What inspired you to align your endowment with your mission?

We recognized that the formula for foundations – where 5% of our assets are put toward our missions and 95% of assets are traditionally invested in the same capital markets that have created the problems we are trying to address – doesn’t work. In that model, we were essentially funding the problems with up to 95% of our assets while putting 5% of our assets toward the solutions. Knowing that the 95/5 model is ineffective and unethical, we committed to using all of our assets toward our mission via grantmaking, direct investing and impact investing.

What have been the biggest obstacles at your foundation(s) for mission alignment?

The biggest obstacle has been our limited capacity and expertise in the space with between 1 – 3 staff throughout the impact investing journey thus far. We can only learn and do so fast. However, this has also been helpful and allowed us to shift direction more quickly than other private foundations with more staff may be able to do.

How far along is your foundation in this journey?

We started this journey in 2016/2017 and have been impact-aligned across our entire portfolio since 2020.

What’s next in your mission alignment?

We are exploring shareholder engagement strategies, more comprehensive impact evaluation and increasing the number of direct investments in our portfolio.

What about perpetuity or spending down?

AJL’s founders set the foundation up to exist into perpetuity. Personally, and speaking for myself only, I was in favor of spending down for a number of reasons (all valid!). However, I now understand that our current financial systems reward the wealthy. If we spend down now, it’s likely our money will ultimately end up making the wealthy wealthier and not benefiting the communities we exist to serve or making any real progress on the social challenges we exist to address long-term. I am now of the mindset that as long as we are putting all of our resources toward mission aligned opportunities across grantmaking, direct investments, and impact investing and are transparent about where ALL of our money is, what it is doing, and evaluating impact, then we should not spend down. To make progress, the biggest changes need to happen within our capital markets, and we need money to support those solutions that are emerging.

What’s a favorite mission aligned investment of yours?

I can’t pick just one, there are so many incredible people doing incredible things in the world! Adasina Social Capital, Guaranteeing Impact:The Paycheck Protection Program Credit Facility, and The Sistahbiz Loan Fund.

What’s the most convincing thing to get others on board? 

Sharing our work and proving it can (and should!) be done!

Guilty pleasure:

Mid-day nap

Kickback Film:

I don’t think I’ve found it yet!

Last series you binge-watched: 

Sex Education

Favorite caffeine source:

Coffee

Sweet or salty:

Both, but if I HAVE to choose, salty

Happy place:

On a boat on a lake or cuddling with my kids

A favorite novel:

It’s poetry for me right now, rupi kaur’s “the sun and her flowers”

Animal friend(s):

Pediatrician

Adult ambition:

Time to read books under a tree.

Embarrassing moment:

I can’t recall, which is probably an internal self-preservation tactic (and a gift!)

Biggest challenge:

Living a whole and harmonious life and modeling that for my kids… but we’re getting closer!

Nickname:

My parents call me Diddie

Soundtrack of your life:

I don’t know about the soundtrack to my life but these songs have been on repeat for a long time: Billie Eilish’s “Ocean Eyes,” Crosby Stills Nash and Young’s “Suite Judy Blue Eyes,” and Lyla June’s “Time Traveler”.

Music that lifts your spirits:

Oldies

Last splurge: 

King bed that fits my whole family + a dog all at once!