Podcasts about opportunity funds

In this episode: financial Independence, health and nutrition, cancer survival, opportunity funds, living in the present with Diandra Denier-FieldsEpisode SummaryIn this episode, Adam welcomes Diandra Denier-Fields, a nutritional scientist and two-time cancer survivor. Diandra shares her journey towards Financial Independence, the importance of prioritizing health, and how her experiences with cancer have shaped her current mission to help others. Adam & Diandra also discuss the concept of opportunity funds, living in the moment, and the significance of making informed health choices.Guest BioDiandra Denier-Fields is a nutritional scientist with a PhD in nutritional sciences and a minor in epidemiology from the University of Wisconsin. As a two-time cancer survivor, she is passionate about helping others navigate their health journeys through her brand, Cancer Free Haven, which provides resources and support for cancer survivors and those at risk.Resources & Books Mentioned"Your Money or Your Life" by Vicki Robin"The Simple Path to Wealth" by JL CollinsGuest Contact Information“That Science Couple”: https://thatsciencecouple.com/“Cancer Free Haven”: https://cancerfreehaven.com/“Cancer Free Haven” Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cancer.free.haven/Key TakeawaysFinancial Independence is about creating a life you love and prioritizing experiences over material possessions.Investing in your health and making informed dietary choices can significantly impact your well-being.Opportunity funds provide flexibility and can help you take advantage of life experiences without jeopardizing your financial future.Living in the present and cherishing moments is essential, especially in the face of uncertainty and health challenges.It's important to challenge common nutritional myths and focus on a balanced diet that supports overall health.Building a supportive community for cancer survivors is crucial for empowerment and shared knowledge.PS: Introducing the…

Follow me @samirkaji for my thoughts on the venture market, with a focus on the continued evolution of the VC landscape.Today I had the pleasure of speaking with Brian Ascher, a veteran venture capitalist at Venrock, a firm with a storied history dating back to 1969 as part of the Rockefeller family office. Brian, with nearly 30 years in the industry, shared his journey from product management at Intuit to becoming a key partner at Venrock. We dove into the firm's evolution, investment strategies, and decision-making processes, highlighting how Venrock maintains its edge as it evolves.About Brian Ascher:Brian Ascher is a Partner at Venrock where he focuses on early-stage investments in enterprise software, SaaS, and consumer internet companies. With a deep passion for partnering with visionary founders, Brian is known for helping businesses scale through strategic growth, operational insights, and innovation.Since joining Venrock in 1998, Brian has played a pivotal role in numerous successful investments, including Vocera, 6sense, Personal Capital, and Inrix. His expertise spans go-to-market strategies, product positioning, and building high-performing teams.Topics in this conversation include:* Brian's Career Journey (1:34)* The Evolution of Venture Capital (6:25)* Venrock's Decision-Making Model (10:09)* Balancing Investment Decisions and Team Dynamics (14:42)* Empowered Accountability in Deal Decisions (20:44)* Cultural Norms in Venture Capital (22:38)* Investment Strategy and Risk Management (25:12)* Portfolio Construction and Returns (30:22)* Opportunity Funds vs. Core Funds (33:01)* Adapting to AI's Impact on Investment (36:15)* Advice for Aspiring VCs (41:28)* Final Thoughts and Takeaways (43:48)I'd love to know what you took away from this conversation with Brian Ascher.Follow me @SamirKaji and give me your insights and questions with the hashtag #ventureunlocked. If you'd like to be considered as a guest or have someone you'd like to hear from (GP or LP), drop me a direct message on X. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ventureunlocked.substack.com

Today in AI is a daily recap of the latest news and developments in the AI industry. See your story and want to be featured in an upcoming episode? Reach out at tonyphoang.com Basingstoke College of Technology is incorporating artificial intelligence into both its curriculum and administrative operations. This effort is geared towards preparing students and educators for a world where AI technologies are prevalent. The college is also addressing ethical issues and ensuring inclusivity in its approach, aiming to equip everyone with the skills needed to effectively utilize AI. President Joe Biden, in his farewell address, highlighted the threats posed by unregulated artificial intelligence, particularly warning about the emergence of an American oligarchy dominated by tech billionaires. Biden focused on the spread of misinformation on social media and the substantial economic and political influence of tech moguls. He called for robust AI regulations to ensure that these technologies are deployed ethically and equitably, emphasizing the need for a regulatory framework to mitigate AI's societal impacts. Netradyne's AI-enabled dashcams are being implemented by commercial fleets to reduce distracted driving, which is a leading cause of accidents. The dashcams offer real-time feedback and promote safe driving habits, thereby enhancing overall driver safety and operational efficiency. Addressing privacy concerns, Netradyne utilizes data anonymization and robust security measures, demonstrating how AI technologies can be leveraged to improve road safety while maintaining privacy standards. Insight Partners has successfully raised $12.5 billion for its latest flagship fund and second Opportunity Fund, with a focus on sectors such as AI and data resilience. This substantial increase in capital brings their total assets under management to $90 billion, facilitating strategic investments and successful exits. Insight Partners' commitment to AI underscores the importance of this sector in driving future innovation and economic growth, highlighting the firm's strategic investment approach. Microsoft is enhancing its Microsoft 365 suite by integrating Copilot AI features, which offer advanced capabilities powered by OpenAI. These updates aim to automate routine tasks and provide intelligent suggestions in tools like Word, Excel, and Outlook, although they raise concerns around privacy, security, and accuracy. Reflecting a broader trend of incorporating AI into everyday software, the integration comes with a price increase in subscription fees, illustrating the costs associated with AI advancements.

Over the last decade, I've been so lucky to learn from seriously good water people, and Debra Coy is one of the best. Over four decades, she has built an extraordinary body of work from public markets analyst to XPV, the preeminent water investing firm that has been extraordinarily supportive to us, to her current independent role advising and sitting on the boards of major water companies. She sits on the investment committee of our Opportunity Fund and it has been such a pleasure to benefit from her insight and wisdom as we have made our first two investments at the Series B. This is a really fun conversation. Everything from the lessons for founders, from earnings transcripts to lending her perspective on the overall history of private markets investing in water. Please enjoy my conversation with Debra Coy. *Please note in the episode Debra mentions XPV raised a $250m FundI I. The correct amount was a $150m Fund I. Subscribe to The Fundamental Molecule here: https://www.burntislandventures.com/the-fundamental-molecule For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fundamental-molecule/id1714287205 ----------- Legendary water industry leader, Debra Coy, reflects on the water sector's transformation from obscure investment to a recognized industry. She highlights the impact of increased investor knowledge, rapid digital tech adoption, and a new generation of business-savvy entrepreneurs. Drawing from her experience at XPV Water Partners, Debra emphasizes their focus on strong entrepreneurs and hands-on company building, and champions talent recycling within the sector. She also offers advice to aspiring water entrepreneurs: study public market data, balance ambitious vision with practical execution, and prioritize diverse leadership for enhanced performance. 00:00 Learning from Water Industry Leaders 02:30 - Water's Transformation into an Investable Sector 03:15 - Challenges Across the Capital Stack in Water Investing 04:45 - 14-Year Tech Adoption Cycle in Water 06:45 - The Critical Role of Entrepreneurs in Water Innovation 09:00 - XPV's Focus on Scaling Water Companies 13:20 - Building Synergies with Operational Focus 17:40 - Importance of Talent Recycling in Water Startups 20:00 - Axius' Growth Strategy with KKR Partnership 22:30 - Managing Water Challenges in the Permian Basin 27:30 - Public Markets as a Guide for Water Entrepreneurs 30:20 - The Value of Reading Earnings Call Transcripts 33:00 - Public Market Sentiment Around Water Investments 35:25 - Key Traits of Successful Water Leaders 37:30 - Advancing Gender and Diversity in Water 40:25 - Balancing Vision and Execution as an Entrepreneur Links: Burnt Island Ventures: https://www.burntislandventures.com/ Debra Coy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debra-g-coy-792992/ SM Material Key Takeaways: "Water's finally becoming a real industry." "The quality of the entrepreneur is critical." "Digital tech adoption in water has a faster rate. It's shifted the market's openness to innovation." "The investment world has woken up to water as an investable sector.” "Public markets give you a constant report card. It's a real-time view of investor sentiment." "A diverse leadership team is a better leadership team.” "Think big but do small. Balance vision with execution to succeed." "Investors are emotional. They want to invest in what they believe in." "You can't wait for it to get better. You have to do what it takes to make it better."

In this podcast episode, Tom Serena, chief executive officer of the American Gastroenterological Association, discusses the role of private equity in specialty societies, the hunger to be involved in innovation and more. •    Intro :24 •    The interview/about Serena :29 •    Can you tell us about your upbringing and how it helped you become who you are today? :50 •    Were there certain early individuals or experiences that you think have been impactful or important to your career today? 1:43 •    Have you always been a natural leader, or did you grow into it?  2:38 •    What are some things you learned from your coach? 3:30 •    Is there a pathway that you unintentionally took that led you to medical societies and medical society leadership?  5:09 •    Over the thirty years you have been involved with the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), when did you know that you were going to be a core part of the leadership team?  6:38 •    How have you seen the GI field change over the last thirty years? 8:24 •    Do you think there has been a shift in the culture of our specialty for major organizations like AGA to be more open to a wider range of physicians and stake holders? 11:00 •    Where do you think we're going over the next few years with private equity? 14:08 •    Can you tell us more about the AGA's GI Opportunity Fund? What prompted the AGA to partner with venture capital and how has the experience been so far? 19:19 •    Are there things that organization leaders are more likely to invest or not invest in? 21:47 •    Berry, Chey and Serena on non-traditional ways physicians are looking to make use of their medical training. 23:24 •    How have larger legacy societies like AGA and ACG view the emergence of more nuanced clinical societies, and how do they impact the way the AGA tries to execute its mission? 27:05 •    Can you talk about ABIM's impact on health care and the GI specialty? 30:01 •    What are some of the biggest challenges facing AGA and GI as a field moving forward? 33:17 •    Outside of the Opportunity Fund, what are other ways that the AGA is working to solve challenges around physician burnout, autonomy and reimbursement? 34:43 •    Any life lessons you want to share with listeners? 36:22 •    Thank you, Tom 37:39 •    Thanks for listening 37:58 Tom Serena is chief executive officer of the American Gastroenterological Association. Tom joined AGA in 1994 and has served as the organization's CEO since 2010. His previous role was VP of finance. He has been heavily focused on governance, helping the governing board to become the stewards of AGA's future, with an emphasis on strengthening board - committee - staff relationships. We'd love to hear from you! Send your comments/questions to guttalkpodcast@healio.com. Follow us on X @HealioGastro @sameerkberry @umfoodoc. For more from Serena, follow @TSerenaAGA on X. For more from the AGA, visit www.gastro.org and follow @AmerGastroAssn on X. Disclosures: Berry and Chey report no relevant financial disclosures. Serena reports he is an investor in the GI Opportunity Fund.

