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Narrative Capital as an Undervalued Asset for Black Wealth
Hinton and Harper argue that narrative capital, stories that shape economic outcomes, is an overlooked asset for Black communities, and call for institutional investment in creative infrastructure.
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A new essay from narrative strategist Shantell Hinton and Deaconess Foundation Vice President Constance Harper argues that storytelling should be treated as a form of capital. The piece, published ahead of America's 250th anniversary, contends that narratives shape where investment flows and which communities receive funding.
The authors describe three projects from the Deaconess Foundation's Narrative Network. A documentary called "The Solution is Beautiful" reframes Black wealth as love through action, focusing on communities like Kinloch and North St. Louis. The "Abundance Zine" challenges the idea that scarcity is natural. A living archive titled "This Is Our City" preserves belonging through poetry and visual art.
These projects are cultural assets, Hinton and Harper wrote. They preserve evidence of how Black communities imagined freedom while building it. The authors argue that philanthropy has focused on programs and services but neglected the infrastructure that sustains imagination.