Biography
About Dennis Maurice Dumpson —
the work, the way, and the why.
Dennis Maurice Dumpson is a founder, racial equity expert, author, philanthropist, and strategic executive leader & coach translating two decades of leadership experience that has impacted the lives of more than 100,000 people and injected more than $125MM in capital into communities with unmet needs.
Photo: Atiba Sonnebeyatta
Dennis Maurice Dumpson is an organizer, thought leader, writer, philanthropy expert, and future-ready strategic leader dedicated to racial equity and systemic transformation. Across a 20+ year career, he has translated investment into direct impact on more than 100,000 lives and communities with unmet needs nationwide.
He is the Founder and CEO of #InvestBLK, a strategy firm helping nonprofits and government agencies build anti-racist policies, narratives, and practices. His client portfolio includes the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia250, Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, William Way LGBT Community Center, the Dyslexia Alliance for Black Children, Common App, KIPP Philadelphia Schools, and LaSalle University. His thought leadership has appeared in The Washington Post, CBS Money, Socialist Worker, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and The Plug, and The Philadelphia Tribune named him one of the most influential African Americans in Philadelphia.
Through the #InvestBLK Black and Empty Fund, Dennis has moved more than $45,000 in trust-based funding to Black and Brown leaders, and he is launching the Quitting Fund — up to $5,000 in financial assistance for Black and Brown nonprofit leaders exiting unhealthy work environments. Across his career he has secured more than $125 million for justice-focused missions, including $5M in 18 months for KIPP Philadelphia Schools' capital expansion.
He most recently served as Chief External Affairs Officer and Senior Advisor to the CEO of Let's Get Ready, the national virtual coaching organization, where he led efforts that secured $14M in funding and scaled enrollment by 8,000 students. Earlier roles include inaugural Director of Community Engagement and DEI Officer at Philadelphia International Airport, and Interim EVP of Development at the Opportunity Finance Network, where he was instrumental in securing a landmark $22M investment expanding access to capital for business owners of color across 20 states.
As an author, Dennis explores racial justice and activism. He wrote Black Washed and What My Colored Eyes See, and in 2026 will release Radical Sensitivity, co-written with his mother Adrianne Dumpson-Diggs, and Other Side of Soil, an anthology of Black historical memory. His civic leadership includes Board Chair of the Abortion Liberation Fund of Pennsylvania, Vice-Chair & Treasurer of Diaspora DNA Story Center, and Fundraising Chair of the PHL Pride Collective, where he raised over $200,000 to launch what NPR called the most inclusive Pride in the country.
Dumpson earned a B.S. in Philosophy from Lincoln University of PA — the nation's first degree-granting HBCU — and an MBA in Global Finance and Executive Leadership from Saint Joseph's University, with a fellowship and corporate residency in Brazil and Chile. He is currently a doctoral student at the University of Lynchburg's School of Medicine & Health Sciences, completing a treatise on the relationship between mental health, AI ethics, and technology leadership — examining how algorithmic bias affects vulnerable populations. He lives in his hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and enjoys global travel.
Our Story
A life in chapters — 1983 to now.
Tap (or hover) any moment to read the memory. Each tile is a small original composition — cowrie shells, mudcloth stripes, and Adinkra symbols, with a nod to Basquiat, Kehinde Wiley, and Faith Ringgold.
1983
1988
1993
1997
2001
2001
2005
2006
2009
2011
2015
2019
2020
2021
2023
2023
2026
Credentials
100,000+ lives impacted across communities with unmet needs
$125M+ invested in communities with unmet needs
Trusted advisor to national industry leaders, journalists, and organizations
Named one of the Most Influential Philadelphians by The Philadelphia Tribune
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Inquiries regarding speaking, consulting, thought leadership, and facilitation on race, politics, philanthropy, leadership, AI ethics, and the celebration of Black life are reviewed personally.
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