As Bill said, “We really did leave them to make decisions. If they asked us questions, we gave answers about our perspectives, but they were never directives.” Holly adds, "We've never questioned a grant, we've never said, ‘Are you sure?’ We've never said no.” In the third year, the Marklyns noticed the committee “passed some threshold…they could hear us and not take it as directives…There's enough trust now that some of those open-ended questions are now just open-ended questions for thought. We can now ask a question and then leave them to think about solutions.

The Share Fund members have taken various approaches to addressing racial and gender inequities through their own grantmaking. The Marklyns continue to appreciate the “learning [that] comes from hearing how the committee members are making their decisions and who they're giving to and why.” This past year, giving to individuals and giving to political candidates increased. Although Bill doesn’t like political giving and believes “in a perfect world, we’d be putting all those things out of business,” he acknowledges it's currently “how work gets done.” The Marklyns believe political giving is a strategy to impact racial and gender equity. "White male power, wealthy white power” are the majority currently “driving elections and controlling the political narrative…[so] by putting money into politics, we can elect the politicians who might eventually one day get money out of politics.” 

Bill also reflected on how the “fine line between direct aid versus systemic change is getting a little muddled” as he learned about individual grantmaking. “Neither one is hard and fast defined, but I used to feel that there was a bigger divide, and to me, it's much more gray now.” Namely, one committee member granted to small minority-owned businesses as part of a focus on community healing. Bill sees how strengthening those small businesses, many who struggled during the pandemic, gives “power and strength…to an entire community by community.” 

The Marklyns are conscious of how “philanthropy is trying to repair and hold up” public services like education and healthcare, when “the ultimate solution…lies in legislation. They often consider the question, “What is our power? What can we do as wealthy donors?” This question has led them to focus beyond grantmaking to the issue of wealth redistribution, legislation, and taxation. “We have a role to play as wealthy individuals in lobbying for higher taxes and speaking out for more equitable taxation…tax evasion and wealthy people not paying their reasonable share of taxes is part of the problem. And it is how the system is now. The power dynamics are all wrong and they need to change over time.”

Since publishing The Share Fund Report “Letting Go of Power, Centering Community”, the Marklyns have also stepped into a more public role, speaking about their grantmaking values and The Share Fund at conferences and in media. The Marklyns admit that public speaking is still not their “favorite thing,” but they are getting “more comfortable” with it because they recognize their impact on their peers. Holly shares “I love hearing the questions that people ask, both because they challenge us to think …and because it sometimes opens doors for other people to think about things.” The responses have been primarily positive, along with curiosity and surprise from philanthropy peers who haven't considered going as “far” as the Marklyns go with moving investments, not planning to leave money for their kids, or having no final veto in the grants process. “When people hear us talk about it, I think it gives people the notion that it's not for everyone, but it certainly works, and it can be done. And there are reasons to do it.” 

The Marklyns are also excited by the committee members becoming “spokespeople for participatory grantmaking [and] for community-focused and driven philanthropy.” Committee members have written articles, shared their experience on podcasts, and represented The Share Fund at events. Although the Marklyns get a lot of grantee appreciation because they are the wealthy donors who fund the giving, they want committee members to receive most, if not all, of the "recognition and acknowledgment” as the ones doing the hard work of creating and refining the grantmaking process.

The Share Fund is the Marklyns' majority funding vehicle, accounting for about 80% of their giving, so they are committed to the model, its values, and its evolution. The Share Fund’s future is on the Marklyns’ minds, including maintaining connections, expanding geographic reach, and exploring sustainable growth. “The first few years, it was just give to more and more and more organizations…But [now] how do we maintain those community relationships? How do we maintain relationships with those grantees? Or the past committee members? There's a lot of next stage of growth learning that's going to happen.” 

View The Marklyns' Story

Current Funding Committee

Chris Vega

Funding Committee

They/Them

Chris Vega

Chris Vega is the founder and publisher at Blue Cactus Press, where they make books that spark dialogue about liberation alongside creative entrepreneurs, artists, and authors from historically marginalized groups. Chris is also a two-spirit Chicana poet from the U.S./Mexico borderlands. Currently, they live on Puyallup and Nisqually land with their daughter, Catalina.  

Through their publishing practice, Chris hopes to stimulate the local creative economy, build wealth among People of Color, and tell stories that allow people to reimagine themselves and the world around them. Chris’ latest poetry collection, Decay, was co-written and co-published with Conner Bouchard-Roberts of Winter Texts and Blue Cactus Press. Chris’ previous books include the poetry collections Vega and Maps (2023 and 2017, Blue Cactus Press). 

Prior to publishing, Chris served in the U.S. Army as a Chinese-Mandarin Linguist. They hold undergraduate degrees in Anthropology (New Mexico State University, 2010) and Chinese Mandarin Language (Defense Language Institute, 2012). They will graduate from Seattle University’s Master of Business Administration program in December 2025. 

Chris believes revolution starts at home.

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Chris Vegas' Story

Chris Vega wants to look back and feel like they leveraged the systems.  They want to have access in a way that shares power. They want to look back and say I was generous, but that is not enough.  They want to bring their friends along with them.  They want to know how to pass the seat on to the next person.  When you think about power and privilege, look around, and think about who can benefit. They want to feel like they are bringing the right people into the room at the right time. They have a vision to invite people into spaces that can capitalize on and utilize money in unimaginable ways. A part of their role in The Share Fund is fulfilling a commitment to their community. They never as a kid envisioned this dream of success as a two-spirit, Chicana from the desert who grew up poor. They are now living a life where they are a publisher with their own studio in the Pacific Northwest and a member of a committee that distributes funds. This journey has highlighted the strength and support within their community, a community they are now in a position to reinvest in. For them, working with the Share Fund is a powerful expression of civic duty and a way to honor the path that has led them here.

