Building the Future: Grantmakers in the Arts Annual Conference 2023
By Cate Fox, Ambitio US Director
Each Fall, our staff looks forward to attending, reconnecting, and learning alongside colleagues from around the country at the Grantmakers in the Arts conference. This year the theme was “Revisiting Pasts to Build the Future,” and it took place in Puerto Rico. The Center for Cultural Innovation (CCI) was asked to present four sessions and help curate a pre-conference track focused on individual artists. It was a terrific opportunity to highlight some of the amazing people in our network.
Ambitio US presented a session called “I Was Told There Would Be No Math: An Artist-Led Conversation about the Inextricable Links Among Economics, Culture, and Place.” We invited two grantees, Nkuli Shongwe from Nexus Community Partners and Anasa Troutman from Historic Clayborn Temple and the BIG We Foundation, to share stories about their journeys into economic reimagining. While the three of us had a great time planning the session, we were unsure if anyone would attend. After all, we included economics in our title!
When we got to the room, we realized that we underestimated its popularity. People streamed in. We had a full house by the time we started, with some folks sitting on the floor. Anasa led the room in a meditation, inviting us to conceptualize the world as we want it to be. With the energy of what is possible, Nkuli began our session with reflections from her life and her work with the North Star Black Cooperative Fellowship in the Twin Cities. Community wealth, she reminded us, is not just a question of individual financial well-being but a holistic measure of wellness for community members. Are our members healthy? Connected? Are all people (young and elders) engaged in the life of the community? Do they have the freedom to express themselves and their identities? These cooperatives are beautiful expressions of people-centered systems, and economic benefit is just one of their many facets.
Anasa then shared how her career as an artist quickly transformed into cultural strategy work. And, it turns out that it is not a big leap from cultural strategy work to economic system reimagining, which is what she is doing at both Historic Clayborn Temple in Memphis and with the BIG We. A conference blogger attended the session and captured these thoughts . While it was not a path she planned on taking, nor has it been easy, her willingness to experiment and trailblaze to ensure African-American history and culture can survive and thrive comes at a critical time for Memphis.
People see arts funding as a way to support music, visual arts, dance, arts education, and theater, which is accurate. But arts funding can (and arguably should) take an economic systems-change approach, too. Nkuli, Anasa, and many of our grantees are creating communities with community wealth-building and social systems that embed creativity and self-expression. The electricity and interest from the room full of arts funders communicated to us that people are interested in this connection and, hopefully, through their funding, they can also make it more visible to the public.
This article was originally published on Medium. Read it on Medium →
Charting a More AmbitioUS Legacy for New Economy Builders
By Cate Fox, Ambitio US Director
As we mark five years, the mid-point, of Ambitio US , we feel a continued, and even escalating, urgency for the kind of experimental systems change work that this program was designed to support. The relevance of this work reveals itself across our grantee and investee portfolio almost daily. Our Economic Trailblazers are building momentum individually and for the sector as they demonstrate how powerful community ownership and governance are as a means for self-determination. Organizations in our Artist Ownership of Assets portfolio are leading important conversations about how artists can own their political voice, how Indigenous communities can create community wealth-building strategies that deepen their connection to their cultures and to each other, and how cultural practices can become not only viable cooperative businesses but a way to bridge gaps in racially diverse communities. Cultural communities under threat are designing systems that work better for them — AND for all of us. We need to listen and follow their lead.
We felt that way in 2019 when Ambitio US started, and we still feel that way, especially as we face an increasingly polarized political and economic environment. Recent threats to shut the government down, partisan bickering about basic human rights, and a spate of United States Supreme Court rulings make this a bleak time to pursue economic justice and systems change. But this is exactly the moment to recommit ourselves. Angie Kim, CCI President & CEO, reflected in a Medium blog post Keeping On: About Last Week’s SCOTUS Rulings (cci-arts.medium.com) , that the Supreme Court rulings “are likely to help usher in new and wider forms of a society of haves and have-nots, which leads to social unrest, economic destabilization, and undermining of democracy.” We know the work of Ambitio US grantees and investees is an antidote to that division and dehumanization.
A few other highlights from this incredible year include:
Ambitio US was invited to write the lead article ( How Philanthropy Can Show Up for an Arts Solidarity Economy ) in Non-Profit Quarterly for a series called Remember the Future: Culture and Systems Change . We also had the opportunity to highlight the work of grantees and investees at the national convening for Neighborhood Funders Group about funding movements building power.
Ambitio US partnered with CCI’s advocacy, research, and policy arm, Sol Center for Liberated Work , to fund two research projects. Together, we supported The Workers Lab to explore gig workers’ needs and the solutions that will impact them most. The research is being led by The Workers Lab and the Aspen Institute Future of Work Initiative . Similarly, we made a joint investment in a research project led by the Urban Institute to document cultural communities’ wealth-building practices as a means of cultural preservation and to socialize alternative economic solutions that prioritize community ownership. These research projects will provide insight for us and the field.
The beauty of being a time-limited initiative is that each year is an invitation to get clearer about our accomplishments, what we are learning, our next right move, and of course, what the longer-term effect of this initiative will be. Here is what I know: we are supporting a network of economy builders that brings to life the kinds of just and freeing alternative systems everyone needs and deserves. The progress brought about by movements for racial justice that are advocating for political and economic change is on the verge of being undermined and potentially erased. The true measure of one’s commitment, resolve, and energy shines brightest in times of uncertainty. Those who refuse to back down and instead face these existential threats head-on often go on to achieve remarkable feats. We are leaning into this work and following the lead of those charting new pathways for a better future despite a world that would have us retreat in defeat .
