Always Gathering
It all began in the living rooms of my childhood homes, whether in Singapore, Oslo, Jakarta, or Mexico City. My father was a foreign service officer and as a result our family moved often. His role was to promote US education and culture wherever we were posted - and often included the responsibility of hosting receptions in our home.
As early as 5 years old, I was encouraged to join the gatherings he and my mother hosted. I learned in my younger years the importance of gathering, of sharing, of creating conversations.
I loved to watch people. I remember really interesting characters, lively debates and discussions, the warmth of community, all centered around my parents’ hosting.
My father’s work, and my parent’s commitment to exposing my brother and me to any and all cultural spaces - museums, cathedrals, churches, historic sites, as well as the arts, live performance, whether it was musicals or ballets, was central to our lives.
Some of my favorite memories include seeing CATS in London; or Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev performing together, or seeing painting after painting, sculpture after sculpture, figuring that one day I’d understand why all of this was important.
I am often asked what it was like to move all the time growing up - my answer is, it’s all I knew - and this reality provided me an expansive look at the world, which has informed my life in every way.
My father passed away suddenly of a heart attack on December 30, 1994, which ended our moves abruptly, and created a void that I still feel to this day. I honor his legacy by continuing to be a seeker of the world. I honor his legacy through gathering - by weaving together people, places, and things, to find what we all have in common, how we can learn from each other, and give to one another. This is what drives The Laksmi Project.
In gratitude and partnership,
What We Do
The Laksmi Fund
The Laksmi Fund supports organizations and efforts in the arts, health, environment and community advocacy.
LP. Salons
We gather organizations, leaders, and cultural and social change-makers to spark connection around a shared mission.
LP. Activations
Curated by the LP., Activations are tailored to your goals to build relationships and engagement for your fundraiser, work, project, or mission.
The LP. Values
Connection
We create spaces for intentional relationship building. The LP. believes in fostering deeper connections with the world around us.
Equity
The LP. challenges the power dynamics in traditional models of fundraising and philanthropy.
Exploration
We are interested in process.
Always asking, “What can we know, do, and understand…differently?”.
Impact
The LP. believes in a ripple effect. We build regenerative instead of transactional relationships.
Abundance
Laksmi, the goddess of abundance. The LP. believes there is enough for us all and that shared resources are the key to everyone’s success.
Mirja Catherine Laksmi Spooner is a development leader, host, and founder of The Laksmi Project. Mirja works as a connector to cultivate relationships, engagements, and opportunities that contribute to a more abundant world. Her work lives at the intersection of community connection, strategic development, and financial engagement.
Mirja spent her career working in the arts in New York City and was the Director of Development at the Neue Galerie New York. Additionally, she worked in development at the Art Institute of Chicago raising capital funds for the Modern Wing. Mirja is a board member of The Renaissance Society, and Hyde Park Art Center. She is the Board Chair of the ChiArts Foundation, the philanthropic partner to Chicago's only public arts high school, The Chicago High School for the Arts. Mirja holds a BA in American Studies from Barnard College/Columbia University.
Mirja is currently the Director of Development at Brushwood Center, a health and nature non-profit in Lake County, IL. In 2022, Mirja started The Laksmi Project. The LP. works with organizations and individuals to create and sustain enriching connections that optimize their assets, and exceed their goals.