Though relatively new to the Share Fund, having joined in February 2025, the concept of generational wealth resonates deeply with them. The fact that the Share Fund's money is independent, derived from donors specifically concerned with wealth inequity, gives them hope and motivation. What excites them most about working with the Share Fund is its focus on wealth building within communities of color, the creation of generational wealth, and fostering equity within existing wealth structures. Having grown up on the border in El Paso, they witnessed firsthand the stark contrasts in economic backgrounds. While their own family wasn't in extreme poverty, they were acutely aware of the different economic statuses and classes around them. 

Being part of the Share Fund at this particular moment in history feels significant. In a time dominated by the maximization of profit, they see the Share Fund as a vital counter, a way to actively put money into the hands of people and redistribute wealth. They feel a deep urgency to use whatever resources they have – be it power, money, or time – to make a tangible difference. They are eager to learn from their fellow board members about innovative ways to recreate and establish systems of wealth redistribution outside of traditional frameworks. They are interested in how the Share Fund operates and is innovative.  They also see parallels in grassroots efforts among their friends and acquaintances exploring ways to create shared financial pools within their communities, grappling with access and equitable distribution questions. This fuels their desire to find ways to better support those whose lived experiences don't always align with traditional wealth-building opportunities.

Their military history as a Chinese Mandarin linguist, followed by their transition to publishing, also informs their perspective. While their time in the service offered valuable experiences, their desire to be a writer ultimately led them to leave and explore a different path. Their foray into bookselling and then publishing, driven by a dissatisfaction with the traditional author pathway, evolved organically over nine years. Growing up with entrepreneurial parents instilled in them a lack of fear of failure, which was instrumental in starting their own publishing company. This journey from an isolated background to navigating different class structures and ultimately building their own business gives them a unique lens through which to view wealth and its distribution. They hope to offer a perspective that highlights when systems aren't working for those on the margins. Their background in the arts has exposed them to a significant population of individuals who often exist in economic spaces that don’t fit neatly into traditional employment structures. They are keen on supporting non-traditional funding spaces and bridging the seemingly disparate worlds of business, finance, and the arts.

What they bring to the conversation is their continued awareness of existing in a "limited financial space," even with the relative privilege they now hold as a publisher. Having built their company from the ground up, experiencing the initial struggles of earning no income to now making a living wage, keeps them grounded in the realities of what it truly takes for someone to improve their financial situation. While abstract ideas and timelines are helpful, they understand the often-prohibitive nature of established systems for individuals trying to move beyond mere survival to genuine financial growth and expansion. Living in the Pacific Northwest, an economic bubble, can sometimes obscure the ongoing struggles of many, even those sitting at the same table. 

Ultimately, they want to look back and feel that they leveraged the systems they had access to in a way that shared power. They envision supporting initiatives like culture camps, language revitalization, mental health services, and spaces for self-expression and freedom of speech. If society is to operate within a capitalist framework, they believe it's crucial to prioritize well-being alongside productivity. Drawing on their military experience, they understand the importance of dissent as a form of civic engagement, a necessary tension against pure capitalism that allows for a more holistic human existence, valuing culture, leisure, and art. This involves consciously directing resources towards these areas, recognizing that productivity isn't solely about generating more wealth but also about enabling more realized lives.

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Bola Majekobaje

Funding Committee

She/Her

Bola Majekobje

With more than 15 years of experience driving equity and community engagement efforts at universities in Washington and Oregon, Bola is passionate about increasing access to education. While her various roles have included student recruitment and retention, community engagement, teaching, and equity and inclusion, she most loved working alongside student leaders as they found their voice and passion for social justice.

 

Bola’s dedication to community extends beyond education. As Executive Director of Palau Conservation Society, a national NGO in her birthplace, the Republic of Palau, she championed Indigenous knowledge and community-driven solutions to address environmental challenges.

 Bola currently serves as a Program Officer for the Inatai Foundation, where she provides resources and support to organizations building community power and advancing racial justice and equity.

Bola earned her Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from San Diego State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from the University of Oregon. When she’s not working or planning the annual MLK Day for Kids, her daughters keep her active and inspired. She also finds joy in running, karaoke, and celebrating the richness of her Pacific Islander, Nigerian, and Black heritage.

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Bola Majekobaje's Story

Bola Majekobaje is relatively new to philanthropic work. However, she is approaching it with a sense of profound honor and privilege. She is determined to bring her core values, her inherent kindness, to every interaction. This isn't a sudden transformation into a "philanthropic person"; it is a natural extension of who she has always been. Her professional journey started in education, and it was more than a career; it was a calling. Bola felt a sense of purpose in guiding young minds, particularly those who often found themselves on the periphery. She understood the unspoken yearning of students of color entering higher education institutions, the deep desire to see reflections of themselves in the faces of their teachers and within the curriculum. Her work was driven by a desire to create spaces where belonging was not a privilege, but a given.

Her own identity is rich and complex. She is rooted in the vibrant culture of Palau; this connection to her Pacific Islander heritage is a fundamental part of who she is, as well as her identity as the daughter of a Nigerian father. This heritage has instilled in her a deep appreciation for resilience, history, and the power of community. It is a grounding force that shaped her understanding and informed her worldview. This intersection of identities fueled her transition from higher education into the non-profit sector. She found herself drawn to the work of organizations that championed justice and uplifted marginalized communities. Inspired by the strength and wisdom of elders and mentors who had paved the way, she became a mentor and solidified her commitment to social justice.

Life changed when Bola moved back to her childhood home, a close-knit community of around 18,000 people. She took on the role of Executive Director at the Palau Conservation Society. Initially, she envisioned a focus on operational logistics. However, the island had a different kind of education in store for her. She began to understand that conservation wasn't a separate entity. It was intrinsically woven into the fabric of daily life. The food her family ate came directly from the sea and the earth, with their well-being intimately connected to the health of these ecosystems. She saw firsthand how the degradation of the land, often stemming from the actions of those who held disproportionate power, directly impacted the lives and livelihoods of her community, highlighting the often-invisible ways people become dependent on systems not of their own making.

