Thank you to everyone who attended
From Poverty to Possibilities, November 14, 2023
Edgar Villanueva to Keynote From Poverty to Possibilities
United Way of Pierce County’s 7th Annual Summit on Poverty
From Poverty to Possibilities is Pierce County’s signature community summit that takes on barriers to economic equity. This year's event will be held in the Pavilion at the Hotel Murano. Last year we had over 250 community leaders and community members attend.
Now in its seventh year, From Poverty to Possibilities brings the community together to disrupt poverty at its roots. This summit creates a safe space for the community to have an open dialogue on how to dismantle the systems of exclusion. From these relationships a new narrative has evolved, and systems are more open to change.
This year's summit will continue to focus on how we deconstruct the narrative with those in poverty and move towards disrupting the systems that create barriers for those in poverty. We ask: What is our role in disrupting the status quo? How do we leverage our individual and collective appetite for leaning into being “comfortable with being uncomfortable” in our work to disrupt poverty? Lastly, how do we build a more just, resilient, and equitable community as a result?
Our keynote speaker this year is Edgar Villanueva. He is an award-winning author, activist and expert on issues of race, wealth, philanthropy, and ESG Investing. Villanueva is the Principal of Decolonizing Wealth Project and Liberated Capital and author of the bestselling book Decolonizing Wealth (2018, 2021). He advises a range of organizations including national and global philanthropies, Fortune 500 companies, and entertainment on social impact strategies to advance racial equity from within and through their investment strategies.
Villanueva holds a BSPH and MHA from the Gillings Global School of Public Health at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is an enrolled member of the Lumbee Tribe and resides in New York City.
Representative Marilyn Strickland
Pitch to Ditch Compilation - Video
1st Place - Leaders in Women's Health (LIWH) Breast Health Navigator
2nd Place - The Blessing Movement
3rd Place - 72nd and D Mural and Greenspace
Post Event Survey
Edgar Villanueva Keynote address
Panelists
- Drayton Jackson, Executive Director, Foundation of Homeless and Poverty Management
- Steven Cole-Schwartz, Vice President of Grantmaking, Inatai Foundation
- Katie Condit, CEO, WorkForce Central
- Dr. Ali Modarres, Dean, School of Urban Studies, Assistant Chancellor for Community Partnerships at University of Washington Tacoma
- Cassandra Mitchell, Senior Vice President Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategy and Engagement
Panel Discussion
From Poverty to Possibilities Synopsis
From Poverty to Possibilities Condensed Video
Thank you to this year’s sponsors,