Ms. Donnie Nicole Belcher (Formerly Donnie Nicole Smith) started her professional career as a teacher in the Chicago Public School System. Donnie earned her Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education with a concentration in English from DePaul University in 2006. As a teacher Donnie worked with students from diverse backgrounds teaching Literature and Writing to 9th - 12th graders. Donnie taught at Whitney Young Magnet High School, the alma mater of Former First Lady Michelle Obama, and Gwendolyn Brooks College Preparatory Academy. She impacted thousands of students in her 12 years with the Chicago Public School System and many of her former students pursued careers in Education.
Donnie is the Founding & Former Executive Director of Art of Culture Inc. (Formerly Donda’s House). During her tenure, Art of Culture provided free access to the arts for Chicago youth. Art of Culture was featured in a Facebook Documentary with over 1.2 million views, shared personally by Mark Zuckerberg.
In 2014, Donnie was awarded the 2014 Open Society Foundation Black Male Achievement Echoing Green Fellowship. In 2015, Donnie was selected as a National Alliance for Media, Arts & Culture Creative Leader (NAMAC), funded by the Andy Warhol Foundation and the Adobe Foundation. That same year, Donnie was awarded the “Courage Award” from New York University’s Hip Hop Education Center. In 2016, Donnie was also selected as one of Ebony Magazine’s Ebony Power 100 Honorees in the “Women Up” Category for her work with Art of Culture. Other honorees included Issa Rae, Melissa Harris-Perry and Serena Williams. Most recently, Donnie was the recipient of the Deloris Jordan Award for Excellence in Community Leadership, selected by the award’s namesake, who is also Michael Jordan’s mother. Donnie is a Former Committee Member of Know Your Chicago, housed at the University of Chicago. She is currently a MinnSPRA Board Member.
Donnie's was selected as one of 12 members of a U.S. Delegation to visit Mauritania, West Africa in order to explore the human rights issue of slavery. Slavery was abolished in 1981 in Mauritania, and criminalized in 2007. The delegation was denied entry to Mauritania by the Mauritanian Government and ended up working in Senegal, West Africa to meet the goals of learning more about how the country & its citizens were addressing the challenge of slavery.
After 17 years in Chicago, Donnie returned home to Minneapolis in April of 2019. After informally coaching non-profit leaders over the years and learning through experience, Donnie launched Work With Donnie, her consulting firm in May of 2019. Work with Donnie provides Project Management, Communications and Capacity Building services to nonprofits and entrepreneurs. Clients include the University of Minnesota Medical Schools Pipeline Programs, McFarlane Media Group (a.k.a. Insight News), and Virgin Hotels North America. Donnie has raised $566,000+ in total funds as a consultant and nonprofit leader. Her fundraising strengths include youth development, arts and educational programs.
In March of 2020, Donnie joined the Ann Bancroft Foundation (ABF) as Program Director. The Ann Bancroft Foundation provides grants & ongoing development opportunities to support girls pursuing and achieving their dreams.
Donnie joined co-founders Lauren Burke & Prisma Herrera to launch Camp Equity in 2020. Camp Equity was a 12 week virtual camp where students entering 6th – 12th grade engaged with pressing social justice topics from nonprofit leaders who are creating a better world. Over 180 students registered, from over 26 states as well as Canada & Puerto Rico.
She has been featured in numerous publications such as CNN, Jet Magazine and People Magazine and is committed to using her success and access to empower underrepresented and underserved communities, increase equity and encourage agency. In April of 2021, Donnie gave birth to her first child, Amelia Rena. Donnie became Director of Communications for Minneapolis Public Schools in September of 2021 and feels honored to work on behalf of students and families. Donnie’s personal mission is to help others “close the gap between their reality and their dreams” and she works tirelessly as an entrepreneur, consultant and philanthropic leader to advance that mission.
Click here to view Donnie’s Portfolio.
In The News:
Digital Summit Minneapolis Speaker. Learn more.
Designing with an Equity and Justice Lens Workshop Facilitator with Echoing Green.
Creating a Racial Harm Protocol Conference Panelist. Learn more here.
Manifesting & Co-Creating with God Workshop Facilitator. Watch here.
9 Strategies for Addressing the Unexpected Challenges of this Year through Family-School Engagement Panelist. Watch here.
Raising Little Resisters Podcast Interview. Listen here.
Yale Philanthropy Conference: 10 Ways to 100K Presenter. Watch here.
Authority Magazine Interview: The Power of Flexibility. Read here.
The Nonprofit Mastermind Podcast - The Why & How of Launching & Building a Nonprofit Rooted in Equity. Listen here.
Equality Matters Podcast - Donnie joins Camp Equity co-Founder Lauren Burke to discuss teaching social justice. Listen here.
Red Bull - The next gen of artists in the Second City have no equal as they fight for justice, mentor younger talent and tour with a purpose. Read here.
Chicago Business - Donnie Smith, Executive Director of Art of Culture Goes to Africa. Read here.
Unbothered Black Girl Collective Interview about Black Women + Creativity. Read here.
PAST COLLABORATIONS, SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS AND/OR CLIENTS:
