Building a More Equitable Economy Through Collective Action

The mission of TheINSPIRECampaign℠ is to close the racial wealth gap by mobilizing white people to acknowledge the impacts of systematic racism by investing at least 1% of their net worth in building Black wealth.

INSPIREquity℠ envisions a society where the public understands the roots of the racial wealth gap and actively supports efforts to close it. We see a future where individuals and groups contribute personal and financial resources to create sustainable, intergenerational wealth for all, regardless of race. Our goal is to inspire 100,000 American households to invest $1 billion over the next three years to help close the racial wealth gap.

Our Values

The pursuit of economic security is the right of all people, regardless of race. We will thrive as a society when the consequences of historic racial injustice are remedied.

Our efforts to bring people together to close the racial wealth gap are grounded in a commitment to clear and open communication regarding INSPIRE’s goals and strategies.

INSPIRE’s efforts to build wealth in the Black community must be guided by members of that community to ensure impact and avoid unintended consequences.

INSPIRE invites those whose opportunity to build wealth has not been constrained by their race to share some of their assets with those whose access to opportunity has been historically limited. The relationships formed through this sharing will help to build a better world.

A world free from racial wealth divides is possible. We will build it together, one generous pledge at a time.

[Our History]

Striving to be the 
change we want to see 
in the world

In the summer of 2020, following the tragic killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, a founding group began meeting to discuss how they could meaningfully respond to the wave of racial reckoning sweeping across America. These conversations, driven by a deep reflection on racial privilege and the urgent need for action, led to the founding of INSPIREquity℠ and discussion of how to 
develop The INSPIRE Campaign℠.

From the start, INSPIREquity℠ focused on the racial wealth gap (RWG) as a practical and actionable 
way to advance racial equity

Irrefutable Evidence
The racial wealth gap is a well-documented reality, extensively studied and measured by government agencies and researchers for decades. The gap cannot be dismissed by naysayers as a “theory.”
Undeniable Historical Context
For over 400 years, Black Americans have been systematically excluded from wealth-building opportunities due to a history of enslavement, segregation, and discriminatory practices.
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White Americans have not experienced race-based barriers to wealth accumulation through homeownership, access to capital or educational opportunity. We now have an opportunity to make those tools more available to our neighbors.

Our efforts must be guided by, and accountable to, the Black community.

Our Status

After two years of research and consultation, INSPIRE Equity, Inc. was incorporated as a Maryland nonprofit organization in 2022, and received IRS 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status in 2023.

The founders of INSPIREquity℠ established a board of directors that represents the commitment of white citizens to addressing the racial wealth gap and the leadership of Black citizens in guiding our efforts.

On the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in January 2025, the board launched theINSPIREcampaign.org℠ to begin this crucial work.

Our Board Members

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Phil Baker-Shenk

Treasurer

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Katrina Bledsoe

Board Member

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Julie Bosland

Board Member

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David Bucher

Board Member

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Jamie Campbell

Board Member

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Heather Infantry

Board Member

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Isaac Mintz

Board Member
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Daniel Moss

Board Member
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Peter O’Driscoll

Chair of the Board
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Shawna Watley

Board Member

Volunteer with INSPIRE!

At INSPIREquity℠, we believe that everyone has a role to play in closing the racial wealth gap, and your time and talents can make a lasting difference. We’re always looking for passionate individuals to join our efforts and help drive meaningful change. Whether you’re skilled in outreach, education, or simply have a desire to contribute, there are countless ways to get involved.

If you want to learn more about how you can support our mission, we’d love to hear from you.

INSPIRE Volunteer Form

Thank you for your interest in donating to the INSPIRE campaign. 

You can send donations via Zelle to donation@theinspirecampaign.org or mail us a physical check to: 

