Adjoa Nyarko
Adjoa Nyarko is the Leadership Gifts Officer at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and is currently pursuing her MBA part-time at Baruch College.
Prior to her work in fundraising and philanthropy, Adjoa was a New York City Teaching Fellow and taught students with disabilities in grades 6-12 for two years, while she pursued her Master’s degree in Special Education at Long Island University’s Brooklyn campus.
With over 7 years of experience in fundraising and philanthropy, Adjoa was introduced to the development field through the Public Allies Fellowship program and after the fellowship, Adjoa worked for two art-education nonprofits that have long served New York City’s early childhood centers and public schools respectively, Cool Culture and ArtsConnection.
She received her Bachelor’s degree in English and Political Science from Howard University in Washington, D.C, and during her collegial years, she cultivated her interests in social impact and change by participating in several Capitol Hill internships and joining many grassroots political campaigns both on and off campus. Adjoa is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and was born in Queens, New York to immigrant parents of Ghanaian descent.
In Her Own Words
What is your favorite quote?
To whom much is given, much is required. – Luke 12:48
Who is your favorite woman fundraiser or philanthropist of color?
Picture above: V. Renee Cutting
I have two favorite fundraisers V. Renee Cutting and Shelley Goode.
As far as philanthropists, I believe Madame CJ Walker is one of the greatest philanthropists of all time.
What inspired you to use your background in political science and education to pursue a career in fundraising and philanthropy?
My background in political science both influenced and fueled my activism within education and around social justice issues.
My collegial experience in politics, particularly my work in community grassroots organizing, promoted my belief that by simply carrying out one’s civic duty you can be a catalyst for impact and change. The time I spent grassroots organizing led me to Capitol Hill and after a few political internships, I found out fast that change was slow in Washington. That gave me the desire to be in the classroom where I can see change happen in real-time.
However, once in the classroom, I saw another fight that had to happen. I saw so many of my students encounter barriers within public education both economically and systematically and I wanted to help break those barriers. I transitioned out of teaching and was accepted into the Public Allies Fellowship.
The year that I spent in that program and learning about the work of nonprofits changed the course of my career. Although I was only legally able to fundraise 10% of the time as a Fellow, it was my first project, and my love for fundraising and philanthropy was sealed. I thank Deidre Hector, who currently serves as a Director at the Trust for Public Land, for introducing me to this industry.
Be encouraged. You are doing great work for the benefit of our society and our future.
Where do you want to be in 3 years?
In three years I hope to complete my part-time MBA program and enroll in either the Executive Certificate Nonprofit Leadership program at Harvard or the Graduate Certificate in Philanthropic Fundraising program at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.
Do you have any advice for other women of color entrepreneurs in the realm of philanthropy and fundraising — whether they are in Canada, the United States, or the international WOC community at large?
I urge all entrepreneurs in the realm of philanthropy and fundraising to never stop learning all that they can about our field by staying up to date on current events and trends. I attend every panel, webinar, or event that I can in order to learn from successful fundraisers, philanthropic think tanks, foundations, and those in the corporate social responsibility sector. By actively learning, it helps me keep a pulse on the fundraising industry, gain an idea of the current direction of philanthropy, and provides me with the insight necessary to apply the appropriate fundraising strategies.
I encourage the WOC Community to read the annual State of Philanthropy report led by Dr. Una Osili and Dr. Anna Pruitt, attend events by CCS Fundraising, subscribe to newsletters like Amy Eisenstein’s, and follow the Chronicles of Philanthropy as well as other publications and leaders in the industry on LinkedIn. I also encourage the WOC community to study philanthropy through a historical context and develop a theory of practice that informs how you fundraise. Books like Decolonizing Wealth by Edgar Villanueva and the Gospel of Giving by Tyrone Freeman are next on my list of philanthropy reads and are just some ways I try to develop a broader understanding of the field.
Lastly, I believe every fundraiser should read The Ask by Laura Fredricks. In her book, she tells women fundraisers to be confident and if they don’t feel confident, pretend to be someone they admire. Because of this, I often pretend I am Michelle Obama when I am presenting, whether I am fundraising or not. Laura has also coached me and once said, “Adjoa when you are making an ask you have to square up! And stand tall!” Fundraisers must be self-assured in the ask they are making on behalf of an organization and her words have never failed me. So I say the same to you my dear WOC members, square up and stand tall when making your asks! Be encouraged. You are doing great work for the benefit of our society and our future.
