Unmasked: Investment In the Community

Following the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, social unrest prompted several organizations to issue public statements of intentions to narrow racial economic disparities as part of their philanthropic goals. As we review the social events of the year that sparked this increased investment, we hear from major corporate and non-profit leaders in our city for a deeper understanding of what these investments mean for underserved communities of color. Although support can potentially alter the financial landscape of the Black community and influence its social future, this conversation will explore large-scale support that not only reflects what our community needs, but contributes to a sustainable system.

We talk with leaders from Bank of America, Foundation for the Carolinas, and the City of Charlotte to glean long and short-term objectives of these investments, comparing the efficacy and relevance of these objectives to the actual need of our community. We address these institutions' current support efforts and their past relationships with Black and Brown people, both internally and with the community at large. Finally, we get into the specifics of a timeline and target for fund allocation.

The conversation will be joined by Foundation for the Carolinas Executive Vice President Brian Collier, Bank of America Senior Vice President in Global Human Resources Ebony Thomas, and Federico Rios, the Immigrant and Integration Manager of the Office of International Relations in the City of Charlotte.

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Click/tap names below to read bios.

• Brian Collier

  Brian Collier currently serves as Executive Vice President for Foundation For The Carolinas in Charlotte, North Carolina—the 6th largest community foundation in the United States with over $2.7 billion in assets. Mr. Collier oversees the Foundation's competitive grants programs, as well as affiliate board relationships in 13 counties throughout North and South Carolina. Mr. Collier also oversees the Foundation's Robinson Center for Civic Leadership and the development of community initiatives including Charlotte Bridge Home (addressing the needs of returning armed forces veterans), The Carolina Thread Trail (500+ mile greenways and trails program), Project LIFT ($55 million initiative to close the educational achievement gap) and a nationally recognized, multi-year initiative to identify and implement community strategies addressing upward mobility and economic opportunity (Leading on Opportunity). Mr. Collier is currently leading a $20 million effort to help individuals and families impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.

  Prior to joining the Foundation, Mr. Collier served as VP for Marketing and Development at KaBOOM!. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., KaBOOM! is a national non-profit that envisions a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America. From 2001-2005 Mr. Collier served as the Founding President and Executive Director of Victory Junction, a $30 million facility in Randleman, North Carolina for children suffering from chronic and/or life-threatening illnesses. The camp was the result of a unique partnership between the NASCAR motorsports industry, NASCAR drivers Richard and Kyle Petty, and actor Paul Newman. From 1995-2001, Mr. Collier served in various executive roles for Phoenix House, including Deputy Director for New York Operations and President of the Florida region. Brian began his career as a trial attorney with Rumberger, Kirk and Caldwell—one of the country's premier products liability defense firms—in Orlando, Florida.

• Ebony Thomas

  Ebony Thomas is the Racial Equality and Economic Opportunity Initiatives Executive, responsible for delivering Bank of America's $1B, four-year initiative to accelerate work to help drive racial equality and economic opportunity for people and communities of color. She works to identify and build partnerships with internal and external community leaders, business leaders, local elected officials and others in the communities we serve to drive economic opportunity and upward mobility through programmatic initiatives.

  Ebony previously held roles as a Global Human Resources Executive leading teams in Enterprise Diversity Recruiting Strategy and Market and Site HR. In these roles, Ebony was responsible for the planning, coordination and execution of Market-Site HR capabilities to ensure consistent standards and governance for the HR activities occurring across our 92 market, including market talent planning and development, engagement and diversity and inclusion.

  In addition to her executive career, Ebony serves as a board member at Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC). She is also a member of the Board of Visitors for the School of Business at Howard University in Washington, DC. Her service to these organizations are rooted in Ebony's commitment to transform approaches to student achievement, career success and improving generational socio-economic status in underserved communities.

  Ebony Thomas is a proud graduate of North Carolina A&T State University where she holds a BA degree in English and History. She lives in Charlotte with her three children, Evan, Croix and Ellis.

• Federico Rios

  Federico Rios is the City of Charlotte’s first Assistant Director over the Office of Equity, Mobility and Immigrant integration. Federico manages the city’s efforts in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Economic Mobility and immigrant Integration. He is charged with helping to eliminate systemic barriers. Prior to joining the city, he spent eight and half years with Communities in Schools Charlotte-Mecklenburg. As the founding Director of the Newcomer Services Program, Federico in partnership with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools created a case management model to serve newly arrived and often highly traumatized, Central American youth. As the child of an Immigrant mother, Federico has felt a deep sense of calling to his work. His commitment to service is driven by his desire to see all of the members of our community have equitable access to opportunities. Apart from the roles that have already been mentioned Federico has served the community as a Crisis Intervention Specialist, Qualified Mental Health Professional and educator. He is a former member of the Leading on Opportunity Council, currently on Mental Health America’s Policy and Advocacy Committee, the Communities In Schools Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Directors, the Equitable Communities Board of Directors, and the Carolina Migrant Network Board of Directors. He is a recipient of La Noticia’s 2018 Excelente Award for Community Service Person of the Year and of the 2020 Cesar Chavez Liderazgo award. His proudest accomplishment is being a husband to his wife Lakisha and father to his two boys Elias and Jaden.