Dear Prospera Community,
We’re thrilled to share highlights from Claudia Arroyo’s recent participation in a compelling panel at the Asset Funder Network’s conference, “Centering Economic Equity: The Power of Intentionality,” held on April 16-18 in New Orleans. Claudia took the stage as a panelist for the discussion on “Centering Community Voice and Power,” alongside Stephanie Gutierrez, Executive Director of Seven Fires, and moderator Tracey Greene-Washington of Indigo Innovation Group and CoThinkk. The three engaged in a dynamic discussion that left a lasting impact.
Together, the panelists brought forth illuminating perspectives on the importance of centering community voices and power in our collective efforts toward economic equity. Claudia’s call to move beyond our seats, strip away from our titles, and embrace the stories of others resonated deeply with attendees. Her emphasis on challenging ourselves to actively listen and learn from diverse perspectives sparked meaningful reflection and dialogue.
“Tension is good. But the central tension we want to avoid is imposing agendas in a community that believes and attends to needs that it does not ask to be attended to. Invite them to sit at the table with us, and that’s a tension we bring to our funders. Let’s talk, and let’s unlearn together.”
Claudia Arroyo, Prospera
Throughout the discussion, all panelists extended invitations to funders to join in collaborative efforts, emphasizing the transformative potential of genuine partnerships grounded in trust and mutual respect.
Claudia, Stephanie, and Tracey’s contributions exemplify the power of community-driven dialogue and collective action. Let’s continue to build on these insights as we work together towards a more equitable future.
We also want to give special mention to Rosa Cabrera, Senior Program Officer of the Community Team for the @Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), for bringing Claudia and Prospera into this important conversation. We express our deepest gratitude to her support beyond the transitional relationship through building a strong alliance to advance our mission of creating true collective power for Latina women entrepreneurs.
Mil gracias Rosa por tu constante acompañamiento!
Warm regards,
The Prospera Team