Who We Are

Founded in 2014, the Joan Trumpauer Mulholland Foundation began with a goal to preserve, share and continue the legacy of Joan Trumpauer Mulholland. Our goal is to educate people about the Civil Rights Movement and how they can make a difference in their community.

Our mission has expanded since those early days. There are tough issues that we are helping to address in the fields of education and corporate leadership; always with a lens towards empathetic change. Combating inequality and racism, while increasing our collective awareness of honest and truthful history telling lifts everyone. Young and old alike grow as they engage to be part of the solution for a more just society… just like Joan.

The Joan Trumpauer Mulholland Foundation takes a multi-faceted approach through inclusive leadership training, SEL/PBIS professional development, classroom curriculum, documentary films, podcasting, books, speaking engagements, and school assemblies. We cater to the different ways people learn best in order to understand new concepts and reframe old ones.

In addition, we recognize that higher education is a key gateway to economic growth for individuals and society alike. That belief led to our unique HBCU Micro-scholarship Program that has allowed us to impact over 100 students; meeting their immediate financial needs.

Our mission continues to grow because of support of partners and sustaining donors. Please join us in the fight against inequality and start your recurring donation today! Click here to donate.

Who is Joan

(Photo courtesy of Eric Etheridge)

Her Freedom Rider mugshot has been called one of the most iconic in American history. By the time she was 23 years old, Joan Trumpauer Mulholland participated in over 50 sit-ins and demonstrations including the Freedom Rides, the Jackson Woolworth’s Sit-in, the March on Washington, the Meredith March and the Selma to Montgomery March. Her path has crossed with some of the biggest names in the Civil Rights Movement: Martin Luther King, Medgar Evers, Fannie Lou Hamer, John Lewis, Diane Nash and Julian Bond to name a few.

In 2023 Joan received an honorary doctorate from Tougaloo College. She is also the recipient of the 2020 Simeon Booker Award for Courage, the 2019 International Civil Rights Museum Trailblazer Award, the 2015 National Civil Rights Museum  Freedom Award, the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated Annual Award of Honor and the Anti-Defamation League Annual Heroes Against Hate Award.

She has appeared in several books including “Coming of Age in Mississippi”, “Breach of Peace”, “We Shall Not Be Moved”, and, “She Stood For Freedom”. She has appeared on television and news programs like the “CBS Nightly News” and award-winning documentaries including “An Ordinary Hero”, PBS’s “Freedom Riders”, “Standing on My Sister’s Shoulders” and the groundbreaking film “Eyes on the Prize”.

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Board Members

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LOKI MULHOLLAND
Founder & Executive Director

Loki Mulholland is an Emmy-winning filmmaker, author, activist, and son of civil rights icon, Joan Trumpauer Mulholland. His work has received over 40 Telly Awards and his films on race and social justice issues have won 20 Best Documentary awards. Loki is the author of multiple books including “She Stood for Freedom” and “Get Back to the Counter”. His films have appeared on Showtime, PBS and Amazon where “The Uncomfortable Truth” has been viewed over three million times. Loki is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated and speaks all over the country on issues of race and social justice. In 2023, Loki received an Honorary Doctorate from Ithaca College.

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NIKKI WALKER
Chairwoman Of The Board

Nikki Walker is the director of community engagement and DE&I at Domo where she works with a team of professionals to elevate and amplify Domo’s mission and values in the workplace and in the community. She does so by creating and driving  programs and initiatives focused on diversity and inclusion, workplace equity and belonging, community engagement and Domo for Good. In her role as DE&I director, Walker leads Domo’s newly formed DEI leadership council, which represents multiple voices from around the organization to bring a more contextual application of DEI best practices and outcomes across the entire business. In addition to helping advance a culture of belonging, Walker also focuses on creating employment pipelines and supporting student leadership programs that help build and nurture a more diverse pool of qualified talent for the tech industry.

Nikki currently serves on the board of directors for The Utah Black Chamber, Encircle and The Children’s Center, as well as the Foundation Board and President’s Cabinet of Salt Lake Community College. Walker is also a member of The KUED Advisory Board. She is the 2021 winner of the Women Tech Council Change Catalyst award and a 2022 inductee of Utah Business Magazine’s 30 Women to Watch, The W Collective’s 40 Over 40 and The 2022 Bronze Stevie winner in the category of Female Employee of the Year.

