Women of Influence
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Deyona Kirk, founder of Divine Konnections
Guest Speaker


Thursday, March 13, 2025

6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.


Ecolibrium3, 2014 West 3rd Street, Duluth, MN  55806

This event is free and open to the public.


Questions about this event? Call or text Sandy Grandmaison at (218)348-7589. 
          Deyona Kirk
Deyona Kirk, the Executive Director and founder of Divine Konnections Inc. (DKI) is a BIPOC woman who has experienced homelessness herself. She was a mother at the age of 12, spent time in the foster care system, and was in and out of housing and domestic violence shelters throughout her young adult life. With the support of programs and people in the local Duluth community, Deyona was the first in her family to get a full scholarship to college and go from homeless to homeowner. Her lived experience drives the program’s purpose and makes her a key expert in advising on the work being done. 

Deyona has a degree in Organizational Behavior, is a certified nonprofit accountant, and has worked in leadership positions at nonprofits and housing authorities across the country for over 25 years. She is experienced in developing, managing, and reporting on seven-figure projects that are multi-funded and complex; involving a mixture of loans, grants, and historic tax credits.
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Deyona has an extensive history of providing care and support to teen mothers, women, and children DV survivors, families and veterans experiencing homelessness, individuals who have been incarcerated, survivors of sexual exploitation and trafficking, and youth both in and aging out of, foster care. She started her career at Women’s Transitional Housing in Duluth, MN, and for over a decade she was the youngest and only black female developer in the community. Deyona was part of an amazing team of women who developed, renovated, built, and managed some of the best renovation and new construction projects in several neighborhoods throughout Central Hillside, Lakeside, East/Endion, and West Duluth, including Alicia’s Place, Sheila's Place, Eco Home, Lakeside Cottages, and others. After moving to Texas, Deyona established DKI in April of 2020 and, soon after, her tie to Minnesota brought her back to Duluth to develop affordable housing and provide culturally centered care to young BIPOC mothers. In honor of her own mother, Deyona opened Annie's House of Refuge & Restoration in May 2022.