About
Jessica Norwood is an entrepreneur, investor, artist, and philanthropist who has spent her career exploring the ways that money can be an expression of repair and spiritual care. She is a serial social entrepreneur, who works with a community of investors to provide believe-in-you money in order to create an economy that loves Black people, and encourages others to do the same.
About
Jessica Norwood is an entrepreneur, investor, artist, and philanthropist who has spent her career exploring the ways that money can be an expression of repair and spiritual care. She is a serial social entrepreneur, who works with a community of investors to provide believe-in-you money in order to create an economy that loves Black people, and encourages others to do the same.
Jessica’s work
As the founder and CEO of RUNWAY, Jessica leads alongside a powerhouse team of women of color who are committed to resourcing Black founders by providing start-up capital and nurturing their ongoing success. Each leader at RUNWAY brings a unique skill set to the organization’s shared purpose: to advance resilience for Black businesses and the communities they serve, through practices and infrastructure that close the racial wealth gap for good. Widely recognized for her financial activism, Jessica is a former fellow of the Center for Economic Democracy fellow, RSF Social Finance’s Integrated Capital Institute (now called Just Economy Institute), winner of the prestigious Nathan Cummings Foundation Fellowship, a former BALLE (now called Common Future) Local Economy Fellow, the Political Power and Social Change fellow of the Hip Hop Archive at the Hutchins Center of Harvard University, as well as a lifelong fellow of the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University and Southern University College of Business for Emerging Leaders. Her participation and leadership in these programs has deeply informed groundbreaking work on restorative and reparative economies and Black entrepreneurship.
Jessica’s work
As the founder and CEO of RUNWAY, Jessica leads alongside a powerhouse team of women of color who are committed to resourcing Black founders by providing start-up capital and nurturing their ongoing success. Each leader at RUNWAY brings a unique skill set to the organization’s shared purpose: to advance resilience for Black businesses and the communities they serve, through practices and infrastructure that close the racial wealth gap for good. Widely recognized for her financial activism, Jessica is a former fellow of the Center for Economic Democracy fellow, RSF Social Finance’s Integrated Capital Institute (now called Just Economy Institute), winner of the prestigious Nathan Cummings Foundation Fellowship, a former BALLE (now called Common Future) Local Economy Fellow, the Political Power and Social Change fellow of the Hip Hop Archive at the Hutchins Center of Harvard University, as well as a lifelong fellow of the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University and Southern University College of Business for Emerging Leaders. Her participation and leadership in these programs has deeply informed groundbreaking work on restorative and reparative economies and Black entrepreneurship.
Jessica in the media
Jessica’s innovative work has been profiled on NPR and Bloomberg Television, and in Essence Magazine, Next City, Fast Company, and Conscious Company. New York Times best-seller Edgar Villanova, author of Decolonizing Wealth, considers her work the “medicine” modern philanthropy and investment need. She is the co-host of the podcast Road to Repair, has spoken at events for communities of changemakers including Net Impact, Social Capital Markets (SOCAP), Community Capital (COCAP), Slow Money, Social Venture Institute, Social Venture Circle and has served on boards including the Highlander Research and Education Center and Emergent Strategies Institute. Jessica was raised in Alabama, where she continues to work. Her career and approach to reparative economics has been deeply informed by her roots in Chicago, Oakland, and Boston. She currently lives in Kingston, Jamaica where she continues to deepen her commitment and investment in Black joy and liberation across the diaspora. Having lived all over the world, Jessica has found that heart sings most when at the beach, next to big water.
Jessica in the media
Jessica’s innovative work has been profiled on NPR and Bloomberg Television, and in Essence Magazine, Next City, Fast Company, and Conscious Company. New York Times best-seller Edgar Villanova, author of Decolonizing Wealth, considers her work the “medicine” modern philanthropy and investment need. She is the co-host of the podcast Road to Repair, has spoken at events for communities of changemakers including Net Impact, Social Capital Markets (SOCAP), Community Capital (COCAP), Slow Money, Social Venture Institute, Social Venture Circle and has served on boards including the Highlander Research and Education Center and Emergent Strategies Institute. Jessica was raised in Alabama, where she continues to work. Her career and approach to reparative economics has been deeply informed by her roots in Chicago, Oakland, and Boston. She currently lives in Kingston, Jamaica where she continues to deepen her commitment and investment in Black joy and liberation across the diaspora. Having lived all over the world, Jessica has found that heart sings most when at the beach, next to big water.
Anyone who knows Jessica knows she is an artist; and she is her own palette, with a love of fashion, jewelry, art, and all things creative. She is a natural weaver, moving across communities of financial activists, futurists, wisdom keepers, and culture-shapers, with grace, beauty, and humor. Jessica is a natural host and loves to gather good people for food, conversation, and good trouble.
Anyone who knows Jessica knows she is an artist; and she is her own palette, with a love of fashion, jewelry, art, and all things creative. She is a natural weaver, moving across communities of financial activists, futurists, wisdom keepers, and culture-shapers, with grace, beauty, and humor. Jessica is a natural host and loves to gather good people for food, conversation, and good trouble.
Believe-in-You Money will release October 2023! Pre-Order Today!
Buy from your favorite Black-owned bookstore
Buy from everywhere you shop: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, and more
Buy more than one! Bulk orders can be placed here
Believe-in-You Money will release October 2023! Pre-Order Today!
Buy from your favorite Black-owned bookstoreBuy from everywhere you shop: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, and moreBuy more than one! Bulk orders can be placed here