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BK FULTON
Board Member

BK was born in Hampton, VA to Flora and Bennie Fulton. He has two sisters, Shauna Fulton and DeVora Brookes. BK is the founding Chairman & CEO of Soulidifly Productions, a feature film and media investment company designed to promote a more inclusive narrative in contemporary media. Soulidifly is the first independent film company to produce four feature films in their first year of business (River Runs Red, Atone, 1 Angry Black Man and Love Dot Com: The Social Experiment). BK is also the author of the popular Mr. Business: The Adventures of Little BK – children’s book series and founder of SoulVision Magazine and SoulVision.TV. Prior to becoming a full-time author and media entrepreneur, BK was Vice President of the Mid-Atlantic Region (VA, MD, DC, DE) for Verizon Communications, Inc. and President of Verizon Virginia and West Virginia. He has also held senior leadership, media, technology and policy development posts with the U.S. Department of Commerce, AOL, Time Warner and the National Urban League. BK is a ComputerWorld Smithsonian Laureate Medal recipient and his thought-leading papers on technology and community building are permanently archived at the Smithsonian Institute. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Virginia Tech, a Master of Science degree and Sloan Fellowship from Harvard’s – Kennedy School of Government and the New School’s -Milano School of Management and Policy Analysis, and a Juris Doctorate from New York Law School. BK is the father of twin boys (Joshua and Terrell) and is married to Jacquelyn E. Stone, Esq.

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SHAREEM KING
Board Member

With over 25 years of experience in the professional services industry, Shareem is a dedicated leader at BDO, where she drives organizational success through her commitment to social impact and community engagement. As a key member of BDO’s Social Impact Team, she helps manage the corporate social responsibility program, BDO Counts, empowering professionals to give back through nationwide programs and local service projects. Additionally, as the Multicultural Alliance leader in her local office, Shareem spearheads employee engagement and awareness initiatives, fostering a culture of inclusion within the firm.

Outside of her roles at BDO, Shareem is actively involved in community organizations, holding positions on the Board of Directors for Arts on the Block and the Joan Trumpauer Mulholland Foundation. Her extensive experience and dedication to social impact make her a valuable asset to both BDO and the broader community, inspiring others to engage in initiatives that drive positive change.

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(Photo courtesy of Eric Etheridge)

LUVAGHN BROWN
Board Member

Mr. Brown is a native of Jackson, MS and has resided in Greenburgh, NY since 1979. A Freedom Rider at the age of 16, he plunged into the Civil Rights Movement after being arrested for sitting at a Whites Only lunch counter at the local Woolworth’s. As a Field Secretary for the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) Mr. Brown worked primarily in Greenwood and Jackson, MS in direct action and travelled the state, working on Voter Registration. He eventually moved to Chicago, IL where he worked with the Friends of SNCC on demonstrations, local politics, preparation for the March on Washington and fundraising. A year later he moved to New York and worked with the local SNCC office and the New York CORE group. Mr. Brown has a Masters Degree in Social Work from SUNY Stony Brook. Currently, he co-chairs the African American Men of Westchester Business Skills Olympics program and was appointed to the Westchester County Human Rights Commission He is a member of the White Plains Juneteenth Committee, and a member of the African American Men of Westchester.

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Cherita Washington
Board Member

Cherita Washington is an experienced, global leader, with over ten years of experience working in the following industries: Retail, Supply Chain Operations, Human Resources, and Diversity Equity and Inclusion.

Cherita is a proud alumnus of Lincoln University of Missouri (an HBCU located in Jefferson City, MO). There she earned degrees in Journalism (BA) and Public Administration and Policy (MBA). She also serves on the Foundation Board for Harris Stowe State University (an HBCU located in Saint Louis, MO).

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Dontaye Carter
Board Member

Dontaye Carter started Carter Media Group in 2017 to work with attorneys to use their client’s stories to drive change. He has worked on some of the nation’s most prominent legal cases, including #SurvivingRKelly case, The Maggie Thomas Case, Ahmaud Arbery case, the Jimmy Atchison case, and many more.

Carter began his professional career working in television news as an Executive Producer, Anchor, Reporter, and Editor. After more than a decade, Carter left the news industry to become the youngest  Director of the Public Relations Department at the Fulton County DistrictAttorney’s Office, the largest DA’s office in the State of Georgia. Nearly two years later, Carter launched Carter Media Group.

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JEANNE LUCKETT
Board Member

Jeanne Luckett has been a communications professional for over 50 years, working principally with nonprofits, public agencies, and social justice and human rights initiatives. She is currently communications consultant for the Eudora Welty Foundation and the International Museum of Muslim Cultures. She has also consulted for the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Institute and the Mississippi Freedom 50th Foundation.

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NATHAN TOLMAN
Treasurer

Nathan Tolman has more than 25 years of senior financial management experience. He has a Master’s of Accountancy from Utah State University and is a licensed CPA in the state of Utah. He has worked in finance for the healthcare, tech, retail and public utilities sectors, gaining diverse experience.

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ROBERT HANSON
Secretary

Robert Hanson has almost 30 years of experience driving profitable growth in challenging, competitive and volatile markets. Robert received his BBA from North Carolina Central University and an MBA from University of New Haven. Robert also a military veteran, having served with the 82nd Airborne Division.

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JERRY MITCHELL
Civil Rights Advisor

With his work as an investigative reporter, Jerry Mitchell has helped put four Klansmen and a suspected serial killer behind bars. His stories have also exposed injustices and corruption in Mississippi, helping lead to investigations, exonerations, firings and reforms of state agencies. Jerry has won multiple awards including being a Pulitzer Prize finalist and a recipient of the inaugural Medgar Evers Justice Award,