Figure 3: The Core Elements of Empowerment Economics
In 2021, alongside publishing the NAYA case study report, Empowerment Economics partners will release the Empowerment Economics curriculum for practitioners, conduct an Empowerment Economics train-the-trainer program, and hold a summit for continued development of research, practice, and networks. The research team will also work with the Massachusetts Office of Economic Empowerment to identify the role of state agencies and policymakers in advancing Empowerment Economics goals and articulate strategies and tools for creating policies that reflect the core elements.
The Core Elements and Practice of Empowerment Economics The core elements of Empowerment Economics distinguish Empowerment Economics from traditional approaches to economic and
community development. The core elements offer a frame and space to center the voices of communities of color and reflect on how power and wealth can be redistributed in more equitable ways. The core elements were informed by the values and principles in Hawaiian Community Assets’ curriculum’s approach to financial wellbeing and housing security. As a framework for practice, the core elements hold together the methods, both specific and diverse, developed in and across communities of color in response to economic insecurity. As such, they are particularly useful for drawing connections between various approaches to economic and community development across local, Indigenous, immigrant, and multi-ethnic social contexts. The core elements offer a guiding framework for organizations, funders, and advocates who seek to engage with these principles in their programs and overall work.
37 Balance and Belonging: Empowerment Economics and Community Development at NAYA
