Good Ancestor Movement

“Where the solidarity economy is David to the extractive economy’s Goliath, it is the spirit-level exhaustion of hunting for a sling and stone as seas warm and wars rage and capitalism continues to extract from those without the wealth to protect themselves from it.” – write Guppi Bola, Nonhlanhla Makuyana, and Zahra Dalilah in our report on Resourcing the Solidarity Economy, written in collaboration with Decolonising Economics. We know that so many in our movement will be facing this spirit-level exhaustion as the year comes to a close. From those of us working with communities that have been forgotten, to those fighting to save our planet from the climate crisis – your work is invaluable. We hope you have the time to rest and recuperate over the break, your bravery and spirit are inspirational! #community #ClimateCrisis #wealth

📢 Have you read our report on Resourcing the Solidarity Economy written in collaboration with Decolonising Economics? Here are a few key takeaways: 1️⃣ Underfunding: The solidarity economy is chronically underfunded, with staff and volunteers shouldering the burden at the expense of their wellbeing. 2️⃣ Identifying distinctions: Funders often struggle to differentiate between solidarity economy organisations and community businesses that still contribute to an extractive economy and are not working to dismantle economic injustice.  3️⃣ Beyond profit: Solidarity economy actors work best when they’re not chasing profit. “Capitalist structures bring capitalist concerns,” says Multitudes Coop. Chasing profit stifles collaboration and fuels competition. 4️⃣ Redefining risk: Risks aren’t just financial. Burnout, mission drift, and compromised values are just as important to weigh up. 5️⃣ Our recommendation: To achieve radical, redistributive, and reparative investments we must prioritise supporting those not ready for repayable finance. Full report written by Guppi Bola and Nonhlanhla Makuyana, with Zahra Dalilah 🔗https://lnkd.in/g_w2s6d9 #funding #SustainableFinance #philanthropy

"The recent trend in philanthropy has been to look for the most bang for your buck. Maybe you don’t have to." Emma Goldberg for the The New York Times In my recent conversation with Emma, I explained that the greatest global challenges we are facing stem from the way we have agreed - implicitly or explicitly - to organise our economy. Exploitation and extraction of land, people and resources has led us to ecological degradation, global inequality and extreme wealth. Through Good Ancestor Movement's educational programme, Reimagining Wealth, wealth holders engage in a process of interrogating the narratives they have inherited about how they become so wealthy. They re-learn the story of our economy and grapple with the realities of abundance and scarcity, degradation and regeneration - as well as what it means for their wealth and our collective futures. Thank you to Emma Goldberg for featuring our work in The New York Times. #philanthropy #wealth

💫 Did you know the Good Ancestor Movement has a newsletter? We share news about what we’re doing to tackle the extractive economy and support wealth redistribution. And we’re going to be sharing more content recommendations, stories from our community, and key takeaways to ensure you’re up to speed on all things about creating a fair economy! ✍ https://lnkd.in/gzCMRu_6 #economics #SustainableFinance #wealth

🚨People Dem Collective will be evicted from their space in Margate in just over a month.🚨 Despite years of building a vision for a cultural space that empowers Black and Global Majority communities in Kent and promises of funding, they will be left without a home. The collective has organised tirelessly over the years, hosting events and celebrating Black and Global Majority artists, musicians, chefs, and #community leaders. Their vision was lauded in council funding bids, helping to secure funding for the economic regeneration of Margate. Instead of seeing the fruits of this praise, much of the funding has been handed to a private company to allocate and People Dem Collective have been frozen out of financial security.  This is just another example of how Black and Global Majority communities are used to tick boxes, brought in to allow those in power to pay lip service to inclusivity, only to be left out in the cold when resources are portioned out. From our work, we know that true empowerment comes when communities control how money is spent. Instead, time and again, we see that private businesses and those with wealth are the ones calling the shots. ⚠️ Read People Dem Collective’s statement here and sign their petition: https://lnkd.in/evnAAQZ4 #wealth #funding

🚨People Dem Collective will be evicted from their space in Margate in just over a month.🚨 Despite years of building a vision for a cultural space that empowers Black and Global Majority communities in Kent and promises of funding, they will be left without a home. The collective has organised tirelessly over the years, hosting events and celebrating Black and Global Majority artists, musicians, chefs, and #community leaders. Their vision was lauded in council funding bids, helping to secure funding for the economic regeneration of Margate. Instead of seeing the fruits of this praise, much of the funding has been handed to a private company to allocate and People Dem Collective have been frozen out of financial security.  This is just another example of how Black and Global Majority communities are used to tick boxes, brought in to allow those in power to pay lip service to inclusivity, only to be left out in the cold when resources are portioned out. From our work, we know that true empowerment comes when communities control how money is spent. Instead, time and again, we see that private businesses and those with wealth are the ones calling the shots. ⚠️ Read People Dem Collective’s statement here and sign their petition: https://lnkd.in/evnAAQZ4 #wealth #funding

“We want to work toward being in a place where we don’t have to rely on the benevolence of wealthy people to deal with serious problems in the world," our founder and CEO Stephanie Brobbey told the The New York Times. Emma Goldberg’s piece interrogates the pitfalls of philanthropy and the trend of "optimising" every penny, which can leave people's very own communities neglected. Often the logic of the extractive business world does more harm than good when it comes to tackling injustice. From our work we know that giving away wealth often comes with undue power. This is power that should really be handed to the people on the frontlines of the problems our world faces. It’s the very people that suffer the worst effects of our unjust economy that should be the ones at the steering wheel, making the decision about where philanthropic money should be spent. 🔗https://lnkd.in/gfSP8D8e #philanthropy #nonprofit #wealth

I’m honoured to steward the community at Good Ancestor Movement where change is not just a concept, but a daily reality. This article from @Anna Patton for @ReasonsToBeCheerful does a great job of platforming how wealth holders around the world are actively seeking to redefine success and their relationship to wealth. 💰 They’re fighting climate change and inequality, stepping back from industries that harm our planet, and using their resources to foster a fairer, more sustainable world. 🌳 It’s incredibly rewarding to witness the transformation from a focus on 'me' to a powerful, collective 'we.' Proud to stand in solidarity those dedicated to creating meaningful, lasting change! 💫 #Redistribution #Sustainability

“I felt like the only thing that mattered in affluent culture was how you appear, the grades that you get and the achievements that you accomplish,” shares Iris Brilliant. This is a sentiment we hear often from the wealth holders who organise with us. But our movement of generosity, redistribution and justice is growing! As Anna Patton writes for Reasons to be Cheerful, wealth holders across the world are going against the grain and finding ways to fight climate change, divest from harmful industries and channel their wealth for good. We’re proud to be a part of these journeys. Every day we see people make the transition from alienation to connection, from a scarcity mentality to one of abundance. #Redistribution #Wealth https://lnkd.in/eBPzw8rR

I wrote about the growing crop of advisors urging clients to reconsider how much money they actually need. Among them is Iris Brilliant, who describes herself as “a progressive or leftist money coach": she helps rich clients to understand the source of their wealth, get involved in social justice movements, grapple with complex emotions — and of course, give money away. While advisors say they have plenty of interest in their services, it's not always an easy job: for most wealthy people, everything and everyone around them is "geared towards preservation and accumulation", as Derek Bardowell said. Thanks to Iris Brilliant, Derek Bardowell and Resource Generation for speaking to me and to Reasons to be Cheerful for the commission. Patriotic Millionaires | Ten Years' Time | Good Ancestor Movement | Stephanie Brobbey https://lnkd.in/dn_sKzs5 #solutionsjournalism #wealthadvisors #philanthropy #redistribution