Decolonizing Wealth with Edgar Villanueva

About this episode

Edgar Villanueva discusses his journey from a young Native man to a leader in philanthropy, exploring the disconnect between wealthy institutions and the communities they serve.

Edgar Villanueva’s story begins within the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, but his path was uniquely shaped by his experience as an "urban native" growing up in Raleigh. Being the only Native student in his school for most of his life, Edgar navigated a dual identity, spending summers in his tribal community while living a suburban life during the school year. It wasn't until college that he fully leaned into his heritage, joining Native student organizations and eventually leading his family through the process of formal tribal enrollment. His professional entry into the world of philanthropy was almost accidental. After starting his career in public health, he was recruited by a foundation to manage health grants. Initially, he viewed philanthropy through a "savior" lens, excited by the prospect of having millions of dollars to "save the world." However, as he moved deeper into the ivory towers of the industry, he began to see the disconnect between the wealthy institutions and the actual needs of the communities they intended to serve. The realization that philanthropy was often an extension of colonial dynamics led Edgar to write his groundbreaking book, Decolonizing Wealth…

People in this episode

Guest: Edgar Villanueva

Topics covered

• philanthropy
• Native identity
• colonialism
• social finance
• cultural roots

Keywords

• philanthropy
• Native American
• colonial dynamics
• social finance
• cultural identity

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Lumbee Tribe

Books & works: Decolonizing Wealth

Places: North Carolina, Raleigh

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