Executive Director
Communities In Partnership
FOCUS
Camryn’s goal in her community in Durham, North Carolina is to bring more concrete, community rooted and led strategies and outcomes that are centered around how chronic illness and health are linked inextricably to inequality, lack of resources, and stress, all of which are rooted in historical and institutional inequality. Issues of gentrification/displacement, lack of business and work opportunities, and healthy food access contribute to communities disproportionately experiencing negative emotional and physical health issues.
STRATEGIC INITIATIVE: Create a Replicable System for Equipping and Expanding Black and Brown Food-based Entrepreneurs
My strategic initiative will focus on creating a replicable system to equip and expand black and brown food-based entrepreneurs. We will be focusing on creating connections for them to compete and have a space (a kiosk concept that is replicable) in majority-white ecosystem spaces, giving them access to wealth-building and networking opportunities that are often not possible. My focus is black and brown femme-identifying, food-based/systems entrepreneurs that are centering equitable/liberative business practices and sustainable, earth-friendly systems in their business practices. Our ideal or targeted community partners are those considered under-resourced women/femmes of color food entrepreneurs, with preference given to those from our community, Community College-Small Business Center and Continuing Ed, CDFI-Self-help, Duke World Food Policy, and CASE-Fuqua School-Duke University.
MORE ABOUT CAMRYN
Camryn Smith is a founding member of Communities In Partnership, a community rooted organizing and education group based in her Old East Durham community. As executive director she oversees and assists in developing community-based education processes, community development, and implementation and organizing for addressing policy and systemic inequity for communities of color and materially poor peoples within Durham. Camryn’s focus centers around social determinants of health and the intersection of economic development, gentrification, displacement and housing, and food access/justice.