Our Power, Our Legacy

Watch Latosha Brown, Brittany Packnett Cunningham, and Cornell Belcher unpack our polling results with Takirra Winfield Dixon.
For the full video, click here.

According to a study by W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the United States economy could be $8 trillion larger by 2050 if the country eliminated racial disparities in health, education, incarceration and employment. America needs bold, cross-sector solutions to rebuild.

We need multiple, structural solutions focused on generational wealth creation in Black communities. This is why The Highland Project was created: to deeply invest in Black women leaders of communities, institutions, and systems who are driving bold solutions resulting in multi-generational wealth and opportunity in their communities.

We commissioned “Our Power, Our Legacy” with brilliant corners Research and Strategies to center the very real and lived experiences of Black women in America. It is our hope that this research is used to rally policymakers, politicians, and practitioners around a set of solutions and priorities that will result in multi-generational opportunity with Black women at the core. We are the driving force behind our communities, institutions, and systems: it is time for our power to be met with actions that enable us to thrive.

Read the executive summary and full report here.


Our Findings

1
POLITICAL POWER
Black women plan to continue demonstrating their political power. Going into midterms, political leaders must be focused on engaging Black women on their top issues and concerns if they want to garner their votes.
2
THE ECONOMY
The economy is not back for all Black women.
3
TOP CONCERNS
Racial discrimination, voting rights, and education are at the very top of their concerns.
4
DEFINING SUCCESS
Living a successful life is not just about dollars in pocket.
5
BARRIERS
Racial discrimination is the barrier to wealth.

What’s Next: Moving from Rhetoric to Action

1
CENTER AND INVEST IN BLACK WOMEN
There is no future prosperity in America without Black women - when Black women win, everyone wins. Therefore it is essential Black women leadership is centered, empowered and sustained. To realize the power of Black female leadership requires multi-year and multi-million dollar investments. The Highland Project seeks to increase capital to leaders by providing direct, unrestricted funding. We must shift trusting capital into the hands of Black women.
2
REDEFINE THE WEALTH GAP
Wealth is more than just money. It's about power, leadership, social mobility, ownership, and justice. It's about removing any barrier that hinders opportunity. With Black women at the center, we must take a holistic approach to defining wealth.
3
PURSUE CHANGE ACROSS SECTORS THAT ADDRESSES SYSTEMIC RACISM
Racism and discrimination are at root of Black women's top concerns. We need solutions across sectors - from education to healthcare to criminal justice - that address root causes of social problems to fundamentally change outcomes. This looks like tackling conditions that keep systemic challenges in place - policies, practices, resource flows, and power dynamics.
4
PROTECT VOTING RIGHTS
Addressing systemic racism means keeping voting protections in place at every level of democracy.
5
ELIMINATE STUDENT DEBT
Black women are some of the most educated and saddled with student debt - a crippling barrier to wealth building. Though women are carrying about two-thirds of the nation's at-minimum $1.5 trillion student loan debt, Black women have the highest student loan debt of any racial or ethnic group.
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