This article was originally published on Medium. Read it on Medium →
New Year, New Team Members: Welcome, Jonathon and Hannah!
By Cate Fox, Ambitio US Director and Nichole M. Christian, Narrative Shifter
While it is hard to believe, Ambitio US is marking the end of year five (of no more than ten years). We are strategizing about sectoral and relational infrastructure for alternative economy work, supporting funders as they explore movement-aligned ways of investing, and determining how best to strengthen the field as our initiative approaches its sunset. We have mapped out some big plans for 2024!
Ambitio US is thrilled to welcome two new members to our team — Jonathon Freeman and Hannah Dominica Chua. Jonathon and Hannah bring perspectives, leadership, and lived experiences that will move Ambitio US to the next level. We all look forward to seeing you in the new year.
Meet Jonathon:
Jonathon Freeman (he, him, his) is a Program Officer for Ambitio US , CCI’s time-limited initiative, which encourages the development of burgeoning alternative economies and fresh social contracts in ways that artists and cultural communities can achieve financial freedom. Jonathon brings over 20 years of experience in community-based arts and culture work. He is a founding member of the Native Roots Network, an Indigenous community development organization that, most notably, has curated and organized Our Story: Native Art Exhibitions, advocated for Indigenous cultural revitalization, the protection of Indigenous lands and sacred sites, and is incubating Co-Lab Shasta, an intercultural solidarity economy development initiative. Previously, Jonathon served as the Program Director of Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples and as the Board of Directors Vice-Chair for the Local Indians for Education, Inc. His most recent role was as a Community Development Coordinator within the HHSA Public Health Branch, where he facilitated a team of Community Organizers and Policy Analysts in equity and well-being initiatives.
Jonathon has an M.A. in Social Justice and Community Organizing from Prescott College, a B.S. in Parks and Natural Resource Management from California State University, Chico, and an A.A. in Indigenous Studies from Deganawidah-Quetzalcoatl University.
Meet Hannah:
Hannah Dominica Chua will occupy dual duties as a Program Associate supporting CCI’s Quick Grant program and Ambitio US . Born in the Philippines and raised on unceded Kumeyaay land (aka San Diego), Hannah (they/she) is a Pilipinx/ Chinese cultural organizer who works at the intersections of labor, education, and arts activism. As a first-generation college student and immigrant, Hannah is passionate about alternative modes of knowledge production and universal access to culturally responsive education.
She believes in the transformative power of storytelling as a tool to cultivate the radical imagination and inspire collective action. Hannah is committed to supporting the visions and livelihoods of arts practitioners and cultural workers engaged in the difficult work of reimagining a more just and equitable world for the most marginalized and systems-impacted communities. Before joining CCI, Hannah worked as the Systems and Research Coordinator at LA Commons , a community-grounded arts nonprofit empowering South LA artists, culture-bearers, youth, and community members through issue-driven, public art activations and advocacy.
Hannah is also an alum of Arts for LA’s ACTIVATE: Delegate program and is a member of the Pilipinx grassroots organization, GABRIELA Los Angeles. They graduated from UCLA with a B.A. in World Arts and Cultures and a minor in Pilipinx Studies. In their free time, they enjoy going to concerts, thrifting/upcycling second-hand clothing, and listening to really, really long video essays.
This article was originally published on Medium. Read it on Medium →
EB PREC Turns Five: A Milestone of Community Empowerment and Impact
By Nyia Hawkins, Ambitio US Fellow
We would like to recognize the 5-year anniversary of Ambitio US investee East Bay Permanent Real Estate Cooperative (EB PREC) , a multi-stakeholder real estate cooperative. EB PREC’s remarkable achievements and profound impact have stretched far beyond its Northern California’s East Bay community, making it a model for other communities. Laura Poppiti, Deputy Director of the Center for Cultural Innovation (CCI), attended the celebration and described it as a moment filled with “So, much joy!”
Expanding Community Ownership and Engagement: Growing from an initial group of 85 community members to 748 member-owners, EB PREC’s grassroots organizing has fostered a strong sense of collective ownership and participation. This expansion is a testament to the cooperative’s commitment to inclusivity and empowerment in real estate development.
A Groundbreaking Direct Public Offering (DPO) : EB PREC’s innovative approach to financing has been a pivotal aspect of their success. Their DPO raised over $4 million, drawing in nearly 400 investor-owners. Their pioneering work in securing SEC qualification for a unique DPO offering paves the way for larger-scale projects and broader community involvement.
First Dividends Declaration and Distribution: A landmark moment in EB PREC’s journey was declaring and distributing dividends to investor-owners in 2022 and 2023. This financial milestone demonstrates the viability and sustainability of EB PREC’s model, rewarding those who invested not just their funds but their faith in a community-led initiative.
Transforming Spaces for Social Good: The acquisition and revitalization of six properties, including cultural landmarks like Esther’s Orbit Room and vital community spaces like the Prince Street Co-op, showcase EB PREC’s commitment to preserving and nurturing spaces that hold significant value for the community. These efforts have not only provided stable and affordable housing but have also served as centers for cultural and social activities, reinforcing the role of community spaces in enhancing the quality of life for the East Oakland community.
Setting a Precedent for Future Initiatives: EB PREC’s journey illuminates a path for others to emulate. Their model, combining community investment, cooperative management, and sustainable financing, provides a blueprint for addressing the challenges of housing affordability and community development.
EB PREC’s fifth anniversary is a celebration of past achievements and a reaffirmation of their ongoing commitment to community-led development and social impact. Their journey is an inspiring example of what can be accomplished when communities come together to reimagine and reshape their environments for the collective good.
This article was originally published on Medium. Read it on Medium →
