When it comes to social justice philanthropy, Darren Walker is a vanguard and a visionary. He’s the tenth President of the Ford Foundation and under his tenure, the nonprofit became the first of its kind in U.S. history to issue a $1B designated social bond into the nation’s capital markets to stabilize, fortify, and reinvigorate nonprofit organizations impacted by COVID-19. But his philanthropic efforts don’t just end with the Ford Foundation. Walker sits on several commissions and boards, including the Independent Commission on New York City Criminal Justice and Incarceration Reform, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture. Not to mention he co-founded both the U.S. Impact Investing Alliance and the Presidents’ Council on Disability Inclusion in Philanthropy. He also boasts France’s highest cultural honor, the Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, along with being named to the Order of the British Empire for his efforts in fostering U.S./U.K relations. And while his tenure at the Ford Foundation ends in 2025, his impact on the arts continues with his new role as the President of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. We are ready for the next chapter of Black genius. — J.S.M.