National Organization of African Americans in Housing
March 2024 Newsletter: Women’s History Month Edition
Aisha T. Weeks has stepped into the role of Managing Director of the Dearfield Fund for Black Wealth, as a part of the Gary Community Ventures team. Aisha is set to spearhead the growth of the Dearfield Fund, working with our partners to transform it into the leading platform in the nation for Black and African American homeownership and wealth generation. The Dearfield Fund has seen significant growth recently, assisting over 150 homebuyers in securing their homes and providing $9 million in down-payment support to our community members. With Aisha at the helm, we anticipate the Fund to enhance our impact further and evolve into a lasting Black-led institution dedicated to narrowing the racial wealth divide.
As a Brooklyn, New York native, Aisha brings a wealth of experience from the City of Cleveland, where she oversaw community reinvestment and cross-sector partnership initiatives. Her extensive background spans consumer and small business lending, housing policy advocacy, equity planning, and the development and execution of financial inclusion strategies. A proud alumna of the National Urban Fellow program, Aisha has previously held positions at Citibank and served as an adjunct professor at Cleveland State University. She has contributed to several boards, social service impact committees, and micro-loan funds.
In her leadership role, Aisha will collaborate with local and national leaders in housing stability, formulate our wraparound services strategy, establish criteria for lender vetting and an onboarding process, and expand the Dearfield Fund team.
Ms. Weeks states loud and clear where she has been and where she is going in the recent Dearfield Annual Impact Report:
“I have spent my career at the intersection of lending, racial equity, financial inclusion, and housing development. Today, as the Managing Director of the Dearfield Fund, I am motivated by the understanding that existing federal policy interventions, race-neutral solutions, and charitable donations alone will not close the racial wealth gap….When I accepted the Ivory Prize for Housing Affordability on behalf of the Dearfield Fund in May, I spoke about the need to shift the narrative of racial equity from solely a moral imperative to one that acknowledges the economic impact of and business case for dismantling systemic barriers to financial inclusion. When investors activate their balance sheets and invest in Black communities they see a financial return and meaningful social impact. Together we can catalyze economic development that dismantles long-standing barriers to racial equity and financial inclusion.”