The Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative (AWBI) is actively reimagining economic realities to produce an opportunity-rich future for all. Independent Sector recently welcomed AWBI as a member and talked with CEO and Co-Founder, Dr. Janelle Williams. Dr. Williams also joined us on the main stage at the Upswell Summit in Dallas/Fort Worth last fall to discuss compassionate leadership and inclusive workplaces.
IS: Tell us about your organization’s areas of interest, the communities you serve, and how your work helps to advance an equitable and healthy sector and nation where all people can thrive.
JW: Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative (AWBI) advances community wealth building strategies to address the root causes and systems that perpetuate these disparities and build Black wealth. We achieve these objectives by 1) advancing new ideas through thought leadership; 2) activating people through movement building; and 3) deploying capital through strategic investments that support new systems and structures of capital to challenge systemic bias and build Black wealth.
We are a community of investors, advocates, practitioners, and scholars that exists to restructure capital to create opportunities for Black people in Atlanta and across the South. We especially advocate for the one-third of Black households in Atlanta that have zero or negative net worth. We prioritize a commitment to build Black wealth that extends well beyond anti-poverty efforts by reimagining economic realities through community wealth-building strategies that leverage the power of people, capital, and ideas.
IS: What are the Initiative’s core programs that support the community you serve and help strengthen the nonprofit sector?
JW: Our core programs include the following:
- 1,000 Black Businesses deploys solutions to help Black-owned businesses grow and scale, address barriers to procurement, promote shared ownership opportunities, and help ensure the just use of land and property. This campaign will support workforce development for Black-owned businesses, creating a pipeline of trained employees.
- Black Community Wealth Institute leverages data to design AWBI’s research and inform policy and advocacy efforts that will move the needle on building Black wealth. AWBI will launch inaugural reports, frameworks, policy recommendations, and advocacy tools to increase support for Black wealth.
- Black Community Wealth Network reflects a community of advocates, activists, and advisors committed to actively redefining and expanding the value of Black community wealth. The Network officially launched last fall with over 40 organizations.
- Black Community Wealth Building Investment Strategy provides flexible capital options with partner providers, building an unprecedented pool of flexible capital from both traditional and nontraditional sources to bolster the impact of the black wealth-building ecosystem.
IS: How can collaborating with Independent Sector help you better achieve your mission?
JW: Collaborating with Independent Sector provides the Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative with a supportive network, access to resources, advocacy opportunities, learning experiences, and enhanced visibility. These opportunities can contribute significantly to achieving our mission of reimagining economic realities in communities of color through community wealth building strategies and changing the narrative from “closing the racial equity gap” to a focus of building black wealth, which in turn helps everyone.
Learn about other Independent Sector members and becoming a member.
