Shift hosted the final Reimagining Equity series call last week focused on shifting “From Institutional Return to Community Wealth.” The session opened dialogue about participatory investing in the health sector and tangible practices to center more liberatory and community-driven visions of health. The speakers included Tap Bui, Co-Executive Director of Song Community Development Corporation, Jessyca Dudley, Founder + CEO of Bold Ventures, and Romi Hall, Director of Network and Influence with the Center for Community Investment drawing on their deep expertise spearheading participatory, community-governed practices within philanthropy, community development and healthcare. The panel explored how participatory investing and community ownership have been part of their past and current efforts, while also highlighting narratives, systems and structures that limit deeper commitments to resourcing community visions of health. Attendees were invited to envision specific community members or organizations with whom they partner and the ways their institutions could support existing health and healing initiatives that are being spearheaded by communities. Participants named “community action planning, collaboratives led by communities of color to bring housing and investment into historically disinvested neighborhoods,” “Having buy in through collaboration/advisory boards to make decisions that concern them directly,” and leadership development pathways, in addition to some of the ideas below.

Shift is gathering reflections and interest from health system leaders interested in deepening community governance and participatory investing, leveraging a host of community-driven tools that are part of a Shift practice toolkit. Shift is also continuing to refine a community vision for participatory investing as a north star for where strategic capital and approaches can be deployed to ensure equitable processes and continued wealth and health building in communities. If you are a health system leader and you’re interested in developing a practice of participatory investing, please get in touch! All of the videos from the four Reimagining Equity series are available on our website.