Board of Trustees member Darian Burwell Gambrell honored

Board of Trustees member Darian Burwell Gambrell, '97 & G-'04, Executive Director of DEAF Inc. in Watertown, Massachusetts, has been selected as one of The Boston Foundation's six movement leaders for 2024. Each movement leader and their nonprofit organization will receive $675,000 over three years as part of the Shifting Power, Advancing Justice focus area. The funding supports general operations, wellness, technical assistance, and capacity building, and can be used for emergencies.

"These six movement leaders each play a central role in their organizations and in the broader community. They are difference makers, shaping collective action that improves lives and drives social and economic change. They each have unique approaches to that leadership and, with this new effort, we strive to create a partnership that respects and supports each of them and the organizations they represent to continue and amplify their transformative work," said M. Lee Pelton, president and CEO of the Boston Foundation.

The other five honorees and their organizations are Gamaliel Lauture, Co-Executive Director, Brockton Interfaith Community; Mike Leyba, Co-Executive Director, City Life/Vida Urbana; Noemi Mimi Ramos, Executive Director, New England United 4 Justice; Shanique Rodriguez Executive Director, Massachusetts Voter Table; and Dwaign Tyndal, Executive Director, Alternatives for Community and Environment

This is the fourth major recognition that Gambrell and DEAF Inc. have received in the last two years. She received the National Association of the Deaf Distinguished Service Award during the 58th biennial NAD conference in July 2022. This award is presented in memory of Frederick C. Schreiber, '42, the first executive director of NAD who served from 1966 to 1978, and in recognition of an individual NAD member who has provided a lifetime of volunteer service of lasting benefit to the deaf community and has established a model of behavior for young deaf people to emulate.

Gambrell was a member of the YW Boston LeadBoston Class of 2023. This leadership program "meets organizations' demand for more inclusive leadership by equipping mid- to senior-level professionals with the knowledge, skills, and network necessary to increase equity within their organizations and communities."

Earlier this year, DEAF Inc. was awarded a $2 million gift in this year's Yield Giving Open Call grant competition. Yield Giving was established by philanthropist MacKenzie Scott "to share a financial fortune created through the effort of countless people." Yield is named after a belief in adding value by giving up control. Yield Giving's network of staff and advisors has yielded over $17.3 billion to 2,300+ nonprofit teams to use as they see fit for the benefit of others.

Congratulations!