THE
FUTURE IS INDIGENOUS
WOMeN BY SARA SHAWANOKASIC - MENOMINEE NATION, AIGCS ALUMNA
Native women are the centering force in their communities, which is why Native Women Lead (NWL) and New Mexico Community Capital (NMCC) joined forces to create The Future is Indigenous Women Initiative for The Equality Can’t Wait Challenge — and they won $10M. The Equality Can’t Wait Challenge
is hosted by Pivotal Ventures, a Melinda French Gates investment and incubation company, with additional support provided by MacKenzie Scott and Dan Jewett and Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies in partnership with Lever for Change. NWL and NMCC collaborated to develop a proposal, which seeks to the United States by 2030. Not only are Native women breadwinners, they carry culture, language, families, communities and sometimes their Tribes to THRIVE. Unfortunately, Native women entrepreneurs currently do not enjoy equitable access to capital, business development resources, financial capability or career opportunities. 28
“Native Women Lead’s mission is to revolutionize systems and inspire innovation by investing in Native women in business. We do this by co-creating with and convening our community to build a coalition, while honoring our culture, creativity and connections,” said Alicia Ortega, (Pueblos of Pojoaque and Santa Clara) American Indian Graduate Center Alumna, co-founder and co-director of NWL, as part of The Equity Can’t Wait Challenge video. The work of NWL, coupled with NMCC’s dedication to growing sustainable Native economies through culturally appropriate tools for success to emerging Native-owned companies, families and Tribal enterprises is a recipe for meaningful change.
the american indian graduate | fall 2021 | aigcs.org
Through their collaboration, the coalition will deliver a culturally relevant solution to the gender and racial wealth gap, scaling impactful businesses owned by Native women to create a waterway of investable companies. Their growth will increase power and influence within their families and unlock potential for wealth creation through community employment opportunities. Additionally, the organizations will assess the national investment landscape through an Indigenous lens. These activities will engage investors to remove systemic blocks Indigenous people face. This effort is about catalyzing the investability and economic liberation of Indigenous women while co-creating non-harmful investment mechanisms.