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Becoming Your Own Banker by Nelson Nash: https://infinitebanking.org/product/becoming-your-own-banker/ref/46/Visit our website: https://www.thewealthwarehousepodcast.com/It's something that each and every one of us should have..An “opportunity fund”.In this week's episode, Dave and Paul dive into the benefits of having an “opportunity fund” as well as an “emergency fund” and the peace of mind it brings you in the short-term, as well as the long-term.The fellas also show you why you should be interested in establishing these funds in the first place – and what you can do to get it started. Additionally, Dave and Paul cover the death benefit, having “friction” between you and your money – and much more!Episode Highlights:(0:00) - Introduction(0:39) - Episode beginning(3:23) - Your “Opportunity fund”(8:06) - “If you have the money to solve a problem…”(9:56) - Putting IBC “in between”(10:37) - Determining what the opportunity fund is(13:21) - The benefit of having an “emergency account”(16:01) - Having “friction” between you and your money(23:21) - The death benefit(29:46) - Peace of mind for your children(34:11) - Episode wrap-upABOUT YOUR HOSTS:David Befort and Paul Fugere are the hosts of the Wealth Warehouse Podcast. David is the Founder/CEO of Max Performance Financial. He founded the company with the mission of educating people on the truths about money. David's mission is to show you how you can control your own money, earn guarantees, grow it tax-free, and maintain penalty-free access to it to leverage for opportunities that will provide passive income for the rest of your life. Paul, on the other hand, is an Active Duty U.S. Army officer who graduated from Norwich University in 2002 with a B.A. in History and again in 2012 with a MA in Diplomacy and International Terrorism. Paul met his wife Tammy at Norwich. As a family, they enjoy boating, traveling, sports, hunting, automobiles, and are self-proclaimed food people.Visit our website: https://www.thewealthwarehousepodcast.com/ Catch up with David and Paul, visit the links below! Website: https://infinitebanking.org/agents/Fugere494 https://infinitebanking.org/agents/Befort399 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-a-befort-jr-09663972/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-fugere-762021b0/ Email: davidandpaul@theibcguys.com

Highlights from this week's conversation include:Sunil's background in venture capital (0:11)First Contact with DFG (2:07)Transition to AngelList (5:02)Insights Leading to the Collective (6:57)Shifts in Investment Strategy (10:05)Insider Segment: Regulatory Changes Impacting VC (12:08)Emerging Managers and Established Firms (15:31)Angel Collective Opportunity Fund Overview (18:19)Manager Selection Criteria (21:11)Pitching to Founders (23:06)Opportunity Funds in Context (27:15)Rate of Deployment Expectations (28:25)Emerging Manager Market Fit (30:12)Starting as an Angel Investor (31:43)Challenges for LPs in Small Funds (33:51)Advice for Aspiring VCs (35:53)Trends Among Emerging Managers (37:42)Final Thoughts and Takeaways (39:46)Angel Collective Opportunity Fund is a generalist opportunity fund composed of thematic specialists. Managers are selected annually, so the fund is not anchored to any one player and the team consistently aims to achieve the best access across the venture ecosystem. For investors, this approach works with proven emerging managers and maintains steady exposure to the top technology sectors each year. For more information, please visit: www.angelcollective.com.Gunderson Dettmer is the preeminent international law firm with an exclusive focus on the innovation economy. The firm serves market-leading venture capital and growth equity investors and pioneering companies through inception, growth and maturity, as well as groundbreaking public companies that result from the global venture capital ecosystem. The firm's clear-cut focus and well-honed technical skill enables an accelerated pace and unmatched efficiency, delivering best-in-class value at each phase of a client's business. Learn more: www.gunder.com. Swimming with Allocators is a podcast that dives into the intriguing world of Venture Capital from an LP (Limited Partner) perspective. Hosts Alexa Binns and Earnest Sweat are seasoned professionals who have donned various hats in the VC ecosystem. Each episode, we explore where the future opportunities lie in the VC landscape with insights from top LPs on their investment strategies and industry experts shedding light on emerging trends and technologies. The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this podcast are for general informational purposes only.

In this episode of Turpentine VC, Erik interviews Lee Jacobs, Founder & Managing Partner of Long Journey. Lee shares his journey from early investments and his experience with AngelList to co-founding Long Journey with Cyan Banister and Arielle Zuckerberg. He discusses the firm's unique focus on investing in "magically weird" companies and emphasizes the importance of values, mission orientation, and building trust in LP relationships. Lee also opens up about the challenges and rewards of early-stage fundraising, Long Journey's operational strategies, and their vision for building a lasting, meaningful VC firm. -- This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podcasts, newsletters, and more, covering technology, business, and culture — all from the perspective of industry insiders and experts. We're launching new shows every week, and we're looking for industry-leading sponsors — if you think that might be you and your company, email us at erik@turpentine.co. -- RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

Send us a Text Message.E122: Economic Development is at full throttle with the Florida Opportunity Fund (FOF). They are focused on Seed and Series A tech startups with ~$150M+ deployed to date. FOF is currently pursuing four specific efforts: The FLORIDA VENTURE CAPITAL PROGRAM (FLVCP),  founded in 2011, invests in emerging Florida companies in sectors with strategic importance to the state. FLVCP typically invests $1M - $3M into Seed through Series B stage companies. The FUND OF FUNDS PROGRAM (FOFP) invests into venture capital funds with significant operations and track record investing within Florida.The CLEAN ENERGY INVESTMENT PROGRAM (CEIP) invests directly into companies enabling the adoption of energy efficient and renewable energy products and technologies.The EQUITY CAPITAL PROGRAM (ECP), Founded in 2023, invests in emergingFlorida companies in sectors with strategic importance to the state. ECP has the  additional objective in supporting companies owned by Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Individuals (SEDI). Together FOF has 43 active portfolio companies and invested in 14 Venture Funds for a total of $150M+ capital committed/Invested and $5.5B private capital mobilized with 5,000+ jobs created. David interviews Robert Harvey, the President and Executive Director of the FOF, about the FOF's investing strategy and future plans. (recorded 5/31/24)Erratum: Robert Harvey received his undergraduate degree from  Eastern Illinois University. It was incorrectly stated as from Southern Illinois University.Follow David on LinkedIn or reach out to David on Twitter/X @DGRollingSouth for comments. We invite your feedback and suggestions at ventureinthesouth.com or email david@ventureinthesouth.com. Learn more about RollingSouth at rollingsouth.vc or email david@rollingsouth.vc. Follow Paul on LinkedIn. Download our White Papers and Cheat Sheets HERE. Thanks for listening and remember: Our mission is to MAKE MONEY, HAVE FUN AND DO GOOD.

Are you investing in the right type of fund to match your financial goals and risk tolerance?   In this episode, Angel and Alina Trigub dive deep into the world of various investment funds. From income funds perfect for retirees seeking steady payouts to growth funds for those willing to wait for significant returns, and hybrid funds offering a mix of both, the episode unpacks the intricacies of each type. The guest expert from TF Management Group elaborates on fund strategies, risk mitigation, and diversification, providing listeners with a comprehensive understanding of how to make informed investment decisions.     [00:01 - 04:38] Understanding Income Funds Introduction to income funds and their suitability for different investor profiles Key benefits of income funds, such as generating passive income Importance of dividend schedules and payout frequencies   [04:39 - 08:29] Growth Funds Explained Overview of growth funds and their long-term benefits Typical value-add projects and their impact on investment returns Depreciation strategies and their tax implications for investors   [08:30 - 13:25] Income and Growth Funds Combining income and growth elements in a single fund How fund managers balance the income and growth components Example of the Opportunity Fund's structure and benefits   [13:26 - 17:05] Questions Investors Should Ask Important questions to consider before investing in any fund Understanding the fund manager's strategy and track record Evaluating the safety and potential risks of investments   [17:06 - 22:00] Risk Mitigation and Diversification Strategies for managing and mitigating investment risks Diversification across asset classes, locations, and investment strategies Importance of underwriting criteria and downside protection       Key Quotes:   "Diversification and risk mitigation are key to a stable investment strategy." - Alina Trigub   "Income funds are perfect for those needing passive income from day one." - Alina Trigub     Connect with Alina:   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alinatrigub/ Calendar: https://calendly.com/callwithalina/15min-discovery-call     Visit sponsorcloud.io/contact today and unlock $2,000 of free services exclusively for REI Rocks community members! Get automated syndication and investor relationship management tools to save time and money. Mention your part of the REI Rocks community for exclusive offers. Help make affordable, low-cost education summits possible. Check out Sponsor Cloud today!   LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone who wants to explode their business growth by sharing this episode.   Are you confused about where to start? Join our community and learn more about real estate investing.    Head over to our Facebook Page, YouTube channel, or website  https://www.theacademypresents.com/jointhesummit36848306.

Day 821.Today, we bring you updates from across Ukraine, discuss the potential death of Western democracy and we speak about the challenges and issues facing women in Ukraine since the full-scale invasion.Contributors:David Knowles (Head of Audio Development). @djknowles22 on X.Francis Dearnley(Assistant Comment Editor) @FrancisDearnley on X.With thanks to ACE FD, Historian Dr Thomas Clausen and Karyn Gershon - Project Kesher CEO, and Vlada Nedak - CEO of Project Kesher Ukraine and the Women's Opportunity Fund of Ukraine.To learn more about "Project Kesher" and the Charitable Foundation "Women's Opportunity Fund", you can visit:http://www.projectkesher.org.ua/'What if Putin Wins?' Essay Series & Articles Referenced:For the next seven days The Telegraph is running a series of exclusive essays from prominent international commentators imagining the consequences if Russia were successful in its war. The first essays can be found below:'Europe's fascist future awaits' (Dr Thomas Clausen in The Telegraph)https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/05/29/europes-fascist-future-awaits-if-putin-wins-in-ukraine/'Putin's plot to destroy Nato is reaching its devastating climax' (Aliona Hlivco in The Telegraph)https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/05/29/putin-plot-to-destroy-nato-reaching-its-climax/'If Putin wins, expect the worst genocide since the Holocaust' (Karolina Hird in The Telegraph)Other articles referenced today are as follows:'Volodymyr Zelensky: Russian troops are laughing at and "hunting" Ukrainians' (The Guardian)https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/may/31/volodymyr-zelenskiy-russian-troops-have-been-laughing-at-and-hunting-ukrainians?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other‘He couldn't wait to join': thousands of young Russians die in Ukraine war (The Guardian)https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/may/29/thousands-of-russian-youth-die-in-ukraine-warSubscribe to The Telegraph: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

WABE education reporter Juma Sei discusses President Joe Biden's commencement address at Morehouse College. The President addressed several current topics, including democracy, systemic issues that impact Black people and the Israel-Hamas war. Plus, Propel ATL is calling on Atlanta city leaders to increase the Atlanta Department of Transportation's proposed budget to match other major cities. The current proposal increases the department's budget by 2%, which doesn't keep up with the rate of inflation. Rebecca Serna, the executive director of Propel ATL, highlights how the proposed budget does not make up for funding cuts from the previous year. She shares what her organization hopes additional funding could be used for. Lastly, the In Her Hands guaranteed income program is expanding to reach more Black women in more Atlanta neighborhoods. Hope Wollensack, the executive director of Georgia Resilience and Opportunity Fund, talks about the eligibility and application process. She also mentions the key findings of the In Her Hands' Year One Evaluation Report. Shamarra Woods, an Old Fourth Ward resident, and participant of In Her Hands, shares how the program has changed her life. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What do Black and Latino entrepreneurs look like, uninterrupted? That's the question, Felecia Hatcher, CEO of Pharrell William's Black Ambition Opportunity Fund, has for the entrepreneurship ecosystem. Hatcher is a White House Award-Winning Entrepreneur, Motivational Speaker and Author. The Fund, which she leads, invests in diverse entrepreneurs with capital, mentorship and uninterrupted access to resources and opportunities. There is nothing she can't do. In the last three years, the Fund has invested in more than 100 Black and Latino-led companies, all which have gone to raise more than $95 million. Today we are speaking with Felecia about the capital gaps for Black and Latino entrepreneurs, the big opportunity that comes with investing in POC communities and her own journey as business owners from owning a gourmet popsicle company with her partner to becoming CEO of Black Ambition. No te lo quires perder.

Beverly Powell and I detail the widespread benefits of the Burleson Opportunity Fund, both to the families and to the Burleson community.  See how you can benefit, and how you can help.  There no doubt there numerous Burleson families that college access is made affordable by the BOF and its supporters.