Living in Palau deepened her understanding of the interconnectedness between people and their environment. The land wasn't just a resource; it was an extension of their identity, their history, their very being. She grasped the devastating impact of displacement, the loss of self that came with being separated from one's ancestral home. This resonated deeply with her understanding of the historical experiences of Black and Indigenous communities in the United States, the enduring question of what is lost when one is severed from their roots, and the constant negotiation of identity in new environments. This observation fueled her commitment to fostering understanding and dismantling narratives that erased the deep ties of people to their land and heritage.

As a mother of two girls, she carries the weight and joy of that responsibility. Her passion is intertwined with an understanding of justice, community, and the profound responsibility of caring for both her daughters and the world they would inherit. Her identity and unique perspective are used to build a sustainable future. Her lens as a Mom helps her view of the world, a constant reminder of the future she is working to shape. All facets of herself are represented – her heritage, her experiences, her hopes – this translates into her commitment to social justice into tangible action for all children, who deserve a more equitable world.

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Rick Dupree

Funding Committee

He/Him

Rick Dupree

Rick, a first-time filmmaker, combines experience as an educator, performer, and playwright to shape his first production, Seattle Black Panthers Fight for Justice & Freedom, scheduled to be completed in the summer of 2025. A storyteller at heart, he’s written a stage play about his mother’s battle with pancreatic cancer and appeared on numerous community stages over the last 15 years as a performer. He was a lead character in Eddie Smith's short film Behind Closed Doors.

Rick earned his B.A. in Broadcast Communications from the UW and began his broadcast career as a sports producer at KOMO TV, followed by being Executive Producer of KJR’s first sports talk show, Callin' All Sports, in 1989. He was the first black sports talk show host in Seattle when he took to the airwaves in 1992. Rick has served as emcee for live community events like the Cierra Sisters World Cancer Day and MLK Day celebrations. He is a lead play-by-play announcer of prep sports for Rainier Avenue Radio. 

2025 marks his 13th year at Seattle Academy, where he is in a new role focused on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) initiatives. That includes supporting the upper school's 13 Affinity Groups and providing faculty and staff professional development training and resources. Rick has led nonprofit organizations like the Rotary and Rainier Vista Boys & Girls Clubs, and CAMP (now Byrd Barr Place). He has also served on multiple nonprofit boards and spent four years focused on strategic planning and human services for the City of Seattle in the early 2000s under Mayor Paul Schell.

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Rick Dupree's Story

Rick Dupree is not new to The Share Fund.  He was first introduced to the non-profit when he received their funding for the documentary film “Seattle Black Panthers, Fight for Justice and Freedom”.  Bridgette Hempstead, a founding member, advocated for Rick, Elmer, and Aaron Dixon, the co-founders and co-producers of the project. This interaction gave language and perspective to his many years in the non-profit, government, and education sectors. The Share Fund model of participatory grantmaking and trust was a new concept to him. Trust-based philanthropy centers the community by shifting the power dynamics. The discovery of this type of philanthropic work aligned with his values. This was the catalyst for becoming a committee member. What he loves about The Share Fund committee is being a part of a diverse group representing all of Washington state. The Share Fund is confronting the power dynamic. There has been a reluctance to share wealth and power within the established systems. Philanthropy may be within the system, but The Share Fund is changing the narrative. Allyship can elevate the model and show how it is working. This shift can influence others who have power and show how things can be done differently. 

Being someone who worked on the other side of the philanthropic coin, requesting funds, Rick is fully aware of the imbalance. Working in the human services area, helping non-profits build capacity and social enterprise, he strived to create opportunities for the people he served. As the creator and founder of the KC Jones Basketball Camp, he gained insight into what it took to fundraise.  A free camp for kids for four consecutive summers with the Hall of Fame coach was a lesson in how to support and dismantle philanthropic systems. These experiences showed the weight of power dynamics. In a traditional funder and grantee relationship, funders believe they understand the issues and solutions. They come in asking nonprofits to jump through hoops, such as doing research with minimal staff and time or tracking outcomes that don't relate to the work. Strategic planning for a non-profit is like trying to change a flat tire on a moving car. Rick learned from a mentor not to mission drift nor chase the dollar, but to find supporters who believe in the work. He no longer wanted to jump through hoops. He is exploring how to support sustainable capacity building. As a committee member with The Share Fund, he can steward change and the joint responsibility for giving out a million dollars in 2025. 

Rick is deeply rooted in the Seattle area. His maternal grandparents were married in a house in the Rainier Valley in 1913. Exploring his family history and learning about the area he grew up in allows him to amplify voices and pass the torch. He continually looks for opportunities to recognize and support movements that will have an impact while living in a world that is trying to devalue and erase history. Education is a conduit for him to learn from and teach youth. He has been working at the Seattle Academy for 13 years, and as the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Coordinator, he is helping prepare our future leaders. He is impressed by the empathy and caring he observes from the students. They accept people for who they are, which gives him hope on how we can celebrate our differences.

Who Rick is, how he sees things, has been shaped by his experiences and learnings throughout his 40s, 50s, and 60s. His lens and perspective today are much different than that time in his 20s. Rick has been evolving and growing, just like his idol Malcolm X. He is an example of transformation, not being afraid to say he was wrong and owning up to his past mistakes. At 62 years of age, Rick says he messes up every day, but how you take ownership of those decisions and actions is the measure of your character. Living daily by his principles, being honest, and standing in integrity is how he is showing up in his community, at work, and as a committee member. The committee members all share a common passion for serving the community and want to see underserved communities succeed. He is excited to join in this work and be an example of how to do philanthropy differently.

He shared these words by Isabel Wilkerson: “You don’t escape trauma by ignoring it. You escape trauma by confronting it.”  Through his passion and ability to share the stories of his community, he is confronting and staying future-focused.

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Tommy Williams

Funding Committee

He/Him

Tommy Williams

Tommy is an Afro-Indigenous enrolled member of the Nez Perce Tribe and advocate of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion among Indigenous peoples.   He is a Retention specialist for the Native American Student Center at Washington State University (Pullman, WA) as well as an official advisor for the “Black Men Making a Difference” (BMMAD) student organization. 

