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** QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER
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John,

Over the past several months, we’ve been in deep reflection on our impact and the future we’re committed to building. From this period of intentional introspection, we’ve emerged with a refreshed and bold strategic direction. This newsletter is an opportunity for you to get a closer look at the future we’re building and imagining together.

As we work toward a more equitable economy, it’s important that we share in the framework that guides us. Our Theory of Change ([link removed]) is grounded in the belief that true systemic change requires rethinking the systems of capital, power, and narrative. To get there, we focus on three key strategies: changing capital flows to prioritize repair, building community power through governance, and creating new narratives that uplift the voices of marginalized communities. Ultimately, we work toward a future where all people, regardless of race or class, have the power, choice, and ownership to thrive in an economy that works for everyone.

Each quarter, this newsletter will share updates from our programs, shifts happening across our sector, and deeper connections to the strategies guiding our work. This will serve as a window into how we’re pushing against extractive systems and moving toward community-rooted alternatives. We’re grateful for your partnership and community in the work.



** Community Credit Lab (CCL)
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In this moment, we remain clear and resolute: community-rooted capital is not only necessary—it is a form of resistance, a source of hope, and a pathway to liberation. In Q1 of 2025, our investments went to Black-led organizations, a reflection of our deep commitment to resourcing the communities and leaders who have long been excluded from traditional capital systems and yet continue to build power, vision, and resilience. Read more here. ([link removed])
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Read the Q1 2025 Quarterly Report. ([link removed])

ImpactAssets 50 for 2025
We’re excited to share that our Community Credit Lab Fund has been recognized as an Emerging Impact Manager in the ImpactAssets 50 for 2025!
LEARN MORE: ([link removed])


** Systems Change Coalition
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This year we launched Common Future’s first ever community of practice, our Systems Change Coalition ([link removed]) . Housed within Common Future’s Advocacy Team, the coalition consists of 50+ organizations committed to economic justice and providing institutional support for Black and Indigenous communities.

This coalition builds community and coordinates efforts and resources toward an economic system where Black and Indigenous voices are not just heard, but centered in policy processes and decisions. Previous sessions have included: Policy & Advocacy 101, The Power Imbalance with Funding & Resources, and a case study featuring Clean Slate NY.

LEARN MORE: ([link removed])


** Legacy Lab
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How can affirmatively positioning and capitalizing entrepreneurial efforts and the entrepreneurship ecosystem to support community wealth building bolster a more equitable economy? What narratives, mindsets and policies need to shift in order to facilitate this? What relationships need to be forged? We believe that some of the answers lie in looking to Black communities that have always operated in spite of traditional racial capitalism, using cooperative and collective governance models to care for and grow community wealth, while being excluded from, exploited by, and also rejecting dominant capitalist society in favor of African traditions of communal economics.

Over the course of the next few months we will be addressing these questions in partnership. Later this summer, we will be launching our first ever Legacy Lab, an initiative that will provide targeted capital, narrative support, and capacity-building resources to 13 community-owned Black businesses in Memphis, Baltimore, and Detroit.

If you’re interested in learning more or partnership opportunities, please reach out to Roquel Crutcher at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]?subject=Legacy%20Lab&body=) .


** Connect with Us on the Conference Circuit:
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* Liberation Ventures Gathering
* Jobs for the Future: Horizons Annual Summit ([link removed])
* OFN Small Business Finance Forum ([link removed])
* Aspen Ideas Festival ([link removed])
* Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) Conference ([link removed])
* Clinton Global Initiative Meeting ([link removed])
* SOCAP Global ([link removed])



** What We’re Reading:
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* Abundance ([link removed]) by Derek Thompson and Ezra Klein
* Black Power Scorecard ([link removed]) by Andre M. Perry
* Fabric of Repair ([link removed]) by BLIS Collective
* Movement Lessons from the First 100 Days ([link removed]) by Building Movement Project
* Quiet Violence: How the Tax System Works Against Black Americans ([link removed]) by Maven Collaborative
* Indigenous Peoples and Impact Investing ([link removed]) by Green Money
* Impact Investing Isn't Dead ([link removed]) by Next City


** What We’re Listening To:
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* Impact(ed) Podcast on Apple ([link removed]) or Spotify ([link removed])
* What are the economic and legal implications of President Trump’s DEI and LGBTQIA executive orders? ([link removed]) by Metro Blueprint

DONATE TO COMMON FUTURE ([link removed])

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Copyright (C) 2025 Common Future. All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:
Common Future
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Oakland, CA 94612
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