by: Samuel Muñeton, Jr. | Principal and Co-Founder
I am not a believer in the idea of a self-made man, despite how easy it is to tell that story. I am the oldest son of two Mexican immigrants who were granted amnesty under the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) signed by President Reagan. It was undoubtedly the work of community organizers, advocacy groups, and a network of philanthropic donors, and I cannot imagine my life today without that compassion.
Philanthropy invested in the advocacy that provided my family the security of being US citizens, and it also indirectly shaped my youth. When I was young, I was a member of After School Matters, a nonprofit partnering with local community organizations to offer high school students paid internships at after-school and summer programs. I learned how to build a vegetable garden for my local community and how to use a camera as a tool for effective storytelling. Soon after, I was accepted to be a part of Chicago Scholars, a nonprofit college access program dedicated to providing the mentorship and resources for successful college enrollment and graduation. I credit Chicago Scholars, After School Matters, and a community of teachers and mentors who launched me to become the first in my family to attend and graduate from an Ivy League school. At 18, I knew I was a community-made man.
Unsurprisingly, nonprofits continued to shape my life in college. At the University of Pennsylvania, I enrolled in "Philanthropy and the City", a graduate-level course supported by the Philanthropy Lab. The nonprofit granted the classroom $50,000 to practice philanthropy in Philadelphia. After learning the history of philanthropy and the state of the nonprofit sector in the US, we interviewed local organizations to draft grant recommendations for our professors. It was a transformative experience that officially introduced me to the world of philanthropy and launched my career.
After graduation, I interned for a philanthropic foundation, became a small business lender and coach at a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), and then returned to philanthropy to work as an Associate Program Officer. In my career, I have directed more than $14 million in grants and financing to communities across Illinois and Indiana. As one of the youngest people in the philanthropic sector by age (but not expertise), I owe credit to community and philanthropy for giving me the privilege and experience necessary to break into these rooms.
Now, I am an entrepreneur launching Sovereign Good, a new philanthropic advisory firm to guide the next generation of donors. Join me as I give back to my community and use the opportunity to raise the bar of what philanthropy and community are capable of accomplishing.