Ray White speaks with Herman Mashaba, Leader of ActionSA, on his party's plan for inclusive economic empowerment with the aim of dismantling the barriers that have hindered economic empowerment, and how the introduction of legislation to establish an Opportunity Fund where big business will contrivute 5% of its profits will empower communities.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba notes there is an urgent need to address tertiary education funding, alongside reforms to the country's institutions of learning, to "fix the country". Mashaba was speaking during a press conference on Tuesday, held at Gordon Institute of Business Science in Johannesburg, where he committed that an ActionSA government would significantly expand and improve access to a variety of post-matric opportunities, whether through traditional academic routes in universities, or via colleges dedicated to technical skills and vocational training. He said institutions such as the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) have been plagued with corruption allegations as thousands of students go homeless or without food. "Tertiary institutions across the country suffer from maladministration and our very own Ministers face allegations of buying their degrees, thereby reducing the credibility of South African qualifications. And, our centres of higher learning fail to address the critical skills shortage currently facing South Africa, from software developers to engineers and scientists," he said. Mashaba said while his party worked towards growing the economy through its plan for economic prosperity, it would achieve its goal of ensuring that no academically qualified student was excluded from further education through aggressive reprioritisation of the national Budget away from wasteful expenditure such as State-owned enterprise (SOE) bailouts and VIP security. He said his party would ensure that student funding was a top priority, ahead of any government expense. "Combined with reforms to NSFAS alongside the introduction of our Opportunity Fund, we can remove barriers to funding access for all South Africans. And with the establishment of ActionSA's one-of-a-kind Opportunity Fund, we will ensure that public funds that currently go to enriching entrepreneurs are used to empower the young people of South Africa," he promised. The Opportunity Fund will radically expand access to tertiary education by not only funding students, but also building new higher education facilities. Mashaba believes South Africa's higher education centres are in crisis, while too many students are prohibited from accessing tertiary education owing to financial exclusion. Mashaba said despite repeated promises and investigations into higher education funding, government had made little progress in expanding access to higher education. "It is simply unacceptable that 30 years after democracy students are excluded from obtaining a tertiary education because they lack the funds. Not while our government wastes billions on propping up failing SOEs and allows limited public funds to be stolen by self-interested cadres," he said. ActionSA believes that quality education is one of the best tools for empowerment and it will improve lives. "That is why we have committed that under an ActionSA government, no academically qualifying student will be excluded from further education because they lack the funds to study," he emphasised. EXPANDING ACCESS TO FURTHER EDUCATION Mashaba explained that his party will expand access to further education not only by removing financial barriers, but through a comprehensive plan to address the institutional failures of the higher education system. He admitted that this would not happen overnight, saying ActionSA believed that government had a responsibility to be transparent about what was possible. "I say this because while it is our dream that one day we can introduce fee-free education for all students, we must accept the reality we face as a country that suffers from low economic growth, a declining tax base and sustained unemployment of over 40%," he said. He said ActionSA planned to increase financial support to academically qualifying students, including tuition, accommodation and living expenses, and also expand its network of quality institutions of higher education to alleviate capacity constra...

Barrett Linburg, a real estate investor, discusses his journey investing in real estate and explains the decision-making process for holding or selling a project and the benefits of investing in Opportunity Zones. Barrett also touches on the potential extension of Opportunity Zone provisions and the types of gain eligible for investment. He provides insights into the timing rules for investment and the tax benefits of holding an investment for 10 years. Finally, he discusses the process of setting up a Qualified Opportunity Fund. In this conversation, Barrett Linburg discusses the tax deferral and reduction benefits of investing in Opportunity Zones. He explains the rules and requirements for qualified Opportunity Funds and the importance of deploying capital within specific timeframes. Barrett also highlights the role of qualified Opportunity Zone businesses and the flexibility they offer in cash management. He emphasizes the need for proper structuring and compliance in the Opportunity Zone space. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the adoption of technology to streamline business workflows and how to get in touch with Barrett   Takeaways Real estate investors can benefit from buying distressed properties and performing extensive renovations to increase returns and lower operating expenses. The decision to hold or sell a project depends on factors such as the tax structure, net cash flow, and return on equity. Opportunity Zone investing offers tax benefits, including deferral of capital gains taxes and potential elimination of taxes on appreciation after holding the investment for 10 years. Investors must have a capital gain to invest in an Opportunity Zone fund, and the gain can come from various sources, including stocks, real estate, and personal assets. Investing in Opportunity Zones allows for tax deferral and reduction until April 2027. Qualified Opportunity Funds must deploy capital into real estate projects within specific timeframes. Qualified Opportunity Zone businesses provide flexibility in cash management and have testing requirements. Setting up a qualified Opportunity Fund requires compliance with tax regulations and deal flow management. Awareness and adoption of Opportunity Zones are growing, but there is still room for more participation. Investors can diversify their investments by partnering with different Opportunity Zone funds. Personal qualified Opportunity Funds are suitable for individuals who are comfortable with compliance and deal sourcing. Adopting technology, such as Copilot, can streamline business workflows and improve efficiency.

What's up everyone, today we have the pleasure of sitting down with Jessenia Francisco, Director, Marketing Operations at Lucid. Summary: Jessenia shares her journey from nonprofit to tech, emphasizing adaptability and purpose. She tackles imposter syndrome by fostering an inclusive culture, explores the strategic use of tools like Lucidchart in her own day to day, and advocates for mindful martech selection, particularly the integration of AI, balancing innovation with practicality. Her work with Women in Revenue underscores the power of mentorship in empowering women in revenue roles, highlighting the importance of community and strategic thinking for professional and personal growth. About JesseniaJessenia started her career in Finance at Merril Lynch and Bank of AmericaShe pivoted to the non profit space joining the Association of Latino Professionals for America where she started to get in fundraising operationsShe was later recruited by the NewSchools Venture Fund and moved out to the Bay area to roll out Salesforce across the organizationShe then joined the Opportunity Fund as Development Operations Manager focused on improving the donor acquisition process and marketing automation implementationJessenia then made the mega move to Asana where she started in Sales Operations and later pivoted to Marketing Operations leading Martech Program and eventually becoming Head of Marketing AutomationToday she's Director of Marketing Operations at Lucid Software, the creators of the popular flowchart and diagram tool; LucidchartShifting from Counting Coins to Making ChangeJessenia's career evolution from finance to the nonprofit sector was not just a job change; it was a pursuit of impact over income. She sought to make a tangible difference, moving away from the profit-focused dialogues of her finance days towards creating systemic change. This quest for purpose led her to the nonprofit world, where she found the work deeply rewarding.Reflecting on her journey, Jessenia realized she had been involved in operations long before it became a recognized field, combining her analytical skills with business operations even during her finance tenure. This foundation served her well in the nonprofit sector, allowing her to apply her skills to support community-driven initiatives. She was particularly moved by the stories of the communities she worked with, finding a profound connection to the people and the transformative changes her efforts contributed to.At NewSchools Venture Fund, Jessenia experienced the intersection of venture philanthropy and educational reform. This organization, pioneering in merging investment with educational innovation, aimed to disrupt traditional learning models. She was fascinated by project-based learning, as seen in a Napa school, where even kindergartners engaged in complex concepts like velocity and gravity. Such moments underscored the significant impact of strategic funding in education.The nonprofit sector also presented Jessenia with numerous growth opportunities, from implementing CRMs to leading marketing operations. These experiences built her expertise in sales and marketing operations, highlighting the sector's potential for rapid professional development. Jessenia appreciated the creative challenges and the "champagne taste on a beer budget" mentality, which taught her to maximize limited resources effectively.However, Jessenia also faced challenges, including under-resourcing in technology and potential career stagnation. The nonprofit world's inclination to deprioritize tech investments and the limitations in career growth posed significant hurdles. Additionally, leadership changes and political dynamics within organizations could disrupt projects and affect the effectiveness of operations work.Key Takeaway: Jessenia's narrative reveals the dual nature of nonprofit work: its capacity to fulfill a deep-seated need for purpose and impact, juxtaposed with the practical challenges of limited resources and career growth ceilings. Her journey highlights the importance of adaptability, creativity, and a steadfast focus on mission-driven work amidst these challenges.Career Leaps From Small Ponds to Big Tech OceansJessenia's career leap from niche nonprofits to tech giants like Asana and Lucid sheds light on the value and versatility of working in different organizational sizes. Initially joining Asana when it was a relatively small team of 350, she quickly dispelled the myth that smaller entities lack significance. Her experience at Asana, a company that grew from a "cult classic" to a major player, exemplifies the unique advantages of smaller companies, such as a close-knit work culture and rapid adaptability.Small companies, Jessenia notes, offer a level of intimacy and direct impact that larger organizations can struggle to match. From knowing a colleague's preference for Diet Coke to having the ability to influence business outcomes directly, these environments foster a sense of community and effectiveness. Yet, she also confronts the misconception that privilege and pedigree are absent in smaller settings. Even in a tight-knit team, backgrounds of privilege and elite education can influence dynamics, something Jessenia encountered firsthand.However, as companies grow, maintaining the essence of a smaller organization's culture poses challenges. Jessenia emphasizes the importance of meeting people and business needs as they evolve, advocating for empathy and adaptability in processes. She warns against being wedded to past solutions or technologies, stressing the need to tailor approaches to the organization's current context rather than relying on what worked elsewhere.Key Takeaway: Jessenia makes the point that smaller companies offer a richness of experience and that you will need a nuanced approach if transitioning to or scaling within larger tech companies. She highlights the importance of adaptability, empathy, and a keen understanding of the unique dynamics at play, offering insights into successfully navigating career transitions and fostering personal and professional growth in any organizational landscape.Reflections on Overcoming Imposter SyndromeJessenia tackles imposter syndrome with a unique blend of emotional intelligence and mindful reflection. Instead of reacting on impulse, she takes time to process complex ideas, valuing collaboration over solitary effort. Recognizing when to ask for help has been crucial in her journey, turning potential hurdles into learning opportunities and stronger bonds with her colleagues.Her approach to leadership focuses on empowering her team, encouraging them to confidently express their insights and take ownership of their expertise. This method not only addresses imposter syndrome but also promotes a culture where accountability and teamwork thrive. Jessenia believes in the power of vulnerability and support, showing that admitting you don't know everything can be your greatest strength.Jessenia actively seeks out communities for both professional and personal growth, especially during challenging times like the COVID-19 pandemic. By engaging with networks, she ensures no one has to face difficulties alone, emphasizing the importance of collective wisdom and shared experiences.Key Takeaway: The cornerstone of her strategy against imposter syndrome lies in fostering environments where asking questions, seeking clarity, and valuing each team member's viewpoint are encouraged. This approach not only helps combat feelings of inadequacy but also strengthens the team's cohesion and effectiveness.Cracking the MOPs Code with Lucidchart's Vis...

Highlights from this week's conversation include:Sarah's background in innovation and corporate partnerships (1:02)Challenges with Corporate Partners and Innovation (5:06)Strategic Corporate LPs and their Sustainability (7:23)Recognizing a Different Business Model (9:54)Insider Segment: The Role of SPVs and Opportunity Funds (15:56)Venture studio landscape (17:57)Advantages of company creation (19:12)Criteria for Selecting Fund Managers (22:09)Backed funds and their qualities (23:56)Mistakes in company creation (26:37)Gender disparities in company creation (32:09)Benchmarking founder worth (35:11)Early exits and company creation (36:02)High potential asset class (38:27)Final thoughts and takeaways (39:14)Vault Fund was founded in 2021 and invests exclusively in company creation entities (“company creators”), otherwise known as venture studios. Vault defines a company creator as an entity that serves as the founder or co-founder across their portfolio. Investing in this space since 2015, the leaders of Vault Fund strongly believe that company creation funds have business model advantages to scale innovation and build high quality, resilient companies that create portfolio level alpha more efficiently. Learn more at www.vaultfund.com. Canopy is a fintech company on a mission to democratize access to private investments. We believe early access to world-changing projects should not be limited to the ultra-wealthy. By automating the process of private investment with a technology-first approach, we are building a future where investing in alternative assets is simple and streamlined for both managers and individual investors alike. Learn more at www.heycanopy.com/. Swimming with Allocators is a podcast that dives into the intriguing world of Venture Capital from an LP (Limited Partner) perspective. Hosts Alexa Binns and Earnest Sweat are seasoned professionals who have donned various hats in the VC ecosystem. Each episode, we explore where the future opportunities lie in the VC landscape with insights from top LPs on their investment strategies and industry experts shedding light on emerging trends and technologies. Follow along and subscribe at swimmingwithallocators.com.The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this podcast are for general informational purposes only.

