Reparative Investing: A Conversation with Olivia Watkins of Black Farmer Fund

In this conversation, Olivia Watkins (Black Farmer Fund Co-Founder and Co-Director) will discuss the fund's work to nurture Black community wealth & health by investing in Black food and agricultural systems in the northeast. 

BFF is a community-led investment fund that supports Black farmers and food entrepreneurs using a wide range of reparative investment practices to undo discriminatory, systemic harms in conventional lending. They emphasize building financial education and investment literacy and active involvement of the community when discussing and creating financing options. This involves providing technical support beyond capital, as they recognize that funding is just one of many factors that keep Black food actors from being successful.

Over the past three years, Black Farmer Fund has grown from $1 million to $20 million and it continues to operate through non-hierarchical, community-led decision making. The Fund also prioritizes supporting regenerative agricultural practices and workers' rights throughout the businesses they invest in. During this talk and lunch, Olivia will share more details about these “patient capital” practices and her learnings along the way. 

Tagan Engel, Resident Fellow at CBEY, with over 25 years of experience in food systems, community development, and transformative justice work will moderate the talk.

Lunch* will be served...we will start serving at 11:30 and the program will start at 11:45.

*We are committed to reducing waste at our event.  Therefore, we ask that when you register, you commit to doing your best to attend.

OFFICE HOURS WITH OLIVIA
If you'd like to book an appointment with Olivia on November 6th, please sign up HERE.