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Decolonizing Wealth is a provocative analysis of the dysfunctional colonial dynamics at play in philanthropy and finance. Award-winning philanthropy executive Edgar Villanueva draws from the traditions from the Native way to prescribe the medicine for restoring balance and healing our divides. Though it seems counterintuitive, the philanthropic industry has evolved to mirror colonial structures and reproduces hierarchy, ultimately doing more harm than good. After 14 years in philanthropy, Edgar Villanueva has seen past the field's glamorous, altruistic fa�ade, and into its shadows: the old boy networks, the savior complexes, and the internalized oppression among the �house slaves,� and those select few people of color who gain access. All these funders reflect and perpetuate the same underlying dynamics that divide Us from Them and the haves from have-nots. In equal measure, he denounces the reproduction of systems of oppression while also advocating for an orientation towards justice to open the floodgates for a rising tide that lifts all boats. In the third and final section, Villanueva offers radical provocations to funders and outlines his Seven Steps for Healing. With great compassion�because the Native way is to bring the oppressor into the circle of healing�Villanueva is able to both diagnose the fatal flaws in philanthropy and provide thoughtful solutions to these systemic imbalances. Decolonizing Wealth is a timely and critical book that preaches for mutually assured liberation in which we are all inter-connected.… (more)
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Villanueva asks a lot of great questions about wealth, power, and racism. Why do we give people with money power in philanthropy (as opposed to
Villanuava calls out the foundations that ignore the externalities caused by their return-chasing endowments. He also speaks to the importance of grieving—something we generally don't hear a lot about in the workplace.
This book feels to me like a bit of a companion text to Anand Giridharadas' "Winners Take All."
The title oversells the book for me. Although Villanueva covers a lot of ground in the book, I don't think he accomplishes the task of describing what it might look like to decolonize wealth.
I also take serious issue with his claim that money is neutral. Evolution in this arena requires a nuanced language and understanding surrounding the numerous role money play, and the many flavors in which it comes. For example, using gold as money has significant social implications, as opposed to the US dollar or time banking.