Tommy started his career as an intern for the Nez Perce Fisheries Department (2013-2017), working in some of the largest facilities dedicated to restoring Salmon populations, as it is crucial towards Nez Perce heritage and culture. After graduating from high school, he received an athletic scholarship to play basketball for United Tribes Technical College (Bismarck, ND). In 2020, Tommy returned to Lapwai, ID and began working in education for the Nez Perce Tribe, Lapwai School District, and Lapwai Community Coalition. Tommy served as a mentor and advocate, taking on roles such as coaching basketball, tutoring K-12 students in his hometown and learning the barriers of inequality in his community. 

In 2022, Tommy graduated at Lewis-Clark State College, receiving his bachelor’s degree in Humanities with a focus on Non-Profit Organizations and minoring in Native American Studies. He continued to pursue his career in education which ultimately led to his current position as a Retention specialist at Washington State University. In his position, he provides intellectual, academic, cultural, and social support to any student that identifies as Native American. Tommy is proud of where he comes from and is dedicated to protecting his people’s sovereignty as well as improving the conditions for Black and Indigenous communities!  

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Tommy William's Story

What happens when you have an opportunity to serve on The Share Fund Committee? A shift in mindset. One’s view on power is forever changed. Philanthropy at a systemic level is imbalanced. It can be political and difficult to balance equity and quality. And yet, over the past year, Tommy has moved from never thinking he would have an opportunity to be a funder to being someone with power. The power to impact communities, leadership, and non-profits. The ability to provide direct financial impact to communities that are often overlooked. As a member of the Nez Perce tribe, he is well acquainted with the impact and perceptions of how communities receive funding from various sources. Tommy has learned about the connections and interconnections in philanthropy and the power of systems and how they are structured to work.

 

Tommy’s power is rooted in his advocacy and who he is as a Black and Native person. Being raised in the longhouse on the Nez Perce reservation, he gained a connection to that part of his identity. This foundation helped him lean into the idea that success is attainable within the Native American community and not away from it. He brought in expertise based on his lived experience that supports the collective. His understanding of power comes from a place of service and responsibility. Whether it is about preserving culture, choosing a pathway, or doing right by others, power shows up daily in big and small acts.

One of the driving questions that helps Tommy determine which organizations to support is “What did I need as a youth, and who and what was not there?”  Remembering his childhood and the gaps he experienced allows his lens to be more empathetic and informs his outreach to non-profits and organizations in the community. Being Indigenous, black, a student-athlete, and growing up in specific areas lends confidence to his voice in raising awareness around issues. Living in multiple worlds, he has learned how to navigate and understand the perspectives and needs of others. Today, he wants to be the person he needed in the past.

How are different communities similar? He has seen this elevated within his own black and native communities. There is instigated division, however, we are more alike than we realize, for example, humor, our range of emotions, and all the things that make us human connect us. Thanks to his parents, he has been exposed to leaders with varying levels of power and influence. Their example instilled a sense of self, which gave Tommy the ability to fit in and connect with others who may not look like him.  A community, regardless of racial identity, can do great things by building bridges. 

As a contributor to The Share Fund, he is learning to keep asking questions and to stay curious. Open-mindedness is more than just listening, it's a mindset and belief.  The need for funding and change is constant. We are living through a global shifting micro context, which impacts us locally. A strong, grounded connection to his culture and community gives him the ability to have empathy and concern for others. His positions in education gave him room to advocate and support as a mentor, basketball coach, and within student services. He thrives on being there for others. He is a bridge for discovering a positive perspective in dark moments, using the good medicine of laughter. We are learning daily lessons on how to treat people better.

Education is his pathway to help students make the best decisions for themselves. He started as a substitute teacher, moved from elementary to high school, and now works at the college level. He is focusing on mental health in Native American communities. Native Americans have one of the highest suicide rates in the country.  He is driven to voice and combat this by teaching students how to communicate with non-native coaches and teachers. He helps others by sharing his personal experience on what to expect, how to voice cultural differences, and how to set boundaries. During the pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement highlighted the need to speak to the intersections in his life. Tommy has voiced issues concerning black indigenous people under the tribal membership line.  He has asked and spoken out about how native communities can support their relatives in the African American community. No two tribes are the same, and community is important regardless of racial identity.

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Emily Washines

Funding Committee

She/Her

Emily Washines

Emily Washines, MPA and scholar is an enrolled Yakama Nation tribal member with Cree and Skokomish lineage.  Her blog, Native Friends, focuses on history and culture. Building understanding and support for Native Americans is evident in her films, writing, speaking, and exhibits. Her research topics include the Yakama War, women’s rights, traditional knowledge, resource management, fishing rights, and food sovereignty. Her publications include “Natural Restoration and Cultural Knowledge of the Yakama Nation,” and “War Cry: Will Crossing Historical Boundaries in Indian Wars help Yakama Women?” She is also a board member of the Museum of Culture and Environment, Columbia Riverkeeper, and Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence. She lives on the Yakama reservation with her husband and three children.

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Emily Washines' Story

Emily Washines joined The Share Fund committee this past year. Emily's work is informed by her “family and community-oriented values.” These values were “shaped by growing up in a family of seven and a rural area in Washington and in the Yakima Valley...being on the Yakima Reservation with a lot of family members.” She's also driven by the values and shared history with the Yakama nation, like “how we regard the resources or the land or how we regard the history of Yakama tribal members.” 

In 2022, The Share Fund granted Emily funds to support her work with Yakama Women in Trades. Before then, Emily did not know about The Share Fund or their grantmaking model. When invited to be a part of the committee this year, she said yes because The Share Fund "[has] an element of trust that I have seen with very few others." Emily has had grant application experiences where “you need to have a stack of papers or you need to have 70 meetings before this can be a problem that's addressed. You need to prove why it's a problem, even though people can blatantly see it." As someone who "can have a lack of patience with regards to social justice issues and things that our community needs…that aspect of trusting grantees and also the validation and the recognition of people and groups in the community is what excited me the most.” 

