Our People: Aji Bakare, Senior Major Gifts Officer, East
Aji Bakare
Senior Major Gifts Officer, East
Prince George’s County, Maryland
What is a day (or week) in the life of a major gifts officer like?
My week varies depending on opportunities to connect with donors. I really enjoy a week that includes time with donors whether it’s an in-person meeting or phone/zoom conversation. It’s a unique opportunity to learn what drew donors to our work and what motivates them to support us. It allows me to tailor any future communication based on this interest and their aspirations.
When I have these meetings on my calendar, I prepare ahead for my time with them. I want to make sure that during the meeting I’m learning about the donor while effectively communicating the impact of their support based on their specific interests. Afterwards, I follow up with additional information or resources that reflect our conversation and continue nurturing the relationship.
During the week, I’m also spending time thinking strategically about the donors in my portfolio. I’m often brainstorming on how to strengthen their relationship with the organization, deepen their understanding of our work, and align engagement opportunities with their interests. For example, I’m currently thinking about opportunities to bring donors together at events where they can hear from team members, educators, students and others in our organization or conferences where I can meet prospective new donors. Ultimately, my week is spent thinking about meaningful touch points to honor our donors’ motivation and strengthen their relationship with us.
What news literacy tip, tool or guidance do you most often use?
I practice a combination of news literacy tips, but lateral reading is probably the one I rely on most. I start most mornings listening to the news while I’m getting ready, and throughout the day I listen to a few podcasts by a variety of journalists as well. Before bed, I’ll usually read a mix of articles from different outlets to round things out. I end up getting my news from a combination of sources which keeps me grounded and hopefully also checks my biases.
Even with all this, I honestly still feel a little out of the loop. The news cycle changes so quickly as we all know. But when there is breaking news, I lean into the skills we teach young people. I slow down, wait for the facts to unfold and check multiple, credible sources and resist reacting to the first headline or social media post I come across.
Aside from fighting for facts, what else are you passionate about?
Definitely food! It’s one of my favorite ways to experience something new. I love trying out new restaurants, and I’m lucky to live in the DMV (DC, Maryland, and Virginia area), where there’s a rich mixture of cultures and people and that diversity really shows up in the food. It brings an incredible range of restaurants into the community. I also really enjoy cooking and baking at home. I don’t get to bake as often as I’d like, but when I do, it feels like such a treat. I have an Instagram account that I use just to follow food content creators. I’m constantly saving recipes and bookmarking ideas that I try to replicate at home.
Are you on team dog, team cat or do you prefer houseplants?
I’ve always been team dog to be honest; there’s something about their personality that I’ve naturally gravitated to. But I know myself well enough to recognize I’m not ready to take care of one. For now, I’ve chosen houseplants. I have a few pothos and snake plants in my bedroom and living room that are the perfect fit for my personality. I’m still new to plant care, which is perfect as they are low-maintenance and very forgiving. Maybe one day I’ll graduate from plants to caring for a puppy, but for now I’m happy with my plants.
