By Nyia Hawkins, Ambitio US Fellow
We’d like to invite you to join us on “ The Soul of Capital ,” on Spotify and Apple Podcasts , as we dive into alternative economic models and hear directly from the changemakers leading them. We’ll also speak the capital stewards, working across philanthropy and impact investing, who are advocating for the initiatives. Creating a more inclusive, sustainable, and equitable economy for all is possible. These entrepreneurs, financial activists, and thought leaders provide insight into the challenges and opportunities those of us working in the field face in creating actionable strategies to build and invest in a world where everyone thrives.
Hosted and produced by Nyia Hawkins , Season 1 is presented in partnership with the Ambitio US initiative at the Center for Cultural Innovation.
Highlights from Recent Episodes:
Artist Turned Property Developer’s $50 Million Plan To Revitalize America’s First Black Neighborhood
Episode 101 features Executive Director of Memphis-based art gallery TONE Victoria Jones . She is part of the visionary property developer team behind a $50 million plan to redevelop Orange Mound Tower located in the first neighborhood built by formerly enslaved persons for Black Americans. They’re starting with the transformation of an abandoned 10-acre industrial site on the Southeast side of town into a mixed-use arts and live-work space.
How To Use the $30 Million Restoration of Clayborn Temple to Jumpstart a new Memphis Economy
Episode 102 features Memphis-based cultural strategist and entrepreneur Anasa Troutman . She is the Executive Director of the 130-year-old Historic Clayborn Temple , where she is leading a $25 million restoration of this National Trust for Historic Preservation-recognized National Treasure. Clayborn Temple served as the base of operations for the 1968 Sanitation Workers’ Strike for civil and labor rights. Her team is tapping into that history to create an anchor for a locally-based restorative economy.
How the Industrial Commons is Rebuilding the Rural Working Class Through Community Wealth
We most recently spoke with North Carolina-based entrepreneur Sara Chester for episode 103. Along with Molly Hemstreet , Sara is the Co-Founder & Co-Executive Director, of The Industrial Commons . They lead a cooperative incubator in rural North Carolina that is helping to rebuild a working class based on locally-rooted wealth. In a region that lost 85% of its textile jobs since 1990, they are leading an economic revitalization effort that empowers workers through ownership, democratic decision-making, and profit-sharing.
This article was originally published on Medium. Read it on Medium →