Episode # 156

Reclaiming Your Community,

with Majora Carter

Community. Gentrification. Generational wealth. Low status. Brain drain. When you read those terms, what comes to mind for you? If you know what those words mean, have you thought about how they play out in your own neighborhoods? Because even if you haven’t seen these dynamics at play yourself, they are definitely happening where you live. And we’re going to tell you why that matters - not only to you but to the future of your neighborhoods and communities, regardless of whether you’re in a big city or a small town.

Today we are so fortunate to be able to sit down with Majora Carter and discuss her new book, Reclaiming Your Community. She not only talks to us about all of those terms we mentioned but also about the non-profit industrial complex - which, if you’ve ever supported or are part of a non-profit, you want to understand - and poverty level economic maintenance, which may be one of those things you saw but didn’t understand until it’s pointed out to you. So get ready to think more broadly about the communities you know in ways that you never expected.

What to listen for:

The role that “well-meaning” non-profits play in low-status (to be differentiated from low-income!) communitiescamps for the duration of World War II.

Understanding poverty-level economic maintenance - you know it when you see it
Envisioning a world where reinvestment in the community can lead to talent-retention in low-status communities - a powerful alternative to gentrification
Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable

Have questions, comments, or concerns? Email us at hello@dearwhitewomen.com.

About the author: MAJORA CARTER is a real estate developer, urban revitalization strategy consultant, MacArthur Fellow, and Peabody Award-winning broadcaster. She is responsible for the creation and successful implementation of numerous economic developments, technology & green infrastructure projects, policies, and job training & placement systems. Carter applies her corporate consulting practice focused on talent-retention to reduce Brain Drain in American low-status communities. She has firsthand experience pioneering sustainable economic development in one of America's most storied low-status communities: the South Bronx. Majora is quoted on the walls of the Smithsonian Museum of African-American History and Culture in DC: "Nobody should have to move out of their neighborhood to live in a better one”. She has served on the boards of the US Green Building Council, Ceres, The Wilderness Society, and the Andrew Goodman Foundation. Carter has helped connect tech industry pioneers such as Etsy, Gust, FreshDirect, Google, and Cisco to diverse communities at all levels.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/majora-carter-8649529/

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/majoracarter/?hl=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/majoracarter

Like what you hear? Don’t miss another episode and subscribe!

Catch up on more commentary between episodes by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter – and even more opinions and resources if you join our email list.