The Reconstruction

Building an ecosystem for Black and Brown entrepreneurs with Kelly Burton

As co-convener of the Black Innovation Alliance, Kelly Burton is working to bring together small business owners and startup founders to help Black and Brown entrepreneurs level up – and change the narrative. Launched last year, the coalition of 50 organizations in two dozen U.S. cities include Aniyia Williams of Black & Brown Founders, Daniel Wright of 1863 Ventures, Luis Martinez of We Tha Plug and Jessica Norwood of Runway. The collective's ten-year goal is to recruit at least 500 organizations to support, fund, and sustain one million Black innovators.

Moving racial justice to the center of climate philanthropy

Ashindi  Maxton and Sharon Chen of Donors of Color Network and Danielle  Deane-Ryan of Donors of Color Action join the show to discuss their   campaign to redress racial funding disparities within climate giving.

The Indigenous wisdom of lending based on character, not collateral

Current systems of credit are not working. Indigenous wisdom points to more promising approaches: deep local engagement and character-based lending. “Just because you're unbanked, or not banked at the moment, doesn't mean you're actually high risk. It just means the system hasn't worked for you,” Vanessa Roanhorse, CEO of Roanhorse Consulting and co-founder of Native Women Lead, says on the latest episode of The Reconstruction podcast.

Restorative economics: Creating community benefits by shifting who owns and controls assets

Nwamaka Agbo of the San Francisco-based Kataly Foundation is re-imagining capital as a tool for justice and regenerative wealth-building to “build the type of community that we want to see.”

Redressing the past with climate-smart infrastructure for a just transition

Stephen Nicoleau joins The Reconstruction podcast to discuss the intersection of infrastructure and climate justice at a moment where both private and public investment in climate solutions are ramping up.