Emily appreciated The Share Fund’s onboarding process and its "conversational yet informative tone.” Emily was one of two new members, which “helped to go through that process with somebody else." It felt generative to learn alongside another member about the committee's design and decision-making process and hear the other members' questions. She recommends The Share Fund continue implementing a cohort model for adding future members together.

As someone who has been in numerous meetings and daydreams “about how systems could be run more efficiently,” Emily's experience with The Share Fund process felt at times unbelievable in its alignment with her values: "There's a community-oriented process for the meetings that was shaped before we even got there as a result of the first cohort. And then a lot of care was taken into the consideration of time and decisions and facilitation and meetings." Before attending the monthly The Share Fund meetings, Emily often has to excitedly remind herself that the committee is operating beyond "I Googled how to have a meeting, and we're gonna apply that to here. It's not gonna be that cookie cutter.”

From Emily's perspective, The Share Fund Committee conversations about potential grantees felt "streamlined" and intentional. Emily acknowledges the challenging balance of “talking about injustice or social issues in the communities. It can be very hard to decipher the information that you need in order to make informed decisions [while] also being very empathetic to the emotions that are coming out as a result of them sharing the importance of why this group needs funds." She appreciated having The Share Fund's grants template as a starting point to focus on gathering “information that we could cross share amongst each other” before deeper, potentially emotional, conversations about each members' grantee choices.

The Share Fund’s process allows the strength of each members’ “different and unique” approach to shine through. Emily “learned more about each person based on what they were recommending.” Emily’s approach once again tapped into her daydreaming: “When I'm walking or often daydreaming or thinking of the 'We Are The World' song in the background of my mind, I think of what if statements. Like what if this had support, what could be possible?…I think through and have different conversations with folks. If we're having streamlined funding, who are the people that are out there streamlining the process and the steps along the way to do the work? And if those things align, then we should support them.”

Another focus for The Share Fund that Emily appreciated was the “consideration about how there might be some potential overlap with grantees.” These committee conversations about overlap also included past grantees engaged in “paralleled efforts that could further support” The Share Fund’s vision of gender and racial equity along with potential new grantees. This possibility felt most tangible to Emily during The Share Fund’s hosted gatherings, where new grantees intermingled with previous years’ grantees. She felt hopeful by the long-term community impact of The Share Fund's grantmaking approach: "You can have here's point[s] A and B. We don't know how we can necessarily get there. We don't even know if we'll move the full distance, but we're going to support anyway because we see that these people can even possibly go farther than that at some point.”

Emily is also inspired by The Share Fund's impact beyond financial support. Native Anthropological Services, a 2023 The Share Fund grantee, has been working to identify unmarked graves from a boarding school in what is now Fort Simcoe Historical State Park in White Swan, WA. Emily shares that the work has had multiple press coverage. "They've been doing [the work] for about a year and wouldn't have typically done a news story. But because they wanted to have more of a document and felt supported by the community already because of The Share Fund's support, that was an additional step that they could take. [The Share Fund] is recognizing and validating the work that people are doing and financially supporting them and seeing how by that support, how much growth is possible.”

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Angelita Chavez

FUNDING COMMITTEE

She/Her

Angelita Chavez

Angelita Chavez is an immigration attorney from Washington State and is the founder of The Chavez Firm, PLLC located in Kennewick, Washington. She earned her Bachelor’s in 2006 and Juris Doctor (JD) in 2009 from the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington. She also has a Masters in Political Science from the University of Oregon. Ms. Angelita Chavez assists families and employers navigate all stages of the US immigration process. Angelita is also passionate about helping assisting DACA recipients, handling U-Visa and VAWA cases, and helping individuals obtain lawful permanent resident status.

Ms. Chavez is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Board Member of the Campaign for Equal Justice (CEJ) for the Legal Foundation of Washington, Board Member of the Elijah Family Homes (EFH) Board of Directors.  Angelita also volunteers her time with free legal immigration and citizenship clinics across Washington State though various non-profits and she is also a frequent presenter on immigration issues, know your rights presentations, and how to prepare for law school for local community organizations and schools.  

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Angelita Chavez' Story

Angelita Chavez has discovered the depth of her impact going into her second year as a committee member. Her introduction to the Share Fund came through her friend, a committee member, whom she had known since their college days in Seattle.  Before this, the Share Fund was unknown to her. She was immediately drawn to their work and the dedication of the board members. Having served on other boards and volunteered with various non-profits, including experience in grant writing during her academic years, the Share Fund presented a unique and compelling model. She was accustomed to the often stressful environment of organizations constantly striving for recognition and resources. The Share Fund, in contrast, focused on making giving more equitable, directing funds to organizations that might be overlooked due to limited resources for fundraising. This approach, so different from the traditional grant application processes she knew, fascinated her.

She admits that before joining the Share Fund, she didn't fully grasp the extent of what could be achieved through collective giving. Her previous experiences with philanthropy often involved navigating restrictive grant requirements. The Share Fund's approach, where organizations didn't have to prove their worth constantly, was a revelation. It provided a sense of being part of something larger, with a far greater footprint across Washington State. In a time of political uncertainty, being part of an organization that actively supports those on the ground doing crucial work feels like a meaningful way to contribute beyond individual actions like voting. Now in her second year on the board, she reflects on the past year with gratitude. As she anticipates cycling out, she is already considering who she might bring in next, recognizing the importance of continuously injecting new perspectives and ideas. This constant influx of new members allows the Share Fund to reach and support organizations that might otherwise remain unseen due to geographical and resource limitations.

The camaraderie and shared purpose among the committee members were also a significant draw. She valued the opportunity to learn about and support diverse organizations championed by her fellow board members. This experience fostered a sense of connection and, surprisingly, healing. Being surrounded by individuals deeply connected to their communities and driven by a genuine desire to help was a refreshing change. While her work as an immigration lawyer allowed her to assist individuals and families, her involvement with the Share Fund offered a chance to make a broader impact, uplifting multiple organizations simultaneously. This wider reach brought a sense of hope and felt like a tangible way to put her values into action.

