About Macon Street
In Black neighborhoods, financial organizing has long been a practice deeply rooted in the fabric of the community. The stoop, symbolic of gathering spaces where neighbors come together, exemplifies the spirit of mutual support and care. Whether it's assisting a neighbor with groceries or finding solace and strength in the community church, Black communities have built networks of support and foundations of economic resilience.
The name "Macon Street" is the street in the Bedford–Stuyvesant neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY, where Mini Verna's family lived. In the photo below she is seated on their very stoop. It serves as a reminder of the resilience, strength, and spirit of community that has been passed down through generations. Macon Street Ventures stands as a continuation of this legacy and is honored to be building upon the resilience and ingenuity of previous generations.
About Mini
Mini Verna is the CEO and Founder of Macon Street Ventures. San Francisco born and raised, for over a decade she has worked throughout the Bay Area with schools and non-profit organizations to strategize, develop, and implement winning campaigns. Mini is also a 21/64 Certified Advisor trained to guide multigenerational families, donors, and philanthropic leaders through meaningful conversations at the intersection of wealth, values, and legacy.
From 2018-2022, Mini led her own development consulting firm, JamBear Consulting. Clients included: Khan Academy, NewSchools Venture Fund, Rubicon Programs, Raise for Good, Park Day School, Millennium School, Forum for Educators, and the Peninsula School to name a few. Prior to that, she worked in-house for KIPP Northern California Public Schools and for The Nueva School. Before fundraising, Mini worked for Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi.
Mini received her B.A. in Political Science from Barnard College in 2011, and a Pastry and Baking degree from the San Francisco Cooking School in 2017. In 2023, she completed the 10th cohort of the East Bay Meditation Center’s year-long mindfulness teacher training program, and from 2019-2020, she facilitated social-emotional competency building circles for educators in the San Francisco Unified School District.
Based in Oakland, CA, in her spare time she can be found making art, enjoying nature, spending time with her dog, and sharing food with friends. Mini is a member of the Donor’s of Color Network, and serves on the Board of Directors of the East Bay Meditation Center and City of Dreams San Francisco.