Black Wealth Unlocked

Why The South Matters

“Nobody has poverty on their vision board”, Health and Human Services leader Dr Alicia M. Johnson states on this episode of Black Wealth Unlocked. Yet we still find ourselves in a society with Black people experiencing poverty at a much higher rate than the white population, and they’re passing that poverty down to their children. So in this episode, host Dr Janelle Williams talks with Dr Alicia M. Johnson and economic justice activist Jessica Norwood about where Black poverty comes from and what we can and should do to prevent it. Jessica tells her story of growing up poor in Alabama and shares her observations on how Black people are excluded from the virtuous circle of intergenerational wealth. The conversation turns to how historic segregation impacts society today, particularly in the southern United States, and how the examples of Black exceptionalism can hold back Black advancement. Listen out for the guests’ thoughts on reparations and how community-based wealth creation models could help tackle racial poverty.   Despite discussing poverty, inequality and racism, this episode of Black Wealth Unlocked is still uplifting and joyful, as you’ll hear in the guests’ final thoughts. If you enjoyed this conversation, please share it with a friend.  Connect with Alicia M. Johnson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliciajohnson1/ Connect with Jessica Norwood on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/norwoodjessica/ Buy Jessica Norwood’s book: https://www.jessicanorwood.com/book/ Connect with Kindred Futures: * Website: https://kindredfutures.org/media/podcast/ * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kindredfutures * Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Kindred_Futures [https://www.youtube.com/@Kindred_Futures] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kindredfutures Audio & Video Production by Adode Media www.adodemedia.com [https://www.adodemedia.com]

From Origin to Evolution Part 2

One statistic stands out in this conversation because it represents the work that the Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative has set itself: currently, 2 million Black households in the American South have zero net worth. With its rebranding into Kindred Futures and a team of experts walking arm-in-arm towards the same goal, the AWBI wants to change that. Tune into this episode of Black Wealth Unlocked to find out how.  In this second part of the conversation between Dr Janelle Williams and social justice advocate Tene Traylor, they lift the lid on why the AWBI will become Kindred Futures and what the new name means for them and their mission. Listen in as they discuss the need to create shared wealth in the Black community and what they want to achieve within the next five years, including what they would like the conversation around Kindred Futures to be. As Tene states in this episode, the work that Kindred Futures will engage in isn’t just head work, it’s heart work. As such, it requires support from a community of people who share the vision of creating freedom through shared wealth in the Black community. If this is your vision too, you can show your support by subscribing to the Black Wealth Unlocked podcast and by making a donation to the AWBI through the links below.  Resources:  Read the AWBI Beloved Economies report: https://www.atlantawealthbuilding.org/building-a-beloved-economy-a-baseline-and-framework-for-building-black-wealth-in-atlanta Connect with Tene Traylor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tene-traylor-26ba124/ Connect with Kindred Futures: * Website: https://kindredfutures.org/media/podcast/ * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kindredfutures * Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Kindred_Futures [https://www.youtube.com/@Kindred_Futures] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kindredfutures Audio & Video Production by Adode Media www.adodemedia.com [https://www.adodemedia.com]

From Origin to Evolution Part 1

“When we think about success, it’s so easy to be seduced by the outliers. And the outliers are really important. But we need to think about ‘How do we move the mean?’” On this episode of Black Wealth Unlocked, Dr Janelle Williams talks with philanthropist and social justice advocate Tene Traylor about soul work and building a better future for America’s Black communities, in Atlanta and beyond.  Tene breaks down the problem with focussing effort and attention on the ‘Talented Ten’ instead of the ‘Talented Ninety’ in the Black community and underlines why we need to work on creating shared wealth as opposed to individual wealth. Listen out for Dr Janelle’s North Star goal for Tene unpacking why now is the time to make societal changes.  This conversation is so important and thought-provoking that it’s been split into two parts, with the second half featuring a deep dive on what’s next for Kindred Futures. Subscribe to the Black Wealth Unlocked podcast to get notified as soon as the next episode is available.   Resources:  * Read the AWBI Beloved Economies report: https://www.atlantawealthbuilding.org/building-a-beloved-economy-a-baseline-and-framework-for-building-black-wealth-in-atlanta [https://www.atlantawealthbuilding.org/building-a-beloved-economy-a-baseline-and-framework-for-building-black-wealth-in-atlanta]  * Connect with Tene Traylor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tene-traylor-26ba124/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tene-traylor-26ba124/] Connect with Kindred Futures: * Website: https://kindredfutures.org/media/podcast/ * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kindredfutures * Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Kindred_Futures [https://www.youtube.com/@Kindred_Futures] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kindredfutures Audio & Video Production by Adode Media www.adodemedia.com [https://www.adodemedia.com]