One such example is the Café con Arte in Pasco. This coffee shop and art space in a historically underserved area demonstrated the power of community-led initiatives. She also learned about organizations dedicated to educating people about their rights and the challenges they face in securing funding. The Share Fund's commitment to DEI, refusing to accept limitations in their approach, resonated deeply with her, especially in a time when such principles are under attack. These attacks, she believes, are intended to destabilize and paralyze. While the sheer volume of challenges can feel overwhelming, she finds strength in the collective work being done and remains hopeful that they will navigate these times.

Growing up in the Tri-Cities since the age of seven, she always felt a strong connection to Eastern Washington. Her Mexican immigrant family had built a life there, and she navigated her childhood and schooling within that community, alongside her three sisters and brother. College took her away to Seattle, where she spent over a decade earning her undergraduate and law degrees. Further academic pursuits led her to Oregon for graduate school and then a stint living in California. But the pull of home eventually brought her back to the Tri-Cities, where she now works as an immigration attorney.

The path to becoming an immigration lawyer wasn't always clear. Initially, she envisioned a career in teaching, following in the footsteps of her older and younger sisters. Ultimately, it was her own family's experience as immigrants striving for citizenship, coupled with witnessing the exploitation of vulnerable individuals within their community, that solidified her decision. Seeing people taken advantage of by those falsely claiming to be attorneys ignited anger and a desire to help. Immigrants, often lacking knowledge and resources, were easy targets. This injustice, which sadly persists today, fueled her passion for immigration law. She aimed to help families stay together and empower individuals with legal knowledge to make informed decisions, especially in the complex realm of immigration law.

The Share Fund's values of equity, wealth redistribution, and inherent worth align deeply with her own. Being part of the organization feels like a form of healing, connecting her with kindred spirits. Her involvement in a dance group also provides a vital link to her culture and a source of strength, alongside her friends and family. The Share Fund meetings offer a safe and supportive space, a departure from typical philanthropic endeavors. She appreciates being part of a process where she has the power to influence grant decisions, recognizing the inherent worth and deserving nature of the organizations they support. Ultimately, her work as an immigration attorney and her involvement with the Share Fund are intertwined, both driven by a desire to empower and uplift communities.

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Lu Hill

Funding Committee

She/Her

Lu Hill

Lacrecia “Lu” Hill (she/her/her) has over ten years of executive-level experience and a drive to ensure people and systems work together to meet objectives. She has modeled her career around the philosophy that supporting personal and professional growth leads to the most effective working environment. She excels in facilitation, internal operations, objectives & key results, and project management. She believes deeply in place based work and doing the hard community work. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and an MBA.

Lu spent most of her career in the non-profit and philanthropic sector, only leaving to take over the family business. Lu started her career with Boys & Girls Clubs, working in Las Vegas NV, and Sweet Home/Lebanon OR, before coming home to the Spokane Clubs in 2011. She also worked as a Senior Program Associate with the Empire Health Foundation. In 2015, while in the cannabis industry, she built out cannabis production, extraction, packaging, sales, and distribution facilities. Implementing best practices in management, finance, and manufacturing. She has come full circle and returned to EHF in 2023 as the Community Engagement & Strategy Director.

She owns a consulting business (LMH Consulting) and teaches Yoga locally. Lu currently serves as the founding board president of Spectrum LGBTQIA2+ Center. She also serves on the following boards Inland Northwest Business Alliance (INBA), Spokane Neighborhood Action Program (SNAP), SNAP Financial Access, Maji Rising, and Northeast Youth & Family Services.

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Lu Hill's Story

Lu Hill loves humans. She delights in individuals' nuances and complexities, aiming to encourage and understand them authentically. Driven by a desire for real change, she questioned how to create businesses and economies that build systems for equitable outcomes. She expressed feeling unheard and deeply saddened by the realities she witnessed. Growing up in the community she continues to serve, she recognizes the unhealthy systemic issues at play. Her work involves coaching and attempting to shift these systems and individual trajectories. She believes in the fundamental human need to be seen and valued in one's wholeness, especially within a capitalist system. Her work with The Share Fund and within her community stems from a deeply personal place, honoring both those who give and those who receive. She aims to create spaces for genuine dialogue, care, and understanding, acknowledging the current social and political climate. Her love for humanity extends beyond the philanthropic sector, recognizing the vital work done by those without the label of philanthropist and emphasizing the importance of real relationships.

This is Lu’s second year with The Share Fund. She was the recipient of a “money bomb” when she ran for a city council position as a first-time candidate. This interaction gave her direct insight into the possibility of how money can be transferred directly from those with wealth to someone who is not from that privileged space. There were no barriers in that process, which is not the case most of the time in philanthropic spaces. Lu started her career in philanthropy, left for the private sector, got her MBA, and returned to philanthropy. She has accumulated knowledge and insight into the world and people.  Her expanded lens allows her to bring forth processes and ways of thinking that can add to non-profit structures. The imbalance still exists, but she can shift systems with the examples and experiences she has gathered along the way.

One of her goals is to move money from those whom she believes acquired it unjustly so that everyone can experience rest and ease. Holding space for both personal and collective struggles is important, particularly within the privileged space of philanthropy. Her first introduction into philanthropy involved an intention to redirect wealth, specifically what she perceived as "stolen wealth" derived from the theft of land and labor. Historically, inherited wealth and philanthropic institutions are connected. Wealth accumulation is rooted in broader historical injustices. 

Her early philanthropic work included an introduction to non-profits like the Boys and Girls Club in Eastern Washington. Serving in a more traditional philanthropic space, she aimed to work within a system she believed was ready for change, urging those with privilege to redistribute wealth back to the communities from which it was taken. However, her experiences led to disillusionment. She saw a "top-down approach" where those in power believed they knew best, lacking genuine support and partnership with the communities they aimed to serve. She advocated for a "bottom-up approach" that centers on community needs and projects. Her community work in Spokane deeply affected her, exposing her to the profound needs of a community where her family had resided for five generations. This led her to an interest in mutual aid projects and internal operations within organizations. 

