Edgar Villanueva

Biography

Edgar Villanueva is a globally-recognized expert on social justice philanthropy. He currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors of Native Americans in Philanthropy and is a Board Member of the Andrus Family Fund, NDN Collective, and Mother Jones.

In 2018, Edgar released his first book, Decolonizing Wealth, which offers hopeful and compelling alternatives to the dynamics of colonization in the philanthropic and social finance sectors. Due to the success of Decolonizing Wealth and the request for programs and education about decolonization, Edgar launched the Decolonizing Wealth Project (DWP) in late 2018.

In 2019, he founded Liberated Capital, a participatory grant-making fund directed by DWP that invites individuals and organizations to give through a reparations model that trusts and supports the leadership of those most impacted by historical and systemic racism. The fund welcomes support from all who are committed to collectively healing the wounds of colonialism and white supremacy by using money as medicine to shape an equitable future.

Edgar also consults with national and global philanthropies and nonprofits on advancing racial equity inside of their institutions and through their investment strategies.

He holds two degrees from the Gillings Global School of Public Health at The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Edgar is an enrolled member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina and resides in Brooklyn, NY.