Empowering Black Businesses: The Key Role of Ecosystem Building

Your business can’t thrive in isolation. If you want to grow your revenue and make strategic decisions about the future, you need support and advice from people in the know. That’s what you can expect to find if you join an organization like the Atlanta Black Chambers, the Atlanta Business League, or the Georgia Micro Enterprise Network. On this episode of Black Wealth Unlocked, host Kim Addie talks to three Black titans of business about building a business ecosystem and what the future holds for the Black-owned businesses of Atlanta. Leona Barr-Davenport, Elizabeth Wilson, and Melvin M. Coleman explain what they do in their organizations to support Black entrepreneurship and what attracted them to this work in the first place. Then they share the achievements they’re most proud of and the reason why, although their organizations have similar objectives, they’re not in competition with each other. Listen out for their advice for new entrepreneurs which is great for any new business owner who’s feeling like they didn’t know what they were letting themselves in for! You can catch more conversations on Black business and Black success by subscribing to the AWBI YouTube channel. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a business owner in your life. Resources:  * Atlanta Black Chambers: https://atlantablackchambers.org/ * Atlanta Business League: https://atlantabusinessleague.org/ * Georgia Micro Enterprise Network: https://gmen.org/ * Find out more about the Atlanta Business League’s 40th Annual Super Tuesday Conference: https://atlantabusinessleague.org/our-events/events-at-a-glance/ * Find out more about the Atlanta Black Chambers chairing the Global Opportunities conference: https://goglobalconference.com/ Connect with Kindred Futures: * Website: https://kindredfutures.org/media/podcast/ * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kindredfutures * Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Kindred_Futures [https://www.youtube.com/@Kindred_Futures] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kindredfutures Audio & Video Production by Adode Media www.adodemedia.com [https://www.adodemedia.com]

Standing on Business: The Role of Black Businesses

Atlanta is a hub for so many amazing Black-owned businesses that play a crucial role in their communities, but even the most beloved institutions can fail. AWBI commissioned a study into Black-owned businesses and how we can support them and the results are in: Black-owned businesses are the future for the Black community, but only if we act to help them.  Jarryd Bethea, Senior Research Associate at AWBI, unpacks the data that shows a positive link between Black-owned businesses in a neighborhood and increased child well-being in that same area. He also explains why the numbers don’t capture the full picture of what Black-owned businesses look like in Atlanta. Then the conversation moves onto the challenges that Black-owned businesses in today’s business environment, from rent hikes to lack of access to capital. Stay tuned to the end to hear about how you can help to support your favorite local Black-owned business.  If you enjoyed this conversation, please subscribe to the AWBI YouTube channel and share this video with people in your community who need to see it. Comment below with the name of a Black-owned business you’re proud to support! Resources:  * AWBI Annual Report 2023:  * https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e4f266c0482c41080c9774b/t/667d7503db74c2249478b2ff/1719497991346/ABWI_2023AnnualReport_FINAL_compressed.pdf [https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e4f266c0482c41080c9774b/t/667d7503db74c2249478b2ff/1719497991346/ABWI_2023AnnualReport_FINAL_compressed.pdf] * Lending Tree report: * https://www.lendingtree.com/business/small/black-owned-businesses-study/ [https://www.lendingtree.com/business/small/black-owned-businesses-study/] * Connect with Jarryd Betha on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jarrydbethea/ * Connect with Alex Camardelle on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-camardelle-ph-d-569b2b40/ Connect with Kindred Futures: * Website: https://kindredfutures.org/media/podcast/ * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kindredfutures * Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Kindred_Futures [https://www.youtube.com/@Kindred_Futures] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kindredfutures Audio & Video Production by Adode Media www.adodemedia.com [https://www.adodemedia.com]