Ready to turn your financial dreams into reality? On this episode of A Wiser Retirement™ Podcast, Casey Smith and Missie Beach, CFP®, CDFA® impart wisdom on proper financial planning and the concept of an opportunity fund. This fund can be your secret weapon to achieving family goals such as going on a grand vacation or buying a vacation home.This episode underscores the necessity of mindfulness in your financial decisions and the immeasurable value of having a financial plan in place and sticking to it. They will also equip you with resources to help find a qualified financial advisor. Podcast Episode Referenced:- Ep 141: What is Holistic Financial Planning?Youtube Videos Referenced:-Tips for Sticking to Your Financial GoalsOther Links:-Flightpath Download Our eBook: "Buyer Beware: Why do they keep trying to sell you that annuity?"Click here to schedule a consultation with one of our financial advisors.Connect With Us:Our WebsiteYouTubeFacebookLinkedInInstagramTwitterPodcastBlog This podcast was produced by Wiser Wealth Management. Thanks for listening!

Today we're happy to welcome Agate Freimane, Founding Partner of Norrsken, one of Europe's leading impact venture capital funds born out of Norrsken Foundation, which hosts events, operates co-working spaces, and runs accelerator programmes across the Nordics, Iberia, and Eastern Africa.Their fund is dedicated to investing in early-stage startups focusing primarily in climate tech and they've led the investments into almost 50 companies, highlights including Northvolt, Einride, 1komma5 and Matsmart.Jump to the parts that matter to you

In this enlightening episode of the Mark Moss Show, Dutch Mendenhall—Co-founder and CEO of Rad Diversified, President of the Alternative Investment Association, founder of THE RAD, and the author of "Money Shackles"—dives deep into the financial struggles and misconceptions that chain many Americans. From understanding debt as a tool and challenging the economic discrimination in accredited vs. non-accredited investments, to the potential of American farmland and the powerful impact of financial knowledge, Dutch offers a fresh perspective on financial freedom. Get insights into the vibrant world of real estate, economic discrimination, and the power of the right mindset.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Marcelo Claure is the Founder & CEO of Claure Group, a multi-billion-dollar global investment firm. He is the Executive Chairman and Managing Partner of Bicycle Capital, a $500M Latin America-focused growth equity fund, and was appointed Chairman in Latin America of SHEIN, the global #1 on-demand fashion company in the world. Claure was also the CEO of SoftBank Group International where he launched SoftBank's $8B Latin America Funds, and had direct oversight for SoftBank's operating companies. As an entrepreneur, Marcelo built Brightstar from a small local distributor to the world's largest global wireless distribution and services company. In addition, Claure led the turnaround of US wireless telecommunications company Sprint and helped orchestrate its US$195 billion merger with T-Mobile. Shu Nyatta is the founder of Bicycle Capital. Before Bicycle, Shu was most recently a Managing Partner at SoftBank Group International, where he launched and managed two separate funds - the SoftBank Latin America Fund and the Opportunity Fund for early-stage investments in US-based founders-of-color. In the first part of his SoftBank career, Shu was a founding Partner of SoftBank's Vision Fund. Several companies have retained him on their boards as an independent board member following his departure from SoftBank, including Lemonade (NYSE: LMND), Kavak and Tribal Credit. Shu also serves on the board of Endeavor Global - the leading global community of, by and for high-impact entrepreneurs. In Today's Episode Featuring Bicycle Capital We Discuss: 1. From Deploying $10BN at Softbank to Founding Bicycle Capital: What was the founding moment for Marcelo and Shu in the founding of Bicycle? What does Shu believe is Marcelo's superpower? How has working with Marcelo changed the way he thinks? Why does Marcelo believe that he is not a good investor? How does Shu make him better, specifically? 2. Lessons from Investing $10BN at Softbank: What are 1-2 of the biggest lessons from investing $10BN over the last few years at Softbank? How did missing OpenAI and Nubank impact how Shu and Marcelo think and invest today? Why was losing $150M on Softbank's FTX investment, the biggest lesson of Marcelo's career? What are Marcelo and Shu doing differently at Bicycle, having seen how it went at Softbank? 3. The Venture World is Changing: Why do Marcelo and Shu believe the world of venture is changing? How is it changing most? Why are founders going directly to LPs to raise rounds today, over going to VCs? Do Marcelo and Shu believe that many VCs provide value? Who will win in the next 10 years of venture? Who will lose? Why do Marcelo and Shu believe you should not invest in founders that do not take your advice? Do Marcelo and Shu agree with the statement that "the best founders do not need your help"? 4. LATAM is Under Construction: It is Time to Build: What are the two reasons that the next decade will be the best ever for LATAM? What are the biggest misconceptions about the LATAM tech market? How do Marcelo and Shu answer the question of the lack of liquidity available with few M&A deals taking place and very few LATAM companies listing on the NASDAQ? How do Marcelo and Shu evaluate the withdrawal of foreign capital from LATAM tech markets? Is it good or bad? Have a load of US funds lost money on early-stage LATAM deals?

Dr. K attends Digestive Disease Week and has the opportunity to interview numerous members of AGA leadership as well as the GI Opportunity Fund. To stream our Station live 24/7 visit www.HealthcareNOWRadio.com or ask your Smart Device to “….Play Healthcare NOW Radio.” Find all of our network podcasts on your favorite podcast platforms and be sure to subscribe and like us. Learn more at www.healthcarenowradio.com/listen

Matt Roberts is a veteran of the Canadian tech and venture scene. In Silicon Valley, his story would be somewhat common, a young talented tech person, the child of a computer pioneer, moves up the ranks through mentorship and gains wealth and stature through savvy choices and a little luck. However, in Canada, these stories are far less common and therefore more exciting to share.This is a fun trip through Canadian Tech history. Matt was around, and often in a pivotal position, to see the rise of tech giants like GaN Systems and Shopify, and he brings a perspective of a tech scene that pre-dates the internet through the experiences of his late father, John Roberts. This is a candid and wide-ranging conversation that was an amazing deep dive.About Matt Roberts:Matt is a cofounder and General Partner at CMD Capital, focusing on Seed opportunities in AI with a generalist lens. Matt Co-Founded CMD Capital after spending seven years with ScaleUP Ventures, where he was Partner and subsequently a GP in its Opportunity Fund. While there, he was the lead investor in Solink, Renorun, Rewind, and #paid. Prior to that Matt was at BDC, where he led the IT Venture Funds investments in Crowdriff, Sonder (Flatbook), Hubdoc, Unsplash and Crew. He also raised the Seed and Series “A” round for Semiconductor startup GaN Systems. Matt started in Venture as an Analyst at Wesley Clover, best known as billionaire entrepreneur Terry Matthews investment group. He was a founder and operator at various tech companies early in his career.In addition to his MBA from Western University, Matt holds a BA from Carleton University.In this episode we discuss:(01:28) Matt's journey into tech following in his dad's footsteps(04:46) Why mentorship and curiosity are so important(05:54) Working with Terry Matthews early in his career(08:20) His experience at GaN Systems helping raise funds(14:07) His time at BDC(16:30) Starting ScaleUp Ventures in 2016(18:18) How being a GP changed his investing philosophy(20:01) Decision making process at ScaleUp(20:44) Why it's prudent to make friends with Junior partners(22:14) The evolution of the Canadian Venture Capital market(24:22) Launching CMD Capital(26:57) How fund size effects investing(27:36) Why smaller funds can deliver more value(29:16) CMD investing thesis(33:04) How the lack of early-stage Canadian VCs has effected the market(36:25) What CMD brings to founders beyond money(38:13) Advice to young investors(42:28) Trends he is seeing in VCFast Favorites*

Nait Jones is most known for his work at Andreessen Horowitz where he was a partner and led their Talent x Opportunity Fund. He was also the Head of Growth at Royal where he democratized access to artists' music royalties, working with icons like Nas. He is now the CEO of Oyi Labs. When it comes to culture, investing and entrepreneurship this man is at the forefront. Timestamps 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:03 Men need problem-solving for satisfaction and survival. 00:05:53 Social degeneration despite technological access. 00:07:10 Intentionality replaced natural organization in generations past. 00:10:40 Regret: Time spent in 20s-30s 00:14:18 Desire to join and jealousy examined. 00:19:10 Moment of self-empowerment: going all-in 00:23:15 Conflict highlights principles, earns respect. 00:24:11 Understanding flips business relationship to positivity. 00:28:26 Intuitive understanding of prayer with lava rocks. 00:32:49 Fear is a game boss to beat. 00:33:51 Connection comes with disconnection; improvement through process. 00:38:57 Free Agency Ad This episode is brought you by Free Agency Sponsor Check out our sponsor, Free Agency (https://www.freeagency.com/) Socials Twitter: https://twitter.com/calum_johnson9Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/calumjohnson1/ Guest: https://twitter.com/NaithanJones

The new fund hopes to deploy the $150 million within three years, and has appointed Paul Judge as its managing partner.

Do you struggle to find the right words when you need to say “no,” enforce a boundary, give feedback, or navigate other difficult conversations? Listen up because this episode is for you! Brittney Richardson and I sat down to have a conscious conversation about boundaries and negotiation as WOC leaders. In this episode, you'll hear us talk about saying no, asking for help, setting boundaries, and giving and receiving feedback. I also share scripts that you can use in specific circumstances, so if you've been putting off a difficult conversation because you don't know what to say, there might be a script that you can use in this episode! Brittney Richardson is a nonprofit professional with over 10 years of experience in building communities both in person and online. As a passionate advocate for women and people of color, Brittney has dedicated her career to supporting underrepresented communities. Topics covered in this episode include:Why we as women feel guilty when we say “no”How to use the Wheel of Life tool The value of daily reflectionA script to use when you need to say “no”How to set boundaries with your clients Tune in to learn how to be a better communicator in your personal and professional life. Show notes are always available at elainelou.com/podcast/47.Resources Mentioned:Brittney's LinkedInThe slides from this episodeAccion Opportunity FundFound/LAThe Wheel of Life WorksheetSet Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself by Nedra Glover TawwabEpisode 2: How to Put Yourself First Without Feeling Guilty with Nicole CruzEpisode 6: Charging Your Worth as a WOC and Being an Imperfect Ally with Erica Courdae and India JacksonEpisode 40: Why Difficult Conversations Improve Our Life + Work Relationships with Erica Courdae and India JacksonEpisode 5: Time and Energy Management to Get Your Life BackWhere We Can Connect:Apply to schedule a call to see if the Color Your Dreams Inner Circle is a good fit for you: https://elainelou.com/innercircleSchedule a call with me: https://elainelou.com/callJoin my weekly Color Your Dreams Newsletter: http://elainelou.com/joinFollow Along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elainelou_Follow Along on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamelainelouConnect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elaineloucartas

Former business journalist Jean Gruss - who operates Gruss Communications - discusses Blackstone's new investment fund that will target opportunities in a variety of real estate sectors including rental housing during a recent episode of the Miami Reporters Roundtable Podcast With Peter Zalewski. The conversation is based on this story in Reuters: "Blackstone Raises $30.4 billion For Latest Real Estate Fund" 'https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/blackstone-raises-304-bln-latest-real-estate-fund-2023-04-11/ The program features current and former journalists discussing the biggest stories from the previous week. The objective of this program is to cut through the fluff and hyperbole of South Florida real estate marketing, in hopes, of assisting the audience to better understand the key points impacting decision making. The 'Miami Reporters Roundtable Podcasts With Peter Zalewski' can be viewed or heard wherever you get your podcasts. Alternatively, this podcast is available on the YouTube.com channel: CondoVulturesTV. To ask a question or make a comment, please reach us at inquiry@condovultures.com or 305.865.5859 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/condovultures/message

This week Mary Ann, Natasha and Alex enjoyed the warming climate and the fact that there are some positive vibes in the venture market as well. Hell, we even had a nine-figure round to chew on!Here's the show rundown:Alex wanted to discuss the latest FTX docs and the recent X.com (formally known as Twitter) news.Natasha brought a new edtech venture fund to the table.Mary Ann wanted to talk about Clear Street's impressive fundraise.From there, we discussed that while the pace at which unicorns are being funded is in freefall, there are still some mega-IPOs coming from select late-stage startups. We will relish the return of S-1 season when it comes.From there it was time to chat AI. Natasha recently went to an AI event in San Francisco, helping us grok the on-the-ground dynamics at play. That, when crossed with different regulatory postures around the world made for a pretty darn interesting segment.And we closed with the opportunity that opportunity funds may afford venture firms. While Lux is still pursing a multi-stage approach, other firms are taking a more focused tack.Lastly, there are just a couple days left to place your Webby Awards votes for our friends at Found and Chain Reaction.We are back Monday morning, see you all at Early Stage!For episode transcripts and more, head to Equity's Simplecast website. Equity drops at 7:00 a.m. PT every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, so subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotifyand all the casts. TechCrunch also has a great show on crypto, a show that interviews founders, one that details how our stories come together and more!

