ATLANTA, Aug. 28, 2025 – Kindred Futures today announced the launch of the Roots of Wealth Coalition Network, coalition-building initiative designed to help Black communities across the American South build generational wealth. The Roots of Wealth Network will unite coalitions working on economic and racial justice across the region to advance innovative practices and policies that grow, protect and repair Black wealth in the American South.
The network’s purpose is to dismantle structural barriers to Black wealth and build a future of shared prosperity across the South. Coalition partners will develop strategies rooted in Kindred Futures’ R3 framework—Revenue, Resilience and Repair—which calls for generating new wealth, safeguarding assets from systemic threats and redressing historical injustices. The initiative recognizes that wealth includes tangible assets like land, homes and businesses as well as the time and freedom for families to thrive.
“When we reframe wealth as freedom, we can then understand that wealth is not just a goal; it is a birthright that has been denied for too long,” said Dr. Alex Camardelle, vice president of Policy and Research at Kindred Futures. “Through the Roots ofWealth Coalition Network we will connect local coalitions, strengthen grassroots leadership and cocreate policies that ensure the 2 million Black families across the South with zero or negative net worth can build, protect and pass on wealth for generations.
First Coalition Partners
The Roots of Wealth Coalition Network’s inaugural cohort features two partner coalitions whose missions align with the network’s vision:
ProGeorgia
Pro Georgia is a bold and diverse collaborative that champions an equitable and inclusive democracy and economic justice for traditionally underrepresented communities. The organization supports and coordinates the civic engagement programs of its partner organizations, develops infrastructure and joint strategies, and employs new tools and technology to ensure that government is responsive to the needs of its constituents. ProGeorgia has also focused on expanding opportunities for young people and college students to raise their voices and participate in elections.
Eric Paulk, Interim Executive Director and Chief of Staff at ProGeorgia, said:
“At ProGeorgia, we know civic power and economic power go hand in hand. For more than a decade, we’ve strengthened democracy in Georgia by organizing communities and building infrastructure for civic engagement. Now, alongside Kindred Futures and the Roots of Wealth Coalition Network, we’re leveraging that same power to advance wealth-building policies and ensure prosperity belongs to all of us for generations to come.”
Mississippi Black Women’s Roundtable
The Mississippi Black Women’s Roundtable (MSBWR) is a statewide intergenerational network committed to advancing economic security for Black women through policy advocacy, civic engagement and leadership development. In 2021, the organization implemented four program areas: economic security initiatives, civic engagement, transformational leadership development and community outreach/rapid response. MSBWR’s initiatives raise awareness about wage inequities, mobilize infrequent voters, train women leaders and more. Its mission is to ensure that Black women’s voices and stories are elevated in the public sphere and to build and sustain their power to improve quality of life for themselves, their families and their communities.
Cassandra Welchlin, Executive Director and Principal Officer of MSBWR, said:
“The Roots of Wealth Coalition Network gives us an unprecedented opportunity to link our fight for gender and racial economic justice with kindred movements across the South. In Mississippi, we have shown that when Black women lead—whether it’spassing the state’s paid leave law or mobilizing communities during crises—we can change policies and shift narratives. We look forward to bringing our expertise in economic security, civic engagement and transformational leadership to the network, and to learning from our partners as we collectively close the wealth gap.”
Looking Ahead
The Roots of Wealth Coalition Network is beginning with its inaugural partners in Georgia and Mississippi and will grow over time to include other coalitions across the South. Kindred Futures plans to expand the network into additional states whereeconomic justice coalitions are advancing bold strategies to build, protect, and repair Black wealth.
Updates on opportunities to join the network will be shared as the initiative progresses. For more information about the Roots ofWealth Coalition Network, contact Kindred Futures at info@kinfutures.org.
About Kindred Futures
Kindred Futures invests in partnerships with Black wealth solution providers in the South, redefining wealth so that Black people have the opportunity to contribute to and accelerate a just and inclusive economy. That is our promise. We are connected and committed to new models of abundance because we know that investing in people pushed to the economic fringes, results in a thriving economy.