2024 - peru
an idea.
a few friends began with a small idea hypothesis: “the other 1% idea.” they decided it was worth exploring, together.
birthright project
2025 - 501(c)(3)
the collective formed.
two priorities: financial autonomy accelerated by digital social enterprises; collective wellbeing enabled through culturally grounded community health systems.
2025 - labs
first pilots.
labs flagship pilots—the mmaadd institute, softerbread coop, and happy sunday—proved digital social enterprises could earn, sustain, and serve communities.
2026 - groundworks
trusted partners on the ground.
groundworks partners with local builders to identify need, adapt useful tools, and operate and scale ventures across africa, the caribbean, and the diaspora.
2026 - onward
the value compounds.
more fellows, more partners; more tools, more enterprises built by the people who will use, and own them.
as madiba said...
osmosis os.
ubuntu inside.
we were started on the other 1% idea, which runs on a simple operating logic.
osmosis moves resources toward imbalance. global customers, capital, technology and opportunity flow toward communities with the greatest gaps in access.
ubuntu keeps value circulating. entrepreneurs own what they build and retain most of what they earn. a small share returns to shared community infrastructure, creating access for more people.
how we move
we operate globally, remotely, and often in remote places.
we build through labs, then distribute and scale impact through our groundwork network.
labs
01buildidea + prototype
02pilottest in public
03blueprintready to run
groundwork
04distributeshare the model
05operatelocal ownership
06scalegrow by place
see how we move
labs builds.
atlanta, ga + torrance, ca.
our studios in Atlanta and Torrance develop ideas, tools and enterprises from the ground up.
groundwork activates.
co-create with communities.
local teams shape ideas, build partnerships and run community pilots to find what works—and who can lead it.
labs blueprints.
stable tools, ready to own.
validated ideas become stable technology and ready-to-own enterprise blueprints. what does not work is reused, adapted or tested elsewhere.
groundwork transfers.
local teams adapt and lead.
local builders, leaders and partners take ownership of the blueprints and adapt them for their communities.
birthright supports.
shared infrastructure + support.
shared infrastructure, advisors and coaches help each local enterprise launch, operate and grow.
communities multiply.
locally owned growth.
locally owned digital enterprises earn, scale and sustain themselves—while creating more opportunity around them.
how we fund the mission
our work is underwritten by empathy and enterprise.
the birthright fund gives new social enterprises early runway.
sources
venture proceedsindividual giftscorporate support
birthright fundresources move to where the need is greatest
community outcomes
practical digital capability
donations fill the early gap. as ventures grow, the gap closes.
our collective
built by many hands.
the people behind the mission, fondly known as distant cousins, are our collective of thinkers + tinkerers: our advisory board, directors, and operators for the work we’re doing.
faqs
what is the birthright project?
the birthright project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit building accessible digital enterprise and community health platforms.
how did birthright begin?
it began with a hypothesis between friends: poverty was designed, and so will its end. together, they decided it was worth exploring.
what does birthright actually do?
we build useful tools, programs, and social enterprises; test them with communities; then strengthen what works.
why does a nonprofit build enterprises?
because donations should not have to carry good ideas forever. earned models can help useful work sustain itself and return ownership to the communities it serves.
who is behind the work?
birthright is shaped by a collective of local builders, fellows, partners, and distant cousins who guide, build, and champion the work.