Hope Wollensack, the executive director of Georgia Resilience and Opportunity Fund, and Lauren Priest, the program officer on the Community Impact Team at the Community Foundation for a Greater Atlanta, join “Closer Look” to provide a one-year update about In Her Hands a guaranteed income program for Black women in Georgia. Gabriela Sandoval, founding executive director of the Excessive Wealth Disorder Institute, discusses how the newly formed institute will engage the public, policymakers, and the ultra-wealthy in conversations about the negative impacts of wealth hoarding and how to equitably distribute wealth.Kat Albrecht, assistant professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Georgia State University, talks with Rose about "The Serial Effect" new research that seeks to explore how crime dramas and podcasts influence the way people understand the legal system.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

To take advantage of benefits, you need to act fast! Today's guest, Jimmy Atkinson, discusses the benefits of Opportunity Zones and how they compare to 1031 exchanges. He shares how Opportunity Zones offer significant tax advantages and can be a better option for investors looking to diversify their portfolios and invest in alternative projects.In this episode, Jimmy helps you determine if it's the right investment strategy for you as he shares his knowledge and insights about opportunity zones and how investors can take advantage of this investment opportunity. Tune in now and explore the tax advantages of investing in a qualified Opportunity Fund and compare the two popular tax incentives!Key Points From This Episode: Jimmy shares the steps he took to get to where he is right now and for him to decide that commercial real estate is for him.Jimmy explains what exactly opportunity zones are.How do you know you're operating in an opportunity zone and how to find them.Why should you consider investing with an operator in an opportunity zone?What is the tax incentive for qualified opportunity funds?The difference between opportunity zones and 1031 exchange.How the current economy is affecting Jimmy's plans with opportunity zones.How is Jimmy prepared for a potential downturn when looking for projects?Jimmy's best source for meeting new investors right now.The challenge Jimmy and his business is currently facing.The most important metrics that Jimmy tracks professionally and personally.Tweetables:“You essentially get to eliminate your capital gains liability on your opportunities on investment, so long as you hold it for 10 years.” - Jimmy Atkinson“The second big benefit is that you get to eliminate capital gains liability completely on the appreciation within your opportunities on investment.” - Jimmy Atkinson“Opportunity zones get extended and possibly even made permanent at some point down the road here but it would take an act of Congress to do that.” - Jimmy Atkinson“Opportunity zone by the very letter of the law and by the regulations that define what can qualify as an opportunity as an investment, they can't be poor or poor plus holdings, they actually have to be substantially improved or ground-up construction.” - Jimmy Atkinson“We don't do a lot of outreach looking for them, they [investors] tend to find us because we have such a strong presence in the opportunity's own space.” - Jimmy AtkinsonLinks Mentioned in Today's Episode:The Beginner's Guide to Opportunity Zones WebsiteOpportunity DB WebsiteOpportunity Zones PodcastsAbout Jimmy AtkinsonJimmy Atkinson is the founder of OpportunityDb and host of the Opportunity Zones Podcast. He is also the co-founder of WealthChannel, the leading community for High Net Worth investors and advisors who place capital in alternative investments. Originally from Los Angeles, he graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a BA in economics in 2004.

Tyrone's Bio:Tyrone Ross is the CEO and Co-founder of Turnqey Labs, Inc. and President and Founder of 401 Financial, a registered investment adviser. Formerly as the CEO and Co-founder of Onramp Invest he raised $7M in venture capital from Gemini's Frontier Fund, Coinbase Ventures, SoftBank's Opportunity Fund and others. He has been recognized by Investment News 40 under 40 (2019), and WealthManagement.com as a top ten advisor set to change the industry in 2019. FinancialPlanning.com named him as one of 20 people who will change wealth management in 2020. He was recently named as Investopedia's Top 100 financial advisors, Think Advisor's 2021 IA25: VIP's Pushing Advisors Forward, and most recently acknowledged as one of Barron's 10 people to watch in wealth management in 2022. Social:https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyroneross/Twitter: @TR401 

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://thecitylife.org/2023/01/23/opening-of-applications-for-historic-75m-opportunity-fund-to-help-small-businesses-lead-pandemic-recovery/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/citylifeorg/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/citylifeorg/support

*ABC News Law Enforcement Reporter, Luke Barr, has the latest on the arrest made in connection with the Idaho murders.  *Melody Mercado from Block Club Chicago joins to discuss the city's Neighborhood Opportunity Fund and its potential.  *Chicago Tribune Food Critic, Nick Kindelsperger, has the 12 Best Dishes of 2022.  *Jen DeSalvo and John Howell reflect upon Jen's time in radio and their time as colleagues.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Praveen Suthrum interviews Tom Serena (CEO, American Gastroenterological Association), Matt Schwartz (CEO & Co-founder, Virgo) and Andrea Vossler (Co-founder & Managing Director, Varia Ventures). * Scope Forward has always been about finding the way forward for gastroenterology. Naturally I was excited that a leading GI society such as the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) was scoping forward by launching a venture capital fund called the GI Opportunity Fund (in partnership with Varia Ventures). What was even more exciting is that AGA chose to invest in Virgo to launch the fund. I interviewed Virgo's cofounder Matt Schwartz earlier this year - we talked about the value of data in GI. In this interview, you'll learn from Tom Serena (CEO of AGA) on why (and how) AGA chose to go down the route of venture investing. How the market opportunity for GI is enormous. How to invest and participate in this fund? If you are an entrepreneur, how to land an investment. More importantly, you'll understand the central premise of this interview. As Andrea Vossler, Cofounder and Managing Director of Varia Ventures said, physicians are the epicenter of medical care. You are the ones who are innovating. It's time to step forward and make your ideas into a reality. If you listen closely, Matt has this one piece of advice for GI entrepreneurs. *

