Q & A

We recently sat down with Najaah Yasmine Daniels to find out more about her passions, her calling, and generally dive in deeper to get to know her.

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What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your work over the last few years?

The mental, physical, and emotional effects of a three year global pandemic intertwined with the increase of white supremacy norms and anti-Blackness in the United States continues to create challenges in the work I led, however, it has also presented a silver lining by creating an opportunity to amplify the trauma-informed sustainability work being led by Black and Brown bodies across the country - myself included. Trauma can take away one’s power but (collective) healing is how one takes their power back.

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Developing alternative business models to the startup status quo has become a central moral challenge of our time. These alternatives want to balance profit and purpose and put a premium on sharing power and resources.

Why is getting investments in this alternative model crucial for those who seek it?

Democratic ownership models like the Inclusive Capital Collective are key for repairing and restoring Black and Brown communities and leveling the playing field in terms of wealth creation. The ICC is focusing on finding and mobilizing that “friendly hard money” as we’re developing a credit enhancement facility that will provide loan loss guarantees or first loss capital to our members, to help them get more risk averse investors to yes. We know that Black and Brown practitioners are not inherently more risky, however, historically we have taken more risks as our work has been tied to both our survival and success. Part of the solution to these systemic problems is to shift from extractive capital stacks towards equitable ones centering racial equity. This will help re-balance risk and return in service of holistic community development and ultimately, community liberation and ownership. The work of the Inclusive Capital Collective is at the intersection of capital, movement organizing, and systems change strategy; understanding that to create equitable access to capital in America we must first shift power through collective action.

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How can alternative business models for investment help BIPOC businesses?

The Inclusive Capital Collective is exploring alternative types of capital, developing equitable ownership models, and structuring blended finance offerings that mobilize a range of philanthropic and private capital back into Black and Brown communities as a means to create community wealth. We see people who do not identify as marginalized, or people of color, have the opportunity and access to capital through family and friends. Yet, over 60% of Black and brown entrepreneurs looking to expand do not have the same access to capital in today's time, nor do we traditionally have the safety net, or privilege, where we can ask our family and friends to provide funding upfront. However, the social capital and sweat equity in our communities continue to create spaces that drive innovation and connections, in return, building that safety net for resources, technical support, and capital through cooperative business models and communities of practice.

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How do we shift the narrative about the role of capital in BIPOC communities and reframe the perceptions of the risk involved?

The first way to shift the narrative is by being willing and able to listen and learn from those directly affected by being perceived as “risky”. The ICC hosts monthly Mastermind Calls and biweekly community of practice meetings where members are able to share best practices and build connections outside of their networks to expand the work that is being done on the ground. Through these brain trust gatherings, we were able to identify a collective need to educate the ecosystem which inspired the creation of the Black Papers; a series of briefings written by and for practitioners. The Black Papers illuminate the systemic barriers in financial markets, focusing on specific areas and segments that are ripe for interventions by investors interested in deploying their resources for social justice. In each Black Paper the reader is introduced to the innovative models and products developed by BIPOC practitioners whose work not only constitutes a crucial and practical impact investment opportunity, but is also a public policy imperative.

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What are the top three pieces of advice you would give to BIPOC entrepreneurs, who are dedicated to both purpose and profit, as they are starting or scaling their business?

• Be self-aware and know your boundaries. It’s important to know yourself and your leadership, as well as, what you will or will not do.

• Join or cultivate a community of care.

• Advocate, advocate, advocate. For yourself, your community, and the things you care about.

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What is the call to action for investors who seek to promote social justice through investment solutions?

• Contact ICC, we are here to support and help. Inclusive Capital Collective (inclusive-capital.us)

• Deploy patient capital with workable terms as well as ensure your measurements or your requirements have equitable standards.

• Invest in community. It's important to have community and actually be in community which takes trust, time, and ties. If funders and investors are looking to be in partnership with entities like the Inclusive Capital Collective, they must first audit their business practices to identify whether or not they have been intentional with setting space for the lived, labored, and learned perspectives of communities who have been historically marginalized. Secondly, providing flexible, equitable capital is essential and will yield more impact than restricted funding that strips the autonomy of the individual or organization.