A staunch social justice advocate and tireless community builder, Dina Walker is the President & CEO of BLU Educational Foundation (BLU). BLU was founded as a response to the challenges faced by underserved families in California’s Inland Empire to gain access to higher education. BLU supports policies and programs that reduce barriers to opportunity and improve outcomes for communities of color, with a laser-focus on educational and racial justice.
To that end, Walker established the College Exodus Project which has assisted over 10,000 underrepresented students gain admission, scholarships and financial aid to colleges across the nation. BLU played a central role in advocating for the passage of AB469 in 2021, a California law that mandates that all high school seniors complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) aimed at increasing college access and affordability. Walker is an expert in partnering with nonprofits, governmental agencies and educational institutions striving to serve communities of color. She serves as a CoConvenor of the Inland Empire Black Women’s Collective, as well as the Co-Chair of the Black Equity Initiative (BEI) Inland Empire, a collective of over 50 Black-led nonprofit organizations in the Inland Empire. As a part of this ambitious project, the ($5- million) IE Black Equity Fund was created as a regional pooled fund to advance racial equity and combat anti-black racism, and to support long-term investments in Black-led organizations.
Dina Walker holds a B.A. in Education from San Diego State University and postbaccalaureate studies in Non-Profit Management from the University of Maryland. She is currently writing a book entitled, Black Girls UP! A Real Life Guide to Mentoring Black Girls for Schools and Communities. She is a lifelong member of the Bethel AME Church in Fontana, California and a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the Links Inc., and a lifetime member of National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) and the NAACP.