The story of Darren Walker’s life is a quintessential American story. He was born to a single mother in a charity hospital, lived in a shotgun shack in a small, rural community in East Texas, attended public schools and colleges. Darren was in the first class of Head Start in 1965, received Pell Grants, and private scholarships. Today, as he put it himself recently in a commencement address at the University of Vermont:

"I am black. I am gay. I live in Manhattan, that tiny island moored off the coast, and a little unmoored from reality. And I spend much of my time traveling across the country and around the world, meeting visionary, courageous, resilient people fighting poverty, inequality, and injustice."

Darren is the type of person who can put you at ease and spot your hidden talents. He is down-to-earth and relatable. Darren is also brilliant and helping to change the world of philanthropy, and as a result, making America a better place.