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily Newsbrief for Friday, December 16th, 2022. Happy Friday everyone! I hope you’ve had a good week and are heading into the weekend strong… before we get to the news: Club Membership Plug: Its Christmas, join our club. During December, the first 75 people to upgrade or join our Gold or Platinum club membership will get our 32OZ Kodiak Christmas water bottle and a free subscription to our Fight Laugh Feast Magazine. By joining the Fight Laugh Feast Army, not only will you be aiding in our fight to take down secular & legacy media; but you’ll also get access to content placed in our Club Portal, such as past shows, all of our conference talks, and EXCLUSIVE content for club members that you won’t be able to find anywhere else. Lastly, you’ll also get discounts for our conferences… We don’t have the big money of woke media, and so our club members are crucial in this fight. So, join the movement, join our army, and you can sign up now at fightlaughfeast.com. https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-admin-sues-arizona-gov-doug-ducey-over-shipping-container-border-wall Biden Admin Sues Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey Over Shipping Container Border Wall The Justice Department (DOJ) is suing Arizona Republican Gov. Doug Ducey and his administration over the use of shipping containers to build a wall along the state’s southern border with Mexico. The DOJ filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona on Wednesday, claiming that the project trespasses on federal property. “Arizona has unlawfully and without authority failed to remove the shipping containers from lands owned by the United States or over which the United States holds easements, thereby damaging the United States,” the lawsuit argues. The legal move comes after Ducey issued an executive order in August directing the state’s Department of Emergency and Military Affairs to begin a Yuma County project. The 3,820 feet of the previously open border was closed with 130 shipping containers in just 11 days. The project then expanded to other parts of the border, with 6,680 feet of containers stacked two-high throughout Cochise County by early November. That section is estimated to take more than 2,700 shipping containers to fill the 10-mile gap along the southern border. In October, the state filed its own lawsuit to affirm its right to continue using the shipping containers to help curb unlawful crossings. “Our border communities are overwhelmed by illegal activity as a result of the Biden administration’s failure to secure the southern border,” Ducey said in a statement. “Arizona is taking action to protest on behalf of our citizens. With this lawsuit, we’re pushing back against efforts by federal bureaucrats to reverse the progress we’ve made. The safety and security of Arizona and its citizens must not be ignored. Arizona is going to do the job that Joe Biden refuses to do — secure the border in any way we can. We’re not backing down,” he added. The lawsuit came after Ducey refused to comply with a demand by the Biden administration to remove containers in the Yuma County area. Arizona officials told the Biden administration that the state would not remove the containers until a permanent barrier is constructed. The Biden administration has warned that Ducey’s containers have interfered with land near both the Morelos Dam and land belonging to the Cocopah Indian Tribe’s West Reservation. It has also argued the barriers interfere with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s future project to fill holes in the existing wall. In addition, environmental activists have recently targeted Ducey’s shipping container project. The Washington Post reported efforts by climate activists to halt the container border wall, including using their bodies to stand in the way of machinery and sitting on containers in protest. Ducey leaves office in January, with Democratic Gov.-elect Katie Hobbs set to take over. She is expected to stop any further container wall work along the border. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/community-family/sam-brinton-biden-nonbinary-official-hide-student-sex-changes Nonbinary ex-Biden official Sam Brinton helped craft policy to hide student sex changes from parents Sam Brinton, the nonbinary ex- Energy Department nuclear waste official facing major prison time, once helped a nonprofit group craft a model school policy adopted in several states that tells schools to hide alleged gender identity or sexual orientation changes from "unaffirming" parents. Between 2017 and 2020, Brinton was head of advocacy and government affairs at the Trevor Project, an LGBT group focused on youth suicide prevention, according to Brinton's LinkedIn. In 2019, Brinton played a role in developing a 37-page booklet titled "Model School District Policy on Suicide Prevention," which puts restrictions on how much teachers can talk to parents or guardians if their LGBT child is suicidal. "While parents and guardians need to be informed and actively involved in decisions regarding the student’s welfare, the school mental health professional should ensure that the parents’ actions are in the best interest of the student (e.g., when a student is LGBTQ and living in an unaffirming household)," read the model, which was also published by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the American School Counselor Association, and the National Association of School Psychologists. Brinton, 35, was appointed in January as deputy assistant secretary for spent fuel and waste disposition at the Energy Department's Office of Nuclear Energy. The former official was charged with allegedly stealing a suitcase in September worth an estimated $2,325 and, in July, another suitcase in Las Vegas valued at $3,670, according to the DOJ . Brinton, a biological male who identifies as nonbinary and was the first purported nonbinary person to work as a top Energy Department official, faces up to 15 years in prison. The former official oversaw a $45 million budget and 100 federal government staff members in his short time at the Energy Department. State education departments in Arizona , Idaho, and Virginia have adopted the Trevor Project's model policy in full or partially. In addition, so have school districts in places such as Oregon, California, and New Hampshire. In one section of the model, which is titled "Special Considerations," schools are instructed to conceal a child's sexual orientation or alleged gender identity from their parent or guardian unless the student gives consent. "When a parent is notified of perceived suicide risk or an attempt, it is essential that the school maintain student confidentiality related to personal information such as sexual orientation or gender identity, especially when the student has not already disclosed to the parent or guardian and does not want it shared," read the model. "Information shared should be restricted to the perceived risk of suicide or facts of the attempt." https://justthenews.com/government/congress/california-democrat-says-term-pedophile-brands-someone-criminal-because-their California Democrat Rep. Porter says calling person a 'pedophile' brands them a criminal California Democrat Rep. Katie Porter says calling a person a "pedophile" or "groomer" is alleging that they are a criminal because of their "identity." "This allegation of groomer and pedophile, it is alleging that a person is criminal somehow, and engaged in criminal acts merely because of their identity, their sexual orientation and their gender identity," Porter said at Capitol Hill hearing Wednesday titled, "The Rise of Anti-LGBTQI+ Extremism and Violence in the United States." Porter also said the "groomer narrative is an age-old lie to position LGBTQ+ people as a threat to kids." Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson said at the hearing: "When we use words and phrases like groomers and pedophiles to describe people ... it is dangerous and it's got one purpose. It is to dehumanize us and make it feel like we are not a part of this American society." Porter's comments were criticized after the hearing. https://freebeacon.com/latest-news/universal-basic-income-hits-the-bay-area-if-youre-black/ Universal Basic Income Hits the Bay Area—If You’re Black At least three guaranteed income initiatives in the San Francisco Bay Area openly discriminate against white residents, limiting or entirely preventing their participation in programs that dole out no-strings-attached cash. The programs—all of which are publicly funded—violate both the United States and the California state constitution, lawyers say, as well as civil rights laws that ban race discrimination in contracting and by the recipients of government funds. The initiatives include the Black Economic Equity Movement, which provides $500 a month exclusively to "Black young adults," the Abundant Birth Project, which provides $1,000 a month to "Black and Pacific Islander mothers," and the Guaranteed Income for Transgender People program, which will dole out $1,200 a month and "prioritize enrollment" of transgender "Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC)." They are financed by the National Institutes of Health, the California Department of Social Services, and the city of San Francisco, respectively. These programs offer a preview of what could soon be the norm in the Golden State. In July 2021, California lawmakers set aside $35 million dollars in grant funding for guaranteed income pilots across the state. Though the law did not include any racial or ethnic qualifiers, in keeping with the California constitution, the state’s social services department said that it would only give out the grants to pilots that "center equity." Grant applicants were encouraged to "embed an equity-focused approach throughout each dimension" of their programs, including their "eligibility." All three initiatives appear to violate the 14th Amendment, which bans states from discriminating based on race, said Dan Morenoff, the executive director of the American Civil Rights Project, as well as the California constitution and the Civil Rights Act of 1866, which ban racial discrimination in contracting. In addition, the Black Economic Equity Movement appears to violate Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which bans racial discrimination by the recipients of federal funds. The National Institutes of Health, whose "health equity" initiative funded the program, did not respond to a request for comment. The blueprint for these programs comes from private philanthropic ventures, which have experimented with supplemental income schemes in Jackson, Miss., and Atlanta that are only available to black women. Though both the Mississippi program, underwritten by the W.K. Kellogg foundation, and the Atlanta program, funded by the Georgia Resilience and Opportunity Fund, discriminate based on race, they probably don’t violate any laws, said David Bernstein, a professor of constitutional law at George Mason Law School. But their California counterparts are another ball game. "The publicly funded programs are clearly unconstitutional," Bernstein said. "It’s not a close call." In an implicit admission of the legal stakes, every agency involved in the Abundant Birth Project denied using the racial criteria listed on the program’s website. The San Francisco Department of Public Health, which oversees the program, told the Washington Free Beacon that it is "open to all San Franciscans," albeit "with focused efforts" to reach black and Pacific Islander "pregnant and parenting people." Jason Montiel, a spokesman for the California Department of Social Services, which in November wrote a $5 million grant to the Abundant Birth Project so it could expand to other parts of the state, said the expansion "will not use race as a basis for eligibility." That might come as news to Grant Colfax, the director of the San Francisco health department: In a December 6 press release trumpeting the grant, he said it would "help hundreds more Black birthing parents in California." San Francisco mayor London Breed likewise implied that the expansion was racially targeted, calling the Abundant Birth Project "a model to address racial birth disparities." The Black Economic Equity Movement and the Guaranteed Income for Transgender People program did not respond to requests for comment. Gravity Jack: Gravity Jack is a full service digital agency specializing in the development of Virtual & Augmented Reality experiences, mobile apps, blockchain and Web3 projects. Founded in 2009 as the first American agency to offer augmented reality, they even patented it; Gravity Jack's digital experiences have been a source of innovation for small business, Fortune 500 Companies, and the US Military. Get your vision in motion at gravityjack.com https://www.boundingintosports.com/2022/12/virginia-tech-soccer-player-who-was-benched-for-refusing-to-kneel-during-national-anthem-sees-lawsuit-move-forward/ Virginia Tech Soccer Player Who Was Benched For Refusing To Kneel During National Anthem Sees Lawsuit Move Forward Former Virginia Tech Hokies soccer player Kiersten Hening now has her opportunity to sue the university after she was allegedly benched for refusing to take a knee as other woke athletes were during the playing of the National Anthem. U.S. District Judge Thomas T. Cullen gave the approval for the lawsuit to go forward since Hening claimed that her freedom of speech protected by the First Amendment was violated after her coach, Charles Adair, allegedly benched Hening since she refused to join in the team’s “unity statement” of kneeling during the National Anthem during a game in 2020. Hening filed a lawsuit against Virginia Tech and Coach Adair in 2021 but Virginia Tech immediately attempted to file a motion to have the suit tossed. The athlete stated that when she refused to take part in the kneeling, which at the time was a virtue signal statement indicating public support for the Black Lives Matter movement, Adair began to insult and demean her as well as limiting her time to play during matches. The judge also stated that the facts in this particular case firmly show that the coach singled out Hening specifically because of her political views, not because of her ability as an athlete. He then declared, “For these reasons, the court will deny Adair’s motion for summary judgment, and this matter will proceed to trial.”

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily Newsbrief for Friday, December 16th, 2022. Happy Friday everyone! I hope you’ve had a good week and are heading into the weekend strong… before we get to the news: Club Membership Plug: Its Christmas, join our club. During December, the first 75 people to upgrade or join our Gold or Platinum club membership will get our 32OZ Kodiak Christmas water bottle and a free subscription to our Fight Laugh Feast Magazine. By joining the Fight Laugh Feast Army, not only will you be aiding in our fight to take down secular & legacy media; but you’ll also get access to content placed in our Club Portal, such as past shows, all of our conference talks, and EXCLUSIVE content for club members that you won’t be able to find anywhere else. Lastly, you’ll also get discounts for our conferences… We don’t have the big money of woke media, and so our club members are crucial in this fight. So, join the movement, join our army, and you can sign up now at fightlaughfeast.com. https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-admin-sues-arizona-gov-doug-ducey-over-shipping-container-border-wall Biden Admin Sues Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey Over Shipping Container Border Wall The Justice Department (DOJ) is suing Arizona Republican Gov. Doug Ducey and his administration over the use of shipping containers to build a wall along the state’s southern border with Mexico. The DOJ filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona on Wednesday, claiming that the project trespasses on federal property. “Arizona has unlawfully and without authority failed to remove the shipping containers from lands owned by the United States or over which the United States holds easements, thereby damaging the United States,” the lawsuit argues. The legal move comes after Ducey issued an executive order in August directing the state’s Department of Emergency and Military Affairs to begin a Yuma County project. The 3,820 feet of the previously open border was closed with 130 shipping containers in just 11 days. The project then expanded to other parts of the border, with 6,680 feet of containers stacked two-high throughout Cochise County by early November. That section is estimated to take more than 2,700 shipping containers to fill the 10-mile gap along the southern border. In October, the state filed its own lawsuit to affirm its right to continue using the shipping containers to help curb unlawful crossings. “Our border communities are overwhelmed by illegal activity as a result of the Biden administration’s failure to secure the southern border,” Ducey said in a statement. “Arizona is taking action to protest on behalf of our citizens. With this lawsuit, we’re pushing back against efforts by federal bureaucrats to reverse the progress we’ve made. The safety and security of Arizona and its citizens must not be ignored. Arizona is going to do the job that Joe Biden refuses to do — secure the border in any way we can. We’re not backing down,” he added. The lawsuit came after Ducey refused to comply with a demand by the Biden administration to remove containers in the Yuma County area. Arizona officials told the Biden administration that the state would not remove the containers until a permanent barrier is constructed. The Biden administration has warned that Ducey’s containers have interfered with land near both the Morelos Dam and land belonging to the Cocopah Indian Tribe’s West Reservation. It has also argued the barriers interfere with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s future project to fill holes in the existing wall. In addition, environmental activists have recently targeted Ducey’s shipping container project. The Washington Post reported efforts by climate activists to halt the container border wall, including using their bodies to stand in the way of machinery and sitting on containers in protest. Ducey leaves office in January, with Democratic Gov.-elect Katie Hobbs set to take over. She is expected to stop any further container wall work along the border. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/community-family/sam-brinton-biden-nonbinary-official-hide-student-sex-changes Nonbinary ex-Biden official Sam Brinton helped craft policy to hide student sex changes from parents Sam Brinton, the nonbinary ex- Energy Department nuclear waste official facing major prison time, once helped a nonprofit group craft a model school policy adopted in several states that tells schools to hide alleged gender identity or sexual orientation changes from "unaffirming" parents. Between 2017 and 2020, Brinton was head of advocacy and government affairs at the Trevor Project, an LGBT group focused on youth suicide prevention, according to Brinton's LinkedIn. In 2019, Brinton played a role in developing a 37-page booklet titled "Model School District Policy on Suicide Prevention," which puts restrictions on how much teachers can talk to parents or guardians if their LGBT child is suicidal. "While parents and guardians need to be informed and actively involved in decisions regarding the student’s welfare, the school mental health professional should ensure that the parents’ actions are in the best interest of the student (e.g., when a student is LGBTQ and living in an unaffirming household)," read the model, which was also published by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the American School Counselor Association, and the National Association of School Psychologists. Brinton, 35, was appointed in January as deputy assistant secretary for spent fuel and waste disposition at the Energy Department's Office of Nuclear Energy. The former official was charged with allegedly stealing a suitcase in September worth an estimated $2,325 and, in July, another suitcase in Las Vegas valued at $3,670, according to the DOJ . Brinton, a biological male who identifies as nonbinary and was the first purported nonbinary person to work as a top Energy Department official, faces up to 15 years in prison. The former official oversaw a $45 million budget and 100 federal government staff members in his short time at the Energy Department. State education departments in Arizona , Idaho, and Virginia have adopted the Trevor Project's model policy in full or partially. In addition, so have school districts in places such as Oregon, California, and New Hampshire. In one section of the model, which is titled "Special Considerations," schools are instructed to conceal a child's sexual orientation or alleged gender identity from their parent or guardian unless the student gives consent. "When a parent is notified of perceived suicide risk or an attempt, it is essential that the school maintain student confidentiality related to personal information such as sexual orientation or gender identity, especially when the student has not already disclosed to the parent or guardian and does not want it shared," read the model. "Information shared should be restricted to the perceived risk of suicide or facts of the attempt." https://justthenews.com/government/congress/california-democrat-says-term-pedophile-brands-someone-criminal-because-their California Democrat Rep. Porter says calling person a 'pedophile' brands them a criminal California Democrat Rep. Katie Porter says calling a person a "pedophile" or "groomer" is alleging that they are a criminal because of their "identity." "This allegation of groomer and pedophile, it is alleging that a person is criminal somehow, and engaged in criminal acts merely because of their identity, their sexual orientation and their gender identity," Porter said at Capitol Hill hearing Wednesday titled, "The Rise of Anti-LGBTQI+ Extremism and Violence in the United States." Porter also said the "groomer narrative is an age-old lie to position LGBTQ+ people as a threat to kids." Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson said at the hearing: "When we use words and phrases like groomers and pedophiles to describe people ... it is dangerous and it's got one purpose. It is to dehumanize us and make it feel like we are not a part of this American society." Porter's comments were criticized after the hearing. https://freebeacon.com/latest-news/universal-basic-income-hits-the-bay-area-if-youre-black/ Universal Basic Income Hits the Bay Area—If You’re Black At least three guaranteed income initiatives in the San Francisco Bay Area openly discriminate against white residents, limiting or entirely preventing their participation in programs that dole out no-strings-attached cash. The programs—all of which are publicly funded—violate both the United States and the California state constitution, lawyers say, as well as civil rights laws that ban race discrimination in contracting and by the recipients of government funds. The initiatives include the Black Economic Equity Movement, which provides $500 a month exclusively to "Black young adults," the Abundant Birth Project, which provides $1,000 a month to "Black and Pacific Islander mothers," and the Guaranteed Income for Transgender People program, which will dole out $1,200 a month and "prioritize enrollment" of transgender "Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC)." They are financed by the National Institutes of Health, the California Department of Social Services, and the city of San Francisco, respectively. These programs offer a preview of what could soon be the norm in the Golden State. In July 2021, California lawmakers set aside $35 million dollars in grant funding for guaranteed income pilots across the state. Though the law did not include any racial or ethnic qualifiers, in keeping with the California constitution, the state’s social services department said that it would only give out the grants to pilots that "center equity." Grant applicants were encouraged to "embed an equity-focused approach throughout each dimension" of their programs, including their "eligibility." All three initiatives appear to violate the 14th Amendment, which bans states from discriminating based on race, said Dan Morenoff, the executive director of the American Civil Rights Project, as well as the California constitution and the Civil Rights Act of 1866, which ban racial discrimination in contracting. In addition, the Black Economic Equity Movement appears to violate Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which bans racial discrimination by the recipients of federal funds. The National Institutes of Health, whose "health equity" initiative funded the program, did not respond to a request for comment. The blueprint for these programs comes from private philanthropic ventures, which have experimented with supplemental income schemes in Jackson, Miss., and Atlanta that are only available to black women. Though both the Mississippi program, underwritten by the W.K. Kellogg foundation, and the Atlanta program, funded by the Georgia Resilience and Opportunity Fund, discriminate based on race, they probably don’t violate any laws, said David Bernstein, a professor of constitutional law at George Mason Law School. But their California counterparts are another ball game. "The publicly funded programs are clearly unconstitutional," Bernstein said. "It’s not a close call." In an implicit admission of the legal stakes, every agency involved in the Abundant Birth Project denied using the racial criteria listed on the program’s website. The San Francisco Department of Public Health, which oversees the program, told the Washington Free Beacon that it is "open to all San Franciscans," albeit "with focused efforts" to reach black and Pacific Islander "pregnant and parenting people." Jason Montiel, a spokesman for the California Department of Social Services, which in November wrote a $5 million grant to the Abundant Birth Project so it could expand to other parts of the state, said the expansion "will not use race as a basis for eligibility." That might come as news to Grant Colfax, the director of the San Francisco health department: In a December 6 press release trumpeting the grant, he said it would "help hundreds more Black birthing parents in California." San Francisco mayor London Breed likewise implied that the expansion was racially targeted, calling the Abundant Birth Project "a model to address racial birth disparities." The Black Economic Equity Movement and the Guaranteed Income for Transgender People program did not respond to requests for comment. Gravity Jack: Gravity Jack is a full service digital agency specializing in the development of Virtual & Augmented Reality experiences, mobile apps, blockchain and Web3 projects. Founded in 2009 as the first American agency to offer augmented reality, they even patented it; Gravity Jack's digital experiences have been a source of innovation for small business, Fortune 500 Companies, and the US Military. Get your vision in motion at gravityjack.com https://www.boundingintosports.com/2022/12/virginia-tech-soccer-player-who-was-benched-for-refusing-to-kneel-during-national-anthem-sees-lawsuit-move-forward/ Virginia Tech Soccer Player Who Was Benched For Refusing To Kneel During National Anthem Sees Lawsuit Move Forward Former Virginia Tech Hokies soccer player Kiersten Hening now has her opportunity to sue the university after she was allegedly benched for refusing to take a knee as other woke athletes were during the playing of the National Anthem. U.S. District Judge Thomas T. Cullen gave the approval for the lawsuit to go forward since Hening claimed that her freedom of speech protected by the First Amendment was violated after her coach, Charles Adair, allegedly benched Hening since she refused to join in the team’s “unity statement” of kneeling during the National Anthem during a game in 2020. Hening filed a lawsuit against Virginia Tech and Coach Adair in 2021 but Virginia Tech immediately attempted to file a motion to have the suit tossed. The athlete stated that when she refused to take part in the kneeling, which at the time was a virtue signal statement indicating public support for the Black Lives Matter movement, Adair began to insult and demean her as well as limiting her time to play during matches. The judge also stated that the facts in this particular case firmly show that the coach singled out Hening specifically because of her political views, not because of her ability as an athlete. He then declared, “For these reasons, the court will deny Adair’s motion for summary judgment, and this matter will proceed to trial.”

