When in doubt, reach out.
That’s what ImpactAlpha did after this month’s US presidential election scrambled our storylines and assumptions (see, “Agents of Impact take stock and chart strategies for change in Trump’s second term”).
We’re still reaching out. On today’s Call, more than a dozen Agents of Impact will share crisp takeaways practical guidance for the era ahead. If you want to share a 90-second call to action, let us know and we’ll queue you up.
With the many opportunities for progress at the state level, we’ll hear from Wilson Lester on “the North Carolina model” for economic mobility. Antony Bugg-Levine will frame an “investing in America” agenda to address widespread economic discontent. Adasina’s Rachel Robasciotti reminds us that paths to climate, gender and racial justice lead through economic justice.
“Solving economic precarity is a place where many Trump voters and impact investors agree,” Robasciotti writes in her post-election “love letter” to the impact investing community. Voters in Alaska, Missouri and Nebraska, after all, approved measures to increase the minimum wage and/ or expand paid sick leave.
“It is imperative that we do not dehumanize or vilify the people who voted for Trump out of economic desperation or the fear of it. They are our future allies, and we must ultimately work with them to build a more equitable future for all of us, together.”
Economic justice
We titled the Call, “New realities, new narratives,” to keep open the range of responses. From resistance to rapprochement, we don’t have to agree on a single strategy, as I wrote on Friday.
Among those who will offer solutions are Include Ventures’ Taj Ahmad Eldridge and Smitha Das of World Education Services. The 22 Fund’s Tracy Gray is helping “create clean, quality jobs of the future in the U.S.” Change Agent’s Aram Fischer is giving “AI tools a character that mimics a movement organizer.”
“Our wealth inequality solutions are populist,” says Jon Shell of Social Capital Partners. “Maybe it’s time to take the gloves off, and to start building our own economic populist narrative.”
Candide Group’s Morgan Simon has called for “adding a lens of building political power to our economic justice work.”
Claire Mattingly of the US Impact Investing Alliance will identify opportunities for incremental progress and ways to defend our priorities.
Disruptive innovation
Author Jess Rimington will introduce a narrative-change campaign, already underway, that aims to expand our economic imagination. Indeed, the new configuration may open unexpected opportunities. Transformative change was always going to be disruptive; perhaps this is that disruption.
“Our country — and the rest of the world — is in for a painful stretch of destruction,” Robisciotti writes.
“During demolition, it will be important to remember that we are builders. We must continue to dream, plan, and work for the just, equitable, and inclusive future we have always wanted, so that when the tide turns we are poised to move swiftly and effectively.”
Continuing conversation
Coalitions and convenings are more important than ever. On Tuesday, Kellogg Foundation’s Cynthia Muller, Fran Seegull of the US Impact Investing Alliance, Urban Institute’s Brett Theodos and Dafina Williams of Opportunity Finance Network will join Mission Investors Exchange’s discussion of the policy landscape for mission-aligned investing.
Also on Tuesday, Impax Asset Management’s Julie Gorte, Trillium’s Matt Patsky, Community Capital Management’s David Sand and others will join Equities.com’s discussion of investment strategies under a Trump administration.
On Friday, Maria Lettini will lead US SIF’s post-election media briefing.