Drawing a parallel from her experience in the cannabis industry, where understanding the "end user experience" and building strong partner relationships is crucial, she sees the missteps in philanthropy for often "naval gazing" and failing to center the needs and experiences of the communities it serves. She advocates for using "relationship tools" and gathering comprehensive information about organizations, including their board and staff, to build authentic and transparent connections. A key aspiration is to empower individuals by giving money directly to them. For her, the personal is political. Direct support is so much more impactful, especially for those facing systemic disadvantages. As the first person in her family to not work as a domestic laborer and to have her basic needs met, she understands the transformative power of financial stability in reducing vulnerability. Those closest to the challenges possess the solutions. Lu advocates for providing support and care to community-based solutions and recognizing the wealth of lived experience within those communities. It’s important to listen to and empower individuals with direct experience to lead in identifying and implementing solutions, particularly in areas like homeless services and public safety.

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Staff

Sewheat (sho-weet) Asfaha

Project Manager, The Share Fund

She/They

Sewheat Asfaha

Sewheat comes to this work with lots of curiosity, and passion for centering impacted folks as leaders and decision makers. 

She grew up in neighborhoods South of Seattle, and has a background in project management at nonprofits, youth development work, as well community led funding efforts. As someone who has participated in grassroots fundraising and grantmaking, she is deeply interested in using participatory grantmaking to resource community organizing. She is excited to support The Share Fund in radically disbursing grants across the state.

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Vivian Phillips

The Share Fund Facilitator

She/Her

Vivian Philips' Story

Vivian Philips doesn't necessarily consider herself a facilitator. Even though she's been asked to play that role for various community organizations for the past 13 years, it's “not a skill that I would list on my resume". She believes the skills she developed in her broadcast profession have transferred seamlessly to her facilitation style: “I did a lot of interviewing. And that's where I really honed the skill for listening. I think that facilitation without listening, it doesn't work. So that's what I think boils to the top is I really hear what people are saying. But I also have a knack for hearing what people aren't saying.” 

Vivian values collaboration, integrity, and honesty “because you can’t really have integrity…if you’re not truthful.” She also has a “high value for equity and fairness,” which shows up in her facilitation. “As a facilitator, I can be as powerful or as complacent as I want to be. [I use] that power fairly so that people do not feel as though I'm leaning in one direction or the other.” She is also “a little bit fearless about saying what needs to be said” to ensure those involved are reflecting on their responsibility to the process. “I'm not in it for any personal reason, I'm really in it to move us all forward and toward our shared goals.”

At the outset, The Share Fund's values aligned with Vivian’s. “It was present when I entered the process, which made it easy for me to say yes to involvement. I was like oh yeah, I can get behind all of this.” Vivian has been involved with other facilitation and committee processes where there’s a dissonance between words and action, and sees The Share Fund has brining alignment between these two things. Vivian appreciates the Marklyns’ intention to invest in The Share Fund as a vehicle for “wealth divestment and redistribution…everybody is not Jeff Bezos, that kind of wealthy. They don't wanna flaunt their wealth. They're not trying to make the world serve them. They're trying to serve the world.”

As the first and only facilitator for The Share Fund, Vivian has continued to learn and adapt to the committee’s needs: “As I reflect back over the last three years, I know for certain that sometimes I can have tunnel vision…here's the agenda, and then we're gonna get through the agenda. That has boiled up to the top for me on a number of occasions where I'm listening, monitoring and going, maybe the agenda is not where we're gonna get to the meat of the issue. And being able to open the space for that to be the case. The other thing that has been evolving for me… is allowing air. So when someone asks the question, answer the question and let it be, just let it sit…just let the space be space. It's okay. We don't have to be talking the whole time. Sometimes it's okay to be on the screen together.” 

This past year, The Share Fund added two new committee members. Returning members hadn't met the new members prior to the start of the year's meetings. Vivian held space for the challenges of integrating the perspectives of both new and returning members. “I think there were some times early in this past year with two new members where the existing members felt like there was pushback…I think older members felt like it was a criticism. When it wasn't a criticism, it was just a function of newness…Conversely, new members didn't feel like they were really comfortable in the group.” Vivian was often “encouraging people to not always take everything personal, but to understand that people are coming from a place that's shaped by their experiences…reminding people what decisions had been made, how the process had been going, and creating space for adjustment.” With Vivian’s support, the committee worked through the initial "bumpy" time of integrating together so that they could effectively grant out $750,000, the most funds to date.

Although The Share Fund has set out to do things differently, Vivian facilitates with the humility and awareness that often times, processes “slip right back into traditional norms…because that’s how we’ve been acclimated. We’re colonizing our brains once again…let’s go back and shake all that off.” One of the strengths of The Share Fund is its ability to shapeshift. “What the process is today doesn’t have to be the process next year.” This year, the process became better refined because the committee wasn’t tasked with creating it from scratch. This allowed the committee to have more focused conversations about grantmaking, including supporting multi-year grants, finding nonconventional and innovative grantees, and funding policy change to address systemic inequities. “There was more deep consideration around what does [support] look like on a sustained basis? What is the cause that created the situation that The Share Fund is now supporting financially? So how do we eliminate the need long-term?” 

Vivian is energized by the conversations around grantmaking that The Share Fund model allows. She sees even more learning and expansion in the future, not just for The Share Fund, but for the field. "Years from now, people will look back on this...[The Share Fund] is redefining the ways in which philanthropy works."

 

Photo Credit: JerryandLois Photography

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Rashad Norris, Founding Design Committee Member: Rashad received his BA in Marketing Communication with a Minor in English from the University of Puget Sound, where he also played basketball. He earned his Master’s in Public Administration from Evergreen State College. 

As the founder of Relevant Engagement Consulting LLC, Rashad partners with State of Washington (DYHS) Department of Child, Youth and Families Services Community, Reentry and Parole Program’s Juvenile Rehabilitation by conducting culturally relevant healing sessions with incarcerated teens as a part of the youth’s re-entry process. In addition to this work, he has extensive experience in creating black and brown male engagement programs and services and providing proven engagment strategies for youth of color within the WA State K-12 education system and Higher Education system. 