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily Newsbrief for Friday, December 16th, 2022. Happy Friday everyone! I hope you’ve had a good week and are heading into the weekend strong… before we get to the news: Club Membership Plug: Its Christmas, join our club. During December, the first 75 people to upgrade or join our Gold or Platinum club membership will get our 32OZ Kodiak Christmas water bottle and a free subscription to our Fight Laugh Feast Magazine. By joining the Fight Laugh Feast Army, not only will you be aiding in our fight to take down secular & legacy media; but you’ll also get access to content placed in our Club Portal, such as past shows, all of our conference talks, and EXCLUSIVE content for club members that you won’t be able to find anywhere else. Lastly, you’ll also get discounts for our conferences… We don’t have the big money of woke media, and so our club members are crucial in this fight. So, join the movement, join our army, and you can sign up now at fightlaughfeast.com. https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-admin-sues-arizona-gov-doug-ducey-over-shipping-container-border-wall Biden Admin Sues Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey Over Shipping Container Border Wall The Justice Department (DOJ) is suing Arizona Republican Gov. Doug Ducey and his administration over the use of shipping containers to build a wall along the state’s southern border with Mexico. The DOJ filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona on Wednesday, claiming that the project trespasses on federal property. “Arizona has unlawfully and without authority failed to remove the shipping containers from lands owned by the United States or over which the United States holds easements, thereby damaging the United States,” the lawsuit argues. The legal move comes after Ducey issued an executive order in August directing the state’s Department of Emergency and Military Affairs to begin a Yuma County project. The 3,820 feet of the previously open border was closed with 130 shipping containers in just 11 days. The project then expanded to other parts of the border, with 6,680 feet of containers stacked two-high throughout Cochise County by early November. That section is estimated to take more than 2,700 shipping containers to fill the 10-mile gap along the southern border. In October, the state filed its own lawsuit to affirm its right to continue using the shipping containers to help curb unlawful crossings. “Our border communities are overwhelmed by illegal activity as a result of the Biden administration’s failure to secure the southern border,” Ducey said in a statement. “Arizona is taking action to protest on behalf of our citizens. With this lawsuit, we’re pushing back against efforts by federal bureaucrats to reverse the progress we’ve made. The safety and security of Arizona and its citizens must not be ignored. Arizona is going to do the job that Joe Biden refuses to do — secure the border in any way we can. We’re not backing down,” he added. The lawsuit came after Ducey refused to comply with a demand by the Biden administration to remove containers in the Yuma County area. Arizona officials told the Biden administration that the state would not remove the containers until a permanent barrier is constructed. The Biden administration has warned that Ducey’s containers have interfered with land near both the Morelos Dam and land belonging to the Cocopah Indian Tribe’s West Reservation. It has also argued the barriers interfere with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s future project to fill holes in the existing wall. In addition, environmental activists have recently targeted Ducey’s shipping container project. The Washington Post reported efforts by climate activists to halt the container border wall, including using their bodies to stand in the way of machinery and sitting on containers in protest. Ducey leaves office in January, with Democratic Gov.-elect Katie Hobbs set to take over. She is expected to stop any further container wall work along the border. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/community-family/sam-brinton-biden-nonbinary-official-hide-student-sex-changes Nonbinary ex-Biden official Sam Brinton helped craft policy to hide student sex changes from parents Sam Brinton, the nonbinary ex- Energy Department nuclear waste official facing major prison time, once helped a nonprofit group craft a model school policy adopted in several states that tells schools to hide alleged gender identity or sexual orientation changes from "unaffirming" parents. Between 2017 and 2020, Brinton was head of advocacy and government affairs at the Trevor Project, an LGBT group focused on youth suicide prevention, according to Brinton's LinkedIn. In 2019, Brinton played a role in developing a 37-page booklet titled "Model School District Policy on Suicide Prevention," which puts restrictions on how much teachers can talk to parents or guardians if their LGBT child is suicidal. "While parents and guardians need to be informed and actively involved in decisions regarding the student’s welfare, the school mental health professional should ensure that the parents’ actions are in the best interest of the student (e.g., when a student is LGBTQ and living in an unaffirming household)," read the model, which was also published by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the American School Counselor Association, and the National Association of School Psychologists. Brinton, 35, was appointed in January as deputy assistant secretary for spent fuel and waste disposition at the Energy Department's Office of Nuclear Energy. The former official was charged with allegedly stealing a suitcase in September worth an estimated $2,325 and, in July, another suitcase in Las Vegas valued at $3,670, according to the DOJ . Brinton, a biological male who identifies as nonbinary and was the first purported nonbinary person to work as a top Energy Department official, faces up to 15 years in prison. The former official oversaw a $45 million budget and 100 federal government staff members in his short time at the Energy Department. State education departments in Arizona , Idaho, and Virginia have adopted the Trevor Project's model policy in full or partially. In addition, so have school districts in places such as Oregon, California, and New Hampshire. In one section of the model, which is titled "Special Considerations," schools are instructed to conceal a child's sexual orientation or alleged gender identity from their parent or guardian unless the student gives consent. "When a parent is notified of perceived suicide risk or an attempt, it is essential that the school maintain student confidentiality related to personal information such as sexual orientation or gender identity, especially when the student has not already disclosed to the parent or guardian and does not want it shared," read the model. "Information shared should be restricted to the perceived risk of suicide or facts of the attempt." https://justthenews.com/government/congress/california-democrat-says-term-pedophile-brands-someone-criminal-because-their California Democrat Rep. Porter says calling person a 'pedophile' brands them a criminal California Democrat Rep. Katie Porter says calling a person a "pedophile" or "groomer" is alleging that they are a criminal because of their "identity." "This allegation of groomer and pedophile, it is alleging that a person is criminal somehow, and engaged in criminal acts merely because of their identity, their sexual orientation and their gender identity," Porter said at Capitol Hill hearing Wednesday titled, "The Rise of Anti-LGBTQI+ Extremism and Violence in the United States." Porter also said the "groomer narrative is an age-old lie to position LGBTQ+ people as a threat to kids." Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson said at the hearing: "When we use words and phrases like groomers and pedophiles to describe people ... it is dangerous and it's got one purpose. It is to dehumanize us and make it feel like we are not a part of this American society." Porter's comments were criticized after the hearing. https://freebeacon.com/latest-news/universal-basic-income-hits-the-bay-area-if-youre-black/ Universal Basic Income Hits the Bay Area—If You’re Black At least three guaranteed income initiatives in the San Francisco Bay Area openly discriminate against white residents, limiting or entirely preventing their participation in programs that dole out no-strings-attached cash. The programs—all of which are publicly funded—violate both the United States and the California state constitution, lawyers say, as well as civil rights laws that ban race discrimination in contracting and by the recipients of government funds. The initiatives include the Black Economic Equity Movement, which provides $500 a month exclusively to "Black young adults," the Abundant Birth Project, which provides $1,000 a month to "Black and Pacific Islander mothers," and the Guaranteed Income for Transgender People program, which will dole out $1,200 a month and "prioritize enrollment" of transgender "Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC)." They are financed by the National Institutes of Health, the California Department of Social Services, and the city of San Francisco, respectively. These programs offer a preview of what could soon be the norm in the Golden State. In July 2021, California lawmakers set aside $35 million dollars in grant funding for guaranteed income pilots across the state. Though the law did not include any racial or ethnic qualifiers, in keeping with the California constitution, the state’s social services department said that it would only give out the grants to pilots that "center equity." Grant applicants were encouraged to "embed an equity-focused approach throughout each dimension" of their programs, including their "eligibility." All three initiatives appear to violate the 14th Amendment, which bans states from discriminating based on race, said Dan Morenoff, the executive director of the American Civil Rights Project, as well as the California constitution and the Civil Rights Act of 1866, which ban racial discrimination in contracting. In addition, the Black Economic Equity Movement appears to violate Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which bans racial discrimination by the recipients of federal funds. The National Institutes of Health, whose "health equity" initiative funded the program, did not respond to a request for comment. The blueprint for these programs comes from private philanthropic ventures, which have experimented with supplemental income schemes in Jackson, Miss., and Atlanta that are only available to black women. Though both the Mississippi program, underwritten by the W.K. Kellogg foundation, and the Atlanta program, funded by the Georgia Resilience and Opportunity Fund, discriminate based on race, they probably don’t violate any laws, said David Bernstein, a professor of constitutional law at George Mason Law School. But their California counterparts are another ball game. "The publicly funded programs are clearly unconstitutional," Bernstein said. "It’s not a close call." In an implicit admission of the legal stakes, every agency involved in the Abundant Birth Project denied using the racial criteria listed on the program’s website. The San Francisco Department of Public Health, which oversees the program, told the Washington Free Beacon that it is "open to all San Franciscans," albeit "with focused efforts" to reach black and Pacific Islander "pregnant and parenting people." Jason Montiel, a spokesman for the California Department of Social Services, which in November wrote a $5 million grant to the Abundant Birth Project so it could expand to other parts of the state, said the expansion "will not use race as a basis for eligibility." That might come as news to Grant Colfax, the director of the San Francisco health department: In a December 6 press release trumpeting the grant, he said it would "help hundreds more Black birthing parents in California." San Francisco mayor London Breed likewise implied that the expansion was racially targeted, calling the Abundant Birth Project "a model to address racial birth disparities." The Black Economic Equity Movement and the Guaranteed Income for Transgender People program did not respond to requests for comment. Gravity Jack: Gravity Jack is a full service digital agency specializing in the development of Virtual & Augmented Reality experiences, mobile apps, blockchain and Web3 projects. Founded in 2009 as the first American agency to offer augmented reality, they even patented it; Gravity Jack's digital experiences have been a source of innovation for small business, Fortune 500 Companies, and the US Military. Get your vision in motion at gravityjack.com https://www.boundingintosports.com/2022/12/virginia-tech-soccer-player-who-was-benched-for-refusing-to-kneel-during-national-anthem-sees-lawsuit-move-forward/ Virginia Tech Soccer Player Who Was Benched For Refusing To Kneel During National Anthem Sees Lawsuit Move Forward Former Virginia Tech Hokies soccer player Kiersten Hening now has her opportunity to sue the university after she was allegedly benched for refusing to take a knee as other woke athletes were during the playing of the National Anthem. U.S. District Judge Thomas T. Cullen gave the approval for the lawsuit to go forward since Hening claimed that her freedom of speech protected by the First Amendment was violated after her coach, Charles Adair, allegedly benched Hening since she refused to join in the team’s “unity statement” of kneeling during the National Anthem during a game in 2020. Hening filed a lawsuit against Virginia Tech and Coach Adair in 2021 but Virginia Tech immediately attempted to file a motion to have the suit tossed. The athlete stated that when she refused to take part in the kneeling, which at the time was a virtue signal statement indicating public support for the Black Lives Matter movement, Adair began to insult and demean her as well as limiting her time to play during matches. The judge also stated that the facts in this particular case firmly show that the coach singled out Hening specifically because of her political views, not because of her ability as an athlete. He then declared, “For these reasons, the court will deny Adair’s motion for summary judgment, and this matter will proceed to trial.”