INSPIRE Equity, Inc.
88 Shepherd Village Circle
Shepherdstown, WV 25443

Please send us your name and snail/email address to donation@theinspirecampaign.org so we can send you a receipt for your tax deductible donation.
Phil Baker-ShenkTreasurer
I am an attorney and partner in the Washington, D.C. office of the law firm of Holland & Knight LLP. Since 1976, I have mainly represented the interests of Native American Indian tribal governments and organizations on a diverse array of matters, including five years of service in the U.S. Senate where my last stint included two years as committee general counsel on Indian law to Senator John McCain. My work has spanned legislative lobbying strategy, litigation, problem-solving, and transactional negotiation. I graduated from Catholic University School of Law and Eastern Mennonite University. My wife Charlotte Baker-Shenk, (PhD. Linguistics) and I raised two children. We now reside in Shepherdstown, WV in the Shepherd Village Cohousing Community we helped to found and develop. I joined the INSPIRE board because I want to work creatively to put tangible choices in front of good people looking for ways they personally can push history toward greater justice outcomes – like closing the Black-White wealth gap. This is a priority for me, given the privileges that are part of my life, and I want to break a sweat in my efforts to make this goal a reality in my own small ways.
Katrina BledsoeBoard Member
Katrina L. Bledsoe, Ph.D., is Principal of Global Equity and Engagement at Abt Global, Inc. At Abt Global, she is responsible for developing culturally responsive and equity-focused, as well as theory-driven strategies for program design and evaluation, and organizational learning. As Principal she serves as a thought leader both within and outside the organization, particularly as it pertains to research and evaluation.
Julie Bosland Board Member
Julie Bosland is Chief Impact Officer at Living Cities, a collaborative of foundations and financial institutions driving systems change to close the racial wealth gap. Throughout her career, she has worked in and with the public sector for greater economic and educational equity, serving in the Philadelphia Mayor’s Office, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the White House Domestic Policy Council, and supporting municipal officials through the National League of Cities (NLC). Julie earned her bachelor’s degree from Swarthmore College and her master’s in public affairs from Princeton University. She lives with her husband, Chris, in Alexandria, Virginia, and has three college-aged children. Julie joined INSPIRE to promote widespread individual action to address systemic racism by shifting white wealth to Black-led strategies for racial wealth equity.
David BucherBoard Member
David retired in 2017 after a total of thirty-seven years of federal service. His responsibilities at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) included eighteen years as an Administrative Trademark Judge and a dozen years as the Executive Director of the Trademark Examining Operations. His service before the USPTO included assignments with the U.S. Senate, U.S. Treasury Department, the Flood Insurance Program, and the Peace Corps. He earned his law degree from The National Law Center, George Washington University, and his B.A. degree in business management from Eastern Mennonite University. He is married to Sharon Hoover and lives in Fairfax, VA. In the wake of the murder of George Floyd, after months of intensive reading and group discussions on being anti-racist, he felt compelled to join with others to do something concrete to help reduce the racial wealth gap in the U.S.
Jamie Campbell Board Member
Jamie Campbell, Ph.D., CDE, is the Associate Dean of Diversity Enhancement Programs at the Smeal College of Business at The Pennsylvania State University. Jamie has had a career working with underrepresented persons in academia and corporate America. He has helped to define and shape policy supporting the advancement of individuals who may not have been afforded opportunities to reach their full potential due to systemic barriers. Jamie obtained his BA from Morehouse College, M.Ed., Central Michigan University, and Ph.D. The Pennsylvania State University. Jamie and Kimberly reside in State College PA with their three daughters, Grace, Vivian, and Lillian. He joined the INSPIRE board to help close the wealth gap that African Americans are facing today through words and actions.
Heather InfantryBoard Member
Heather Infantry is the CEO of Giving Gap, a national organization focused on advancing racial equity in philanthropy by supporting high-performing Black-founded nonprofits. She is also the Founder of the Atlanta Taskforce for Philanthropic Reparations, which was formed following her public call-out of the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta for its exclusion of Black arts organizations in COVID relief funding. Through this initiative, Heather successfully advocated for an unprecedented $1.4 million contribution to 33 Black organizations. Prior to her current role, Heather served as Managing Director of the TransFormation Alliance, a collective focused on equitable transit-oriented development as a pathway to Black prosperity, and was the founding Executive Director of Generator, a social innovation space on Atlanta’s Beltline dedicated to generating ideas for the future of cities. Heather holds a B.A. in Theater from Georgia State University and an MBA in Nonprofit Management from Trinity University. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her family. Heather joined the INSPIREquity board to support its commitment to closing the racial wealth gap and mobilizing significant investments in Black-led efforts. She believes INSPIREquity’s mission aligns powerfully with her dedication to dismantling systemic barriers and creating pathways for Black wealth and opportunity.
Isaac MintzBoard Member
Isaac M. Mintz brings over 19 years of nonprofit experience to his role as Vice President of Finance and Administration for the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. Isaac oversees the finance and accounting functions to help support and execute the overall mission of IWPR. Isaac’s career has been dedicated to social justice issues. He is an innovator in growth and expansion strategy and has proven his ability to challenge, change, and better existing processes, procedures, and systems. Isaac received his B.S. in Accounting and Information Systems from High Point University. He also has a Masters, cum laude, with a concentration in Accounting and a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Information Technology and Business Management. Isaac has his CMA Certification and is a candidate for the Uniform CPA Examination. In previous positions, Isaac has served as accounting manager, staff accountant, senior controller, and chief financial officer. In these various roles, he has gained vital knowledge of how to grow any organization through strategic planning and financial management.
Daniel MossBoard Member
Daniel serves as Co-Director at the Agroecology Fund. Daniel has worked in philanthropy for over three decades, channeling resources to community-led organizations and collaborations. Trained as a community organizer, he strengthened tenant organizations in public housing in Boston and then lived in El Salvador and Mexico for five years, working in support of social movements defending rights to land and water. He worked as an on-farm trainer in a workers’ rights certification program and with Latin American water utilities to strengthen watershed conservation strategies. He holds a Master’s degree in City Planning from MIT and writes frequently on food and water issues for traditional and online media.
Peter O’Driscoll Chair of the Board
Peter O’Driscoll has been executive director of Equitable Food Initiative since 2011, where he leads a multi-stakeholder collaboration to improve wages and working conditions for agricultural labor throughout the Americas. After earning a bachelor’s degree in history and literature from Harvard College and a master’s in economic development from Columbia University, Peter’s prior career covered advocacy, research and program management in several nonprofit organizations focused on humanitarian assistance, refugee relief and international food system reform. He lives with his wife Christine Reesor in Takoma Park, MD, where they raised two daughters. Peter helped to found INSPIRE in 2020 out of a conviction that true racial reconciliation in America requires that our society confront and address the historical inequities that created today’s egregious Black-White racial wealth gap.
Shawna WatleyBoard Member
Shawna Watley is a senior policy professional and strategist in Holland & Knight’s Washington, D.C., office. She is a co-leader of the Public Policy & Regulation Group’s Education Team. Ms. Watley has more than 17 years of experience in public policy, strategy development, lobbying, legislative and regulatory counseling, and creative solutions to corporate, nonprofit and governmental issues at the federal level. She has cultivated working relationships on the federal, state and local levels of government. This includes professional relationships with the new Biden Administration, leaders in the House of Representatives and the Senate, moderate Democrats and the Congressional Black Caucus. Ms. Watley forges and maintains working relationships with key elected political leaders, appointed officials and corporate executives. She has extensive experience representing public and private interests on various issues, including financial services, transportation, homeland security, healthcare, energy and education.