By Jan Roberts, Founder Cultural Innovations in Action I was so excited to read Jessica Gordon Nembhard’s book: Collective Courage: A History of African American Cooperative Economic Thought and Practice. It is a pathbreaking book. It took Nembhard ten years to research and write it, because the history of cooperatives and the key role of …
American Indian tribes are the single largest private landholders in the U.S. today. There are over 562 federally recognized tribes in the US. In the lower 48 states, reservation lands account for over 54 million acres and there are 42 million acres of Alaska Native lands. Yet, Indigenous peoples are land rich and dirt poor. …
Thunder Valley: An Economic Development Model for Reservations Read More »
Self-isolation due to Covid 19 has given me many, many—too many—hours to reflect upon my life and my legacy. At the age of 83, it does seem like a good time to be doing this. As I look back, it is without a doubt that my greatest legacy is my three loving and accomplished daughters, …
Here is what wealth allows you to do: People who have accumulated money, property and financial assets have a cushion in hard times. They can survive job loss, illness, natural disaster without losing their homes. They have access to good healthcare, childcare and education. They can hire a good lawyer to defend their rights. They …
A Variety of Solutions for Racial Wealth Inequity Read More »
The wealth chasm between Black and White Americans began with the unpaid labor of enslaved Blacks to grow and pick cotton making it the nation’s most valued export. However, it was the use of Black human beings as collateral for mortgages that injected the most capital into the economy. (1619 Project; New York Times, Matthew …
History of Racial Wealth Inequity from Slavery Onward Read More »
Few of us can look out at the world and what is happening and not be disturbed, angry and scared. These horrors have shone a klieg light on the ineptness and racism of our White House leadership and the inequities and injustices that people of color have long suffered. Some of us get involved in …
They made us many promises, more than I can remember, but they never kept but one; they promised to take our land, and they took it. Chief Red Cloud A Brief History: Over 500 treaties were made with American Indian tribes, primarily for land cessations, dating back to the first treaty signed on September 17, 1778 at …
Reparations have a long, long way to go but tiny steps are being taken to address the horrific history of slavery and its effects.
I have been tragically remiss in the planning for my documentary on the New Economy, which is a restructuring of our economy based on the wellbeing of people, planet and prosperity. The foundation of our current economy is the slave industry and the stealing of Native American lands. It seems critical to me that since …
US Economy Foundation: Slave Industry & Stolen Native American Lands Read More »
You may be surprised to learn that the growing Democratic or New Economy that puts people and the planet before profit is not actually new. Its principles of a thriving local economy, economic opportunities that benefit all, and ecological sustainability can be found in the Native American worldview. Native American history prior to colonization shows …
Native Americans: Trailblazers for the New Economy Read More »
