Our Vision
A Racially Just Oakland
An Oakland where every individual finds belonging and has the opportunity to dream and flourish.
Photo courtesy of Richard H Grant
Rooted in Liberation and Power
Akonadi Foundation is building the power of historically marginalized communities to drive long-term structural change rooted in the liberation and well-being of low-income youth of color and their families.
Our Work
Community Organizing
We invest in organizations building grassroots leadership, expanding their base, and driving long-term systems change in youth justice, education, and other critical areas impacting young people and their families.
Movement Infrastructure
We invest in movements that unite organizations around a long-term vision for change and aggregate power across organizations and communities.
Healing, Arts, and Culture
We invest in initiatives that integrate arts and healing into organizing efforts, ensuring that those fighting for justice have the space to restore, reflect, sustain their work, and reimagine a better future.
News & Updates
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Remembering Malcolm X through Art and Celebration in Oakland
By Demetria Huntsman, Senior Program Officer, Akonadi Foundation On Saturday, May 16th, I had the joy of being at San Antonio Park for the 26th Annual Malcolm X…
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Finding Heart and Courage in Difficult Times through Art
A Conversation with Thi Bui and Quinn Delaney “We shouldn’t overthink it. We should jump in and do what we can in the moment, and maybe in the…
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How Mujeres Unidas y Activas Is Building the Power of Immigrant Women
By Sylvia López and María Jiménez, Mujeres Unidas y Activas When I arrived at Mujeres Unidas y Activas in 2006, I was looking for a lifeline. As an…
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Building the Infrastructure Immigrant Families Deserve
Akonadi Foundation is proud to have joined the philanthropic coalition funding an independent implementation study paving the way for a new Alameda County Office of Immigrant and Refugee…
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Enter the World of Artist Thi Bui
Last week, we premiered our short film featuring 2026 Racial Justice Poster Project artist Thi Bui. We are blown away by Thi’s visionary take on protecting those most…
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Akonadi Foundation Joins Call to Declare Public Health Emergencies in Response to Violent Immigration Enforcement
Akonadi Foundation joins 23 California foundations in calling on officials to declare public health emergencies in response to violent immigration enforcement. When immigration enforcement creates fear that keeps…
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Makibaka! Huwag Matakot! Reflections on 25 Years of Resourcing Oakland’s Movements
By Gina Acebo, Program Officer, People at San Francisco Foundation For more than three decades, I’ve had the privilege of organizing, creating, and resourcing Oakland’s movements for racial…
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Caring and Loving Our People
Q&A with Shana Lancaster, Special Projects Manager + Office Manager While Akonadi’s role as a racial justice grantmaker is a key part of our work, our role as…
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Co-creating an Inclusive Community in Alameda County
Q&A with Nikki Fortunato Bas and Ray Colmenar In Alameda County, 1 out of 3 residents is foreign born and half of the county’s children live in a…
