Darius Baxter
EXCLUSIVE
Grassroots Activist & Organizer; Award Winning Philanthropist; Social Impact Leader
Darius Baxter has committed his life to creating pathways for families to make it out of poverty after experiencing homelessness and the violent murder of his father as a child.
Growing up in the aftermath of the crack epidemic in Washington, D.C., Darius’ mother instilled in him a love for education and nurtured his athletic ability.
Ultimately, his talents would provide a scholarship to Georgetown University where he graduated from the Women’s and Gender Studies Department with a degree in Globalization and Poverty.
After being elected as one of the youngest Delegates to the 2016 Democratic National Convention, Darius founded the nonprofit GOODProjects to pursue his passion for community building.
Since then, Darius has invested over $8mm into low-income communities in his hometown of Washington, D.C. and in Africa.
Darius recently launched the Baxter Family Kids Centre in Nairobi, Kenya, to provide quality education to orphaned children in the Kawangware Slum.
His passion is fueled by the belief that this generation has the tools and techniques to eradicate global poverty through collaboration, education, and financial technology.
Darius was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 List, and has been recognized as a leading community organizer, impact investor, and thought leader.
A published writer, Darius has been highlighted by a variety of national publications including the New York Times, 60 Minutes, Fox News, NPR and Washington Business Journal.
Popular Topics
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
The workplace is evolving in profound ways.
From the manner in which we communicate with our colleagues, to what is deemed acceptable corporate culture, to how we manage our teams on a daily basis, the pace at which the world is changing can seem confusing at times for many leaders.
Add to the mix having to adopt new technologies almost daily, and the permanent scars of a global pandemic, leaders in this generation are bring tasked with new challenges every day.
Yet, with the changing workplace, in order to remain competitive, companies have a responsibility to constantly innovate their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies. This is especially true for talent acquisition and hiring, where finding and retaining top people is more difficult than ever.
Without a culture that embraces unique perspectives and differences, team members who feel underrepresented are likely to quit, taking their talents with them.
Everyone has something of value to contribute to a team, and as such, organizations that are not prioritizing addressing barriers and historical factors that have caused unfair conditions for underrepresented groups in the workplace will fall behind.
Organizations that seek out diverse candidates and engage in diversity training on a regular basis are stronger, more creative, and operate more efficiently.
Join Darius as he outlines the framework for the future of work. A future where values, diversity, and contribution are equally as important to employers as they are to employees.
Nonprofit Leadership & Fundraising
As the CEO and Cofounder of GOODProjects, an organization that walks alongside families on their paths out of poverty, Darius scaled a company from his dorm room at Georgetown to a multi-million dollar enterprise doing work on multiple continents.
Like many leaders, his path has not been straightforward.
In this popular presentation, Darius discusses the pitfalls he stumbled upon while finding early success, and the importance of doing things for the right reasons in the nonprofit sector.
Striking a balance between sensitivity and authenticity can be difficult, and Darius has developed a best-practices guideline to help steer your organization's approach to finding storytellers for sensitive subjects.
By encouraging audience members to stick to their mission, and emphasizing the importance of authenticity when seeking major gifts, Darius leaves listeners with a better understanding as to how to move forward, evolve, and ultimately find success.
Embracing the "I Can" Mindset
Leaders who truly believe that their talents can be developed through practice, good strategies, and a willingness to learn more often achieve higher levels of success, both personally and professionally.
We teach children to adopt the “I can” mindset, but as adults forget what it means to turn “I can’t do this” into “I can’t do this yet.”
Leaders who worry less about looking smart and put more energy into learning always win in the end. When entire organizations embrace a growth mindset, their teams report feeling far more empowered and committed. They also receive far greater organizational support for collaboration and innovation.
Join Darius as he explains how the greatest gift that anyone can provide to themselves is believing that, through their commitment to any craft, they can achieve the greatest levels of success.