Associations Thrive host Joanna Pineda interviews Lindsay Currie, CAE and Executive Officer at the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR). Lindsay introduces CUR, shares her journey to becoming an association executive, and then discusses several initiatives undertaken by CUR to thrive and grow.Lindsay discusses:Futures thinking and how CUR engages in it to create an organization that will continue to be strong and relevant in 2032.CUR's Opportunity Fund, which allows CUR to test and build for the future.How CUR staff established practices and procedures for becoming a healthy, virtual organization.CUR's STR program, which teaches professors and their students to become strong advocates for undergraduate research. The STAR program goes beyond a 2-day legislative fly in; participants will train and engage over a six month period!How the Board engages in anticipatory planning to be forward thinking, nimble and prepared for the future.References:Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) WebsiteCUR's STR Program

Host Jeremy C. Park talks with Thomas Sheffield, Director of the Nashville Opportunity Fund with Pathway Lending, who highlights the nonprofit lender, known as a community development financial institution (CDFI), and some of the ways Pathway Lending approaches lending differently, so it can reach all corners of the community.During the interview, Thomas discusses the Nashville Small Business Recovery Fund that Pathway Lending is administering. Aimed at helping small businesses refuel following the last few years, the Fund was established by Mayor John Cooper's office and Metro Council with federal dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act. Thomas talks about the loan program, what makes it different, who is eligible to apply, what you need to know to apply, and more.Visit www.pathwaylending.org/nashville to learn more.

Amir Hemmat pivoted careers and threw himself all in when he discovered social entrepreneurism. He has now built a sizable business around that, with the backing of some of the most notable international investors. His latest venture, Welcome Tech, has raised funding from top-tier investors like TTV Capital, Owl Ventures, Mubadala Capital Ventures, and SoftBank's Opportunity Fund

Charles D. Hammerman,  President and CEO of the Disability Opportunity Fund, joins the program to explain the types of loans and investments that his organization makes. Discover how the Disability Opportunity Fund's services can be valuable to individuals with disabilities who are looking to start or grow a business. 

Join us as we talk to Stacy Brown-Philpot, Founding member of SoftBank's Opportunity Fund, Board Member of HP Inc., Nordstrom, Noom, StockX, Black Girls Code, the Urban Institute, and former CEO of TaskRabbit. We chat about launching new markets, scaling culture, leading authentically, and investing in founders of the future. How does the small size of apartments in Wembley, England and Ikea Pax wardrobes lead to improvements in TaskRabbit's app? What does the NYC metro and grid lock traffic in LA mean for expansion in quirky markets? I couldn't have asked better questions myself, you'll have to check out the podcast to find out :) Let's talk about culture. We all know culture is crucial when leading a company, but how do you scale it? How do you avoid the many stories of culture gone wrong? Stacy shares her insights on creating an environment where the flowers can bloom, where there isn't one single great culture, but a melange of unique cultures in every office. Leading authentically is certainly a buzzy phrase right now, but what does it mean to actually create a space where people can bring their full selves? It's not simple, but it starts with building an organization that is representative of the folks you're serving, searching for people that are already living your organization's values, and creating systems that promote and reward teams. It's not a “pipeline problem”, there's a lack of capital focused on investing in founders of color. We talk about how SoftBank's Opportunity Fund is intentional about its focus on diversity, creating opportunities, building community, and mentorship. Enough teasers check out the podcast!

Did you know there's free money available to you?There are options like funding, grants, and loans for BIPOC business owners and allies like you and me. You don't have to figure everything out on your own. If there are resources available to you, you should be leveraging them to grow your business and give back to your community. Big corporations do this all the time! I've partnered up with Luis Ramos and Desha Elliott of the Accion Opportunity Fund to share some resources and tips to grow your mission-driven business. Luis Ramos joined Accion Opportunity Fund as the Director of Business Advising in 2020. Throughout his career, Ramos has helped individuals in the United States and Central America build and grow their businesses by providing direct mentoring opportunities and educational resources. Desha is a business advisor for Accion Opportunity Fund (AOF), the largest CDFI to provide a financial support system for small businesses that advance racial, gender, and economic justice for all.If you want to find out what funding opportunities are available to you and how to access them, this episode is for you. Show notes are always available at elainelou.com/podcast/16.Resources Mentioned:Accion Opportunity Fund's Website: aofund.orgSmall Business Development Centers (SBDC): https://www.sba.gov/local-assistance/resource-partners/small-business-development-centers-sbdcSOAR Fund: https://www.connect2capital.com/p/soar-fund/Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation: https://laedc.org/AOF's Resource Library: https://aofund.org/resources/resource-library/ Follow @AOFundTweets on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AOFundTweets Connect with Desha on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdesha/ Where We Can Connect:Apply to schedule a call to see if the Color Your Dreams Inner Circle is a good fit for you: https://elainelou.com/innercircleSchedule a call with me: https://elainelou.com/callJoin my weekly Color Your Dreams Newsletter: http://elainelou.com/joinFollow Along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elainelou_Follow Along on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamelainelouConnect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elaineloucartas

Grantmakers in the Arts is participating in the Racial Equity Coding Project, which was kicked off with a culmination of research led by Doris Duke Charitable Foundation (DDCF) with Callahan Consulting for the Arts (CCA). The project has given funders an opportunity to examine and refine their own coding practices and to consider new data collection measures for the future. In the second episode of this three-part series, we are glad to be joined by Eleanor Savage, program director, Jerome Foundation and Tiffany Wilhelm, program officer/operations, Opportunity Fund. They discuss their experience with the Racial Equity Coding Project's “By, For, and About” Framework, and the importance of including nuance in the process. Stay tuned for an opportunity to get involved!

In this episode of Masters of Community, we speak with Hope Wollensack, Executive Director of Georgia Resilience and Opportunity Fund. Our host, David Spinks, VP of Community at Bevy and Co-Founder of CMX, moderated the conversation. In addition to her role at Georgia Resilience and Opportunity fund, Hope leads a program called In Her Hands, which aims to help black women rise out of poverty and empower them in personal and professional decision-making. She describes how her team developed the program, its purpose, and its impact on the community it serves. We also dive into building more diverse, inclusive, and equitable communities. Who is this episode for? Community builders, community managers, community leaders, community facilitators, and black women communities Timestamps: (00:48) - About Hope and her community building experience (07:18) - In Her Hands: helping black women thrive and grow supportive communities (13:49) - How to identify the right solution for your community (19:37) - How to determine the success of a community program (24:13) - Start defining and developing your program (31:31) - Making a community more inclusive (38:16) - How to set up and manage the task force (47:10) - Next steps, plans, and goals (48:56) - Rapid-fire questions Notable Quotes: “What are the root causes of economic insecurities, and what can we do about them?” “So many times, decision-makers are the ones farthest from the problem. What if the ones closest to the problem would become the decision-makers?” “When people have additional cash, they can explore saving and investing tools, homeownership, and job opportunities much better. So we view cash as the ultimate choice mechanism.” Answers to rapid-fire questions: What's your favorite book to gift or recommend to others? All About Love: New Visions by Bell Hooks What's the weirdest community you've ever been a part of? Flashmob dancing crew What did education teach you about community? The process is just as important as the outcome. There is no problem that we collectively can't solve. What's a community product you wish existed? A tool that would enable people to talk about what's happening in their community. What habit has had the most positive impact on your personal life? Adaptability What's one community engagement, tactic, or conversation starter that you like to use in your groups? “What is the meaning behind your name?” If you could condense all of your life lessons into one Twitter sized piece of advice to the rest of the world on how to live, what would that advice be? What we can do is done if we're committed to doing the work it requires.

Today's guest is technology leader Stacy Brown-Philpot, a founding member of Softbank's Opportunity Fund and the former CEO of TaskRabbit. In this episode Stacy dives into her experience pioneering the shared economy, her advice for navigating critical career transition points, thoughts on the future of work, why community is at the core of everything she does, her commitment to changing the face of wealth creation, and more.