Access and Equity in the Sharing Economy #SOCAP14
Posted by Cheryl Contee on September 5, 2014
Photo: Cheryl Contee moderates with sharing economy panelists at SOCAP14.
The sharing economy holds the promise of a new, distributed, and community-driven economic model. However, in order to fulfill this promise, we need to ensure that the sharing economy is not replicating old power systems, but building responsible marketplaces. How do we ensure that fair and equal access are at the foundation of this new market system? How do we make sharing platforms inclusive of and empowering for all communities?
It’s already a $25 billion industry. Yet this promise is threatened. As the co-founder of Fission Strategy, a digital agency for nonprofits and foundations, and of Attentive.ly, a big data social startup heading to Series A, and #YesWeCode, which is helping low opportunity youth become high quality technologists — I’ve got a few opinions on this! And so did my panelists at SOCAP :)
So … to get you thinking: How has participating in the sharing economy impacted your life personally — both positively and negatively? Let’s start the conversation at a human level — how has the sharing economy impacted your life or those of people you know?
For me, I’ve met an amazing artist who helped me with some home decorating projects through Taskrabbit. I don’t have to ask my white friends in NYC to hail a cab for me or risk watching 10 cabs pass me by. I’ve rented a bike in Paris and at Burning Man but I’ve also never had a message returned when trying to rent an apartment on AirBnB whether in NYC or Rome, an experience common to other people of color I know. What about you?
Are we carrying old economy discrimination and red-lining over to new economy apps? Is the sharing economy actually eroding social change won in laws like the Civil Rights Act? Is the ability to decide if you will rent to someone or pick someone up in your car based on whether you’re “comfortable” with them, even based on race, just “the free market in action” as some have asserted?
I’m inspired by Calvert Foundation’s Ours to Own model that’s creating both a platform and a cultural moment to help ordinary people invest as little as $20 to invest in local community entrepreneurship. I’m jazzed about it because people are collectively redefining the purpose of investment — from one that solely seeks financial value, to one that creates the world we want to live into. What models or opportunities exist beyond the technology driven model of the sharing economy for engaging and enabling disadvantaged communities — while connecting them positively with more prosperous ones?
Our panel and audience decided that there are no neutral platforms — conscious or not, every business or organization has an impact on its team, leaders & community. We must manifest thoughtful intentionality in innovation. Together social entrepreneurs like you and me - whether you work for an emerging startup or are an innovator within your nonprofit or foundation — can design a brighter future where the sharing economy is inclusive and creates prosperity more easily for more people.
I was also pleased to attend the plenary discussion later that evening to hear my friend Van Jones of CNN’s Crossfire and Rebuild the Dream. He discussed the new initiative we’ve co-founded with Amy Henderson called #YesWeCode.
I was also pleased to attend the plenary discussion later that evening to hear my friend Van Jones of CNN’s Crossfire and Rebuild the Dream. He discussed the new initiative we’ve co-founded with Amy Henderson called #YesWeCode.
Facebook has been a key sponsor and through hackathons, and with the help of the fearless Fission team — we built the latest version of the YesWeCode.org site. YesWeCode is committed to helping low opportunity youth around the country to become high quality technologists.
(Many thanks, Darian, for that tweet! You're a hero yourself.)
Before I sign off here, learn more about my esteemed panelists at SOCAP14:
Before I sign off here, learn more about my esteemed panelists at SOCAP14:
Andrea Armeni @aarmeni is the Executive Director of Transform Finance, a nonprofit that bridges the worlds of investing and social justice. We enable a community-centered approach that reconceives finance as a tool at the service of social change.
Tabreez Verjee of Scale Ventures @ImpactatScale is a three-time entrepreneur and investor who co-founded Uprising to invest in and relentlessly support mission driven technology entrepreneurs. Some of the many real life superheroes he has backed include the people behind Change.org, Lending Club, Lyft, Upworthy, ClassDojo, AltSchool, Good Eggs, and Zopa. Tabreez has also been on the board of Kiva.org for the past 9 years and is one of the first funders behind both Kiva.org and Watsi.org.
Nikki Silvestri @nikkicsilvestri is the Executive Cirector of Green for All, an organization working to build a more inclusive, healthy, and sustainable economy. Prior to joining Green For All, she served as executive director of People’s Grocery in Oakland.
Douglas Atkin is the Global Head of Community at AirBnB @airbnb. He’s a Co-Founder and Board Chair of Peers.org, a Former Partner and Chief Community Officer of Meetup and a Co-Founder: Purpose. He moonlights as a Board Member or AllOut.
Cheryl Contee @ch3ryl is CEO of Fission Strategy. Come talk with her on Twitter! She's an amazing co-visionary of social good projects.
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