Demetria Huntsman is Akonadi’s Senior Program Officer, where she oversees the foundation’s arts and culture grantmaking and community engagement, including the So Love Can Win fund.
Born and raised in Oakland, Demetria started her career in youth development; building programs, organizing youth, and developing communities. Her restorative justice based work became a model for resolving conflict and was selected by State Senate Pro Tem Don Perata and then mayor Ron Dellums as Oakland’s first community street-based outreach program. Prior to joining Akonadi Foundation, she served as Chief Operating Officer at YR Media, an award-winning leading media, technology, and music training center and platform for emerging BIPOC content creators, who use their voices to change the world. As Senior Director of Operations and Finance at Black Futures Lab, her leadership was invaluable to the success of the Black Census Project, the largest national survey of Black people in more than 150 years. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political, Legal, and Economic Analysis, and a Master of Business Administration from Mills College.
Demetria remains inspired and centers her joy by having healthy boundaries, using her voice and seeing the best in others, and making room for belly laughs. She enjoys raising her beautiful son in Oakland, honoring all who came before, and sunset walks with her dog.
Demetria can be reached at demetria [at] akonadi.org
