Far-left activist Nekima Levy Armstrong, who helped organize the chaotic storming of a Minnesota church during an anti-ICE demonstration, previously collected more than $1 million in pay and benefits while leading a nonprofit created to fight poverty.
The financial picture, revealed through years of tax filings, is raising fresh questions about how the organization handled its mission and its money.
The Church Disruption That Sparked National Attention
Armstrong, who describes herself online as a civil rights attorney and scholar-activist, played a central role in mobilizing demonstrators who entered Cities Church on Sunday.
She claimed in a Facebook post that one of the pastors is connected to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, fueling outrage at a time when the Twin Cities have seen widespread protests over the federal government’s enhanced fraud-related immigration enforcement efforts.
A Nonprofit Leader With a Lucrative Compensation History
Before founding her cannabis company, Dope Roots, Armstrong spent at least six years running the Wayfinder Foundation, according to filings from 2019 through 2024. And during that time, her compensation package consistently outpaced the organization’s grantmaking totals.
The 2024 tax filing shows that the group distributed $158,811 in grants while Armstrong earned a $215,726 salary, plus $40,548 in health benefits, retirement contributions, and deferred compensation.
In 2023, the nonprofit awarded $133,698 in grants, yet Armstrong received $170,726 in salary alongside $44,300 in additional compensation.
The pattern continued in 2022, when she made $175,000 plus $33,126 in other compensation, while the organization issued $161,325 in grants.
Six Years of Pay Exceeding Grants
Across all filings from 2019 to 2024, Armstrong collected $936,395 in salary and $201,313 in benefits and related compensation. During that same period, the Wayfinder Foundation disbursed about $700,052 in grants, despite reporting $5.2 million in revenue.
The foundation has attracted notable donors. According to a 2023 filing, the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation gave Wayfinder $20,000 to support programs aimed at strengthening Black communities.
The Walton Family Foundation has also been a significant funder, contributing $2.34 million between 2018 and 2024.
Archived Messages Reveal the Group’s Mission
Although the nonprofit’s website is now offline, archived pages highlight its focus on supporting Black and Latina activists through the Community Activist Fellowship.
One archived message from Armstrong to donors reads:
“Where others see deficiencies, lack, and want, Wayfinder sees opportunity for little revolutions that place demands on power and change systems for the better.”
Armstrong continued, “We get there by investing directly in the most basic unit of change in a child’s life, their mother.”
A Long History of Polarizing Activism
Armstrong has been a visible figure in left-wing organizing for years, including efforts to boycott Target over changes to its diversity and inclusion programs.
er rhetoric has also drawn criticism. In a September 26 post, she praised Joanne Chesimard, known as Assata Shakur, calling her “a brave, wise, powerful, and revolutionary Black woman.”
Silence After New Revelations
Reporters reached out to Armstrong, the Wayfinder Foundation, the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, the Walton Family Foundation, and Walmart for comment. None immediately responded.