Rashad has been asked to lead workshop sessions for professional development with teachers and administrators from local and state school districts regarding student engagement practices. Rashad also delivers motivational presentations that uplift young people in the community through keynote addresses, seminars, professional development workshops, and conference presentations to adults working in the education system and non-profit organizations. He has a proven track record and history of being called to inform, teach, and put into practice the work that he has created to help him engage effectively using DEI+I (Diversity Equity Inclusion + Injustice) content. He possesses a Social Justice, Anti Racist, and Equity minded approach that has gifted him the ability, creativity, and communication style to create spaces for authentic dialogue and tangible outcomes that reach diverse audiences.

Mỹ Tâm H. Nguyễn, Founding Design Committee Member: Mỹ Tâm H. Nguyễn lived experience growing up with a single mom in deep poverty without running water and electricity in a village in Vietnam, low-income housing in King County, and surviving non-Hodgkins lymphoma in her 20’s through the support and innovation of Seattle’s cancer care community informs her work in systems change for government, startups, and non-profits across the U.S. and in Europe. From modular housing to homelessness and fintech, immigrant integration to economic development strategies for refugees, she launches and implements practical innovations, strategies, and frameworks to meet the needs of those who are historically left out of opportunities and resources. She is especially passionate about reimagining giving and a financial system that is accessible and equitable for all.

She is currently the CEO & Founder of làmdi, a management consulting and executive coaching practice supporting the people behind impactful ideas to launch, transition, and scale. Before launching làmdi, she grew the National Innovation Service (NIS) a systems-change agency focusing on homelessness and centering community-based research and design. She is also a co-founder of Blokable, a smart modular housing company designed to address the affordability crisis. Her public service includes working in the governor’s office of WA state, the mayor’s office in Seattle, the lead for public engagement for Seattle’s city planning team, and running two political campaigns.

She’s currently on the board of UW Press, and successfully supported Community Credit Lab as a board member through its successful launch, scale, and acquisition by Common Future. She is a graduate of Harvard University and the University of Washington.

Bridgette Hempstead, Founding Design Committee Member: Bridgette Hempstead is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Cierra Sisters, Inc., an African American Breast Cancer organization that uniquely provides education and advocacy about women’s breast and health issues. 

Bridgette’s personal, hands-on approach, has and is changing the lives of women all across the country. Her determination to educate and empower others comes out of her own experience with breast cancer. A 25-year, two-time breast cancer survivor, Bridgette received her diagnosis on her 35th birthday. At that time, she found no resources for African American women. Therefore, she became the solution, and thus, Cierra Sisters was born. 

Bridgette found that women’s fear of breast cancer was due largely to their lack of knowledge. As the late author and entertainer, Earl Nightingale once stated, “Whenever we’re afraid, it’s because we don’t know enough. If we understood enough, we would never be afraid.” Inspired by Mr. Nightingale’s words, Bridgette chose the African word “Cierra” which means “knowing” to identify the community resource and educational organization which she began in February 1996.  

As her reputation has grown in the health community, more patients have been referred to Bridgette and Cierra Sisters by doctors, family members, LGBT, and religious institutions familiar with Bridgette’s assistance in navigating individuals through the health care system. Over the years Bridgette’s work has been featured by multiple healthcare organizations including the American Society of Preventive Oncology, the JAMA, and the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. 

Estakio Beltran, Founding Design Committee Member: Estakio works with community-based organizations to design systemic solutions that improve social determinants of resilience, advocacy, and health for rural communities.
Estakio weaves his life experiences, educational and professional achievements, and love for the Yakima Valley throughout his work. In October 2020, Philanthropy Northwest honored Estakio with the prestigious Mary Helen Moore Ambassador of the Year Award in recognition of his remarkable leadership and contributions to the sector.

Estakio grew up in foster care, where he lived in multiple placements all over the Valley including the Yakama Reservation— for him this is a stamp of resilience and achievement. He earned his BA from Gonzaga University, and his Masters in Public Administration from Columbia University in New York before returning to the Yakima Valley in 2019 after spending over a decade advising senior members of Congress and high-ranking officials in Washington, D.C as a public policy professional.

Estakio’s success lies in his ability to create a bold vision for systems change through community-driven innovation. 

Karla Brollier, Founding Design Committee Member: Karla is an artist and systems thinker that focuses on Climate Economics, Kincentric Ecosystems, Climate Change, Indigenous Rights, Human Rights, Women’s Rights, Emerging Issues, New Economies and System Change.

Karla Brollier is of the Yidateni Na’ Tribe of the Ahtna Athabaskan peoples, she was born and raised in Alaska where she obtained her undergraduate degree as well as an MBA.

Karla is a catalyst in the climate and human rights movement in both the public and private sectors; she has spent much of her career consulting and working in emergent issues such as policy, climate economics, environmental justice and has worked with the Climate Reality Project, the UN and directly with several US administrations and a multitude of international and nationally based climate change related programs and groups such as for the former VP Al Gore and the World Economic Forum. Karla has given plenary presentations at the international level including the WEF, presented at the United Nations, lectured at multiple universities, as well as facilitates and teaches workshops and classes around the globe.

Elisheba Johnson, Founding Design Committee Member: Elisheba is a curator, poet, public artist, and consultant living in Seattle, WA. Johnson, who has a BFA from Cornish College of the Arts, was the owner of Faire Gallery Café, a multi-use art space that held art exhibitions, music shows, poetry readings, and creative gatherings. 

For six years Johnson worked at the Seattle Office of Arts and Culture on capacity-building initiatives and racial equity in public art. Johnson was a member of the Americans for the Arts Emerging Leaders Network advisory council and has won four Americans for the Arts Public Art Year in Review Awards for her work. She currently co-manages Wa Na Wari, a Black art center in Seattle’s Central Area that uses the arts to build community and resist displacement. 

The Share Fund is grateful for the operational and facilitation support of  Phīla Engaged Giving and Vivian Phillips.