A Message from The Imperative Chief Catalyst Geoff Streat

I am both humbled and excited by the incredible opportunity to take on the role of Chief Catalyst at The Imperative. Throughout my career, I have been driven by a passion for empowering BIPOC communities to realize their goals, dreams, and maximize their full potential. I am thrilled to continue this lifelong commitment as a team member in an organization dedicated to addressing the critical issues of wealth, health, and connectedness of Black people.

As the Chief Catalyst, I am eager to leverage my experience in philanthropy and the nonprofit sector to advance The Imperative’s important mission. Previously, I served as the Chief Operating Officer at Usher’s New Look, a nonprofit focused on building passion-driven global leaders. Prior to that, I worked in community engagement at theUnited Way of Greater Atlanta, where I led the Choice NeighborhoodsGrant and served as Director of Place-Based Initiatives. Before my time with the United Way, I was the Assistant Project Director for theUniversity System of Georgia’s African-American Male Initiative, a statewide program to improve enrollment, retention, and graduation rates for Black male students. I also worked as a Program Coordinator for theUpward Bound Program at Atlanta Metropolitan State College, supporting teenagers in completing high school and enrolling in postsecondary studies.

My work at The Imperative has begun by leading the Spark Fund, a revolutionary trust-based participatory grantmaking project designed and led by youth. This cohort of young Black men will identify and fund organizations in Atlanta focused on Black male mental health. I am excited to empower these change makers to take actionable steps to improve their community’s mental health landscape. Initiatives like theSpark Fund hold immense potential to authentically elevate the voices, priorities, and solutions of the very communities they aim to serve. I look forward to supporting and uplifting these young leaders as they affect positive change.

~Geoff