Like with schooling or professional development, the more we are invested INTO, the more we can invest in our communities in return. We believe that investors/funders are no different. We are curious to learn and help co-create what intentional spaces, peer networks, convenings, learning communities, etc. that Black wealth holders may want to feel supported, empowered, and capable to fulfill their social impact goals for their wealth
For those who have been (or are) investors, or who sit in ‘upstream’ positions at the helm of financial resources that can have great influence ‘downstream,’ we are usually approached with asks, pitches, ideas for how we can use that capital, etc. ‘Extractive’ is the word I often hear used. I’ve heard many high-net-worth people, celebrities, influencers, and those with famous last names express that ‘it is lonely at the top.’
When I first stepped into the impact investing industry, I found a whole diverse ecosystem of educational resources, peer mentors, communities, and conferences where I felt supported, safe to learn, could be myself, found sounding boards for my investment/venture ideas, and when ready, could get actionable about deploying the investment capital at my hands. But, I was first invested INTO by a whole community. And I had a lot of options to learn depending on my comfort zone: in women-only investor communities, casual Next Gen spaces with people my age, deal-making and action-oriented environments, and educational/no-pressure-to-act conferences, just to name a few.
Human capital investments as a prerequisite for financial capital investments.
Before any impact investor, venture capitalist, or philanthropist gives a dime, they had to first learn--about what options existed, what tools they could use, clarify what their passions are, etc. Where are the needs to invest in human capital (the people themselves) ‘upstream’? Where do Black wealth holders feel they want support/community/learning/tailored spaces, if at all?
Harnessing the power of ‘mid stream’ funders.
Do power and funding have to rest in the hands of ‘upstream’ sources of wealth? We’d love to help host conversations with people who are innovating in democratized, crowd-sourced investment models and financial products where middle class wealth holders can aggregate their capital and find collective power, to then empower those non-profit leaders and entrepreneurs they believe in in their own communities.
