Teresa Prim and G. Sequane Lawrence have spent their personal and professional lives serving their community and supporting youth and economic development in the Chicago region.
As owners and co-founders of Prim Lawrence Group, the couple provides strategic advice on community economic development projects. Lawrence, who has a long history of leading community-based organizations, is also president and CEO of Revolution Institute, a 21st century workforce and economic development initiative and social enterprise—joining a constellation of innovative, forward-looking community economic development organizations around the country. In addition, he is a former Trust Fellow and a member of the Trust’s African American Legacy fund.
The couple recently opened a donor advised fund at the Trust, which has been instrumental in their giving to causes that advance Black youth and communities. “A donor advised fund at the Trust is such a simple, values-based, and elegant model for giving. It is a good financial and business practice, but more importantly, having this tool available is a way to potentially catalyze other donors who, like us, see a donor advised fund as an effective and creative way to support critical work in the Black community,” says Lawrence.
Prim adds, “Through my consulting firm, I have had the opportunity to work with numerous funds housed at the Trust and recognize the success and impact of practicing philanthropy through donor advised funds and other Trust vehicles. It doesn’t take millions of dollars to make an impact.”