Meet the Architects
Founded by four Black women of African descent, we stand on the shoulders of our grandmothers and the memory of our warrior ancestors. We each lead major social change organizations in Washington state that empower Black leadership, and have come together with a vision for radical change.
Andrea Caupain Sanderson
“Three hundred years of ancestral trauma lives in our bodies. With the Black Future Co-op Fund, we’re planting new seeds that recognize the full humanity of Black Washingtonians and promoting healing so future generations are able to thrive.”
For more than 25 years, Andrea has worked to advance racial equity and economic mobility for people across Washington state. As an immigrant to this country at the age of 12 and a single mother at 19, Andrea knows how it feels to be marginalized and struggling to make ends meet. Throughout her career, Andrea has translated her lived experience, coupled with her determination, to forge solutions to systemic barriers to opportunity.
Andrea is co-founder and co-executive director of the BIPOC Executive Directors Coalition, a multi-cultural, statewide collaborative of nonprofit leaders of color who are uniting through healing and advocacy to generate shared abundance in communities. Most recently, she served as CEO of Byrd Barr Place, a Black-led organization that empowers people to live healthy, prosperous lives through essential services and advocacy. During her 20-year tenure at Byrd Barr Place, Andrea was instrumental in turning the organization around from nearly closing its doors to thriving. She persisted 10 years to secure ownership of the organization’s home and led a $12.8M renovation (moving through debt-free) to preserve a cultural home for Black people. She also launched groundbreaking research to lift up Black communities’ approaches and needs to advocate for policy and systems change.
In addition, Andrea serves as a commissioner on the Washington State Commission on African American Affairs; on the boards of the Africatown Community Land Trust, Craft3, Crescent Collaborative, and Lorna Jordan Foundation; and as a steering committee member on the Washington Black Lives Matter Alliance. Andrea earned a Master of Public Administration and a Bachelor of Arts from Evergreen State College.
She lives in Skyway with her husband and two children, whom she appreciates learning from every day. Andrea is also an avid runner, who has completed Seattle’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon nine times.
Angela Jones, J.D.
“We are committed to being good ancestors and building the sustainable infrastructure to connect Black communities across the state and ignite Black generational wealth and well-being.”
Angela strongly believes equitable access to education is essential to community sustainability and generational growth. As director of the Washington State Initiative at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Angela leads the foundation’s strategy to create positive and sustainable impact for students, families, and communities throughout the state. Her passion, service, and leadership in Washington’s public education systems span more than 25 years. Previously, Angela served as CEO of Washington STEM, and held various leadership roles at Eastern Washington University and Washington State University. She also was the director of Employment and Conciliation Services for Spokane Public Schools and taught in the Wapato School District.
Angela grew up all over the world as a Navy dependent, before moving to Washington and graduating from Mountlake Terrace High School in the Edmonds School District. She spent 30 years living, working, and raising her family in eastern Washington before moving back to Snohomish County. Angela says her parents have been her first and foremost mentors. Their encouragement, coupled with her faith, motivate her to work hard every day.
She is a long-time member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated. She currently serves on the boards of Washington MESA and Teachers of Color Foundation, as well as on the Washington State University-Pullman Student Affairs advisory committee. She earned a Juris Doctor from Gonzaga University School of Law, a Master of Science in Communications from Eastern Washington University, a Bachelor of Arts in English/Language Arts, and an initial teaching certificate from Washington State University. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, cycling, gardening, and being a doting Glam-ma.
Michelle Merriweather
“As a statewide organization, it’s our job and responsibility to bring voice, vision, and faith to the needs of folks who have been left out. This Fund will last well beyond the current moment and help change the lives of Black people for generations to follow.”
Michelle strives to be “an effective voice for the voiceless,” advocating for African Americans and other communities who have been systematically excluded from economic and educational opportunities. She is the president and CEO of the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, where she leads advocacy, programming, and coalition building to improve housing, education, health, and workforce development for Seattle’s Black communities. Previously, Michelle worked with the Los Angeles Urban League, following a successful career in sales and marketing with Starbucks, Heinz, and Coca Cola.
Prior to joining the organization as an employee, Michelle volunteered with the Urban League nationally for over 10 years, sharing her experience in marketing, fund development, and organizing to expand the connection the organization has with young professionals.
Michelle grew up in Southern California and was always taught to be of service to others. Michelle often tributes her greatest inspiration, not only to her parents, but paternal grandmother who worked in service of others to ensure that every one of her seven children and all of her grandchildren graduated from college. Coming from the segregated South, she was determined and had an unwavering commitment to education. Many of her children became educators and all of her grandchildren are working hard to follow in her legacy to leave the world a better place.
Michelle's commitment to honoring Black lives and uplifting people who have been disenfranchised extends to her service in the community. Michelle serves on the Washington Black Lives Matter Alliance Steering Committee, and on the boards of the Alliance for Education, Washington State Women's Commission, and Progress Pushers, a grassroots nonprofit disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline for young people. She is also an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and is the advisor for the University of Washington chapter. Michelle is a proud graduate of Xavier University of Louisiana with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.
T’wina Nobles
“The Black Future Co-op Fund is answering a call that has gone unanswered for too long. I’m grateful that people are listening in a new way and taking action to realize the promise of shared prosperity for Black Washingtonians.”
T’wina is the inaugural CEO of the Black Future Co-op Fund, and a founding architect. She leads the Fund in service of our mission to ignite Black generational wealth, health, and well-being across Washington. T’wina is also senator for the 28th Legislative District of Washington state.
Growing up, T’wina and her family faced many challenges, including homelessness, which led T’wina to move into foster care at the age of 15. T’wina was determined not to become a statistic, and applied her passion, energy, and hard work to graduate high school and go on to become an educator. She believes strongly in giving back to the community that helped her succeed.
Most recently, T’wina was the president and CEO of the Tacoma Urban League, where she led programs to strengthen and support the local African American community in social equality and economic independence. Previously, T’wina worked as an instructor for Metropolitan Development Council’s College Bound program at Stadium High School and Lincoln High School in Tacoma, as well as served as a PTA leader and a school board member. She also co-founded Ladies First, an in-school and after-school program dedicated to empowering young women and building positive self-esteem. She attended the University of Puget Sound, where she earned her undergraduate degree and a Master of Arts in Teaching.
T’wina and her family live in Pierce County. In her free time, T’wina enjoys lazy days with family, running environmental justice camps for her mentorship group, outdoor adventures in our state parks, and reading inspirational nonfiction.