Feel the fear and do it anyway was an 1980s self-help mantra that seems more relevant now than ever in these uncertain and concerning times. This moment in history has stoked feelings of fear, overwhelm, outrage, and futility. The speed at which our democratic norms have unraveled is shocking, even for those of us who have long been engaged in the work of transforming our society. Rather than succumb to despair or complacency, however, we are being called to speak truth to power and actively resist its abuses.
As professionals who move capital to catalyze social and environmental transformation, we are committed to taking measured but necessary risks to advance our vision of a society in which everyone can thrive. In the present moment, that means intensifying our support for those who are resisting intensified authoritarianism and white supremacy, which have always been core to our nation.
The federal and state governments are consolidating power among the wealthy, the corporate, and the white. This concentration of power is a reaction to ongoing demographic shifts—and the ensuing changes in consumer and investor priorities that threaten the old order. Some people in our electorate seem to think that this approach will work, despite the well-documented failure of Reaganomics, the “Contract with America,” neoconservatism, and MAGA policies to improve living standards for working and middle-class people. According to a 2024 report by the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee, Republican presidencies have been worse for the economy by nearly all measures than Democratic presidencies. Under GOP leadership, the U.S. experienced slower GDP growth, fewer jobs created, higher inflation, and bigger federal budget deficits. Nearly every recession began under Republican leadership.
This administration’s economic leadership has been disastrous for the vast majority of Americans. To distract from this reality, the far right has evoked a mythological era of exceptionalism. Its attacks on immigrants, diversity, and government spending mask their true objective: protecting the wealth of the owner class, regardless of how workers, the public, or the environment is exploited.
But we can refuse to support this trajectory. Resistance requires fortitude and can take many forms, including not complying with unjust and illegal orders. We must also cultivate the resilience to withstand the shocks we’re experiencing. Adaptability, focus, and perseverance are essential qualities in a storm.
This impact report highlights our collective work over the past year. It is also a resistance and resilience toolkit, highlighting examples of and strategies for leveraging personal and collective power to stand for what we believe in—to fight tyranny, corruption, incompetence, bigotry, and injustice with the tools we have. Taking our economy and country back will require significant time, energy, and money. It will require great will, coordination, and courage to challenge extremism, racism, misogyny, homophobia, and transphobia. We must simultaneously advocate for policies and support organizations and that fight for bodily autonomy, green and just economic transition, the preservation of democracy, and empowered local economies. This isn’t easy, and it can’t be accomplished online. As James Brown sang, it’s time to “Get on up, get into it, and get involved.”
Perhaps one of the most challenging calls to action is to engage constructively with people who don’t look, think, act, and live like us. Rather than give up on people who got swept up by disinformation, those of us who are least impacted by this administration’s rhetoric of hate have a responsibility to stay in dialogue with people we disagree with, using tools like nonviolent communication or focusing on simple questions about their sources of information. Righteousness doesn’t foster common ground, let alone consensus, about what matters. We need each other to create a path toward a better future.
This also speaks to the value of walking one’s talk. If we want respect, we must show it. If we want justice, we must support it. And if we want capitalism to be responsible and conscientious, we must embody it. This report therefore illustrates Natural Investments’ ongoing commitment as a Public Benefit LLC to demonstrate the positive impacts of our clients’ investments on people, enterprises, and communities. The resistance and resilience toolkit featured in this report offers suggestions on how to respond to current circumstances, including and transcending financial investments. Featured stories of resilience also highlight some of the meaningful actions taken by Natural Investments’ inspiring clients.
We continue to prove the business case for generating broad and meaningful benefits for all stakeholders of the firm, through our ongoing allocation of capital to sustainability, social responsibility, equity, and justice; through our corporate and policy advocacy to help evolve capitalism; and through our ongoing efforts to integrate responsible and just internal operations, professional development that addresses privilege and supports diverse identities, and needbased charitable giving. This is what the ethical stewardship of $2.3 billion in assets means to us.
The past year also saw the growth of our team: Brittany Damico brought advisor Dan Carreno of Denver, Colorado, into her practice, while Carrie VanWinkle brought advisor Jamonica Brown of Cary, North Carolina, into hers. Our advisor team of 24 people is now 55% women, and 25% are people of color. All told, including advisors’ employees, the 30 members of the firm are currently 63% women and 33% people of color.
Finally, this year has reminded us about the importance of our own well-being. Peace of mind is critical as we battle for the soul of our civilization.
We cannot function well or sustain our efforts when we are fueled only by adrenaline. We need to rest and take care of our mental health so we can navigate this challenging reality with clarity and stamina. If we can resist the urge to live in perpetual outrage and minimize doom scrolling, we will be better prepared for the long haul. With compassion for where humanity’s consciousness is, we can plant seeds for our long-term vision of what is possible. This requires trust in the ripple effect of how we live and act; faith will help us uphold our collective core values even when it’s hard to immediately see results. The uncertainty of this moment requires steadfastness in advocating for what we believe. Cultivating a sense of deep calm and even inner joy will bolster that commitment.