Like many young activists, Atllas Hopkins considers the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder in 2020 a pivotal moment in his life.
Following the May 2020 resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement across the U.S., Hopkins encountered performative activism on social media, involving major companies, nonprofits and top influencers seeking donations in favor of the movement, but whose actions wouldn’t reflect actual support by those impacted by police violence.
Dismayed by the lack of funds directed toward organizations doing effective work, Hopkins felt compelled to try a different method.
“I wanted to take matters into my own hands. And I wanted to impact my community directly. But passively, you know, without having to be in front of everybody’s face, without having to make a big ordeal about it,” he said in an interview with The Arizona Republic.
At the age of 21, while still an undergraduate student at Arizona State University, he founded Students Engaged in Ethical Donations (SEED) Philanthropy, a group bringing high school and college students together to fundraise for organizations that provide young Black men the opportunity to impact their communities positively.
Fighting for Black students like him
Hopkin’s interest in giving back began at a very young age.
His upbringing was comfortable, he said. He had two loving parents and lived in a good community, but the same wasn’t the case for members of his extended family, whom he was close to. Those differences made him acutely aware of some of the privileges he lived with.
“Seeing their stories and their struggles and being there for some of those nights where, you know, you might not get a meal, you don’t know when the power is going to turn off — not being a stranger to that kind of life is what motivated me to do this,” Hopkins explained.
Even so, wanting to give back to your community but not knowing how to do it can be tricky, especially for young Black men who rarely immerse themselves in the world of philanthropy, a space dominated by white, affluent men. SEED was founded on the idea that Black men not only belonged in that space but could also effect change by becoming active philanthropic members of their communities.
SEED specifically targets organizations in the Valley that are Black-led, student-oriented and serve low-income areas.
Earlier this year, the group fundraised $500 to purchase new school supplies for students at Madison Camelview Elementary School, a Title I school in central Phoenix. Members have volunteered for clean-up efforts at Steele Indian School Park and along Central Avenue. Last year, the group raised money for a nonprofit that took Black high school students to California to tour universities, Hopkins said.
The group accepts members ages 16 -21 who are high school and college students. The program serves as a mentee opportunity via Real Engagement Through Active Philanthropy (REAP), focused on preparing Black men for philanthropic endeavors.
Instilling a sense of optimism in young Black students is crucial, he said.
“We really want to show our community members who might be on the less fortunate side that there are positives and there are resources for them, and there are people who are rooting for you to pursue whatever it is that you’re passionate about,” said Hopkins.
“SEED is the world’s first of its kind: the first all-Black youth philanthropic group. And, you know, that’s a good thing and a bad thing, because I don’t want it to be the world’s first. And I also don’t want to be the last. This is something that should inspire our community and should inspire our peers.”
Capturing community in every space, industry
The 22-year-old graduate student said he tries to instill a sense of altruism in everything he does.
Hopkins is pursuing a master’s degree in architecture at ASU, a field he sees as crucial to promoting sustainability and community-building. He hopes to start his own architecture firm one day that centers these values in everything it designs.
In December, Hopkins also started a clothing line, Own Freedom, which specializes in accessible and affordable clothing. One of his best sellers is a one-size-fits-all sweatpant that uses an elastic waistband to accommodate larger sizes and an attached belt system for smaller sizes.
While all of these responsibilities are a lot to juggle, Hopkins said he is happy to devote his time and energy to causes he is passionate about.
“I know that not everyone is afforded the opportunity to do what they love every day. And so I don’t take it for granted. And I really just go headstrong with it. And you know, I try to live every day like it might be my last time doing it,” said Hopkins.
Eshaan Sarup was a reporting intern for The Arizona Republic. Follow them on X @EshaanSarup.
