BIO

Celeste C. Smith is a philanthropic strategist, cultural organizer, and multimedia storyteller committed to justice-centered systems design and narrative transformation. With more than 15 years of experience across philanthropy, nonprofit leadership, and cultural production, she brings deep expertise in trust-based grantmaking, strategic planning, and ecosystem building.

As Founder and Principal of Grants & Grit Co., Celeste leads consulting, capacity-building, and equity design for foundations, nonprofits, and grassroots organizations. Her leadership has shaped multi-million-dollar initiatives, most recently as Senior Director of Programs at the Wayfarer Foundation, where she oversaw a $34M racial justice portfolio.

A co-founder of the nationally recognized 1Hood Media, Celeste has produced award-winning campaigns and visual projects centered on Black identity, justice, and liberation. Her creative work includes videography and direction for Jasiri X and New Nat Turners, and she is a credited producer on Bars4Justice and WarOnUs. Her public commentary has been featured by PBS, BET, The Nation, and The Root.

In 2026, she will serve as a Resident Scholar at the Collegeville Institute, where she will develop Married to the Mission, a multimedia project exploring Black spiritual leadership, burnout, and community accountability. She is also a trusted voice in philanthropic spaces, serving on advisory boards for Grantmakers in the Arts, the Heinz Endowments, and Carnegie Mellon University.

Celeste holds a B.A. in Arts Management from Chatham University and is a past fellow of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She lives in Chicago, where she writes, creates, and imagines liberated futures rooted in truth, care, and collective power.