June 25th 2023.
The Bush Foundation and Minnesota-based Nexus Community Partners have joined forces to launch the Open Road Fund, a program designed to help descendants of slavery living in Minnesota and the Dakotas to build wealth and opportunity. The program will provide grants up to $50,000 to those in need.
The application opened on June 19th, also known as Juneteenth, a nationally recognized holiday celebrating the official ending of slavery. Although the grants are not substantial enough to be considered reparations, local leaders are championing the program, stating that it is in line with other established plans geared toward reversing the pervasive impact of enslavement and its subsequents forms of discrimination.
The grants are intended to provide vital funding for endeavors such as buying property, paying for school, investing in a business, or giving back to initiatives or causes that impact Black people. Recipients will be able to combine their new financial pools to contribute to even grander ventures.
Nexus CEO Repa Mekha hopes the funds will provide a return on the investment Black folks have long made to this country and create Black wealth. “Black wealth-building is about creating spaces and opportunities that help all Black people to thrive,” said Mekha.
Matthew Ramadan, President of New African Community Development Corporation is optimistic of the fund’s mission to ignite economic achievement for Black people in his state. “The hope is that these funds will actually reach down into the communities as intended,” said Ramadan.
Nexus and The Bush Foundation are urging descendants of slavery from all backgrounds in Minnesota and North and South Dakota, including those who repatriated to Africa, to apply to the Open Road Fund before the July 28 deadline.
The Open Road Fund is an important step in attempting to rectify systemic injustices and provide support to those who have been stifled by them. With the right resources, the program will help Black communities to thrive and build a brighter future.
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